Community

Torah Portion

On The Backs Of The Righteous
Rests The Whole World

was great among the nations..."
The common theme that runs
through these passages is justice; or
rather, the lack of justice that causes the
downfall of our people. Isaiah issues this
prophecy most clearly, condemning rim-
al, sacrifice and prayer devoid of sub-
stance, unaccompanied by righteous
behavior.
habbat Hazon derives its name
Isaiah teaches us that such hollow
from the first word of the spe-
gestures are abhorrent to God and do
cial haftorah (supplemental
not fulfill our part of the covenant, no
reading to the Torah) read on
matter how impassioned our supplica-
the Shabbat preceding Tisha b'Av, which
tion: "When you stretch out your
is taken from the beginning of Isaiah.
hands, I will avert My eyes
This is the last of three
from you; however much you
haftorot read between the 17th
pray, I will not listen, while
of Tamuz, the date the
your hands are filled with
Babylonians breached the walls
blood."
of Jerusalem, and the 9th of
Ritual and prayer serve as
Av (Tisha b'Av),. the day we
reminders of God's will, not
recall the destruction of the
as ends in themselves. Our
Temple.
pleas for salvation will go
These three haftorot are
unanswered as long as we fail
known as the "three haftorot
to act upon the prayers we
of affliction" as they delineate
RABBI MARLA utter.
the punishment that ensues
Despite this condemnation,
J. FELDMAN
when we forget God and our
both
the parsha (Torah por-
Special to the
covenant.
tion)
and
the haftorah leave us
Jewish News
Commentators have noted
with hope that we will one-
that one word eycha (how)
day merit redemption. The
links the haftorah with the weekly Torah
Torah portion begins with the words
portion, Devarim, and with the Book of
Eleh devarim — "These are the words
Lamentations, which is read on Tisha
that Moses addressed to all Israel..."
b'Av. This word frames the impassioned
The Hebrew word el.eh. (these) has
pleas of Isaiah, Moses and Jeremiah, as
the numerical value of 36 (lamed-vav),
each prophet bemoans the fate of his
leading to the traditional belief that the
people.
world is sustained by 36 righteous per-
In the Torah portion, Moses offers a
sons, just as it is sustained by "these"
monologue reviewing the 40 years of
words of Torah. The legend of the 36,
wandering in the wilderness and recalls
the lamed-vavniks, suggests that the
the constant infighting and lack of faith
righteousness displayed. by these few
among the Israelites: "How can I alone'
individuals can redeem the entire world.
bear your [the Israelites') tribulations
Isaiah also leaves us with the hope
and bickering?" With this plea, Moses
that we can "learn to do good, seek jus-
acknowledges his own need for assis-
.tice; relieve the oppressed, uphold the
tance in dispensing justice among the
orphan's rights; take up the widow's
people.
cause." When we learn to live our lives
Isaiah asks, "How has she become a..
by the values we preach, when we
harlot, the faithful city that once was
defend the most vulnerable in society
filled with justice; where righteousness
and treat all with justice, then "Zion
once dwelt, but now murderers!" The
shall. be redeemed by justice, and its
prophet's despair and outrage condemns
repentant people by righteousness."0
the moral depravity of the people and
their lack of justice, which led to their
destruction.
So too, Jeremiah in the opening
words of Lamentations bemoans the dev-
How can ritual and prayer
astation of Jerusalem, "How solitary the
inspire
us to acts of righteous-
city sits, that was once so full of people;
ness?
Do
you know anyone you
she has become like a widow; she that
consider to be a lamed-vavnik
— a righteous soul? What does
Rabbi Marla Feldman is the assistant
that person do to merit such
director of the Jewish Community
regard, and how can you emu-
Council of Metropolitan Detroit and
late him?
executive director of the Michigan
Board of Rabbis.

Shabbat Hazon
(Devarim):
Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22;
Isaiah 1:21-27

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