Know Your Haftorahs

by Rabbi Dovid Siegel, Founder of Kollel Toras Chesed, Skokie, Illinois.
Unique insights into each week's Haftorah portion.
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PARSHAS KI SEITZEI

Yeshaya 54:1

This week's haftorah reveals Hashem's indescribable love for the Jewish people. Finally, after their long troublesome exile, the Jewish nation will be granted permission to return to Eretz Yisroel. Appropriately, we find the prophet Yeshaya inviting Yerushalayim to rejoice over the ingathering of her exiles. Yeshaya says, "Rejoice barren city who never expected such an overwhelming influx within your walls... Broaden your tent area and extend your annexes without interruption...Because you will break through on the east and west and your children will inherit the cities of the nations and settle the desolate areas." The dimensions of the Jewish return will be so massive that Eretz Yisroel won't be capable of containing it. The city of Yerushalayim will overflow from her new inhabitants and the surrounding areas will be rapidly filled to capacity. The entire Judean hills will be saturated with newly sprouting neighborhoods but the Jewish influx will continue to grow. The newly arrived Jewish people will reclaim their possession of the entire land of Israel and settle therein but even these newly provided quarters will not suffice. The return will be so encompassing that Zion will truly wonder in bewilderment from where did all of their people emerge.

But the kindness of Hashem won't end there. The prophet continues to describe the setting of the future... Yeshaya tells the Jewish people not to fear or be embarrassed because their shameful past will never be remembered. Hashem says, "I forsook you for a brief moment and I will gather you in with great compassion." Hashem continues, "With mild anger I concealed My countenance from you and with everlasting kindness I will have mercy upon you." These passages reflect a concern the Jewish people share over their dark and rebellious past. They hesitate to return to Hashem because their previous wrongdoings are still fresh in their minds. They cannot imagine bonding with Hashem in perfect unity, considering how unfair they were to Him in the past. Hashem responds that they should not fear or be embarrassed because no trace will remain of their earlier paths. His goodness will be so encompassing that it will be virtually impossible to remember or even relate to their earlier experiences. They will develop such closeness to Hashem that they will be totally incapable of imagining what it was like without Him. How could they have ever appreciated life without their constant association and perfect relationship with Hashem?!

The prophet continues and reveals to us the merit through which the Jewish people will deserve this unbelievable experience. Yeshaya says in the name of Hashem, "For the mountains may move and the hills may sway but My kindness will never leave you and My covenant of peace will never be swayed." In explanation of these words, our Chazal in Yalkut Shimoni (477) share with us a beautiful perspective. They explain that the mountains mentioned here refer to the firm and sound merits of the Patriarchs and the hills refer to those of the Matriarchs. Although the Jewish nation continuously draws upon these merits, owing its basic existence to them, at times, even these merits can not intervene on behalf of the Jewish people. They have strayed so far from the proper course that they cease to identify with the ways of the Patriarchs. During such times, Hashem can not view the Jewish people as children of their glorious forefathers and these merits can not influence Him regarding His sinful people. Yeshaya tells us that in those difficult moments we should cleave to acts of loving kindness. In return, Hashem promises us His loving kindness in the indescribable proportions mentioned herein.

With this insight of Chazal we can now comprehend the unbelievable era awaiting the Jewish nation. The Malbim (ad loc.) explains that, by nature, the virtue of kindness is boundless. Unlike goodness expressed within compassion or mercy, which is limited to the recipient's worthiness, kindness is without calculation or computation. In essence, when Hashem deems it appropriate to shower His kindness upon someone, by definition it is everlasting and unlimited. This, incidentally is the deeper meaning of Dovid Hamelech's words in Tehillim, "For His kindness is everlasting." Therefore, when the Jewish people will finally deserve Hashem's full expression of kindness, it will be experienced in boundless proportions. However, the Jewish people must conduct themselves in a very special manner to qualify for such kindness. Therefore, Yeshaya offers them an inside tip and advises them to cleave to lovingkindness. At the end of time, when we will totally commit ourselves to bringing benefit to others, Hashem will reciprocate in that same manner. If we will provide for others above and beyond expectation and unsolicited, Hashem will do the same. We now realize that our acts of loving kindness, which are by definition, beyond our call of duty, are the keys to our glorious future. Such acts are not subject to calculations and computations and are the true expression of our bondless concern for others. Therefore, Hashem will respond with His acts of loving kindness and shower us with His boundless and everlasting kindness in His indescribable proportions.