Parshat Eikev

The tragic words that open this week’s haftarah (“Vatomer Tziyon azavani Hashem Vashem shechechani”) reflect the hopelessness of post-exile Zion who exclaims that God had abandoned and forgotten her. But these words also reflect the belief held by many in the nation that the exile and the destruction of the Temple meant they need no longer worship the One God. Having been overwhelmed by the Babylonians and having seen the enemy destroy Hashem’s “house” convinced them that they now must worship the Babylonian “god” who, clearly, they believed, proved his power to be greater than that of Hashem (r”l).

We should not be surprised at their statement because that false belief is echoed throughout the writings of the prophets. Yirmiyahu, for example, writes Sefer Melachim in which he records the growing sinfulness of the people—in order to convince the population that their defeat was not God’s defeat. Rather, it was a tragedy brought upon them by God, a reaction to their corruption and immorality—a tragedy of which Hashem had warned them through His prophets over the course of many years.

We see this attitude addressed by Yechezkel Hanavi as well when he warns the exiles quite clearly (Chapter 20:32): “And that which you believe will not be, when you say, ‘We will be like other nations and worship (gods of) wood and stone’”

However, as we see from our haftarah, Yeshayahu’s response to these thoughts is different from both Yirmiyahu and Yechezkel. Yeshayahu turns to Israel in a soothing tone and with comforting words, explaining that as a mother could never forget her baby or fail to be compassionate to it, so God could never forget His nation or fail to be merciful to them. The navi reasserts that Israel is eternally bound to God through the covenant made to their ancestors and, sin though they might, they remain chosen by God. To put it simply, Yeshayahu reminds them that punishment does not mean rejection.

The navi supports his comforting words with a prophecy of a massive return to Israel, of a repopulating of the now-barren cities and of the rebuilding of destroyed edifices. He even adds that the other nations will lend their support to Israel’s return and he closes his message with the promise that joy and gladness will return to the grieving land, a land that will be filled with joyful music and prayers of thanksgiving.

It is a vision that we see with our own eyes today.

By Rabbi Neil N. Winkler

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