THE TEN SABBATHS OF ADMONITION, CONSOLATION AND REPENTANCE
PART TWO

Once again, generally speaking, the various selections from the Prophets, called “Haftaroth,” which are read after the Torah portion itself on each Shabbath during the annual Torah study cycle, are topical in nature, reflecting the subject and spirit of their particular Torah portions. However, during the ten weeks preceding Yom Hakipporym, they are instead all focused upon a single theme – the process of admonition and rebuke, consolation and promise, repentance and return. There are, respectively, three Sabbaths of Admonition, seven Sabbaths of Consolation, and three Sabbaths of Repentance. These correspond to and are contained within the latter portion of the annual Hebrew festival cycle, and more specifically to the “fasts of the fourth, fifth, and seventh (Hebrew) months,” concluding with the Great Fast, Yom Hakippurym. This three-part series attempts to describe and illuminate the underlying structure and ideas behind the careful placement of these special Haftaroth, and somewhat of the reasons for the fasts themselves.

The entirety of the scriptural festival cycle, and indeed the entirety of the scriptures themselves, is likened to a Hebrew wedding ceremony, which itself is more than a single event, it is a process. This process begins in the spring with the choosing of the bride depicted by Pesach (Passover), the grooming and preparation of her throughout the fifty-day cycle of the Omer count, continues in the summer with the betrothal ceremony symbolized by Shavuoth (Pentecost), and then finally comes to glorious conclusion in the fall with the marriage ceremony and its consummation illustrated by the festival of Sukkoth (Tabernacles). During the first two festivals and throughout the time between them, the groom remains close by his bride, teaching her as they go through the process of choosing, preparation and betrothal. However, once the betrothal ceremony is complete, the groom leaves her for a time to go and prepare their future home, giving instruction that she should remain chaste and continue to do those things she has been taught and which will enhance the bond between them until His return for her. It is at this point that things inevitably go awry. Without the continuing shepherding presence of the groom by her side, the bride-to-be fails in her faith and commitment, forsakes the One who loves her, and falls into sin. The ten Sabbaths of Admonition, Consolation, and Repentance are concerned with this period of time. It is we, the Qedoshym (Set-apart-ones, or Saints) and the Commonwealth of Israel, who make up this spiritual bride and who have sinned against our Groom – YHWH Most-High. Because of this, we must find a sure way to awaken from our spiritual slumber and deviance and then return in faithfulness to the One we love and are betrothed to.

Thankfully, we know this sad story has a happy ending. We know the groom has the grace, strength, patience and love to wait for his bride and save her from all her failures. He, above all others, is faithful and will not forsake us. We, as the people of the Commonwealth of Israel, keep our trust in him, then remember and rehearse our own parts as the hopeful bride-to-be in this story each year with the fasts, prayers and special Sabbaths of Admonition, Consolation, and of Repentance during the ten weeks prior to Yom Hakipporym.

THE SEVEN SABBATHS AND HAFTAROTH OF CONSOLATION

Shabbath Nachamu is the Sabbath following Tzom Lachodesh Hachamishy. Its name comes from the first words of the haftarah for the day in parshath Va’ethchanan which says “Nachamu, Nachamu ami, yomar Eloheykem,” which means, “Comfort ye, Comfort ye my people, saith your Elohym.” The scripture is a reassurance that Yisrael’s time of chastisement is now over, “for she has received at the hand of YHWH double for all her sins.” It is the first of the “Seven Sabbaths of Consolation” which are read in the weeks between the Fast of the Fifth Month and the festival of Yom Teruah, bringing hope to the people of Yisrael from her soon returning King.

The scripture readings are: Devarym 3:23-7:11 and Yeshayahu 40:1-26. The Haftarah includes the verses which say:

“Comfort, comfort My people!” says your Elohim, “Speak to the heart of Yerushalayim, and cry out to her, that her hard service is completed, that her crookedness is pardoned, that she has received from the hand of YHWH double for all her sins.” The voice of one crying in the wilderness, “Prepare the way of YHWH; make straight in the desert a highway for our Elohim. Let every valley be raised, and every mountain and hill made low. And the steep ground shall become level, and the rough places smooth. And the esteem of YHWH shall be revealed, and all flesh together shall see it. For the mouth of YHWH has spoken.”

Parshath Eiqev is the second Sabbath of Consolation.

The readings for the day are: Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25 and Isaiah 49:14-51:3. The Haftarah includes the verses which say:

“Sing, O heavens, rejoice, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For YHWH shall comfort His people and have compassion on His afflicted ones. ‘But Tsiyon says, “YHWH has forsaken me, and YHWH has forgotten me.” Would a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Though they forget, I never forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are always before Me.’”

Parshath R’eih is the third Sabbath of Consolation.

The readings for the day are: Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17 and Isaiah 54:11-55:5. The Haftarah includes the verses which say:

“See, they shall indeed assemble, but not because of Me. Whoever shall assemble against you falls for your sake! See, I Myself have created the blacksmith who blows the coals in the fire, who brings forth an instrument for his work. And I have created the waster to destroy. No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall prove wrong. This is the inheritance of the servants of YHWH, and their righteousness from Me,” declares YHWH.

Selicoth Prayers – With the commencement of the sixth Hebrew month comes a traditional forty-day fast of repentance which continues throughout the period leading up to Yom Hakippurym. This is most often called Tzom B’elul, “the fast of Elul,” by mainstream Judaism. On the eve of the New Moon which begins the sixth Hebrew month, the shofar is gently blown as a clarion call to repentance. It is blown again more loudly on each of the forty days to “awaken the slumberers” from their apathy and warn them of the impending arrival of their King. The prayers of Selicoth are also begun on that first day as the fast begins.

Selicoth means “forgivenesses.” They are penitential prayers which are said each day during the month of Elul and the Ten Days of Awe which follow. These forty days correspond to the final forty days Moshe spent on Mount Sinai before bringing the second set of tablets back to the people, and so the prayers are appropriately accompanied by Tehillah (Psalm) 27 and the “Thirteen Attributes” of YHWH from Sh’moth 34. They are also thought to be the same forty days that Yeshua spent in the wilderness fasting before beginning his ministry here on the earth.

Parshath Shophtym is the fourth Sabbath of Consolation.

The readings for the day are: Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9 and Isaiah 51:12-52:12. The Haftarah includes the verses which say:

“I, I am He who comforts you. Who are you that you should be afraid of man that dies, and of the son of man who is made like grass? And you have forgotten YHWH your Maker who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, and you continually fear, all the day, because of the rage of the oppressor, as he has prepared to destroy. And where is the rage of the oppressor? Bowed, he hastens to be loosened, that he should not die in the pit, and that his bread should not fail. But I am YHWH your Elohim, stirring up the sea, and its waves roar. YHWH of hosts is His Name. And I have put My Words in your mouth, and with the shadow of My hand I have covered you, to plant the heavens and lay the foundations of the earth, and to say to Tsiyon, ‘You are My people.’”

Parshath Ky Theitzei is the fifth Sabbath of Consolation.

The readings for the day are: Deuteronomy 21:10-25: and Isaiah 54:1-10. The Haftarah includes the verses which say:

“For YHWH has called you like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, like a wife of youth when you were refused. Your Elohim declares, ‘For a little while I have forsaken you, but with great compassion I shall gather you. In an overflow of wrath I hid My face from you for a moment, but with everlasting mercy I shall have compassion on you,’ said YHWH, your Redeemer. ‘For this is the waters of Noach to Me, in that I have sworn that the waters of Noach would never again cover the earth, so have I sworn not to be angry with you, nor to rebuke you. For though the mountains be removed and the hills be shaken, My mercy is not removed from you, nor is My covenant of peace shaken,” said YHWH, who has compassion on you.’”

Parshath Ky Thavo is the sixth Sabbath of Consolation.

The readings for the day are: Deuteronomy 26:1-29: and Isaiah 60:1-22. The Haftarah includes the verses which say:

“Instead of bronze I bring gold, and instead of iron I bring silver, and bronze instead of wood, and iron instead of stones. And I shall make your officers peace, and your magistrates righteousness. Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, neither wasting nor ruin within your borders. And you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise. No longer is the sun your light by day, nor does the moon give light to you for brightness, but YHWH shall be to you an everlasting light, and your Elohim your comeliness. No longer does your sun go down, nor your moon withdraw itself, for YHWH shall be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended. And your people, all of them righteous, shall inherit the earth forever – a branch of My planting, a work of My hands, to be adorned.”

Parshath Nitzavym is the seventh and final Sabbath of Consolation. It is always the Sabbath immediately preceding the festival of Yom Teruah.

The readings for the day are: Deuteronomy 29:9-30: and Isaiah 61:10-63:9. The Haftarah includes the verses which say:

“For Tsiyon’s sake I am not silent, and for Yerushalayim’s sake I do not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burns. And the nations shall see your righteousness, and all kings your esteem. And you shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of YHWH designates. And you shall be a crown of comeliness in the hand of YHWH, and a royal head-dress in the hand of your Elohim. No longer are you called ‘Forsaken,’ and no longer is your land called ‘Deserted.’ But you shall be called ‘Chephtsivah,’ and your land ‘Beulah,’ for YHWH shall delight in you, and your land be married. For as a young man marries a maiden, so shall your sons marry you. And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your Elohim rejoice over you.”

The sum of the seven Sabbaths of consolation is that the bride of the Most-High, which is the people of Israel and is symbolized by the Temple and city of Yerushalayim, is still precious in the eyes of YHWH, and He will never forsake her. He has set His heart on her and will forgive her sins against Him, paying any price necessary if she will only return to Him. To that end, He is now consoling her and wooing her back to Him with words of promise and love, as it is written:

“Therefore, see, I am alluring her, and shall lead her into the wilderness, and shall speak to her heart, and give to her vineyards from there, and the Valley of Akor as a door of hope. And there she shall respond as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of Mitsrayim. And it shall be, in that day,” declares YHWH, “that you call Me ‘Ishi’ (my Husband), and no longer call Me ‘Ba’ali’ (my Master). And I shall remove the names of the Ba’alim from her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name. And in that day I shall make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the birds of the heavens, and with the creeping creatures of the ground, when bow, and sword, and battle I break from the earth. And I shall make them lie down in safety. And I shall take you as a bride unto Me forever, and take you as a bride unto Me in righteousness, and in judgement, and mercy and compassion. And I shall take you as a bride unto Me in faithfulness, and you shall know YHWH.”

These perfect words of love are once again to the spiritual slumberers of Yisrael. They are intended to awaken us to our condition each year and cause us to turn to YHWH in faith and obedience in anticipation of His imminent return. They are meant to melt our icy and hardened hearts, turning them from stone into flesh, making them whole and undivided again so that we return once and for all to the One who truly loves us and always will – to our beloved Groom, with whom we belong.

May YHWH inflame our hearts with His love to return completely to Him and never stray again.

B’shalom, Ovadyah