יד יוסף: Shmos: Precepts and Proverbs

There is more than one haphtarah for parshas Shemos. The one from Isaiah is basically a poem which alternates eloquent blessings with harsh criticisms. It opens that the day will come when Jacob will take root and Israel will bloom and flower. The prophet then talks about from the Promised Land saying that the fortified city is in ruins and that the nation will only be forgiven when their pagan altars are ground up like chalk. He continues that the people have understood nothing therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, will have no mercy on them. However when the day of redemption comes G-d will separate the wheat from the chaff from among His people and those that return will submit themselves to Hashem at His sacred mountain in Jerusalem.

The next section has a similar rhythm. It starts by condemning the leaders of Israel as a bunch of drunkards whose small amount of fading glory is about to be destroyed by the overwhelming military force of a powerful enemy. However for those that survive the holy One, blessed be He, will be a beautiful crown, the spirit of fairness for those that serve as judges, and a spirit of courage for those that defend the city against war. The prophet condemns the current priests and prophets as maniacs living in their ludicrous fantasies and surrounded by filth and vomit.

After that, it is explained how G-d’s word is learned by those who want it. It starts with the things that a person learns from their parents at a very early age. Next the holy One, blessed be He, gradually, through life’s experiences, teaches His flock principles and proverbs.

For people who reject G-d’s teachings it is the opposite. It begins with them rejecting counsel from above on how to obtain rest and refreshment for themselves and others. Because of that the Torah will sound stammering and strange and its precepts and verses will cause gradual descent and destruction.

The haphtarah ends with a reassurance to the righteous that in the end they will be proud of their children. This is because G-d is in fact molding them into fine people who will a sanctification of His name and a tribute to the heritage of Jacob and Israel.

The rhythm of the haphtarah mimics the parsha’s alternation between beauty and devotion of the children of Israel opposite their shallow and malevolent behavior. It starts with recounting the names of the tribes and the greatness of Joseph. It then talks about their descent into harsh slavery and continues with the courage of the Israelite mid-wives. The parsha continues how Moshe as a young adult was forced to flee Egypt when an arrogant Israelite rasha attempted to have him arrested because he had previously rescued an Israelite at the cost of the life of the attacking Egyptian.

In Midian Moshe is drawn to the presence of G-d that appears in the burning bush. Hashem tells him to liberate the children of Israel and gives him reassurances for all of his concerns. Even so Moshe says to send somebody else. He does accept the appointment but incurs great anger from above when he fails to circumcise his son. The children of Israel do accept Moshe and his mission to take them out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. However, when Pharaoh reacts hostilely, they turn against Moshe and disgrace him.

The hidden theme of the parsha is gradual integration of knowledge into a person’s being as well as the national mentality. This is the rectification of not being an understanding nation.

Essentially understanding comes through contemplation and reflection. A bad person will often refuse to do this because he subtly recognizes that the conclusion will be that he can’t continue the way he is. The righteous few will always be pondering and learning. The masses, though, often are very slow learners and because of this tragedies occur from time to time. However little by little they learn a precept here and a verse there. What starts out as inchoate groans of pain over thousands of years are refined into the Third Temple. This is the gradual advance of not only the nation of Israel but all men as well.