Category Archives: Haftarah

This week’s Torah reading, Be’shalach, (Exodus 13:17 – 17:16) sees the departing children of Israel stuck between a rock and a hard place, or better yet between Pharaoh and the Sea of Reeds. Back before all this started, the descendants … Continue reading →

This week, instead of looking at the continuing narrative of Joseph and his sojourn in Egypt recorded in parashah Miketz, Genesis 41:1–44:17, let’s look at the Haftarah for the Shabbat of Hanukkah, Zechariah 2:14 – 4:7. But, before looking at Zechariah, I … Continue reading →

This week’s haftorah, Isaiah 54:1-10 is the fifth of a series of seven “Haftarot of Consolation.” The first of the seven was read on the Shabbat following Tisha b’Av and the seventh will be read on the Shabbat preceding Rosh Hashanah. In the prophet’s sight, Jerusalem is no longer viewed as forsaken … Continue reading →

Parashat Behar, Leviticus 25:1-26:2, deals with the requirements for the seven-year Sabbatical cycle as well as the year of Jubilee, which is the fiftieth year after the competition of seven Sabbatical cycles. Among the various requirements of the year of … Continue reading →

There are three deaths spoken of in this week’s parasha, Shemini, Leviticus 9:1 – 11:47. The first two are Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, who had just been anointed with their father for service in the Mishkan.  Now Aaron’s sons Nadab … Continue reading →

This is the 2nd Shabbat of Consolation between Tisha b’Av and Rosh Hashanah. On Tisha b’Av we read the plaintive cry, “Why (Hashem) do You always forget us and forsake us for so long?” (Lamentations 5.20). In this week’s haftarah, … Continue reading →