Haftorah
Yeshayahu 51:12-52:12
- Look at what I did for your ancestor Abraham and Sarah, that I blessed them and increased their offspring.
- From a desert to a garden: G-d will comfort Zion and turn their deserts into gardens. Like a garden of G-d.
- Listen my nation, as Torah will come for Me, and my judgment will be a light for all the nations.
- Seeing the destruction of the enemy: Raise your eyes to the heavens and look at the earth under, see that I will destroy the enemy lands. Don’t be scared of their threats, as they will be consumed like a rotting garment.
- Asking for miracles: Yeshayahu prays to G-d to perform miracles on behalf of the Jewish people as He did when they left Egypt. Let tidings of happiness and rejoicing come one after the other.
- G-d promises to comfort the Jewish people and redeem them.
- Time for redemption: Yeshayahu calls for the Jewish people to wake up from the exile, as they had already received their due punishment from G-d.
- No more punishment: You have already been punished by being looted and broken by the enemy, forced into starvation and killed by the sword. Therefore, G-d says that He has now taken away the cup of punishment and wrath and they do not need to drink it any longer.
- Rather, I will now give this cup of punishment and suffering to the Gentile who oppressed you.
- Joy of Jerusalem: Wake up Zion and wear the clothing of your glory, as no Gentile will enter your city any longer. Shake the earth from your clothing.
- Redemption from the nations: You were sold into exile without exchange for money and therefore you will also be redeemed without payment. The Egyptians and Babylonians enslaved you without any compensation, and without any debts that you have towards them. Therefore, why should I delay your redemption when all they do is blaspheme My name all day.
- Proclaiming the redemption: How beautiful will the sight of the proclamation of the redemption from the mountains be. A calling of peace and blessing and salvation for the Jewish people will come forth, proclaiming here on, that G-d will be their king.