CHOCHMAS NASHIM: AD MASAI ADONAI?
By: Suri Davis
The haftorah of this week’s Torah portion is an excerpt of Isaiah’s prophecy. Isaiah and Moses both had language impediments and were reluctant leaders. Let’s remember that Haftorahs came into our practice when it was impossible to read the Torah and is topically related to the parshah.
The elephant in the room in Yisro is the ten commandments and accepting the commandments between man and G-d and man and his fellow man.
The Haftorah starts with a description of G-d’s presence in heaven surrounded by angels and G-d’s healing Isaiah’s language impediment. There is a natural yearning of the people for G-d.
The Jews in the desert was a young bride early in a relationship with G-d, who were on the ascent as they journeyed towards Israel. Isaiah prophesied during a time of sinning for the Jews, prophesying of the destruction.
Isaiah asks G-d: Ad masai Adonai? Until when G-d will the Jews hearts be insensitive to Your laws and as a result, forsaken from you? G-d replies: “Until the cities are destroyed without inhabitants, and the houses without man, and the land is completely desolate.”
Higiya zman, the time for redemption is near. This week’s Torah portion reveals our connection to G-d and his Torah and laws. The haftorah reminds us what happens when we forsake the Torah, the end of the Haftorah closes with: “So may all Your enemies perish, O G-d, but those who love Him, should go from strength to strength, like the sun when it goes forth in its might (towards the afternoon.)” And the land has rest for forty years.”
We pray for said peace, for the coming of Moshiach speedily in our days.
Good Shabbos.
Suri