Parshiyot Tazria-Metzora

As this Shabbat marks the first day of Iyar, we read the special haftarah for Rosh Chodesh, the complete chapter 66 of sefer Yishayahu, the final perek of the sefer. Throughout the Hebrew calendar we mark 11 roshei chodesh (the month of Tishrei is not included, as it is part of the Rosh Hashanah observance and is not marked separately). So one would imagine that we would read this selection three or four times each year. But that does not happen. Many times, a special occasion or significant Maftir reading overrides the Rosh Chodesh haftarah. When Rosh Chodesh Tevet occurs on Shabbat we choose the reading that connects to the chag of Chanukah. When Rosh Chodesh Adar falls out on Shabbat, we read the haftarah that ties into the Maftir of Shekalim, and the same is true for Rosh Chodesh Nisan and Parshat HaChodesh. Additionally, when Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av occurs on Shabbat, the second of the “shalosh d’paranuta,” the three haftarot of calamity that precede Tisha B’av, is read, and in most communities (though not according to minhag Yisrael), when Rosh Chodesh Elul falls out on a Shabbat, the haftarah from “sheva d’nichemta,” the seven haftarot of consolation, overrides the Rosh Chodesh haftarah.

So we are fortunate this Shabbat, as we mark Rosh Chodesh Iyar, that we have the opportunity to read the haftarah set aside for Rosh Chodesh. As the final chapter in the book and the closing perek of the consolation prophecies of Yishayahu, the selection focuses on the final geula and the arrival of Eliyahu as harbinger of the messianic era. In fact, the closing pesukim highlight the concept of “chodesh,” month, as implying “chadash,” new, as well, as it speaks of “hashamayim hachadashim v’ha’aretz hachadasha,” the new heavens and new earth, and then tells of how “midei chodesh b’chodesho,” every month all mankind will come to worship Hashem. The concept that the beginning of the new month is a time for renewal flows into the idea of a renewed world that would be formed with the arrival of the Mashiach.

But we would be mistaken if we limited the idea of a “new” world to messianic times alone. The opening of the haftarah does not focus upon yemot haMashiach nor on words of comfort or encouragement. The first thoughts of this final chapter look to summarize the major theme that the navi had emphasized throughout his prophecies of comfort and consolation. In fact, one can look back to the very first chapter of the book and see how consistent the prophet’s message had been. There, Yishayahu bemoans the meaningless offerings, asking (in God’s name): “Why do I need your numerous sacrifices?” and explains that the sacrifices are useless as long as the people continue in their hypocrisy to oppress the poor and the weak. In this final perek, Yishayahu says: “He who brings a ketoret is bringing a gift of wickedness,” because those very same people ignore Hashem’s words. It is only after the condemnation of this type of behavior that the navi proceeds to describe the return of Israel to her land and the recognition of God by the entire world.

The simple truth is that before Hashem will bring us the geula and, together with that, a renewal of heaven and earth, we too must bring a renewal: We must renew our relationship with Hashem, we must reassess our “offerings” of tefillot and mitzvah observance. We must review our relationship with others and our observance of all mitzvot bein adam lachaveiro. Especially during this most challenging time for all, we can—and must—build a new world.

In doing so, in creating our own renewal, we can reverse the cry of Hashem in the first perek, “Chodesh v’Shabbat…lo uchal aven va’atzara,” that Hashem can no longer abide our Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh, by making this Shabbat of Rosh Chodesh our time of renewal.

Rabbi Neil Winkler is the rabbi emeritus of the Young Israel Fort Lee and now lives in Israel.