Summary:
In our Torah portion the narrative of the Exodus from Egypt continues. God sends the plagues of locusts and darkness upon Egypt and forewarns Moses about the final plague, the death of every Egyptian firstborn. Pharaoh still does not let the Israelites leave Egypt. God then commands Moses and Aaron regarding the Passover festival. God enacts the final plague, striking down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt except those of the House of Israel. Pharaoh now allows the Israelites to leave. Speaking to Moses and Aaron, God repeats the commandments about Passover.
Lessons from our Haftarah – Jeremiah 46:13-28
In our Haftarah last week, against an historical background of a Babylonian attack, the prophet Jeremiah predicts doom and desolation for Egypt. That message continues this week in a series of prophecies against Egypt. Just as Pharaoh suffers defeat in our Torah portion, so too in our Haftarah Pharoah is defeated once again. In this chapter, as in all future chapters, Jeremiah denounces foreign nations.
It is human to compare ourselves with others. Often, we better know who we are when we look at others. To encourage their own children, parents are fond of pointing out other children, drawing attention to how well behaved they are, how quiet they are, how clean they are! And children like to compare with others as well…why do my friends have more toys, more clothes, a nicer car?
So too in our Haftarah is the fate of Egypt compared with the fate of Israel. The Israelites must have looked around and wondered why the evil Egyptians fared so well. Why was their empire so strong, so successful, so wealthy? In comparing themselves to other nations, the Israelites might have wondered why the others had it so good.
Jeremiah answers that question by providing God’s view of history, presenting Egyptian doom as compared with Israelite salvation. Their failure and our success is the theme presented in our text.
Our Haftarah begins with an Egyptian call to arms. However, that moment of strength leads only to fear and failure for the Egyptian soldiers. Harkening back to the exodus story, just as there was a plague of locusts in our Torah portion, so too in our Haftarah will a multitude of foreign armies descend on Egypt and devour her. In our Torah portion God promises to “mete out punishment on the gods of Egypt.” Jeremiah echoes those words when he states, “God will wreak judgment on the gods of Egypt.”
Jeremiah’s prophecy reminds us that God has a longer view of history. While the current situation of the Israel nation might not have been one of glowing success, God, through Jeremiah, reminds the people not to lose hope. The Haftarah text ends in a message of hope and encouragement for the people of Israel. God encourages the people to overcome their fear and loss by assuring them that just as in the Torah, God will be with them, promising to deliver them from their captivity.
When the people of Israel compared themselves to the surrounding empires, they felt that they came up short. However, Jeremiah calls out to them to be confident, to know they will no longer experience trouble and instead will enjoy strength and calm.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Don Goor