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Rabbi Dovid Siegel and Torah.org?
So that through them The האור Light, רפואה The Healing and The ואהבה Love of ישועת יהוה Yeshuath YHWH may come back to הארץ The Land of Israel?
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Haftorah
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by Rabbi Dovid Siegel
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Parshas Matos - Masei
Yirmiyahu 2:4
This week's haftorah continues the
theme of the three weeks and introduces the month of Av. The prophet
Yirmiyahu reprimands the Jewish people and reminds them, in the name of
Hashem, of all of the favors they have received over the years. Hashem
asks, "What wrong did your fathers find in Me that distanced them from
Me and resulted in their following the empty practices of idolatry
diminishing the Jews to nothingness? They didn't turn to Hashem who
brought them up from Egypt and led them through the desolate dangerous
desert." Hashem continues, "And I brought them to the fertile land of
Israel to partake of its fruits and goodness. But they defiled My land
and disgraced My inheritance." (Yirmiyahu 2:5) Hashem faults the Jewish
nation for presently rejecting Him and resorting to the shameful ways of
idolatry.
Hashem says, "They forsook Me, the source of the waters of life; to
dig empty cisterns." But the blame wasn't limited to the common folk, it
even extended to their leaders and prophets. Hashem describes their
spiritual decline in the following terms, "The Kohanim didn't revere Me
and the upholders of Torah didn't publicize My
name, the kings rebelled against Me and the prophets delivered false
prophecy." (2: 8) This bleak picture of the Jewish people was certainly
not a comforting one and almost promised immediate retribution and
destruction.
Yet, we discover that Hashem's response to all the above was one of
concern and compassion. Hashem surprisingly responded, "Therefore I will
continue to quarrel with you and even with your grandchildren." Hashem
vowed to send more prophets and continue showing them and their
descendents the proper path. Although every attempt thus far had been
unsuccessful Hashem remained determined to help His people. Hashem
refused to reject them even after the numerous rejections they showed
him. The present leaders were not loyal to Hashem and didn't inspire the
nation to repent and follow the proper path. Perhaps the next group of
leaders would be more loyal and could successfully leave their imprint
on the Jewish people. Although the Jews had reduced themselves to the
point of emptiness and nothingness Hashem still cared about them with
deep compassion. He wouldn't leave His people until every last avenue
had been exhausted and it had been determined that there was literally
no more
hope for them.
This unbelievable degree of compassion is explained in the verses
immediately preceding this week's haftora. Hashem says, "I remember you
for the kindness of your youth, the love of our initial relationship
when you blindly followed Me in the desert." Even after all the offenses
the Jewish people committed against Him, Hashem still remembered His
initial relationship with His people. Hashem never forgets those
precious years wherein He enjoyed a perfect relationship with His
people. Hashem actually longs for the opportunity of returning to that
relationship and will do virtually anything to restore things to their
original perfection. This explains Hashem's persistence in sending
prophets to the Jewish people attempting to persuade them to return. In
truth, Hashem views the Jewish people from an entirely different
perspective than their present rebellious state. Hashem sees them
through the visions of the past. True, they have presently gone totally
astray but Hashem sees
in them their perfect past as the devout people whose intimate
relationship with Him directed them to follow blindly wherever they were
led. Hashem therefore expresses His sincere desire that the present
Jewish nation live up to His perfect vision of them, the glorious vision
of the past. Through this perspective the Jewish people deserve every
last chance they can to return to their glorious era.
With this insight in mind we can truly appreciate the words of
Chazal in Midrash Tehilim (137) which reveal Hashem's indescribable love
and compassion for His people. The Midrash relates that the Prophet
Yirmiyahu accompanied the Jewish people into their exile until the
Euphraties River, the doorstep of Bablyonia. He then informed them that
he would be leaving and returning to the segment of Jewish people left
behind in the land of Israel. Suddenly there was an outburst of
uncontrollable weeping from the Jewish people who realized that they
were being abandoned by Yirmiyahu. He responded with the following
words, "I testify in the name of Hashem that if this sincere cry would
have transpired moments ago, when we were still in our homeland, the
exile would never have come about," So great is Hashem's love for His
people that even after all the atrocities they committed, rebelling
against Hashem and intentionally spiting Him, one sincere gesture from
the Jewish people was a
ll that was needed. Even one emotional outburst, sensing Hashem's
rejection would have sufficed to hold back the terrible calamity they
now faced. Hashem loves His people so deeply that even at the last
moments He still awaited their return to Him and was prepared to call
off their imminent exile. In Hashem's eyes we will always be seen
through the perspective of our past, a perfect devout people ready to
serve Him unconditionally. And Hashem is therefore always prepared to do
anything He can to restore us to that glorious position, His perfect
nation. |
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Haftorah, Copyright © 2012 by Rabbi Dovid Siegel and Torah.org. The author is Rosh Kollel of Kollel Toras Chaim of Kiryat Sefer, Israel. Kollel Toras Chesed
3732 West Dempster
Skokie, Illinois 600
76
Phone: 847-674-7959Fax: 847-674-4023
kollel@arlin.net
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Please Say Yes to Abba Yahweh and His Laws special in
this time when Abba Yahweh is 'testing' us:
Hab 1:12 Art thou not mikedem
(‘everlasting’
also said of Moshiach, indicating Moshiach’s eternal divine nature: Dan 7:14 And there was given Him (Moshiach) dominion,
and honor, and sovereignty, that all people, Goyim, tongues, should
pey-lammed-chet. [1] (worship as deity) (see Dan 3:12, serve, reverence as
deity Him (Moshiach). His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not
pass away, and His (Messianic) Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.] see Michah
5:1[2];)
Yahweh
Elohai (my Elohim) Kedoshi (my Holy One)? We shall not die. Yahweh, Thou hast
appointed them (these Chaldean) for mishpat (ordinance); O Tzur, Thou hast
ordained them (these Chaldean) for reproof.
(Please
read the whole book of HaNavi Habakuk?)
Please take it serious what Abba Yahweh is telling us in:
Deu 18:15 Yahweh Eloheicha (your Elohim) will raise up unto thee a Navi
(prophet) from among thee, of thy achim (bretheren), kamoni (like me.....
Exo 32:30 The next
day Moshe said to the people, "You have committed a terrible sin. Now I
will go up to Yahweh; maybe I will be able to atone for your sin."); unto
him ye must listen;
Deu 18:16 According to all that thou
desired of Yahweh Eloheicha (your Elohimin) Chorev (to be burnt dried up,
ruined, wasted) in the Yom HaKahal (day of the congregation), saying, Let me
not hear again the voice of Yahweh Elohav (your Elohim), neither let me see
this eish hagedolah (‘great fire’) any more, that I die not.
Deu 18:17 And Yahweh said unto me, They
have well-spoken that which they have spoken.
Deu 18:18 I will raise them up a Navi
(prophet) from among their achim (brethren), like unto thee, and will put My
words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
Joh
10:18
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have samchut
(authority) to lay it down, and I have samchut to receive it again. This
mitzvah I received from HaAv (the Father).
Deu 18:19 And it shall come to pass,
that whosoever will not listen unto My words which he shall speak Bishmi (in My
Name), I will require it of him.
Joh 8:28 Therefore, Rebbe, Melech
HaMoshiach said to them, When you perform the hagbah (lifting up) of
the Ben HaAdam, you will have da'as (knowledge) that Ani Hu [YESHAYAH
41:4; SHEMOT 3:14-16], and from myself I do nothing, but as HaAv (the Father)
of me taught me, these things I speak.
[1]
Dictionary of the Talmud. M. Jastrow p. 1178 פלח
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