Illustration credit: Noa Kelner
Haftarah הַפְטָרָה
It’s been a rough time on the Jewish calendar. We just completed three difficult weeks of mourning for the Beit Ha-Mikdash. On Tisha B’Av we sat on the floor, fasted, and read about really sad things that happened to our people.
Now it’s time to feel hopeful again, and that’s what Shabbat this week is all about. It even has a special name: Shabbat Nahamu. This means “Shabbat of comfort,” and the name comes from the first line of our haftarah.
On Tisha B’Av we read:
אֵין מְנַחֵם לָהּ
There is no one to comfort her (Jerusalem)
Our haftarah responds:
נַחֲמ֥וּ נַחֲמ֖וּ עַמִּ֑י
Be comforted, be comforted, My people!
On Tisha B’Av we read:
דַּרְכֵי צִיּוֹן אֲבֵלוֹת
The roads of Tzion (Jerusalem) are in mourning
Our haftarah responds:
פַּנּ֖וּ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יהוה
Clear a road for God!
On Tisha B’Av we read:
וַיֵּלְכוּ בְלֹא כֹחַ לִפְנֵי רוֹדֵף
They (the exiles from Jerusalem) walk without strength before their pursuer
Our haftarah responds:
נֹתֵן לַיָּעֵף כֹּחַ…וְקוֹיֵ ה’ יַחֲלִיפוּ כֹחַ
God gives strength to the weary…those who trust in God shall renew their strength
- What’s powerful about seeing the same language and images appear first in a really sad context, and then in a hopeful and bold way?
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