בס"ד
I have stated
that prayer is an exact science. One might ask: then how can prayer be
different for different groups of Jews? The prayer book of a Sephardi Jew is
not the same as an Ashkenazi Jew. The answer actually demonstrates how scientific
and how specific the requirements are for prayer and everything else.
Rabbi Moshe
David Valle (1697-1777) was a Kabbalist who wrote many books. One of the
subjects, for which he is known, is stating the differences required by different
Jews. Jews are very much influenced by their environmental conditions with
which they grew up. A Jew in Northern Africa obviously has a very different
situation from a Jew in Europe. Differences such food, water, air, climate,
customs, etc actually cause differences needed by the soul in every activity in
life. Prayer is very much included in the dichotomy, and therefore even
requires different words and customs. You can’t get more exacting and
scientifically accurate than that.
I am bringing this up since the Parashat that we read yesterday, Shemos, actually has
different Haftaros for Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jews. The theme of the book of Shemos,
or Exodus, of course, is the hardships we endured in Egypt, and how it resulted
in the first redemption. We were made a nation, given the Torah at Mount Sinai,
the forty years in the desert and the entering of our homeland.
The Haftaros
have the prophecy of the redemption that we are experiencing now, the final
worldwide redemption. Even though it is the same prophecy, the wording is
different for the Ashkenazi, which is from Isaiah and the Sephardi which is
from Jeremiah. The wording is so exact according to whom you are, where you grew
up and what your soul needs.
The summary
offered in the Artscroll Chumash is the best way to demonstrate the differences.
Hear is the
Ashkenaz summary for the Haftarah. Tomorrow I will post the Sephardi summary
for comparison:
Haftaras
Shemos (Ashkenazic custom, Isaiah 27:6-28:13, 29:22-23)
Like the exile-experience
of Egypt, the Haftarah begins with .Jacob as the root of the eventual
triumph that will lead to a flourishing, world-renowned and respected
"Israel." "Jacob" always symbolizes the Jewish people in
its time of travail and degradation, before it succeeds in realizing the goals
and potential represented by "Israel," just as the very name was
given to Jacob in recognition of his enhanced stature.
The prophet
Isaiah lived in a time of turmoil, when the kingdom of the Ten Tribes was
hurtling downhill in its spiritual decay, with defeat and exile on the way, and
the Davidic kingdom of Judah, too, was suffering from spiritual decline. In
this Haftarah, Isaiah depicts the failures of both kingdoms. He begins
with the encouraging prophecy that the "root" of Jacob - like all
roots, unseen. In the ground and trampled upon by those who walk obliviously
over it - will once more produce luxuriant produce. Isaiah points out that, despite
the Divine wrath visited upon the Jewish people often in their history, they
have not been decimated as have various other nations. Those who struck Israel
were punished more, while the Jewish people survive and will rise again, its
sins being atoned for in the physical destruction of its fields and cities. But,
although G-d preserves the root, the nation has forfeited its right to His
manifest mercy because of its failure to recognize its true role in the world. Nevertheless,
when the time comes, G-d will "thresh" the world to find the
scattered kernels of His still beloved people.
Then Isaiah
goes on to the doomed Ten Tribes, led by Ephraim. The simile for them is
arrogance and drunkenness, both of which prevent people from recognizing the
truth and acting upon it. The result is that heads, which are so pampered with
luxuries that they are like a valley of oil, will lose their crowns and their
glory.
But Isaiah
is far from content with the masses of Judah. They have become so estranged
from the authenticity of the Torah and its wisdom that they must be spoon fed –
a commandment at a time, and a "measuring line" at a time. (The
"line" is used by builders to make sure their bricks are properly
aligned; this symbolizes the guidelines to behavior.)
As always, the
Haftarah ends with words of comfort and encouragement, in this case
skipping to the next chapter of Isaiah for its two concluding verses.
When we see
the wording in prayer, the wording in various ceremonies (weddings, Bar
Mitzvahs, Bris Milahs, etc), observance of Shabbos and holidays (a must for
survival), the wording in prophecies, etc, so specific to the needs of a Jew, we
know that Hashem has designed everything in life to help us maximize our perfection, our Tikun.
The requirements of our soul are so specific, even the food we eat (Kosher is a
must for survival), the beverages we drink (Kosher again) and the air we breathe. For us to
get the most out of life and set ourselves up with the absolute best eternity
is not a variable that should be taken lightly. Jews, who think that being less
stringent about what we do to serve Hashem, are only hurting themselves and
their loved ones. This world and all the benefits that we derive from proper
living is a one shot deal that we can maximize or diminish our eternal existence.
We won’t find out until it is too late how much more we could have had, if only we worked harder to come closer to Hashem and do all our worldly obligations
properly.
It is an
exact science. Use it to your greatest advantage.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: My book, “The Absolute Truth,” is once again
available on Amazon.com for only $19, with the Kindle version now at $2.99. Check it
out at:
Of course the E-book is still available directly from me.
Just click the “Buy Now” button at the top for the right column. Learn more about the exactness of life and how necessary it is.
