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Haftarah Parashat Noach

Isaiah 54:1 - 55:5

54:1 רָנִּ֥י עֲקָרָ֖ה לֹ֣א יָלָ֑דָה פִּצְחִ֨י רִנָּ֤ה וְצַהֲלִי֙ לֹא־חָ֔לָה כִּֽי־רַבִּ֧ים בְּֽנֵי־שׁוֹמֵמָ֛ה מִבְּנֵ֥י בְעוּלָ֖ה אָמַ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃

54:2 הַרְחִ֣יבִי׀ מְק֣וֹם אָהֳלֵ֗ךְ וִירִיע֧וֹת מִשְׁכְּנוֹתַ֛יִךְ יַטּ֖וּ אַל־תַּחְשֹׂ֑כִי הַאֲרִ֙יכִי֙ מֵֽיתָרַ֔יִךְ וִיתֵדֹתַ֖יִךְ חַזֵּֽקִי׃

54:3 כִּי־יָמִ֥ין וּשְׂמֹ֖אול תִּפְרֹ֑צִי וְזַרְעֵךְ֙ גּוֹיִ֣ם יִירָ֔שׁ וְעָרִ֥ים נְשַׁמּ֖וֹת יוֹשִֽׁיבוּ׃

54:4 אַל־תִּֽירְאִי֙ כִּי־לֹ֣א תֵב֔וֹשִׁי וְאַל־תִּכָּלְמִ֖י כִּ֣י לֹ֣א תַחְפִּ֑ירִי כִּ֣י בֹ֤שֶׁת עֲלוּמַ֙יִךְ֙ תִּשְׁכָּ֔חִי וְחֶרְפַּ֥ת אַלְמְנוּתַ֖יִךְ לֹ֥א תִזְכְּרִי־עֽוֹד׃

54:5 כִּ֤י בֹעֲלַ֙יִךְ֙ עֹשַׂ֔יִךְ יְהוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת שְׁמ֑וֹ וְגֹֽאֲלֵךְ֙ קְד֣וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֱלֹהֵ֥י כָל־הָאָ֖רֶץ יִקָּרֵֽא׃

54:6 כִּֽי־כְאִשָּׁ֧ה עֲזוּבָ֛ה וַעֲצ֥וּבַת ר֖וּחַ קְרָאָ֣ךְ יְהוָ֑ה וְאֵ֧שֶׁת נְעוּרִ֛ים כִּ֥י תִמָּאֵ֖ס אָמַ֥ר אֱלֹהָֽיִךְ׃

54:7 בְּרֶ֥גַע קָטֹ֖ן עֲזַבְתִּ֑יךְ וּבְרַחֲמִ֥ים גְּדֹלִ֖ים אֲקַבְּצֵֽךְ׃

54:8 בְּשֶׁ֣צֶף קֶ֗צֶף הִסְתַּ֨רְתִּי פָנַ֥י רֶ֙גַע֙ מִמֵּ֔ךְ וּבְחֶ֥סֶד עוֹלָ֖ם רִֽחַמְתִּ֑יךְ אָמַ֥ר גֹּאֲלֵ֖ךְ יְהוָֽה׃

54:9 כִּי־מֵ֥י נֹ֙חַ֙ זֹ֣את לִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִשְׁבַּ֗עְתִּי מֵעֲבֹ֥ר מֵי־נֹ֛חַ ע֖וֹד עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ כֵּ֥ן נִשְׁבַּ֛עְתִּי מִקְּצֹ֥ף עָלַ֖יִךְ וּמִגְּעָר־בָּֽךְ׃

54:10 כִּ֤י הֶֽהָרִים֙ יָמ֔וּשׁוּ וְהַגְּבָע֖וֹת תְּמוּטֶ֑נָה וְחַסְדִּ֞י מֵאִתֵּ֣ךְ לֹֽא־יָמ֗וּשׁ וּבְרִ֤ית שְׁלוֹמִי֙ לֹ֣א תָמ֔וּט אָמַ֥ר מְרַחֲמֵ֖ךְ יְהוָֽה׃

54:11 עֲנִיָּ֥ה סֹעֲרָ֖ה לֹ֣א נֻחָ֑מָה הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֜י מַרְבִּ֤יץ בַּפּוּךְ֙ אֲבָנַ֔יִךְ וִיסַדְתִּ֖יךְ בַּסַּפִּירִֽים׃

54:12 וְשַׂמְתִּ֤י כַּֽדְכֹד֙ שִׁמְשֹׁתַ֔יִךְ וּשְׁעָרַ֖יִךְ לְאַבְנֵ֣י אֶקְדָּ֑ח וְכָל־גְּבוּלֵ֖ךְ לְאַבְנֵי־חֵֽפֶץ׃

54:13 וְכָל־בָּנַ֖יִךְ לִמּוּדֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וְרַ֖ב שְׁל֥וֹם בָּנָֽיִךְ׃

54:14 בִּצְדָקָ֖ה תִּכּוֹנָ֑נִי רַחֲקִ֤י מֵעֹ֙שֶׁק֙ כִּֽי־לֹ֣א תִירָ֔אִי וּמִ֨מְּחִתָּ֔ה כִּ֥י לֹֽא־תִקְרַ֖ב אֵלָֽיִךְ׃

54:15 הֵ֣ן גּ֥וֹר יָג֛וּר אֶ֖פֶס מֵֽאוֹתִ֑י מִי־גָ֥ר אִתָּ֖ךְ עָלַ֥יִךְ יִפּֽוֹל׃

54:16 הן [הִנֵּ֤ה] אָֽנֹכִי֙ בָּרָ֣אתִי חָרָ֔שׁ נֹפֵ֙חַ֙ בְּאֵ֣שׁ פֶּחָ֔ם וּמוֹצִ֥יא כְלִ֖י לְמַעֲשֵׂ֑הוּ וְאָנֹכִ֛י בָּרָ֥אתִי מַשְׁחִ֖ית לְחַבֵּֽל׃

54:17 כָּל־כְּלִ֞י יוּצַ֤ר עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ לֹ֣א יִצְלָ֔ח וְכָל־לָשׁ֛וֹן תָּֽקוּם־אִתָּ֥ךְ לַמִּשְׁפָּ֖ט תַּרְשִׁ֑יעִי זֹ֡את נַחֲלַת֩ עַבְדֵ֨י יְהוָ֧ה וְצִדְקָתָ֛ם מֵאִתִּ֖י נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃

55:1 ה֤וֹי כָּל־צָמֵא֙ לְכ֣וּ לַמַּ֔יִם וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵֽין־ל֖וֹ כָּ֑סֶף לְכ֤וּ שִׁבְרוּ֙ וֶֽאֱכֹ֔לוּ וּלְכ֣וּ שִׁבְר֗וּ בְּלוֹא־כֶ֛סֶף וּבְל֥וֹא מְחִ֖יר יַ֥יִן וְחָלָֽב׃

55:2 לָ֤מָּה תִשְׁקְלוּ־כֶ֙סֶף֙ בְּֽלוֹא־לֶ֔חֶם וִיגִיעֲכֶ֖ם בְּל֣וֹא לְשָׂבְעָ֑ה שִׁמְע֨וּ שָׁמ֤וֹעַ אֵלַי֙ וְאִכְלוּ־ט֔וֹב וְתִתְעַנַּ֥ג בַּדֶּ֖שֶׁן נַפְשְׁכֶֽם׃

55:3 הַטּ֤וּ אָזְנְכֶם֙ וּלְכ֣וּ אֵלַ֔י שִׁמְע֖וּ וּתְחִ֣י נַפְשְׁכֶ֑ם וְאֶכְרְתָ֤ה לָכֶם֙ בְּרִ֣ית עוֹלָ֔ם חַֽסְדֵ֥י דָוִ֖ד הַנֶּאֱמָנִֽים׃

55:4 הֵ֛ן עֵ֥ד לְאוּמִּ֖ים נְתַתִּ֑יו נָגִ֥יד וּמְצַוֵּ֖ה לְאֻמִּֽים׃

55:5 הֵ֣ן גּ֤וֹי לֹֽא־תֵדַע֙ תִּקְרָ֔א וְג֥וֹי לֹֽא־יְדָע֖וּךָ אֵלֶ֣יךָ יָר֑וּצוּ לְמַ֙עַן֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ וְלִקְד֥וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל כִּ֥י פֵאֲרָֽךְ׃

The commentary about the connection between the Haftarah and Torah reading was written by

Topics:
1. Depravity leading to destruction
2. The flood and the ark
3. Seven commandments of the children of Noah
4. Covenant between God and human beings
5. Drunkenness, the curse of Canaan and the blessing of Shem
6. The tower of Babel

At first glance, the connection between the Torah portion and the haftarah seems obvious: The Torah tells us about Noah ("This is the line of Noah: Noah was a righteous man; he was blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God; Noah begat three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth" (Genesis 6:9), and about the covenant established between God and humanity ("I will maintain my covenant with you. Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth" (Genesis 9:11). And the haftarah speaks of "the waters of Noah" (Isaiah 54:9), of "My covenant of peace" (Isaiah 54:10), and of an "everlasting covenant" (Isaiah 55:3).

But there are even more subtle connections between the two texts. The world was destroyed because of the evil that had spread throughout the land to such an extent, that one can only conclude that no society can survive without mutual trust and compassion: "When God saw how corrupt the earth had become—for all flesh had corrupted its ways on the earth—God said to Noah "I have decided to put an end to all flesh, for the earth is filled with lawlessness because of them; I am about to destroy them with the earth" (Genesis 6:12-13). The prophet, too, hints at potential danger when he charges the people: "You shall be established through righteousness; you shall be safe from oppression and shall have no fear, nor from ruin, for it shall not come near you" (Isaiah 54:14). When the people come near to God, then "I will make with you an everlasting covenant, the enduring loyalty promised to David" (Isaiah 55:3).

Furthermore, when Noah and his family come out of the ark, God grants them dominion over "all the beasts of the earth and…all the birds of the sky…and…all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hand. Every creature that lives shall be yours to eat; also the green grasses, I give you all these" (Genesis 9:1-2). Isaiah also invites the Children of Israel to enjoy the fruit of the land: "Ho, all who are thirsty, come for water; even if you have no money, come, buy food and eat…Give heed to Me, and you shall eat choice food and enjoy the richest viands" (Isaiah 55:1-2).

When we recite the blessing after the meal (the Birkat HaMazon), we bless God who "provides for all". Yet we know that there is still poverty and hunger and oppression in our world. In order for food to reach every living creature, we must establish a society in "righteousness" and turn away from "oppression".

Rinah Sheleff

Rinah Sheleff is a retired lecturer in Bible Studies at the Kibbutzim College of Education, Tel Aviv. She specialized in teaching methodologies that incorporate the creative arts as a way of emotionally connecting students with the human dilemmas inherent in Bible stories. Rinah is also a professional storyteller and a movement instructor. Currently she is working with a team of storytellers on a project designed to make Talmudic and Hassidic stories accessible to the public at large. She is a founding member of a women's Rosh Hodesh group that has been meeting for over 20 years, and was also active in creating the Tali School in Hod HaSharon. And she loves Susie Dvoskin.

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Dalia Shohan Berender

To introduce myself, I am Dalia Shoham Berender. I live in Herzlyah with my husband Loren and my son Nuri. In my profession as a jurist I deal with research and education in initiatives promoting cooperation and equality between Jews and Arabs in Israel and in the Middle East. Music and poetry touch me very deeply. Although from early childhood I sang and played, studied music and performed, I considered music only as a hobby. Recently, I discovered within me a deep connection to poetry, Hebrew and the roots of the language, and to the Reform Movement. I conduct singing groups for women, accompanying prayers and other texts with song and music. I was searching to make this connection more significant and a mutual friend introduced me to Judith, Susie and Gila's project,which I feel blessed to be a part of.

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