Noach Haftarah: Jews Return to Yerushalyim / Israel

Where did the dove יונה find the olive leaf when left Noah’s Ark? He took it from a tree in Eretz Yisrael on the Mount of Olives; since the flood did not affect Eretz Yisrael (Midrash). However, there are signs of an ancient flood in the land in Israel. This is explained by the Ramban.  He clarified that aspects of the flood was in Israel. However, the floor waters did not come from sky into Eretz Yisrael. Rather, water rolled into it from other lands in Israel and thus many trees survived.

The purpose of flood was to purify the world like a Mikva ritual bath. Thus, Eretz Yisrael was spared since the holy land does need purification.

Noach send out the dove  ) יונה8:9) from the Ark and  the dove not find rest, ולא מצאה היונה מנוח .לכף רגלה This dove is a reference to the Jews in the future will not find rest in Chutz LaAretz. The only place a Jew will find rest, is in Eretz Yisrael. This is represented by the second time Noach sent out the dove and it returned with an olive leafעלה זית  from Har HaZeitim in Eretz Yisrael.

There is one holiday in the month of Mar Cheshvan, it is Mabul day! The flood started on the 17^th of Cheshvan. The flood lasted for one hundred and fifty days. However, Noach was in the Ark for a whole year. Flood officially ended on the 27^th of Cheshvan a year later.

Siman for the Parsha

153 Pesukim

= בצלאל   בצל –אל  , translates as in the shadow of G-d or the protective shelter of G-d. Noach and his family was protected in the ark / teyva תבה.   Bezalel was the son of Uri, the grandson of Chur. Chur was killed by the Jews for his opposition to building the Egel HaZahav golden calf.  His grandson was inspired by Hashem and instructed to build a “teyva” תבה to house the Aron HaKodesh. This was called the Mishkan.

אבי יסכה לוט  states that  Avraham’s brother Charan was the father of Yiska and Lot.  Charan died as a young man after he was burned in a fire pit by Nimrod. He had three children: Lot, Milcha and Yiska (Sarah). Charan’s brother Nachor married Milcah, Avraham married Yiska. Lot attached himself to Avraham’s family and joined them on their Aliyah to Eretz Yisrael. This parsha is origin story of Avraham.

Haftarah

Yishayahu 54, 55:1-5

The Haftarah starts with the words “Sing out, barren one” רני עקרה. This describes the גאולה  that we are currently experiencing. Yerushalayim is described as our marriage with Hashem like a husband and wife בעל ואישה.

There are two other Haftarah’s that begin with the words רני.  The Haftarah for parshas Ki Teizei is the same Navi (Yeshayahu 54:1-10). Whereas, the Haftarah for Shabbos Chanukah is “sing out and rejoice daughter of Zion”, רני ושמחי בת ציון from Zecharia (2:14). Thus, there are a total of three Haftarot that begin with “rejoice” רני. All are instructing us to be happy with Eretz Yisrael.

The second half of the Haftarah (54:11) begins with the words “Afflicted storm tossed un-consoled one” עניה סערה לא נחמה. This is the same Haftarah as Pashas Reah.

This haftarah is celebrating the joy of Yerushalayim which was empty in the past, like a barren woman who has never given birth to a child. Yishayahu HaNavi prophesized that the reason to be joyous is that the Yerushalayim of the future, which is our current era, will experience a city crowded with people and have lots of traffic. Formerly desolate cities of Israel will be re-inhabited, וערים נשמות יושיבו; as we see with our own eyes today. There will be an ingathering of the Jewish exiles, against all odds from all over the world, וברחמים גדולים אקבצך. This is clearly demonstrated with the Aliyah of Jews to Israel from all over the world, especially after the Holocaust, from 1948 until today. We are living proof the accuracy of this prophesy.

This is the final redemption גאולה  . G-d promises us here that this will be the final return of the Jews home to Eretz Yisrael. Hashem did not bring us back here with daily miracles, just to exile us again. Just like G-d promised Noach in this Parsha, כי מי נח זאת לי אשר נשבעתי מעבר מי נח עוד על הארץ כן נשבעתי מקצף עליך ומגער בך, that He would never destroy the world again by flood; so too once the Jews return to Israel we will never be exiled again (54:9). We are currently in the final return of the Jewish people to Eretz Yisrael.

Why is The Flood called “the waters of Noah” מי נח? This is because Noach was ultimately responsible the punishment of the flood. He should have prayed for the people of the world to be saved from destruction, or at least try to make them repent with תשובה. This teaches us that we all have the potential to save the world. Jews now returning to Israel ,תשובה , brings about the final redemption גאולה  and there will never again be another exile גלות.

The final and complete redemption of Yerushalayim will be brought with reestablishment of the kingdom of Yehuda (54:11), represented by the stone (on the Ephod) called פוך and the merit of Torah study represented by the stone of Yissachar called ספיר. Torah study is the foundation of the world and will build up Yerushalayim, as taught in the end of Talmud Bavli Berachos (64a).

תלמוד ברכות סד עמוד א

אמר רבי אלעזר אמר רבי חנינא: תלמידי חכמים מרבים שלום בעולם שנאמר “וכל בניך למודי ה’ ורב שלום בניך (ישעיהו נד:יג). אל תקרי “בניך” אלא “בוניך“.

Rabi Elazar said that Rabi Chanina said: Torah scholars increase peace in the world, as it is said: “And all your children will be students of Hashem, and abundant will be your children’s peace” (Yishayahu 54:13). Do not read “your children” but “your builders“.

There are four mesechtos in Talmud Bavli that end with this Dvar Torah calling Torah scholars “builders” and not “children”. They spell out the word “your builders” ב(ו)ניך:

ברכות נזיר יבמות כריתות

Each tractate teaches about a type of peace. Berachos or prayers, teaches about the relationship between man and G-d. Nazir teaches about the relationship between man and wife. Since the Torah describes the mitzvah of Nazir juxtaposed to a husband accusing his wife of being unfaithful. Yevamos teaches about relationships between man and man. This section explains the laws of a brother marrying his brother’s wife, if they never had a child, in order to carry on his family name. Kerisus teaches about the relationship between or physical and spiritual body, by describing those sins that can spiritually cut off a Jew from the Jewish nation.

Chapter 55 of the Navi gives further description of the world at the time of Geula. Everyone will be thirsty to learn words of Torah (55:1) הוי כל צמא לכו מים ; water  מים is Torah. The final Moshiach (55:3) will be, as promised, from the family of King Dovid, ברית עולם חסדי דוד הנאמנים. In the generation of Moshiach ben Dovid, the nations of the world will all ask him to be their leader, וגוי לא ידעוך אליך ירוצו.