Sending A Boy To Do A Man’s Job

Pinch-hitting this Shabbos for the haftorah of parshat פינחס is the haftorah for מטות.  It is a “double switch” of sorts – something American League fans no longer see or appreciate – as the haftorah for next week’s double parsha, מטות-מסעי, will be מסעי’s haftorah.

Confused?  חז”ל ordained that the haftorahs chanted during the three shabbatot between the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av shall be those assigned to מטות, מסעי and דברים, even when – as it does this year – parshat Pinchas is due up to bat after immediately the fast of Tammuz.

It’s worth noting that this custom, codified in the Shulchan Aruch[1], is unrecorded in the Talmud; its earliest mention seems to be in Pesichta D’Rav Kahane[2]. The Tur Shulchan Aruch explains:

From the beginning of Bereishit until 17th of Tammuz, the haftorot are similar (in theme) to the parsha; from then onward, the haftorot are selected to correspond to the ‘time’ and ‘events’

Thus, the annual haftorah cycle is divided into four, unequal periods:

• From Breishit up to (but not including) 17 Tammuz: Weekly portions based on the themes of the parsha; then:
• 3 weeks of rebuke/destruction leading up to Tisha B’Av; then:
• 7 weeks of comfort leading up to Rosh HaShanah; and finally:
• 2 weeks of repentance, through Yom Kippur & Sukkot, leading up to… Breishit!

The first haforah of rebuke is from the opening verses of Yirmiyahu, 1:1-2:3.  The text tells the story of Jeremiah’s selection as the man tasked with delivering God’s prophesy of destruction.  Jeremiah is not all that pleased:

And I said, “Alas, O Lord God! Behold, I know not to speak for I am a youth.

Rashi elaborates on Yermiyahu’s reluctance:

I am not worthy to reprove them.

Moshe reproved them shortly before his death, when he was already esteemed in their eyes through the many miracles that he had performed for them. He had taken them out of Egypt, split the Reed Sea for them, brought down the manna, caused the quails to fly, given them the Torah, brought up the well.

I come to reprove them at the beginning of my mission.

Words of rebuke, Yermiyahu believed, would be best heard from the speaker with a proven track record upon which his message can stand. Moshe, as we will hear in shul in a few weeks’ time, rebuked his nation only after a long and glorious career of leadership. Yermiyahu was not keen on being the prophet of doom and gloom right out of the gate.

According to the Malbim, Yermiyahu’s concern was three-fold:

• A young person lacks the ‘heart’ to stand before adults;
• A young person lacks the oratory skills to address a crowd of adults; and
• The crowds, hearing such an impetuous young speaker, will rise up and kill him.

God tacitly acknowledged Yermiyahu’s concerns but declined to offer a solution.  Instead, He admonished Yermiyahu to have faith:

And the Lord said to me; Say not, “I am a youth,” for wherever I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.

Fear them not, for I am with you to save you, says the Lord.

Yermiyahu hardly stands alone as a reluctant spokesman for the Divine.  The midrash reminded us that Moshe and Yonah also tried to avoid service.  It is no accident that this midrash linked these three Neviim for each one felt himself to be separate from the community he was being ‘asked’ to minister.

Yonah, of course, was a Jew sent to preach to the Assyrians; his native tongue was not that of the people of Ninveh. Moshe was living a comfortable life in Midian with children, wife and her family, far removed from his brethren toiling in Egypt.  He was tongue-tied.  And Yeremiah was little more than a boy, young and afraid, being sent to do a man’s job.,  He lacked the sharp tongue of a seasoned orator.

There is an important yet subtle message behind God instruments of prophesy.  Being a reluctant prophet actually added poignancy to the prophetic words and gravitas to the prophet.  Moreover, each of these unenthusiastic emissaries was mindful of the fact that HaShem selected an envoy who stood out starkly from his target audience.

The target audiences noticed this as well.

Part of God’s Message was that the messenger and his assemblies are supposed to be uncomfortable with each other.  It is well documented that we tend to read/listen to news that already fits our worldview. HaShem wants us to be open to messages that are not necessarily broadcast on our regular channels.

As we begin the three week journey of rebuke that leads to the seven week journey of consolation, it is worth keeping in mind that God’s messengers can be young and old, male and female, and Jew or Gentile, foreign or domestic.  The messengers need not have Hollywood looks or great oratory skills since powerful words and ideas can come from soft, inexperienced, quivering voices.

Hearing God’s message is more than an auditory experience.  Our minds and hearts must be open to infinite possibilities.

Shabbat Shalom!