Summary of The Haftorah:
Haftorah Devarim
Isaiah 1:1 - 1:27
The Third Haftorah
The Shabbos preceding Tisha B'Av receives its name, "Chazon", from the opening
verse of the Haftorah. Starting with the words "Chazon Yishayahu - A vision
of Isaiah", we fearfully hear the echo of the Prophet as he decries Israel's
betrayal of G-d. (1:11-15) Boundless selfishness, greed, misuse of power by
those in authority, and oppression of the defenseless widow and orphan is why
the Navi characterizes the people as "the lords of Sodom and the people of
Gemorah." (1:10)
Hearing Yishayahu's indictment of the people, one would think that the end
was near. In truth, Yishayahu began to prophesies in 3142 (619 b.c.e.) and
the Beis Hamikdash was destroyed in 3338 (423 b.c.e); 196 years before the
end! Clearly, the Navi's intent was to effect change in hope of averting the
destruction. If so, our reason for mourning on Tisha B'Av must be better
defined.
"The Jew does not mourn that thousand of years ago the Temple was
destroyed, but that it had to be destroyed. Not over the destruction, but
over the causes of its destruction". (S.R.Hirsch)
If only the people would have heeded the cry of the Navi! If only they
could have foreseen with the clarity of a prophet's vision what it means for
G-d to "draw back his protecting hand" (1:25) from Israel! Shabbas Chazon
transports us back in time. We stand in the shadow of the Beis Hamikdash. We
hear the word of G-d as the Navi beseeches His children to do Teshuva. Will
we listen? Would we listen?
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Haftorah Summary by Rabbi Aron Tendler
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