Haftorah Reading for Vayakhel is 2 Kings 12:1-17
By Irv Jacobs, M.D.
LA JOLLA, California — An inspection for the assigned Haftorah for this Torah portion shows that in some years, rabbis chose a different text. In the year 2022, it is the text above.
This short passage is all prose, and to this reader comes across as confusing sentiments, with much redundancy. I use the translation and commentaries of Emeritus Professor Dr. Robert Alter of the University of California Berkeley. [1]
I should note that in some years different passages arbitrarily replace these. The rabbis must have had disagreements over such choices, over the generations.
The connection to the Torah reading is that the Torah reading describes the building of the desert Tabernacle; in the haftorah, the focus is on repairs to be done to the (South’s) Judean Temple, sometime during the 40-year reign of “good” King Joash, c. 837-796 BCE.
Here are paraphrased excerpts from the haftorah, by unidentified writers:
“Seven years old was Joash when he became the Southern king (King Jehu at the time ruled the Northern Kingdom). Joash ruled 40 years in Jerusalem. [2]
Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all his days—but the high places were not removed—the people were still sacrificing and burning incense on the high places.
Joash said to the priests, ‘All the silver of sacred gifts that is brought to the house of the LORD, silver currency for each person the value in silver, and any silver that a man’s heart prompts him to bring…let the priests take, every man from his acquaintance, and they shall (use it to) repair the breaches of the house (Temple)…'[3]
…the priests (however) did not repair the breaches of the house…and King Joash called Jehoida the priest..and said…’Why are you not doing the repairs? And now, do not take (in your greed) the silver…but give it for repairs of the house.’
And Jehoida took a certain chest and bored a hole in its door and set it by the Altar.
When a man comes into the house, the priests…put into it all the silver brought to the house of the LORD. [4]
And they gave the silver that had been measured out to ‘those performing the tasks’…and they brought it to the carpenters…and builders… and masons…and quarriers…to buy timber and quarried stone to repair the breaches of the house…”
Now comes the mandatory upbeat ending:
“The silver was not to be used by the priests for their greedy devices. It was given to those who performed the repair tasks, to restore the house of the LORD.
However silver for guilt offerings…and offense offerings would not be brought to the house of the LORD. It would be for the priests.” [5]
In this short passage we see the “just” intended behavior of this “good” king, though he was ambiguous and a milquetoast in containing the greed of the priests.
Though the writing style falls short for simple lucid writing, ultimately the salient points are made. How can we moderns argue with what was acceptable “clear” instructions in those ancient times?
[2] Ibid, Alter, p.568 The high priest Jehoiada served as regent while the child-king grew up.
[3] Ibid, Alter, p. 569 The gifts of silver were not to be gifts to priests, but used for Temple repairs. King Joash did not trust the priests! However he was timid in acting out to contain them.
[4] Ibid, Alter, p.569 The chest was off limits to the priests. Oila! Now there was abundant silver for the repairs.
[5] Ibid, Alter, p. 570 This is a compromise with the priests. They no longer have access to general donations, but silver given for guilt and offense offerings still goes to them. Joash just couldn’t bring himself to shut out the corrupt priests completely.