(יא) עֲנִיָּ֥ה סֹעֲרָ֖ה לֹ֣א נֻחָ֑מָה הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֜י מַרְבִּ֤יץ בַּפּוּךְ֙ אֲבָנַ֔יִךְ וִֽיסַדְתִּ֖יךְ בַּסַּפִּירִֽים׃
(יב) וְשַׂמְתִּ֤י כַּֽדְכֹד֙ שִׁמְשֹׁתַ֔יִךְ וּשְׁעָרַ֖יִךְ לְאַבְנֵ֣י אֶקְדָּ֑ח וְכׇל־גְּבוּלֵ֖ךְ לְאַבְנֵי־חֵֽפֶץ׃
(יג) וְכׇל־בָּנַ֖יִךְ לִמּוּדֵ֣י ה׳ וְרַ֖ב שְׁל֥וֹם בָּנָֽיִךְ׃
(יד) בִּצְדָקָ֖ה תִּכּוֹנָ֑נִי רַחֲקִ֤י מֵעֹ֙שֶׁק֙ כִּי־לֹ֣א תִירָ֔אִי וּמִ֨מְּחִתָּ֔ה כִּ֥י לֹֽא־תִקְרַ֖ב אֵלָֽיִךְ׃
(טו) הֵ֣ן גּ֥וֹר יָג֛וּר אֶ֖פֶס מֵאוֹתִ֑י מִי־גָ֥ר אִתָּ֖ךְ עָלַ֥יִךְ יִפּֽוֹל׃
(טז) (הן) [הִנֵּ֤ה] אָנֹכִי֙ בָּרָ֣אתִי חָרָ֔שׁ נֹפֵ֙חַ֙ בְּאֵ֣שׁ פֶּחָ֔ם וּמוֹצִ֥יא כְלִ֖י לְמַעֲשֵׂ֑הוּ וְאָנֹכִ֛י בָּרָ֥אתִי מַשְׁחִ֖ית לְחַבֵּֽל׃
(יז) כׇּל־כְּלִ֞י יוּצַ֤ר עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ לֹ֣א יִצְלָ֔ח וְכׇל־לָשׁ֛וֹן תָּקוּם־אִתָּ֥ךְ לַמִּשְׁפָּ֖ט תַּרְשִׁ֑יעִי
זֹ֡את נַחֲלַת֩ עַבְדֵ֨י ה׳ וְצִדְקָתָ֛ם מֵאִתִּ֖י נְאֻם־ה׳׃ {ס}
(א) ה֤וֹי כׇּל־צָמֵא֙ לְכ֣וּ לַמַּ֔יִם וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵֽין־ל֖וֹ כָּ֑סֶף לְכ֤וּ שִׁבְרוּ֙ וֶאֱכֹ֔לוּ וּלְכ֣וּ שִׁבְר֗וּ בְּלוֹא־כֶ֛סֶף וּבְל֥וֹא מְחִ֖יר יַ֥יִן וְחָלָֽב׃
(ב) לָ֤מָּה תִשְׁקְלוּ־כֶ֙סֶף֙ בְּלוֹא־לֶ֔חֶם וִיגִֽיעֲכֶ֖ם בְּל֣וֹא לְשׇׂבְעָ֑ה שִׁמְע֨וּ שָׁמ֤וֹעַ אֵלַי֙ וְאִכְלוּ־ט֔וֹב וְתִתְעַנַּ֥ג בַּדֶּ֖שֶׁן נַפְשְׁכֶֽם׃
(ג) הַטּ֤וּ אׇזְנְכֶם֙ וּלְכ֣וּ אֵלַ֔י שִׁמְע֖וּ וּתְחִ֣י נַפְשְׁכֶ֑ם וְאֶכְרְתָ֤ה לָכֶם֙ בְּרִ֣ית עוֹלָ֔ם חַֽסְדֵ֥י דָוִ֖ד הַנֶּֽאֱמָנִֽים׃
(ד) הֵ֛ן עֵ֥ד לְאוּמִּ֖ים נְתַתִּ֑יו נָגִ֥יד וּמְצַוֵּ֖ה לְאֻמִּֽים׃
(ה) הֵ֣ן גּ֤וֹי לֹֽא־תֵדַע֙ תִּקְרָ֔א וְג֥וֹי לֹֽא־יְדָע֖וּךָ אֵלֶ֣יךָ יָר֑וּצוּ
לְמַ֙עַן֙ ה׳ אֱלֹקֶ֔יךָ וְלִקְד֥וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל כִּ֥י פֵאֲרָֽךְ׃ {ס}
(11) Unhappy, storm-tossed one, uncomforted!
I will lay carbuncles as your building stones
And make your foundations of sapphires.
(12) I will make your battlements of rubies,
Your gates of precious stones, The whole encircling wall of gems.
(13) And all your children shall be disciples of GOD,
And great shall be the happiness of your children;
(14) You shall be established through righteousness.
You shall be safe from oppression,
And shall have no fear;
From ruin, and it shall not come near you. (15) Surely no harm can be done
Without My consent:
Whoever would harm you
Shall fall because of you. (16) It is I who created the smith
To fan the charcoal fire
And produce tools for each purpose;
So it is I who create
The instruments of havoc.
(17) No weapon formed against you
Shall succeed,
And every tongue that contends with you at law
You shall defeat.
Such is the lot of GOD’s servants,
Such their triumph through Me
—declares GOD.
(1) Ho, all who are thirsty,
Come for water,
Even if you have no money;
Come, buy food and eat:
Buy food without money,
Wine and milk without cost. (2) Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
Your earnings for what does not satisfy?
Give heed to Me,
And you shall eat choice food
And enjoy the richest viands. (3) Incline your ear and come to Me;
Hearken, and you shall be revived.
And I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
The enduring loyalty promised to David. (4) As I made him a leader of peoples,
A prince and commander of peoples, (5) So you shall summon a nation you did not know,
And a nation that did not know you
Shall come running to you.—
For the sake of the ETERNAL your God,
The Holy One of Israel who has glorified you.
Tur, Orach Chaim siman 428:
"From (parashat) Bereishit until the 17th of Tammuz the haftora follows the theme of the parasha; from then onwards (the theme of the haftora is) according to the date and the events (related to it): there are three (haftarot) of rebuke, then seven of comfort... the seven of comfort are 'Nachamu' Isaiah 40:1-26 for parashat Va'etchanan; 'Va-tomer Tzion' Isaiah 49:14-51:3 for parashat Ekev; 'Aniya so'eret', Isaiah 54:11-55:5 for Re'eh; 'Anokhi' Isaiah 51:12-52:12 for Shoftim; 'Roni akara' Isaiah 54:1-10 for Ki Tetze; 'Kumi uri' Isaiah 60:1-22 for Ki Tavo; and 'sos asis' Isaiah 61:10-63:9 for Nitzavim.”
Scholars tell us that the book of Isaiah is composed of at least three different sections with different authors (or groups of authors) who lived at different times:
1. Isaiah 1-39, regarding events taking place 767-698 BCE (that he lived through), ie before Assyrian destruction and exile to Babylon
2. Isaiah 40-55, aka Deutero-Isaiah; about 553-539 BCE
3. Isaiah 56-66, aka Trito-Isaiah; post-exilic ie later than 520 BCE.
- 14th century Sefer Abudahram proposes the idea of a back and forth between the prophet, the people and God (created by the first lines of the haftarot) - see below
- Rabbi Yitzhak Etshalom proposes that they map to the process of mourning and consolation:
https://torah.org/torah-portion/mikra-5773-shoftim/
- Although the Tur tells us that these seven weeks aren’t related directly to the contents of the parsha, Rabbi Yehuda Shaviv suggests that they do actually bear some relationship to the parsha - see below.
lived in the 14th century in Seville and composed one of the most comprehensive commentaries on prayer. In his magnum opus (commonly referred to as “Sefer Abudraham”), he notes that the order of the Haftarot represent a three-way dialogue between G-d, the prophet, and Am Yisrael - the People of Israel, as follows:
a) G-d tells the prophet Nachamu Nachamu Ami – bring comfort to My people;
b) Am Yisrael then declares vaTomer Tziyyon Azavani Hashem – “Zion says: G-d has abandoned me and I am not satisfied with the consolation of the prophet!”
c) The prophet then returns to G-d and says Aniyah So’arah Lo Nuchamah – to wit, the impoverished and persecuted nation refuses to be comforted ** this is the one we are looking at today
d) G-d then responds Anokhi Anokhi Hu Menachemkhem – It is I, says G-d, who comforts you.
e) He then continues Roni Akarah, abjuring Am Yisrael to rejoice, “Sing rejoicing, o barren one!”
f) Followed by Kumi Ori, (“Get up! Shine bright!”) after which
g) Am Yisrael responds “Sos Asis”, – I will, indeed, rejoice in G-d.
https://etzion.org.il/en/holidays/three-weeks/seven-haftarot-consolation
What he says about the connections between this haftarah and parshat Re’eh:
Firstly, the prophet speaks of children: "And all your children will know Hashem, and there will be great peace among your children" (54:13).
In the parasha we already hear of Israel referred to as children: "You are children to Hashem your God" (14:1).
Secondly, the key to redemption – in the prophet's words – lies in acts of righteousness:
"In righteousness shall you be established" (54:14). The parasha speaks at length about matters of righteousness. We are warned several times to remember the Levi, who has no portion and inheritance in the land, and to include him in the household (12:12, 12:18, 14:27, 14:29). Likewise we are told to give gifts to the poor, to the stranger and to the orphan and widow (14:29). There is also the obligation to cancel debts at the end of seven years (15:1-3), and later on there are pesukim that speak of the obligation to open one's hand to one's impoverished brother and to give him "sufficient for what he needs, that which he lacks" (15:8). We are also commanded as to what to give the Hebrew man- and maid-servants at the end of their period of indenture.
Thirdly, the parasha promises: "And you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; you shall rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over you" (15:6). In the haftora we are told that if Israel will listen to Hashem, then "I shall make an everlasting covenant with you, the everlasting loving promises of David. Behold, I have made him a witness to the nations, a leader and commander of nations... and nations that did not know you will run towards you" (55:3-5).
Come for water,
Even if you have no money;
Come, buy food and eat:
Buy food without money,
Wine and milk without cost.
תָּנָא דְּבֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: אִם פָּגַע בְּךָ מְנֻוּוֹל זֶה — מׇשְׁכֵהוּ לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ. אִם אֶבֶן הוּא — נִימּוֹחַ, אִם בַּרְזֶל הוּא מִתְפּוֹצֵץ. אִם אֶבֶן הוּא נִימּוֹחַ, דִּכְתִיב: ״הוֹי כׇּל צָמֵא לְכוּ לַמַּיִם״, וּכְתִיב: ״אֲבָנִים שָׁחֲקוּ מַיִם״. אִם בַּרְזֶל הוּא מִתְפּוֹצֵץ, דִּכְתִיב: ״הֲלׂא כֹה דְבָרִי כָּאֵשׁ נְאֻם ה׳ וּכְפַטִּישׁ יְפוֹצֵץ סָלַע״.
אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן: יֵצֶר הָרָע מְסִיתוֹ לָאָדָם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וּמֵעִיד עָלָיו לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״מְפַנֵּק מִנּוֹעַר עַבְדּוֹ וְאַחֲרִיתוֹ יִהְיֶה מָנוֹן״ — שֶׁכֵּן בְּאַטְבַּ״ח שֶׁל רַבִּי חִיָּיא, קוֹרִין לְסָהֲדָה מָנוֹן.
The school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: If this scoundrel, the evil inclination, accosted you, seeking to tempt you to sin, drag it to the study hall and study Torah. If it is like a stone, it will be dissolved by the Torah. If it is like iron, it will be shattered. The Gemara elaborates: If it is like stone, it will be dissolved, as it is written: “Ho, everyone who is thirsty, come you for the water” (Isaiah 55:1), water in this context meaning Torah; and it is written: “Stones were worn by water” (Job 14:19). If it is like iron, it will be shattered, as it is written: “Is not My word like fire, says the Lord; and like a hammer that shatters rock” (Jeremiah 23:29).
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The evil inclination incites a person to sin in this world, and then testifies against him in the next world, as it is stated: “He that delicately brings up his servant from a child shall have him become a master [manon] at the last” (Proverbs 29:21). Initially, in one’s youth, the evil inclination, which should have been enslaved to him, takes control of him and causes him to sin. Then, ultimately, that same evil inclination becomes his manon.
And great shall be the happiness of your children;
אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים מַרְבִּים שָׁלוֹם בָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְכׇל בָּנַיִךְ לִמּוּדֵי ה׳ וְרַב שְׁלוֹם בָּנָיִךְ״. אַל תִּקְרֵי ״בָּנָיִךְ״ אֶלָּא ״בּוֹנָיִךְ״. ״שָׁלוֹם רָב לְאֹהֲבֵי תוֹרָתֶךָ וְאֵין לָמוֹ מִכְשׁוֹל״. ״יְהִי שָׁלוֹם בְּחֵילֵךְ שַׁלְוָה בְּאַרְמְנוֹתָיִךְ״. ״לְמַעַן אַחַי וְרֵעָי אֲדַבְּרָה נָּא שָׁלוֹם בָּךְ. לְמַעַן בֵּית ה׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ אֲבַקְשָׁה טוֹב לָךְ״. ״ה׳ עֹז לְעַמּוֹ יִתֵּן ה׳ יְבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמּוֹ בַשָּׁלוֹם״.
הדרן עלך הרואה וסליקא לה מסכת ברכות
Rabbi Elazar said that Rabbi Ḥanina said: Torah scholars increase peace in the world, as it is said: “And all your children [banayikh] shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children” (Isaiah 54:13). If all the children of Israel are taught of the Lord, there will be peace for all. The Sages interpreted this verse homiletically: Do not read your children [banayikh], but your builders [bonayikh]. Torah scholars are those who build peace for their generation. As it is stated: “Those who love Your Torah have great peace; there is no stumbling block for them” (Psalms 119:165); and “May there be peace within your walls, prosperity within your palaces” (Psalms 122:7), because: “For the sake of my brothers and friends, I shall say: Peace be within you. For the sake of the House of the Lord, our God, I will seek your good” (Psalms 122:8–9), and “May the Lord give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace” (Psalms 29:11). May we return unto thee : He who beholds! And finished is the Tractate Berakot.
“All your children shall be taught by the Eternal” hints at the world to come. In this world we have human teachers, but in messianic days we shall have the Eternal One as our teacher.
This verse is an important landmark in the history of civilization. In obedience to it, Israel led the world in universal education. “The Jewish religion, because it was a literature-sustained religion, led to the first efforts to provide elementary instruction for all children of the community” (HG Wells).
(The wordplay on children/teachers) proclaims a wonderful truth: the children of a nation are the builders of its future. And every Jewish child must be reared to become such a builder of his People’s better future.
As quoted in Rabbi Gunther Plaut’s essay on this haftarah in The Haftarah Commentary. (CCAR Press)