Haftarah

The Haftarah associated with Parashat Shoftim comes from Isaiah, a prophet whose voice calls out both judgment and consolation. The section chosen (51:12–52:12) is marked by reassurance, hope, and the proclamation of redemption. It connects intimately with the Aurayta portion’s theme of justice and righteous authority, for here Mar-Yah Himself declares that He is Judge, Comforter, and Redeemer of Israel.

Shoftim demanded righteous governance, the removal of corrupted worship, and the establishment of a society reflecting divine holiness. Isaiah’s prophecy lifts this vision to an even higher level, where the final justice of Mar-Yah redeems Zion, delivers His people, and inaugurates His reign. The reading prefigures the Messianic redemption accomplished at the Cross and still awaited in fullness at His coming.

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“Before I formed you in the belly I knew you; and before you came forth out of the womb I sanctified you, and I ordained you a prophet unto the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5)

The Haftarah inaugurates the period of the Three Weeks—a time of mourning that culminates in Tisha B’Av, the commemoration of the destruction of both Temples. Fittingly, the reading is drawn from the opening chapters of the book of the prophet Jeremiah, a seer whose life was interwoven with the tragic unravelling of the southern kingdom of Yehudah. This passage is full of theological tension; for example, there is a divine calling, a prophetic mission, the recalcitrance of the people, and the deep, aching heart of Mar-Yah, the Holy One of Israel, whose covenant has been spurned.

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From the Haftarah for 20 July 2024

7 The remnant of Jacob will be among many peoples,
like dew from Yahweh,
like showers on the grass,
that don’t wait for man,
nor wait for the sons of men.

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Haftarah for 13 July 2024

1 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour. He was the son of a prostitute. Gilead became the father of Jephthah. 2 Gilead’s wife bore him sons. When his wife’s sons grew up, they drove Jephthah out and said to him, “You will not inherit in our father’s house, for you are the son of another woman.” 3 Then Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob. Outlaws joined up with Jephthah, and they went out with him.

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