Beshalach, Shoftim 4:4 – 5:31

It appears that Even-Shoshan had an error that I quoted in last week’s blog. Amon from No comes up two other times in Tanach, Nachum 3 and Yechezkel 30; I think he is still an important connection to Bo, but not the only connection. Anyhow, this week, we cover one of the most celebrated haftarot — the song of Devorah. Sephardim only do the song, but Ashkenazim also read the story, and we will try to address both.

Context

The bulk of Sefer Shoftim follows a pattern of (1) the people sin, (2) G-d punishes them with some foreign ruler, (3) G-d brings a judge to overthrow the interloper. There are a few chapters (1-3) of prologue, followed by chapters 3-16 describing each of these judges. Then chapters 17-21 tell stories of an Israel that has lost its moral compass. Our haftarah begins after the previous judge Ehud died, and Yavin, king of Canaan, with his general Sisera, has imposed his rule on the Israelites.

Overview

This is a long haftarah, with two main sections — prose and poetry — breaking down further as follows.

Prose

1. [4:4-10] Devorah recruits Barak to gather an army at Tavor to fight Sisera.
2. [4:11] Aside regarding Hever the Kenite who camps near Kedesh.
3. [4:12-13] Sisera gathers his army to attack Barak.
4. [4:14-16] Barak with G-d’s help trounces Sisera’s army.
5. [4:17-22] Yael, wife of Hever, welcomes Sisera, then kills him in his sleep.
6. [4:23-24] Israel regains its power, and Yavin is defeated.

Poetry

1. [5:1-5] Prologue praising G-d.
2. [5:6-11] Setting the historical background.
3. [5:12-23] Devorah addresses those who came to fight, and those who failed to do so.
4. [5:24-27] Yael is praised for her killing of Sisera.
5. [5:28-30] Sisera’s mother worries, but comforts herself thinking of spoils.
6. [5:31] Concluding prayer that all G-d’s enemies should be vanquished.

The division of the shirah is a bit sketchy, since the verses are unclear.

“Barak ben Avinoam has ascended Mt. Tavor”

Interestingly, Har Tavor has made an appearance in two consecutive haftarot! Just to review the battle plan, Devorah tells Barak to assemble a force of ten thousand men from Naftali and Zevulun and ascend Mt Tavor. Then G-d will draw Sisera to Wadi Kishon, and allow Barak to defeat him there. Then it goes exactly to plan — they go up the mountain, Sisera hears, and then gathers his army to Wadi Kishon.

But why? It seems obvious that the army possessing higher ground holds an advantage! Why wouldn’t Sisera wait for them to come down from the mountain before launching an attack? Metzudat David makes a similar point on verse 12: Sisera understood that they hoped to gain military advantage by going up to the mountain.

This question feels especially sharp when comparing it to this week’s parsha. Specifically, in Shemot 14:2-3, G-d tells Moshe to camp in Pi HaChirot, so that:

ג וְאָמַר פַּרְעֹה לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, נְבֻכִים הֵם בָּאָרֶץ; סָגַר עֲלֵיהֶם, הַמִּדְבָּר.

3 Pharaoh will say about the children of Israel ‘They are lost in the land; the desert has shut them in.’

G-d makes the Israelites do something that appears to put them at a disadvantage, in order to tempt Pharaoh to pursue, to his doom. Here, though, Barak gives himself the advantage so why does Sisera buy in??

One answer is that Sisera’s actions were ordained by G-d, and were not very logical. However, it seems like his actions are informed by strategy, based on verse 12 — Sisera hears that Barak has ascended Mount Tavor, so he acts; it’s not just a Heavenly Decree.

Another answer inspired by Da’at Mikra is that Sisera had a specific fear: that the remaining tribes of Israel (besides Naphtali and Zevulun who have already gathered) will join Barak on Tavor. By assembling at Wadi Kishon, Sisera is well-positioned to block off any forces joining from the South.

A final answer depends on where Yavin’s capital is. The verse mentions that Yavin ruled in Chatzor, but we read that Chatzor was destroyed earlier in the book of Yehoshua! The commentators offer two main explanations: 1. it’s describing where Yavin’s line initially ruled, but he currently reigns in Charoshet-Hagoyim where Sisera is located. 2. The Canaanites retook Chatzor, and Yavin reigned there, though Sisera is based at Charoshet-Hagoyim.

If the second explanation holds, then perhaps Sisera thought Barak was preparing to attack Chatzor (to the Northeast). By camping at Wadi Kishon, he was preparing to attack Barak from behind after his forces descended the mountain. But then Barak surprised Sisera by targeting him instead of Yavin.

“May Ya’el be blessed among women”

Why did Ya’el kill Sisera? As it says in verse 4:17,

כִּי שָׁלוֹם, בֵּין יָבִין מֶלֶךְ-חָצוֹר, וּבֵין, בֵּית חֶבֶר הַקֵּינִי.

For there was peace between Yavin king of Chatzor and the house of Hever the Kenite.

If there was a peace treaty, what reason did Ya’el see to break it? The text says next to nothing about her motivations. Furthermore, why does Devorah in verses 5:24-27 deem Ya’el to be praiseworthy?

Fortunately, this question is also asked by the Kli Yakar —

קשה מאד איך עשתה יעל בגידה זו בסיסרא והרי כרתו ברית שלום יחדיו

It’s very difficult: how did Yael do this betrayal of Sisera? Behold they had formed a peace treaty together!

He brings a few answers:

1. The Mahari”a offered two explanations. First, the covenant with Yavin was not extended to his entire nation. After all, whereas the “house of Chever” is mentioned, the house or nation of Yavin is not.
2. Then the Mahari”a suggests that the peace treaty was binding for the men in the house, but not for the women.
   [I don’t love either of these answers, since they’re quite technical and don’t truly justify what Ya’el did.]
3. Kli Yakar, in his own answer, cites the gemara in Horayot 10b:
   

   אמר רבי יוחנן שבע בעילות בעל אותו רשע באותה שעה שנאמר (שופטים ה) בין רגליה כרע נפל שכב וגו Rabbi Yochanan said: Seven times did that wicked man have relations with her at that time, as it says “between her legs, he bent, he fell, and lay, etc.” (Shoftim 5)

   Chazal interpret the seven verbs used in the retelling in Devorah’s song to mean that Sisera had relations with Ya’el seven times. In this case, Sisera is betraying Chever by being with Ya’el, so Chever’s house is also exempted from staying true to the treaty.
   [This answer is interesting, but relies a bit too heavily on midrash for my taste.]

The answer of the Chida, written in the Chomat Anach, rings true to me:

אבל בקושטא הברית היה לפנים מפני הפחד אך כנטול דמי שהוא ברית עם אויבי ה’. ומצוה רבה עשתה וטעונה ברכה כמו שאמרה דבורה ברוח הקדש תבורך מנשים יעל וכו

But in truth, the covenant was made earlier out of fear, however, it was essentially void because it was a treaty with the enemies of G-d. And Ya’el did a great mitzvah, and deserves a blessing as Devorah says through Divine inspiration, “May Ya’el be blessed among women.”

Yavin and Sisera were bullies and oppressors: they subjugated the Israelites with the threat of force. You can’t have that type of relationship with your neighbors, and also have good friendships with other neighbors. That spirit of intimidation will poison any other interactions you may have. The covenant must be seen in that light, and the actions of Ya’el are not arbitrary; they are the actions of an ethical bystander acting in the name of justice.

“So sang Devorah and Barak son of Avinoam”

I wish I had time to go carefully through Shirat Devorah, because it’s beautiful and incredibly weird. Instead, I will note how many analogs there are between this song and the songs of the Torah.

1. The beginning of the song which calls to the kings and nobles to listen recalls Parshat Ha’azinu (using exactly that word).
2. Verse 4 mentions G-d leaving Seir and Edom just as in Devarim 33:2, the beginning of V’zot Habrachah, Moshe says “G-d shone from Seir.”
3. The section addressing each of the tribes resembles the blessings of Parshat Vayechi. Indeed, the word “משפתים” appears in only two places in Tanach — Shoftim 5:16 (about Reuven) and Bereishit 49:14 (in parshat Vayechi, describing Yissachar). The words describing Yehudah’s reign in Vayechi, “שבט”, “scepter”, and “מחוקק”, “staff” also show up in verse 5:14 of the haftarah.
4. Finally, a large number of connections to the “Song of the Sea” in our parsha:
   1. Verse 3 – “אשירה”, “I shall sing”, Shemot 15:1 uses the same word.
   2. Verse 17 and 21 use vivid water imagery also found in the Song of the Sea.
   3. Verse 22 mentions the horses, as does verse 1 of Shemot 15.
   4. Verse 28 mentions the chariots, as does verse 4 of Shemot 15.
   5. Verse 30 talks about the division of spoils, as does Shemot 15:9.
   6. Barak and Devorah both sing this song, as Moshe and Miriam both sing the Song of the Sea.

Clearly, this haftarah is relevant to our parasha for a whole host of reasons. The connections between the two songs is really strong. Also the pursuit by a large army with chariots who end up being defeated. Finally, the end of the parasha featuring Amalek describes a third-party nation who witnessed the oppression of Israel by the Egyptians, and decided that they should give it a try too. What a contrast to Ya’el, a third-party who sees oppression and stands up for the victim.

Shabbat shalom! Drink a flask of milk, and get some rest 🙂

Bo, Yirmiyah 46:13-28

This is the first haftarah we’re covering from Yirmiyah! Sephardim read the first section of Yirmiyah for parashat Shemot, but we covered the Ashkenazi one that week.

Context

The structure of Yirmiyah is summarized as follows by Wikipedia:

• Chapters 1–25 (The earliest and main core of Jeremiah’s message)
• Chapters 26–29 (Biographic material and interaction with other prophets)
• Chapters 30–33 (God’s promise of restoration)
• Chapters 34–45 (Mostly interaction with Zedekiah and the fall of Jerusalem)
• Chapters 46–51 (Divine punishment to the nations surrounding Israel)
• Chapter 52 (Appendix that retells 2 Kings 24.18–25.30)

Our haftarah picks up right after the beginning of the section for prophecies against the nations. The first part of Chapter 46 also predicts destruction for Egypt/Mitzrayim, focused specifically on the Battle of Carcamish, an event that is corroborated by external historical sources.

Overview

It’s hard to break down the haftarah, because it is pretty unified in its message. Certain aspects change enough to attempt a division:

1. [13-17] Destruction will overtake Egypt.
2. [18-24] Through various natural metaphors, G-d predicts Egypt’s certain destruction.
3. [25-26] G-d declares that Nevuchadrezzar’s conquest is punishment for Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt.
4. [27-28] The Jews should not fear, because they will eventually be redeemed.

This division is inspired in part by the fact that verses 13, 18, and 25 all begin with a “So says Hashem” phrase; plus, verses 27 and 28 are clearly distinct from the earlier parts.

“Speak in Egypt and make heard in Migdol”

An interesting feature of our haftarah is an unusual focus on geography, some familiar, some less so. Verse 14 says:

יד הַגִּידוּ בְמִצְרַיִם וְהַשְׁמִיעוּ בְמִגְדּוֹל, וְהַשְׁמִיעוּ בְנֹף וּבְתַחְפַּנְחֵס;

14 Speak in Egypt and make heard in Migdol, and make heard in Noph and Tahpanhes…

Migdol may be familiar from Parashat B’shalach, in which the Israelites camp at Pi-Hachirot, which is between Migdol and the sea. Noph and Tahpanhes both appear in various places in Yirmiyah, see verse 2:16 and 44:1 for example. Da’at Mikra (from Mosad Ha’Rav Kook) identifies Tahpanhes as the ancient city of Daphnae at the northeast border of Egypt. He connects Noph to the ancient city of Memphis, on the Western shore of the Nile.

On this background, the selection of Noph and Tahpanhes makes sense — in order to spread the word, you need to go from the Western end to the Eastern end. How about the initial pair of Migdol and Mitzrayim? Perhaps Migdol alludes to a high place (gadol) and Mitzrayim alludes to the low places (like canyons, narrow or tzar). Granted, this may be a stretch.

Later in verse 18, we see:

יח …כִּי כְּתָבוֹר בֶּהָרִים, וּכְכַרְמֶל בַּיָּם יָבוֹא.

18 … for as Tavor among the mountains, and Carmel in the sea it shall come.

Rashi (based on Targum Yonatan) explains this verse as a (seemingly random) fact: just as Mt. Tavor located in a mountain range and Carmel on the Sea is a permanent fact, so too this prophesy is factual and well-founded. Radak interprets it as being more relevant to the conversation: Tavor was a popular hunting site, and Carmel was a lumber source whose trees were transported by sea. So too, Yirmiyah predicts that Egypt will be hunted by the Babylonians, and they will be brought out to exile like trees to the sea.

Perhaps based on the geography we can offer one other interpretation. A look at an elevation map makes evident that Mount Tavor is surrounded by a pretty flat area. In fact, Wikipedia identifies it as a “monadnock”, basically a mountain surrounded by flat land. Mount Carmel is more of a mountain range which starts inland and goes almost to the coast. The common element to both is SURPRISE — as Tavor suddenly erupts into a mountain, and Carmel suddenly hits the water, so too the destruction of Egypt shall strike suddenly.

Only one other geographical point is left in the haftarah: in both verses 20 and 24, G-d tells of Egypt’s destruction coming from the North or from a Northern nation. Based on context, this is certainly Babylonia, but from Egypt, Babylonia (and definitely the city of Bavel) is more East than North! One way to answer this is that the empire spread first to the North of Israel, before invading Israel and then through to Egypt, so it became progressively more “North”. Another is suggested in Da’at Mikra, that Nevuchadnezzar would invade in boats via the north.

“Behold I punish god Ammon of No”

What does the haftarah have to do with the parasha? The obvious answer is that both discuss the destruction of Egypt and the redemption of Israel (though the haftarah only features this latter theme at the end). Still I could use this idea to assign the haftarah to B’shalach, Va’era, or Shmot just as easily.

One (perhaps forced) answer is as follows: There are three plagues in Parashat Bo: Arbeh (locusts), choshech (darkness), and makat bechorot (Plague of the firstborn). Arbeh is referenced in verse 23. Verse 16 describes people falling over each other, which could be construed as a reference to darkness. Verse 15 describes how the strongest are swept away — this could be hinting at makat bechorot.

I think a better answer is that the dominant topic of Parashat Bo is the Korban Pesach. The pesach sacrifice was an act of defiance, because the Israelites took sheep, which were worshipped as gods in Egypt, and slaughtered them before their eyes. Which Egyptian god was a sheep? My Googling indicates that the closest answer is the Amun, known also as Amun-Ra, who was often depicted as ram-headed. Verse 25 features G-d’s punishment of the god Ammon of No; Da’at Mikra identifies this as the same god Amun-Ra, with No being his home city Thebes. If Even-Shoshan is to be believed, Yirmiyah 46 is the only appearance that Ammon makes in Tanach, so our chapter is the perfect accompaniment to Parashat Bo.

Shabbat Shalom from my monadnock to yours!

Va’era, Yechezkel 28:25 – 29:21

Oy. This week, I traveled to a conference where I delivered a talk and sat for job interviews. Unfortunately, this means I did not have much time to analyze the haftarah. This week’s blog entry will be a bit of a placeholder until I can write a more thorough entry.

Context

We gave a summary of the structure of Yechezkel in Parashat Vayigash. There we noted that Chapters 25 – 32 of Yechezkel are devoted to prophecies against the various other nations. This week’s haftarah is the prophecy against Egypt.

Overview

The haftarah breaks up really nicely as follows:

1. [28:25-26] Return of the Jewish exile will sanctify G-d’s name.
2. [29:1-7] Pharaoh, a “crocodile” and arrogant blasphemer, will be punished.
3. [29:8-12] The land of Egypt will be desolate.
4. [29:13-16] Ingathering of the Egyptian exiles back to a much humbled kingdom of Egypt.
5. [29:17-21] Nevuchadrezzar, who looted Tzor, will loot Egypt.

Each section begins with a new preface along the lines of “Thus spoke Hashem…” Sections 2 and 5 are also dated: Section 2 is prophesied on 10th year, on the twelfth day of the tenth month, and Section 5 is prophesied on the 27th year, on first day of the first month.

“And Egypt shall know that I am the Lord”

Even with just a cursory glance, there are a whole bunch of connections between the parasha and the haftarah:

1. Redemption of the Jews from exile among the nations (Yechezkel 28:25) compared to G-d’s promise at the beginning of the parasha to redeem the Jews and take them to be His nation. (Shemot 6:2-8).
2. The haftarah describes Paroh being torn from the Ye’or (Nile) which is the source of his power. (Yechezkel 29:4) Similarly the plague of blood, and to a lesser extent frogs, was about undermining Egypt’s security in the Nile.
3. G-d imposes a plague of desolation on the land of Egypt (Yechezkel, much like the seven plagues from the parasha.
4. G-d stresses in both the haftarah and the parashah that He is performing miracles so that the Egyptians learn that he is the Lord. (Shemot 7:5, Yechezkel 29:9)

There seems to be a lot of geopolitical affairs twisting their way through this haftarah, but I’m afraid I’ll have to come back to them. Shabbat Shalom!

Shemot, Yishayah 27:6-28:13, 29:22-23 (Ashkenaz)

This week’s haftarah is the first chopped-up haftarah we’ve covered. After one continuous passage from Yishayah, we add on two verses from a chapter later. Meanwhile, Sefaradim use the first passage from the book of Yirmiyah. That haftarah will come later in our cycle with Parshat Matot, so we’ll deal with it then. Note: This haftarah is very difficult to understand, and Rav Moshe Lichtenstein’s book Netivei Nevuah was a big help in extracting the themes.

Context

We spoke a bit about the organization of Yishayah in Parashat Lech Lecha, but we’ll go a bit more fine-grained here. Chapters 1-5 are one unit, describing G-d’s punishment and ultimate redemption of Judah and Israel. Chapter 6 describes Yishayah’s appointment to prophecy. Chapters 7-12 are a prophecy relating to geopolitics, and the coming destruction and redemption of Israel. The next chapters are end-time prophecies directed at a series of nations, each prophecy beginning with a headline “The X Pronouncement” or “X משא”, where X is replaced by some city or nation: Bavel (Chapters 13-14), Moav (15-16), Damesek (17-18), Mitzrayim (19-20), Midbar-yam (21), Gey-Chizayon (22), Tzor (23).

Chapters 24 and 25 zoom out and give an end-times prophecy for the whole world. Chapter 26 is a song of praise that Israel will sing to G-d in the end-times. Chapter 27, after mentioning the killing of the Leviathan, begins a song comparing Israel to a vineyard. Our haftarah picks up mid-song.

Overview

This haftarah is really hard. Any translation I looked at involved some pretty extensive acts of interpretation. The language is extremely flowery, and the ideas disjointed; however, I would divide the following rough sections:

[27:6-13] Ingathering of exiles, idolatry as an obstacle.

[28:1-8] Drunkenness and vanity as obstacles.

[28:9-13] Failure to understand G-d’s message.

[29:22-23] Ultimate redemption of Yaakov will lead to sanctifying G-d’s name.

Rav Moshe uses the declaration “הוי”, in verse 28:1 as a demarcation of a new section. I have split his second section again to separate two distinct themes.

“Yisrael shall blossom and bud”

The first section is distinguished by natural & agricultural diction; specifically, “taking root, blossoming, and budding” verse 6, “wind” in verse 8, “fruit” in verse 9, the grazing calf in verse 10, the “dried harvest” in verse 11, and the “beating” and “gathering” in verse 12. The verses are referring to the sins of Yisrael, their punishment, and their eventual redemption, but the language sounds like a farmer’s workday.

In terms of the actions being described by the verses, they seem to be:

1. Punishment and exile by G-d (verses 7-8, 10-11).
2. Atonement through the destruction of idolatry (verse 9).
3. Promise of future redemption (verses 12-13).

Why would the language of agriculture be used to describe these momentous historical forces? Rav Moshe, in discussing this section, notes that Yishayah’s version of end-times (or in the prophet’s words יום ההוא) has G-d intervening in world affairs. The people do not bring about political change, G-d rains it down from on high. That’s why in verse 13, the exiles come from all corners — Egypt to the south, and Ashur to the north — this doesn’t happen through local political turmoil. This happens because G-d causes it to so happen.

Perhaps this is also the reason for the diction of agriculture. The events being described are completely out of man’s control, they are as much in G-d’s hand as the weather and the harvest.

“The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim shall be trampled under foot”

The pairing of vanity and drunkenness comes up multiple times in the second section. What do these two things have in common?

One connection is the fact that these are attractive for a time, but ultimately fleeting. As Yishayah points out, the “צבי תפארת”, or glorious beauty, is “ציץ נובל”, a fading flower (verse 1). Regarding drunkenness, it begins in joy, but it ends up with “כל שלחנות מלאו קיא צואה”, tables full of filthy vomit.

What is the antidote to such elusive beauty?

These come in verses 5 and 6. Instead of a flower that fades, G-d will be our crown of glory. Instead of the blustering spirit you find in a glass of whiskey, G-d will be “רוח משפט”, a spirit of justice bringing us triumph in battle.

“Kav l’kav Tzav l’tzav”

The last section is obscure; so here’s an attempt at a literal explanation:

Verse 12 indicates that G-d gave Yisrael guidance to peace and comfort, but they did not listen. In verse 9, G-d questions: who else should He try to teach, newly-weaned infants? Instead, he is left to speak to them in “לעגי שפה”, a mockery of language. He tells them the following (seemingly gibberish) sentence in the hopes that they will fall back and be broken.

י כִּי צַו לָצָו צַו לָצָו, קַו לָקָו קַו לָקָו–זְעֵיר שָׁם, זְעֵיר שָׁם.

Transliterated: Ki tzav l’tzav tzav l’tzav, kav l’kav kav l’kav — z’eir sham z’eir sham.

The commentators have some interesting takes on what the gibberish verse actually means:

Rashi: The verse represents a dialogue between G-d and the people.
G-d gives a command (tzav) and the people respond that they have superior commands from their idolatrous rulers. G-d directs them regarding a straight line (kav) of justice; they respond with a line of wickedness. G-d warns of soon-to-come (z’eir sham) destruction; they challenge G-d to bring it quickly.

Targum Yonatan has a lengthy translation along Rashi’s lines:

אֲרֵי אִתְפַּקַדוּ לְמֶעְבַּד אוֹרַיְתָא וּמָא דְאִתְפַּקַדוּ לָא צְבִיאוּ לְמֶעְבַּד וְאִתְנַבִּיאוּ עֲלֵיהוֹן נְבִיַיָא דְאִם יְתוּבוּן יִשְׁתְּבֵק לְהוֹן וּלְמִלֵי נְבִיַיָא לָא קַבִּילוּ הַלִיכוּ בַּרַעֲוַת נַפְשְׁהוֹן וְלָא חֲמִידוּ לְמֶעְבַּד אוֹרַיְתִי סְבָרוּ דְיִתְקַיֵים לְהוֹן פּוּלְחַן טַעֲוָתָא וְלָא סְבָרוּ לְפוּלְחַן בֵּית מַקְדְשִׁי כִּזְעֵר הֲוָה בְּעֵינֵיהוֹן בֵּית מַקְדָשִׁי לְמִפְלַח תַּמָן כִּזְעֵיר בְּעֵינֵיהוֹן שְׁכִנְתִּי תַּמָן:

They have been commanded to do the laws, and that which they were commanded they did not desire to do. Prophets prophesied to them that if they repented they would be forgiven, but they did not accept the prophecies. They went along in what their hearts desired and they did not desire to do My laws. They believed that idol worship would sustain them, and the Temple worship was something small to them, and My residence there was something small to them.

Ibn Ezra: The verse is meant to depict the gradual education by a parent of a child.
The repetition of the words indicates repeated practice; G-d will teach the people one command (tzav) at a time, each letter line by line (kav), little by little (z’eir sham). In order to read it this way, Ibn Ezra modifies verse 13 slightly, so that the education is meant to prevent failure rather than bring it about. (Malbim and Radak explain the verse similarly)

Metzudat David: The verse is meant to indicate the necessity to shore up the Torah because of the Jews’ failures.
Where one command was originally taught, now an additional command was needed to shore it up. Where one boundary line was once sufficient, now an additional one is needed. The people can only handle a small amount at a time.

Ibn Ezra’s message, while difficult to read into the text, is at least hopeful and redemptive. How do we understand the other messages (and the literal sense of the passage) on the background of the redemption in the other passages? What redemption is to be found here?

As in past weeks, the missing puzzle piece is left out of the haftarah. In verse 17, G-d promises: “ושמתי משפט לקו”, “I will make justice the line”. Unclear exactly how this is meant to remedy the failures of “kav l’kav” but the word repetition indicates that as before, G-d intervenes to fix what is broken. For some reason, the haftarah omits this mention, but perhaps makes up for it by adding in the verses from Chapter 29. These describe that G-d will not allow Yisrael to permanently fail, contrary to the indication of verse 28:13.

“They shall stand in awe of the G-d of Israel”

As in past weeks, I’d like to conclude with some thoughts about the connection to the parsha. There are some interesting minor connections:

1. Israel is described as filling up the face of the world with “fruit” (27:6). In Shemot 1:7, it says that they filled the land.
2. A redemption of the exiles from Egypt is mentioned in verse 27:13.
3. In the Haftarah, G-d speaks to the people with “another tongue” (28:10), while Moshe speaks to the people with a heavy tongue (Shemot 4:10).

The more important themes that make the haftarah appropriate are:

1. the promise of G-d’s forceful intervention in history to redeem his people.
2. the unwillingness of the people to listen to prophets (Yishayah 28:12, Shemot 4:1)

Shabbat shalom! Challenge for this week: identify all the phrases from the haftarah appearing in An’im Zmirot.