Haftarat Netsavim-Vayelech
Rich Expression Can Be Confusing
The first section of this haftarah is both long and difficult, although its generally positive tone is clear. Some of the difficulty stems from Yeshayahu piling metaphors on top of each other, so that we have to make choices about how deeply to delve into each.
I’m choosing three central ones, clothing, marriage, and planting. Yeshayahu opens by announcing that Yerushalayim (or, possibly, the Jewish people) will rejoice in Hashem having clothed it (or them) in redemption. The verse then moves into a wedding metaphor, saying that these clothes will be a “pe`er,” a sign of beauty or glory, like a bridegroom, or like jewels for a bride. The next verse takes us to planting, comparing the redemption to a field yielding its plants, a garden its seeds.
Later verses revisit these metaphors. 62;3 speaks of us (or Yerushalayim) as a crown of glory or scarf of rulership in the hands of Hashem. The first verses of chapter 63 focus on clothing, viewing someone (commentators debate whom; some see it as the Angel of Esav, others as Hashem, who was fighting on behalf of the Jews) as coming from Edom with dirtied clothing.
Verses 4 and 5 go back to marriage and planting, promising that we will no longer be called abandoned, we’ll be known as “Hefsi-bah, my (Hashem’s) desires are in it,” and the Land will be called “Beulah, husbanded.” Planting comes up again in verses 8-9, when Hashem swears we’ll never again have to see others eating our crops, that those who gather a harvest will eat and drink it, in Hashem’s holy places.
Clothing: Defining or Revealing
The clothing metaphor seems to have one of two meanings. In the first verses, clothing seems to define the person. For example, the promise to clothe us in salvation seems like a guarantee that the salvation will come. Another example of clothing making the man is Ramban’s assumption in Humash that the the priests’ garments were calculated to increase his beauty. In another case, clothing seems to reveal a person’s already-existing character, such as the “hamuts begadim,” the one wearing bloody clothes. Clothing, then, can either make the man or open him to the public, and is used in both of those ways here.
The other two metaphors, planting and marriage, seem useful ways of expressing Hashem’s promise to be more involved with us in the future. Hashem is promising that we will once again have the kind of attention of spouses and farmers to plants, repeated care for the health and needs of the other.
The metaphor of planting offers fruitful insight, as the navi notes that we will be like both a field and a garden. As Radak notes, a field (without crop rotation) has one long growing season, while a garden combines different species, and therefore always has something coming to bloom. Translated to redemption, it suggests both a single redemptive event as well as a continuing and repeated blooming, perhaps further aspects of that redemption.
End of Verse 2: A Change of Name for Yerushalayim
Verse 2 speaks of the nations seeing how Hashem will help us and then will give Yerushalayim a new name. This change might be a way of repairing the city’s image, identifying it more fully with Hashem, or wipe away the embarrassing reminders of her sin.
This fits well with the other metaphors we’ve seen. Just as Hashem promised to re-clothe us in ways that would demonstrate our greater connection to God, just as Hashem promised that the field of the Land would secure God’s greater attention in the future, Yerushalayim’s name will demonstrate that as well.
Verse 6 is perhaps the best-known verse of the haftarah, where Hashem announces the placing of guards or watchers on the walls of Jerusalem, all day and all night. Whether these watchers are angels or people, Hashem is saying that He has assigned someone the task of continuously crying over and praying for the rebuilding of Jerusalem, of keeping that part of the world agenda in an active way.
Verses 10-12: Again, the Participation of the World
Hashem next calls for His messengers to pass through the Land clearing away obstacles to travel, which may be a metaphor for the evil inclination. Once those stumbling blocks are gone, the messengers are to go to the ends of the earth, encouraging the nations who live there to tell the Jews that the Redemption has come, to call them the Holy Nation, the ones redeemed by God.
Note once again how important other nations are in this future redemption, because, in Yeshayahu’s vision, God “cares” about the whole world learning the truth of Creation and of the necessity of living in relationship with our Creator. Admitting that the Jews are the nation of God and redeemed by Him is a crucial first step.
Verses 1-6 of Chapter 63 have Hashem noting that no one else was willing to join in bringing about the necessary salvation, so He will do it Himself. Like the original Exodus, grand redemptions make a point to the entire world, explaining why it would take God’s direct involvement to make it as fully and broadly as possible.
The selection ends with three verses that stress the kindnesses of Hashem, the great goods He has done (and will do) for us. A casual look at Jewish history can make this a hard message to absorb, since we might see it as one trouble following another. Yeshayahu is asking us to realize that suffering is never lightly brought on us, that God only brings our sufferings in the name of a vastly more important goal.
Conclusion: Comfort Isn’t a Simple Process
As the last of the seven comforting haftarot, this and the others stress that we cannot expect that our problems will magically and instantaneously disappear. Our haftarot remind us that there is a blessed time awaiting us, but the road to that time takes varying kinds of effort on our part. Even if we fail to ever make that effort, Hashem will eventually bring it about, but we will have missed an opportunity. The truer comfort is knowing how much we can do to hasten that day, to insure that it comes as fully and beneficially as possible. A propos of this time of year, we are reminded that worlds of bounty await us, if we only make the first and necessary steps. Shabbat Shalom. Remember Selihot Motsaei Shabbat!!!
ISAIAH 61;10
[10] I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
[11] For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.
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Isa.62
[1] For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.
[2] And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.
[3] Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.
[4] Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.
[5] For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.
[6] I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence,
[7] And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
[8] The LORD hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured:
[9] But they that have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the LORD; and they that have brought it together shall drink it in the courts of my holiness.
[10] Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.
[11] Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
[12] And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.
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Isa.63
[1] Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.
[2] Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?
[3] I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.
[4] For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.
[5] And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.
[6] And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.
[7] I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.
[8] For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour.
[9] In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.