The Prophet & Consolation
The Shabbatot leading up to Rosh Hashanah include seven special haftarot from the Sefer Yishayahu. Join Rabbi Dr. Stuart Fischman as he explores these special words of consolation and how each week builds upon the next in helping us prepare for the Yamim Noraim.
The Prophet & Consolation: The Prophets & Consolation
Hello Everyone,
For the most part our practices which we refer to as the Halacha are based on rulings which are derived from the Talmud. But there are occasional exceptions. One such exception was this past Shabbat. This past Shabbat was the day before Rosh Chodesh Elul. According to the Gemara (Megilla 31a) the Haftara that we ought to have read was the passage “מחר חדש” (from שמואל א פרק כ). But instead of this passage we read a passage from ישעיה פרק נה beginning with the words “עניה סערה…”
Why don’t we read the Haftara as taught by the Gemara? We will discuss this deviation in the coming two classes.
I look for ward to meeting with you.
Stuart Fischman
P.S.- Please feel free to send me comments and suggestions. My e-mail address is fish9999@gmail.com
The Prophet & Consolation: The Prophets & Consolation
Hello Everyone,
Welcome to the second and final class on the subject of “The Prophet and Consolation.” Last week we discussed the origin of our custom to read seven passages of consolation from prophet Isaiah following the fast of Tish b’Av. We saw that the Tosafot say that the seven, passages are arranged in an ascending order. That is to say that the prophecies of consolation make ever more glorious promises regarding the future.
Today we see the seven prophecies and how their arrangement leads us to a most wonderful vision of the future.
Rabbi Dr. Stuart Fischman graduated from Yeshiva University in 1980 and the dental school of Columbia University in 1985. In 1989 he began studying and teaching at Yeshivat Hamivtar and now studies and teaches at Yeshivat Machanaim in Efrat. He has rabbinic ordination from Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg.