Haftorah Parashat Bereshit
A Word of Caution: Learning Torah should always be a search for the Torah’s meanings, but the danger of imposing oneself and one’s interests on the text(s) looms ever large. I am particularly interested in finding the theological messages of these haftarot—Rabbi Solovetchik once said they were instituted to maintain the Jews’ faith in redemption—I hope not to become uni-toned, not to only see the two or three themes I find most interesting. But you’ll let me know.
Apparent Connection to the Parsha: The haftarah opens up with Hashem mentioning that He created the Heavens and spread them out, formed the Earth, etc. The casual reader might assume that it was chosen because of that similarity to the beginning of the parsha. Even accepting this leaves us wondering why this reference to God as Creator was chosen.
The Actual Content and Themes of the Haftarah: Hashem’s Creating takes a backseat to broader concerns, such as Hashem’s mentioning how much He has held himself back over the years. In the future, Hashem promises to fully reveal Himself, to take the Jewish people—who are referred to as blind and deaf—to places they never knew or imagined, to spur them to sing a shir hadash, a new song (see below).
Creation certainly plays an important role in this haftarah, but its role is to show how powerful Hashem can be, how much His presence is simply not noticed by ordinary humans, and how erroneous an impression that can leave. In the future, we are reminded and promised, all of that restraint will fall away, and the obvious Creator will once again emerge.
The Connection Between the Haftarah and the Parsha, Reconsidered: Rather than linking two places where Hashem is referred to as Creator, the haftarah brings the meaning of Creator into focus. At the extreme—the time of Creation—God was fully revealed. After, He hid Himself, as it were, allowing humans freewill, including the ability to ignore God and His continuing impact on the world. (Remember: to allow for freewill, God must not be obvious enough that any intelligent person would assume His existence and active involvement).
The haftarah reminds us that Hashem will eventually return to the Creation mode, this time to fully redeem the Jews. We might bemoan Hashem’s hiddenness, but it has been so ordained since Creation. Aside from redemption, our haftarah allows us to consider the balance between hiddenness and openness, that God chooses.
Famous/Important Phrases from this Week’s Haftarah:
Chapter 42:10, Shiru LaShem Shir Hadash, sing to God a “new song,” a phrase that is generally understood to mean the song of praise Jews will sing in the future, when Hashem has publicly redeemed them, and all recognize that they are His nation. Some of Hazal’s statements emphasize that shir hadash, new song, comes in response to supernatural events, such as the Splitting of the Sea or, (Avodah Zara 24b) the cows pulling the Aron back to Israel from Plishtim in the time of Shmuel.
Chapter 42:21, Hashem Hafets LeMaan Zidko, Yagdil Torah ve-Yadir, Hashem wants to help others become more righteous, therefore makes the Torah great and strong (and therefore attractive to people). We say this at the end of U-Va Le-Tziyon, as well as its being the Rabbinic inference we site to justify reciting a kaddish de-Rabanan. See famous statements in Rambam, below.
Chapter 42:24, Mi Natan Li-Meshisah Yaakov…Halo Hashem Zu Hatanu Lo: Who gave the Jews over to spoil…Is it not this God to Whom we have sinned? This is the verse that famously convinced R. Yehoshua to ransom R. Yishmael b. Elisha from prison. Even at a young age, R. Yishmael is portrayed as recognizing God’s impact on history, despite its hiddenness. In other stories told of him in the Talmud, he is consistently having metaphysical experiences, remarkably direct interactions with God. Seeing God’s “tracks” in the world is, apparently, the first step towards having even more direct such contacts.
Chapter 43:4, Kol haNikra BiShmi ve-Likhvodi Berativ, Yetsartiv ve-Af Asitiv, All that is called by Name I created, formed and made. Hashem as Creator does not mean just once, it means a continuing connection to and ownership of the world.
Places Where Rambam Cites Verses From This Week’s Haftarah: In Hilchot Talmud Torah 2:7, Rambam cites Hashem Hafetz le-Maan Tzidko to justify the absolute right to open another yeshiva or school, since Hashem wants more and more Torah. This is in contrast to the ordinary anti-competition streak we can find in halachic literature. More famously, he understood this verse (in the last Mishnah in Makkot) to mean that Hashem gave us a wide range of mitsvot, in the hope that we’ve find one we could perform fully, earning us our share in the World to Come.
In his commentary to Eduyot 8;7, Rambam cites Kol ha nikra bi-shmi to explain why the Hachamim of the Mishnah believed in discovering all lineages, even those that will lead to the descendants being excluded from certain rights. In Rambam’s view, apparently, Hachamim were telling us that lineage matters less than recognizing that we all belong to God, and have services to perform, regardless of how perfect or imperfect our lineage may be.
[5] Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:
[6] I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
[7] To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
[8] I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
[9] Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.
[10] Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.
[11] Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.
[12] Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands.
[13] The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.
[14] I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.
[15] I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.
[16] And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
[17] They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods.
[18] Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.
[19] Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD’s servant?
[20] Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.
[21] The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.
[22] But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.
[23] Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come?
[24] Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law.
[25] Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.
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Isa.43
[1] But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
[2] When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
[3] For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
[4] Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.
[5] Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;
[6] I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
[7] Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
[8] Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.
[9] Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.
[10] Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.