Haftorah Reading for June 26, 2021

Torah portion is Balak (Numbers 22:2-25:9); Haftorah is Micah 5:6-6:8

By Irv Jacobs, M.D.

LA JOLLA, California — This poetic extract from the short (seven chapters) Book of Micah contains one of the most memorable sentiments in the Tanakh, “It was told to you, man, what is good…” (full quote later).

Another memorable quote of his, but not in this Haftorah is from Micah 4:3

“And they shall grind their swords into plowshares

                        and their spears into pruning hooks.

            Nation shall not raise sword against nation,

                        nor shall they learn war anymore.” [1]

Micah is labeled as one of the ‘Twelve Minor Prophets,” a rabbinic designation assigned because of the ‘small quantity of each’s preserved writings.’ He appeared on the scene c. 721 BCE after Assyria’s  destruction of the Northern Kingdom, and again after Sennacherib of Assyria nearly finished off the Southern Kingdom in 701BCE.

The relation of this Haftorah to the Torah parasha Balak is that in the parasha, we read of Balak, king of Moab, designing a plot against Moses and the Israelites; in the Haftorah Micah recalls that story. [2]

Continuing my practice in this Haftorah series, I utilize the translations and commentaries of Robert Alter, Emeritus Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, in his opus work, The Hebrew Bible. [3]

The rabbis excised this Haftorah from a much longer poetic text that expresses Micah’s message, both preceding and following these verses.

It goes thus:

“And the remnant of Jacob shall be

                        in the midst of many peoples

            like the dew from the Lord,

                        like gentle rain upon the grass…[4]

 

Then it shifts to aggressive talk:

like a lion among forest beasts,

                        like a young lion among the flocks of sheep

            that passes through and tramples 

                        and tears apart with none to save. 

            Your hand shall loom over your foes

                        and all your enemies be cut off. [5]

Now the mood changes from redemption to doom:

“And it shall happen on that day, said the Lord:

                        I will cut off your horses from your midst,

                                    and I will destroy your chariots…

                        and reduce to ruins all your fortresses…

And I will cut off your idols

                        and your cultic pillars from your midst…[6]

 

The tone changes again, now to a request that Israel plead for repentance:

“Listen, pray, to what the Lord has said.

                        Rise, plead a case before the mountains,

                                    and let the hills hear your voice…[7]

            “For I brought you up from the land of Egypt,

                        and from the house of slaves I redeemed you,

            and set before you 

                        Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

            My people, recall, pray, what Balak king of Moab devised

                        and what Balaam son of Beor answered him…[8]

                        that the Lord’s bounties would be known.

 

Here the focus changes again, now to ethical advice:

“What shall I come before the Lord

                        bow to the most high God?

            Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings,

                        with yearling calves?

            Is the Lord pleased with thousands of rams…

            Shall I give Him my first born for my trespass,

                        the fruit of my loins for my offense? [9]

Now comes the necessary upbeat Haftorah ending –

            It was told to you, man, what is good

                        and what the Lord demands of you—

            only doing justice and loving kindness

                        and walking humbly with your God.” [10]

The rabbis chose intelligently these verses for the Haftorah, to complement the Torah reading of Balak. We have elements of remembrance, chastisement, forgiveness, and finally a memorable ethical lesson.

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NOTES

[1] Robert Alter, The Hebrew Bible, Prophets Vol. 2, W. W. Norton & Company, New York, 2019, p. 1202-3 This quote is nearly identical with Isaiah 2:2-4. Who said it first? Or was it inserted later by an editor? In any case, Micah’s vision of noble living, as opposed to animal sacrifice, puts him early in the line of prophets that set ethical behavior above the Temple cult.

[2] Etz Hayim,The Jewish Publication Society, 2001, New York, p. 914

[3] Op. cit. Alter, pp.1202, 1311-1314

[4] a poetic sentiment, both metaphor and simile, with positive overtones Re: the Israelites

[5] Op. cit.,  Alter, p. 1311 – The text now describes Israel as a fierce power. Alter feels the power statement should precede the gentle dew statement, i.e. Once secure, Israel can be a peaceful neighbor.

[6] Ibid, Alter, p. 1312 This is castigation for regression to paganism.

[7] Ibid, Alter, p. 1313. This imagery imagines that nature listens to this dispute between God and Israel.

[8] Ibid, Alter, p. 1312. This recalls the Torah’s text on Israel’s escape from Balak’s intended curse.

[9] Ibid, Alter, p.1313. Note pattern of intensification, expressing disgust with sacrifice, including human sacrifice-the most disgusting.

[10] Ibid, Alter, p. 1314.  A famous beautiful expression which Micah shares with Isaiah, that ethical behavior is more important than sacrificial rites!

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Irv Jacobs is a retired medical doctor who delights in Torah analysis.  He often delivers a drosh at Congregation Beth El in La Jolla, and at his chavurah.