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 CHAYEI SARAH
(I Kings 1:1-31)
The connection between the Parsha and Haftarah is evident from the opening words of the Haftarah: "And King David was old, advanced in years." In describing Abraham, the Parsha relates: "And Abraham was old, advanced in years." Thus there are identical expressions in both texts. Both Abraham and David, paradigms of covenantal leaders and concerned about the future, made provisions to assure that the covenantal mission to transform the world would be carried on. Here we learn a central principle of the Jewish method (covenant) of perfecting the world: from generation to generation.
Rather than opt for a revolutionary approach that is satisfied with nothing less than changing it all in one's own lifetime--an inhuman, inevitably damaging approach--or giving up the covenantal dream in the face of the inevitable frustrations of trying to realize such a grand vision in day-to-day life, the covenantal method depends on the very human, natural trust between generations.
Given the reality of the limitations of my life, I must act toward perfecting the world, but knowing I will die before the process is complete, I make a commitment to future generations. I enter a relationship, I produce more life, I transmit a vision. I create a chain which can ultimately bring on the perfection of the world.
(Irwin Kula)
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