Illustration credit: Rebecca Kerzner
Haftarah הַפְטָרָה
There are different customs about which part of the Book of Hoshea to read as this week’s haftarah, but both connect explicitly to Vayeitzei. Sepharadim read a section that mentions Yaakov grabbing his brother’s heel in their mother’s womb, and then growing up to struggle with an angel (Hoshea 12:4-5). Ashkenazim read a part where Hoshea mentions Yaakov running away from home and working hard for a wife (Hoshea 12:13).
Both haftarot contain a menagerie of animals! Can you find all these?
- נָמֵר = (namer, leopard)
- צִפּוֹר = (tzippor, bird)
- לָבִיא = (lavi, lion)
- אַרְיֵה = (aryeh, lion)
- דֹב = (dov, bear)
- שׁוֹר = (shor, ox)
- שָׁחַל = (shahal, lion)
- יוֹנָה = (yonah, dove)
- סוּס = (soos, horse)
- עֵגֶל = (eigel, calf)
- פַּר = (par, bull)
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