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Haftarah Acharei-Kedoshim: Hanging Out With Heathens

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haftarah

In Acharei, hangin’ out with the heathen hoards runs the people afoul in this week’s haftorah, a similar theme to the parsha as a whole, during which the people are warned against bringing animal offerings anywhere but in the Temple, the consumption of blood, and enumerates a number of forbidden interpersonal relations. Amos delivers the warning that the Northern kingdom of Israel is doomed for destruction, but that eventually, the Jewish people will be redeemed and “mountains shall drip sweet wine” and that the people will be allowed to return to the desolate cities.
Similarly, in Kedoshim, through Ezekiel, the people are chastised for not keeping Shabbat holy and again, seem to have a recurring problem with idol worship.

It’s difficult indeed to keep one’s bearings when examining the haftorah, and this week’s pairings illustrate that beautifully. Because the portions were chosen to correspond with the general theme of the parshot, rather than [Read more…]

Haftarah Tazria – Metzora: Blighted Conditions

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haftarah

Haftarah Tazria – Metzora

This week has double haftorah portions. In Tazria, General Naaman of King Aram’s army becomes
afflicted with tzara’at. A captive Israelite maid advises him to seek out the prophet Elisha in Samaria.
King Aram sends word to the King of Israel that Aram is on his way to be treated—this is not a friendly
message, but almost a threat; as in “treat my general…or else.” Elisha instructs Naaman to immerse
himself in the River Jordan, and though the general is deeply distrusting of this whole situation, he
finally does so, and is indeed cured. Naaman, in his gratitude, promptly promises not to serve any deity
besides Elisha’s G-d.

Of interest here, Naaman doesn’t convert per se–though he commits to allegiance to monotheism,
he isn’t trying to become Jewish out of gratitude. But this is perfectly acceptable, because we’re
led to believe he is agreeing to ascribe to the Seven Noahide Laws—which is pretty much the basic
prerequisite for [Read more…]

Hatarah Vayakhel-Pekudei: Columns

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haftarah

I Kings 7:13-26.

This week we backtrack to the construction details for the first Holy Temple–reminding us that the haftorah portions were often chosen to parallel the accompanying parshot rather than progress sequentially.

Haftarah for Terumah.

While we’re in the midst of construction, King Solomon calls for an expert coppersmith, Hiram of Tyre, to create copper columns for the doorway to the Temple; these were to be capped with intricate carvings of pomegranates and palm leaves. The right column was named Jachin; the left Boaz. Hiram was also to build a giant copper basin, sanding on 12 oxen statuary, three pointed in each direction, to be used as a mikvah for the priests.

The size of these massive columns were about 6-feet thick by 27-feet tall, and hollow, (four “fingers” thick) with 8-foot capitals, featuring brass lilies. Interestingly, despite that these giant columns, which would have been very much a “big [Read more…]

Haftorah Ki Tisa: Some Jewish Grand Standing

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haftarah

I Kings 18:20-39

Elijah foresees a three-year drought—punishment for the worship of Ba’al, the local deity of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, rulers of the the Northern Kingdom of Israel who championed & encouraged various forms of idolatry. Ahab accuses Elijah of causing the hardship, at which point Elijah suggests a Battle of the Gods.

In this instance, Ba’al is the Northern Semetic title for “lord” used in many cases, both for local spirit deities, such as patron gods of cities, and sometimes for people, and attributed as a primary god of the Phoenicians. Not to be confused with Baal (or Bael) who appears in the 1600’s in some occult writings as a prince of Hell.

Elijah, the Ba’alists and assorted spectators gather on Mount Carmel and challenges the people: “How long will you hop between two ideas? If the L-rd is G-d, go after Him, and if the Baal, go after him.”

In the [Read more…]

Haftarah Terumah: How To Build A Sanctuary

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In this week’s haftorah, the process of building the Holy Temple is described: the Jewish (and non-Jewish) recruits and how the foundational stone was hewn, transported, and laid.

Typically we see more prophetic accounts described in the haftorah portions, yet this excerpt reads more like a snippet of a contract. King Solomon raised a levy of 30,000 men from throughout Israel, to be sent to Lebanon in alternating waves of ten-thousand; the men were to be in Lebanon one month, with two months home. This orchestration was led by Adoniram.

A total of 70,000 men “bore burdens” in executing this project, with 80,000 hewers in the mountains. Even the hierarchy of middle management is described: Solomon’s chief officers, 3,300 who ruled over those who “wrought in the work.”

The Temple foundation was created from Solomon and Hiram’s builders from the stone and lumber brought from the tens of thousands of men called upon to [Read more…]

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