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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