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 PEKUDEI
(I Kings 7:51-8:21)
The Book of Exodus ends with the completion of the building of the Tabernacle. The Haftarah for this last portion of Exodus describes, similarly, the dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem, the transformation from the mobile tent that was the tabernacle to the permanent structure of Solomon's Temple. This was a milestone for the people of Israel. The ark of the covenant would now be housed in a glorious building that reflected the grandeur and awesomeness of God's revelation.
The dedication of the Temple, thus, represented a new stage in the history of the Jewish people. With the ark of the covenant housed permanently in Jerusalem, the conquest of the land was now complete. Just as the Book of Exodus ends with the construction of the Tabernacle, so too does the process of Exodus end with the dedication of the Temple. Until this point, the Jews are still wanderers; without a permanent home for the ark, the Jews have not completely settled in the land. And just as Moses is not given the privilege of seeing the people enter the promised land, so too David is not able to see his dream of a Temple come true in his lifetime.
And so, amidst the joy that accompanies the dedication of the Temple and the recognition of achieving a new stage in Jewish history, there is sadness as well. David, the great leader and poet of the Jewish people, was not there as his vision became a reality. Solomon calls forth the memory of his father and gives him credit for initiating the process that culminated with the dedication of the Temple. But ultimately, as Solomon emphasizes, it was left to the son, to the next generation, to complete the work. It was Joshua, not Moses, who led the Jews into the Holy Land; it was Solomon, not David, who built and dedicated the Temple in Jerusalem.
To be committed to the covenant requires the ability to trust in the future success of the people. It is a characteristic attribute of our great biblical figures that they are able to work wholeheartedly for a goal that can only be achieved by their descendants. It is for this reason that memory is so important to the Jewish people. Through memory, all of those who contributed to the preservation and development of the covenant are present to celebrate its fulfillment.
(Dini Lewittes)
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