Haftorah This Week
Welcome to Haftorah This Week, the place where you will find thoughts and reflections by CLAL faculty and associates on this week's Haftorah.
HAFTARAT VAYISHLACH
(Hosea 11:7-12:12)
Hosea lived in the northern kingdom, (in this Haftarah, also called Ephraim and Israel) in the 8th century B.C.E. He speaks to an Israelite population which has become seduced by its material successes and power:
A traitor who uses false balances, who loves to overreach, Ephraim thinks, "Ah, I have become rich/I have gotten power! All my gains do not amount to an offense which is real guilt." (Hosea 12:8-9)
Religious narrative becomes exponentially powerful when the story of an individual in some way reflects the story of a people. Hosea uses the power of the story as he compares the deceitfulness of the northern kingdom to the deceitfulness of their ancestor Jacob.
Just as "the Lord once indited Judah and punished Jacob for his conduct, requited him for his deeds. In the womb he tried to supplant his brethren" (Hosea 12:3-4), so will God punish the northern kingdom of Israel for its conduct.
Hosea is not without compassion, however. As Jacob was able to confront his deceitfulness, his conscience, the part of himself which perhaps surfaced in the form of the midnight messenger/angel, so can Israel, the people, face itself honestly and change.
You must return to your God! Practice goodness and justice and constantly trust in your God. (Hosea 12:7)
(Shira Milgrom)
To join the conversation about the weekly Haftorah at CLAL Torah Talk, click here.
To access a CLAL commentary on this week's Torah portion, click here.
To access the Haftorah This Week Archive, click here.
To access the Torah This Week Archive, click here.
To receive The Haftorah this Week column by email on a regular basis, complete the box below:
