parshat vaEtchanan: Hear O Israel

This week's parsha contains the first perek of Shema. Devarim 6:4:

ד שְׁמַע, יִשְׂרָאֵל: ה אֱלֹקֵינוּ, ה אֶחָד.

4 Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one.

The Midrash puts these words in the mouths of Yaakov's sons. Yaakov was afraid that just as his father and grandfather had sons who strayed from the righteous path (Yishmael and Esav), he too would have sons that strayed. He was particularly afraid because of the incident with Reuven (whatever it was). Thus, before his death, Yaakov expressed this fear, and his children responded, "Hear, O Israel {our father}: the LORD our God, the LORD is one." Gratified at that, Yaakov exclaimed ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו לעולם ועד! So according to the Sifrei on the parsha. (And so we interject in our recital of Shema after this first pasuk.)

Targum Pseudo-Yonatan and Targum Yerushalmi have different versions of Yaakov's response. Tg Yonatan omits the word malchuto: עני יעקב ואמר בריך שום יקריה לעלמי עלמין such that it becomes "His Honor" rather than the "the honor of His Kingship." Tg Yerushalmi has an entirely different response, approximately equal to our response in Kaddish: עני יעקב ואמר יהי שמיה רבא מברך לעלם, "May His great Name be blessed forever."

There are many pesukim which factor into this midrash, but one of them is Bereishit 44:31:

לא וַיֹּאמֶר, הִשָּׁבְעָה לִי--וַיִּשָּׁבַע, לוֹ; וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, עַל-רֹאשׁ הַמִּטָּה.

31 And he said: 'Swear unto me.' And he swore unto him. And Israel bowed down upon the bed's head.

I have already addressed this pasuk on a pshat level, asserting that it is quite possible that Israel do not "bow" upon the bed's head, but rather prostrated himself - that is, he lay down, in exhaustion; and further, that this was not part of the preceding narrative, and was not in response to Yosef's oath, but rather introduced the next narrative, in which Yaakov was ill, and how Yaakov set upon the bed's head, envigorated with Yosef's arrival. (See Why Did Yaakov Bow? And Did Yaakov Bow?)

At any rate, the Sifrei finds it a bit off that he bows at the head of the bed, and asks "And did he indeed bow at the head of the bed?! Rather, he gave thanks and praise that no chaff {that did not follow after Hashem} came from him.

To explain, the Sifrei is taking וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ as bowing in thanks. The word עַל no longer conveys location but rather cause. רֹאשׁ הַמִּטָּה refers to his decendants, which come from his bed. Perhaps because he specifically worried about Reuven, the firstborn, one might say he is the רֹאשׁ הַמִּטָּה - the head of those who came from the bed; or alternatively, since his sin according to the midrash was moving his father's bed, he is the chief of the bed.

The midrash is also taking the pasuk a bit out of context here, because on a pshat level, it either associated with the preceding narrative (as it is traditionally taken), in which case it is Yosef's oath to bury Yaakov in Eretz Yisrael, or else with the subsequent narrative (as per my reinterpretation, mentioned above), in which case it is Yosef's arrival with Ephraim and Menashe. All the sons of Yaakov only come a full perek-span later, in Bereishit 49:1:

א וַיִּקְרָא יַעֲקֹב, אֶל-בָּנָיו; וַיֹּאמֶר, הֵאָסְפוּ וְאַגִּידָה לָכֶם, אֵת אֲשֶׁר-יִקְרָא אֶתְכֶם, בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים.	1 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said: 'Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the end of days.
ב הִקָּבְצוּ וְשִׁמְעוּ, בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב; וְשִׁמְעוּ, אֶל-יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲבִיכֶם.	2 Assemble yourselves, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.

By the way, I significantly updated a previous post, for the haftara of Matot, to discuss the etymology of the word mateh, meaning both tribe and staff, as well as a note about Yirmiyahu the Kohen Gadol. Check it out.

I have more on the parsha, but blogging with a baby is quite difficult, so most likely that will come next week. Shabbat Shalom.

"Pork of the Sea" comes to Israel

(Not to be confused with Tuna of the Dirt :)

From the Jerusalem Post, "Kosher 'pork of the sea' makes aliya from Iran"

A kosher fish mentioned in the Talmud that tastes like pork has been identified by Bar-Ilan University researchers and brought here surreptitiously from Iran.

Called shabut in Arabic, the fish lives in the rivers of Iraq and Syria as well as Iran.

The fish was brought over from Iran, preserved in formaldehyde, by Dr. Zohar Amar of BIU's department of Eretz Yisrael studies and archeology and Dr. Ari Zivotofsky of the Inter-Disciplinary Center for Brain Studies. They, along with experts from the Agriculture Ministry, are now studying the possibility of raising shabut (known scientifically as Barbus grybus).

In volume 11 of the Torah U-Madda Journal, Zohar Amar wrote an article about kosher locusts, and together with Doni and Ari Zivitofsky, reported on a halachically oriented dissection of a giraffe. (The preceding two links don't seem to work for me.)

The Babylonian Talmud, which contains numerous discussions about the fish, specifically notes that some of its organs taste like pork (although how the sages were able to make the comparison is not clear).

I would assume that they could have relied upon the reports of their gentile neighbors, just as they often relied upon Greek science. One need not assume that because the Talmud reports it, Chazal were the first to discover it. We see also that in certain cases one may rely on a non-Jewish expert chef (to detect if the forbidden taste is discernable in a mixture). Plus there are converts.

By the way, the relevant gemara is Chullin 109b. Towards the bottom, Yalta the wife of Rav Nachman told Rav Nachman: Now, all that the All-Merciful has forbidden us, he has permitted us the like. He forbad us blood, and permitted us the liver. The blood of a menstruant {He forbad}, the blood of purity {He permitted - in a law much undone by post-Talmudic custom and the convergence of several other halachot, for a time after birth, even when a woman menstruates, she is permitted to her husband}. The fats of a beheima {He forbad}, the fats of a chaya {kosher wild animal He permitted}. The pig {He forbad}, the brain of the Shivuta....

The great commentator Rashi wrote that it was the brain of the fish that tasted like pig meat, and that it served as a kosher option for people who yearned to eat the forbidden meat.

He is taking mo^ah as being brain.

Most modern researchers believed that the shabut, which can grow to up to two meters and 60 kilograms, was one of several species of fish surviving in the Mediterranean Basin and in Europe. But the BIU researchers, who specialize in the study of animals mentioned in Jewish holy books, maintain that their fish is the shabut. Rabbi Yosef Haim, known as the Ben-Ish Hai, and other Iraqi sages of recent generations recognized it as kosher.

The article also mentions an interesting Yalkut Shimoni which casts this as a return from exile:

According to Midrash Shimoni, a compilation of rabbinic writings, "Seven hundred pure [permitted] fish were exiled with Israel to Babylonia, and all returned except for the shabut – and in the future it will return."

Read it all. I excerpted much of it, but there is more.

parshat Devarim #2: parsing Devarim 1:1

Parshat Devarim begins:

א אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים, אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר מֹשֶׁה אֶל-כָּל-יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּעֵבֶר, הַיַּרְדֵּן: בַּמִּדְבָּר בָּעֲרָבָה מוֹל סוּף בֵּין-פָּארָן וּבֵין-תֹּפֶל, וְלָבָן וַחֲצֵרֹת--וְדִי זָהָב.

1 These are the words which Moses spoke unto all Israel beyond the Jordan; in the wilderness, in the Arabah, over against Suph, between Paran and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Di-zahab.

The Midrashic approach¹ is to take each of these places not as a location, or a location, in which Moshe spoke to all of Israel, but rather, as the actual contents of Moshe's speech. Thus:

א אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים, אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר מֹשֶׁה אֶל-כָּל-יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּעֵבֶר, הַיַּרְדֵּן: בַּמִּדְבָּר בָּעֲרָבָה מוֹל סוּף בֵּין-פָּארָן וּבֵין-תֹּפֶל, וְלָבָן וַחֲצֵרֹת--וְדִי זָהָב.

1 These are the words which Moses spoke unto all Israel beyond the Jordan: "in the wilderness, in the Arabah, over against Suph, between Paran and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Di-zahab."

Each of these words is a veiled criticism of the Israelites for their actions in the place mentioned, or else hint at a particular negative event. Thus, Rashi, channeling Sifrei, writes:

These are the words Since these are words of rebuke and he [Moses] enumerates here all the places where they angered the Omnipresent, therefore it makes no explicit mention of the incidents [in which they transgressed], but rather merely alludes to them, [by mentioning the names of the places] out of respect for Israel (cf. Sifrei).

to all Israel If he had rebuked only some of them, those who were in the marketplace [i.e., absent] might have said, “You heard from [Moses] the son of Amram, and did not answer a single word regarding this and that; had we been there, we would have answered him!” Therefore, he assembled all of them, and said to them, “See, you are all here; if anyone has an answer, let him answer!” - [from Sifrei]

in the desert [At that time]they were not in the desert, but in the plains of Moab. [Accordingly,] what is [the meaning of] בַּמִּדְבָּר, in the desert? It means that he rebuked them for their having angered Him in the desert by saying, “If only we had died [by the hand of God]” (Exod. 16:3).

in the plain in the plain [He rebuked them] regarding the plain, for they had sinned with [the worship of] Baal-Peor at Shittim in the plains of Moab (Num. 25:1-9). [from Sifrei]

opposite the Red Sea [He rebuked] them regarding their rebellion at the Red Sea. When they arrived at the Red Sea, they said, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt [that you have taken us to die in the desert?]” (Exod. 14:11) Likewise, [they sinned] when they traveled from the midst of the sea, as it is said,“and they were rebellious by the sea, by the Red Sea” (Ps. 106:7), as is found in Arachin (15a).

Between Paran and Tofel and Lavan Rabbi Yochanan said: We have reviewed the entire Bible, but we have found no place named Tofel or Lavan! However, [the explanation is that] he rebuked them because of the foolish things they had said (תָּפְלוּ) about the manna, which was white (לָבָן) , saying “And our soul loathes this light bread” (Num. 21:5), and because of what they had done in the desert of Paran through the spies. [from Eileh Hadevarim Rabbah , Lieberman]

and Hazeroth Concerning the insurrection of Korach [which took place in Hazeroth] (Eileh Hadevarim Rabbah , Lieberman). Another explanation: He said to them, “You should have learned from what I did to Miriam at Hazeroth because of slander; [nevertheless,] you spoke against the Omnipresent” (Sifrei).

and Di-Zahav(lit., enough gold). He rebuked them for the calf they had made as a result of their abundance of gold, as it is said: “and I gave her much silver and gold, but they made it for Baal” (Hosea 2:10). (cf. Sifrei ; Ber. 32a, Eileh Hadevarim Rabbah , Lieberman).

Not all of the places mentioned are criticisms. That is, בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן, beyond the Jordan {Transjordan} is taken as the place name. (Rashi takes their location as the plains of Moav, which is located, as the rest of the locations, in עֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן. He starts his commentary on the word במדבר, "in the wilderness.")

Indeed, the trup can support such a rendition. There is an etnachta separating עֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן from the remainder of the place names.

א אֵ֣לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּעֵ֖בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן בַּמִּדְבָּ֡ר בָּֽעֲרָבָה֩ מ֨וֹל ס֜וּף בֵּֽין־פָּארָ֧ן וּבֵֽין־תֹּ֛פֶל וְלָבָ֥ן וַֽחֲצֵרֹ֖ת וְדִ֥י זָהָֽב׃

The Targumim also agree to begin Moshe's speech, and criticism, with במדמר, as opposed to with עֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן. For example, Onkelos:

א,א אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים, אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר מֹשֶׁה אֶל-כָּל-יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּעֵבֶר, הַיַּרְדֵּן: בַּמִּדְבָּר בָּעֲרָבָה מוֹל סוּף בֵּין-פָּארָן וּבֵין-תֹּפֶל, וְלָבָן וַחֲצֵרֹת--וְדִי זָהָב.	אִלֵּין פִּתְגָמַיָּא, דְּמַלֵּיל מֹשֶׁה עִם כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּעִבְרָא, דְּיַרְדְּנָא: אוֹכַח יָתְהוֹן עַל דְּחָבוּ בְּמַדְבְּרָא וְעַל דְּאַרְגִּיזוּ בְּמֵישְׁרָא לָקֳבֵיל יַם סוּף בְּפָארָן אִתַּפַּלוּ עַל מַנָּא, וּבַחֲצֵירוֹת אַרְגִּיזוּ עַל בִּסְרָא--וְעַל דַּעֲבַדוּ עֵיגֶל דִּדְהַב.

"These are the matters which Moshe spoke with all of Israel, beyond the Jordan - he rebuked them on that they sinned in the wilderness, and on that they angered Him in the plains opposite the Red Sea..."

Targum Pseudo-Yonatan and Targum Yerushalmi make this more explicit, by saying (respectively), כד הוון בעיברא דירדנא עני ואמר להון, "when they were beyond the Jordan, he spoke up and said to them," and הוכח יתהון עד דהינון יתבין בעיברא דיורדנא עני משה ואמר להון, "he rebuked then while they were still beyond the Jordan, Moshe spoke up and said to them..."

One interesting difference between Rashi and Targum Onkelos, on the one hand, and Targum Pseudo-Yonatan and Targum Yerushalmi, on the other, is how they take the first few place locations. Rashi takes each as a criticism of what they did. Tg Yonatan and Yerushalmi, meanwhile, understand the first few as describing miracles and favors Hashem did for the Israelites - the giving of the Torah in the wilderness, and the splitting of the Red Sea, through which each tribe was granted its own path - which sharpens the criticism of their later strayings. (See Mahari Qara on זכרתי לך חסד נעוריך.)a

There is in fact one exception. The Sifrei does consider בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן to be criticism of what they didבְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן. (The words are מלמד שהוחיכן על מה שעשו בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן.) This approach is not bolstered by the trup. Further, while the Sifrei gives particulars of exactly what they did wrong in each of the other places, here no elaboration is given.

---

¹Notably, Rabbi Yossi ben Dormaskit (of Damascus?) argues with this approach. See here.

haftarat Devarim: Parsing Yeshaya 1:5

In the haftara:

ה עַל מֶה תֻכּוּ עוֹד, תּוֹסִיפוּ סָרָה; כָּל-רֹאשׁ לָחֳלִי, וְכָל-לֵבָב דַּוָּי.

5 On what part will ye yet be stricken, seeing ye stray away more and more? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint;

The way the meforshim (Malbim, Ibn Ezra, and others) parse it:
עַל מֶה תֻכּוּ
עוֹד תּוֹסִיפוּ סָרָה
"For what cause will you suffer?
You will further add to your straying."

That is, the word עוֹד is part of the second phrase. Meanwhile, in the quote above, the word "yet" and the comma after the word עוֹד implies it is part of the first phrase.

The trup:

ה עַ֣ל מֶ֥ה תֻכּ֛וּ ע֖וֹד תּוֹסִ֣יפוּ סָרָ֑ה כָּל־רֹ֣אשׁ לָֽחֳלִ֔י וְכָל־לֵבָ֖ב דַּוָּֽי

There is a tevir on תֻכּ֛וּ and a tipcha on ע֖וֹד. According to Wickes' theory of continuous dichotomy, the parsing of the verse in unambiguous. A tevir divides into two parts a phrase ending in tipcha, while the tipcha subdivides into two parts a phrase ending in etnachta. Thus, the parsing must be:

עַ֣ל מֶ֥ה תֻכּ֛וּ ע֖וֹד
תּוֹסִ֣יפוּ סָרָ֑ה

which might still be translated:
"For what cause will you yet suffer
for you will continue to stray."

The meforshim do not intend to offer an explanation which goes against the trup, but rather they are operating on a different theory of trup, in which there are disjunctive accents of various strengths, and while tevir and tipcha rank up there, there is room for ambiguity in how one should then parse the pasuk.

While discussing this pasuk, I will mention Ibn Ezra's comment on the word תֻכּוּ. He explains that the ת at the start and the ו at the end are not both part of the verb pattern, such that it means "you (pl.) will be struck." Rather, the ת at the start is actually a root letter, and it is of the root תככ, which means to press, or to suffer.

Update: I should mention that the effect of Ibn Ezra's take on the word תֻכּוּ is to transform it from the imperfect {~= future tense} 3rd person plural into the perfect {~= past tense} 3rd person plural. That is, "you suffered" rather that "you will be struck." This, of course, goes hand in hand with the issue of which phrase possesses the word עוֹד. It makes little sense to have עוֹד, connoting "further," or "yet," in the first phrase, when the events happened in the past. Thus, the phrase cuts off at תֻכּוּ.

Midrash Rabba - Eicha - Petichata - 10

י רבי יצחק פתח (ישעיה מ"ג)ולא אותי קראת יעקב כי יגעת בי ישראל
ר' יוחנן שמע לה מהדין קרייה (שם י"ז)משא דמשק הנה דמשק מוסר מעיר והיתה מעי מפלה עזובות ערי ערעור
עומד בדמשק ומזכיר ערוער
והלא אין ערוער אלא בתחום מואב?
אלא שלש מאות וששים וחמשה בתי עבודת כוכבים היו בדמשק
וכל אחת ואחת היו עובדין אותה יום אחד
והיה להם יום אחד והיו כולן עובדין באותו היום
וכולן עשו ישראל הגמוניא ועבדו אותן
דכתיב (שופטים י') ויוסיפו בני ישראל לעשות הרע בעיני ה' ויעבדו את הבעלים ואת העשתרות ואת אלהי ארם ואת אלהי צידון ואת אלהי מואב ואת אלהי בני עמון ואת אלהי פלשתים ויעזבו את ה' ולא עבדוהו
אפי' בשותפות
אמר ר' אבא בר כהנא לא תהיה כהנת כפונדקית
א"ר יוסי בר' חנינא הלואי עשו אותי בני כגרזימי הזו שהיא באה באחרונה
א"ר יודן משל לעבדו של מלך שעשה סעודה והזמין כל בני כנסיותיו ולא הזמין רבו
אמר המלך הלואי השוה אותי עבדי לבני כנסיותיו
כך אמר הקב"ה הלואי השוו אותי בני כגרזימי הזו שהיא באה באחרונה
אלא ולא אותי קראת יעקב:
קאים טרון כל יומא ולא לעי וצלויי קמוי את לעי קאים טרון כל יומא ולא לעי ואמר ליה חבריה אתי וצלי והוא אמר לית אנא יכיל
אצל הבעל מה כתיב (מלכים א' י"ח)ויקראו בשם הבעל מהבקר ועד הצהרים לאמר הבעל עננו ואין קול ואין עונה ויפסחו על המזבח אשר עשה
הוי ולא אותי קראת יעקב
הלואי לא הכרתיך יעקב! למה?
כי יגעת בי ישראל
לא הבאת לי שה עולותיך
שני תמידין שהיו מקריבים בכל יום
שנאמר (במדבר כ"ח)את הכבש אחד תעשה בבקר ואת הכבש השני תעשה בין הערבים
וזבחיך לא כבדתני
אלו קדשי קדשים
לא העבדתיך במנחה
זה קומץ המנחה
ולא הוגעתיך בלבונה
זה קומץ הלבונה
לא קנית לי בכסף קנה
רב הונא בשם ר' יוסף אמר קנמון היה גדל בארץ ישראל והיו עזים וצבאים אוכלין ממנו
וחלב זבחיך לא הרויתני
אלו אמורי קדשים קלים
אך העבדתני בחטאותיך הוגעתני בעונותיך
ראו מה גרמו לי עונותיכם לשרוף את ביתי ולחרוב את עירי ולהגלות את בני בין אומות העולם ולישב לי לבדי
איכה ישבה בדד

Rabbi Yitzchak began {Yeshaya 53:22}:

כב וְלֹא-אֹתִי קָרָאתָ, יַעֲקֹב: כִּי-יָגַעְתָּ בִּי, יִשְׂרָאֵל.

22 Yet thou hast not called upon Me, O Jacob, neither hast thou wearied thyself about Me, O Israel.

Rabbi Yochanan derived it from this verse {Yeshaya 17:1-2}:

א מַשָּׂא, דַּמָּשֶׂק: הִנֵּה דַמֶּשֶׂק מוּסָר מֵעִיר, וְהָיְתָה מְעִי מַפָּלָה	1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
ב עֲזֻבוֹת, עָרֵי עֲרֹעֵר; לַעֲדָרִים תִּהְיֶינָה, וְרָבְצוּ וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד.	2 The cities of Aroer are forsaken; they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid.

He stands by Damascus and mentions Aroer! But is Aroer not in the border of Moab?
Rather, they had 365 houses of idols in Damascus
And each one of them they worshipped one day {in the solar year}
And they had one day in which they all {were} worshipped on that day.
And Israel declared all of them {these idols} one government and worshipped them
For it is written {Shofetim 10:6}:

ו וַיֹּסִיפוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לַעֲשׂוֹת הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה, וַיַּעַבְדוּ אֶת-הַבְּעָלִים וְאֶת-הָעַשְׁתָּרוֹת וְאֶת-אֱלֹהֵי אֲרָם וְאֶת-אֱלֹהֵי צִידוֹן וְאֵת אֱלֹהֵי מוֹאָב וְאֵת אֱלֹהֵי בְנֵי-עַמּוֹן, וְאֵת אֱלֹהֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים; וַיַּעַזְבוּ אֶת-ה, וְלֹא עֲבָדוּהוּ

6 And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, and served the Baalim, and the Ashtaroth, and the gods of Aram, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines; and they forsook the LORD, and served Him not.

{וַיַּעַזְבוּ אֶת-ה, וְלֹא עֲבָדוּהוּ: } even in partnership {=worshipping Hashem together with the idols}

Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Should the priest's wife {or female Kohen} not be {treated as well} as the hostess {of the inn}? {Similarly, should Hashem not be treated as well as the idols?}

Rabbi Yossi ben Chanina said: {Hashem said:} If only my sons would treat me at least like the nibblings {dessert} that comes at the end {of the meal}!

Rabbi Yidan said: It is a parable to the servant of a king who made a meal and invited all the members of his gathering, and did not invite his master.
The king said: If only my servant made me equivalent to the members of his gathering.
So did Hashem say: If only My sons made Me like the nibblings {dessert} which comes at the end {of the meal}.

But rather, {the meaning of Yeshaya 43:22, especially according to Rabbi Yochanan}:

כב וְלֹא-אֹתִי קָרָאתָ, יַעֲקֹב: כִּי-יָגַעְתָּ בִּי, יִשְׂרָאֵל.

22 Yet thou hast not called upon Me, O Jacob, neither hast thou wearied thyself about Me, O Israel.

One stands idly waiting a whole day and is not tired, but when his friend says 'come and pray' he says 'I am not able.'

By the Baal, what is written? {1 Kings 18:25}

כו וַיִּקְחוּ אֶת-הַפָּר אֲשֶׁר-נָתַן לָהֶם, וַיַּעֲשׂוּ, וַיִּקְרְאוּ בְשֵׁם-הַבַּעַל מֵהַבֹּקֶר וְעַד-הַצָּהֳרַיִם לֵאמֹר הַבַּעַל עֲנֵנוּ, וְאֵין קוֹל וְאֵין עֹנֶה; וַיְפַסְּחוּ, עַל-הַמִּזְבֵּחַ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה.

26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying: 'O Baal, answer us.' But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they danced in halting wise about the altar which was made.

Woe! {Yeshaya 43:22}:

כב וְלֹא-אֹתִי קָרָאתָ, יַעֲקֹב: כִּי-יָגַעְתָּ בִּי, יִשְׂרָאֵל.

22 Yet thou hast not called upon Me, O Jacob, neither hast thou wearied thyself about Me, O Israel.

If only I did not recognize you Israel. Why?
כִּי-יָגַעְתָּ בִּי, יִשְׂרָאֵל - "neither hast thou wearied thyself about Me, O Israel."

{The next pasuk, Yeshaya 43:23:

כג לֹא-הֵבֵיאתָ לִּי שֵׂה עֹלֹתֶיךָ, וּזְבָחֶיךָ לֹא כִבַּדְתָּנִי; לֹא הֶעֱבַדְתִּיךָ בְּמִנְחָה, וְלֹא הוֹגַעְתִּיךָ בִּלְבוֹנָה.

23 Thou hast not brought Me the small cattle of thy burnt-offerings; neither hast thou honoured Me with thy sacrifices. I have not burdened thee with a meal-offering, nor wearied thee with frankincense.

}

לֹא-הֵבֵיאתָ לִּי שֵׂה עֹלֹתֶיךָ - "Thou hast not brought Me the small cattle of thy burnt-offerings" - these are the two temidim they sacrificed each day.
For it states in {Bemidbar 28:4}:

ד אֶת-הַכֶּבֶשׂ אֶחָד, תַּעֲשֶׂה בַבֹּקֶר; וְאֵת הַכֶּבֶשׂ הַשֵּׁנִי, תַּעֲשֶׂה בֵּין הָעַרְבָּיִם

4 The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at dusk;

וּזְבָחֶיךָ לֹא כִבַּדְתָּנִי - "neither hast thou honoured Me with thy sacrifices" - these are the kodshei kodoshim {such as olot}.

לֹא הֶעֱבַדְתִּיךָ בְּמִנְחָה - "I have not burdened thee with a meal-offering" - this is the handful of mincha.

וְלֹא הוֹגַעְתִּיךָ בִּלְבוֹנָה - "nor wearied thee with frankincense" - this is the handful of frankincense.

{The next pasuk, Yeshaya 43:24:

כד לֹא-קָנִיתָ לִּי בַכֶּסֶף קָנֶה, וְחֵלֶב זְבָחֶיךָ לֹא הִרְוִיתָנִי; אַךְ, הֶעֱבַדְתַּנִי בְּחַטֹּאותֶיךָ, הוֹגַעְתַּנִי, בַּעֲו‍ֹנֹתֶיךָ.

24 Thou hast bought Me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou satisfied Me with the fat of thy sacrifices; but thou hast burdened Me with thy sins, thou hast wearied Me with thine iniquities.

}

לֹא-קָנִיתָ לִּי בַכֶּסֶף קָנֶה - "Thou hast bought Me no sweet cane with money"
Rav Huna citing Rav Yosef said: Cinnamon would grow in the land of Israel and goats and deer would eat from it.

וְחֵלֶב זְבָחֶיךָ לֹא הִרְוִיתָנִי - "neither hast thou satisfied Me with the fat of thy sacrifices" - these are the sacrificed pieces of the lesser kodoshim.

אַךְ, הֶעֱבַדְתַּנִי בְּחַטֹּאותֶיךָ - "but thou hast burdened Me with thy sins" - See what your sins have caused Me - to burn My house and to destroy my city, and to exile my sons amongst the nations of the world and to sit alone by Myself.

אֵיכָה יָשְׁבָה בָדָד - "How doth sit solitary..."

Midrash Rabba - Eicha - Petichata - 9

ט רבי יצחק פתח (ירמיה נ"א)בושנו כי שמענו חרפה כסתה כלמה פנינו כי באו זרים על מקדשי בית ה'
את מוצא בשעה שנכנסו שונאים לירושלים נכנסו עמהם עמונים ומואבים
שנאמר (איכה א')ידו פרש צר על כל מחמדיה כי ראתה גוים באו מקדשה אשר צויתה לא יבאו בקהל לך
נכנסו לבית קדשי הקדשים ומצאו שם שני כרובים
נטלו אותן ונתנו אותן בכליבה
והיו מחזירין אותן בחוצות ירושלים ואומרים לא הייתם אומרים שאין האומה הזאת עובדת עבודת כוכבים?
ראו מה מצינו להם ומה היו עובדים!
הא כל אפיין שוין.
הה"ד (יחזקאל כ"ה)יען אמור מואב ושעיר הנה ככל הגוים בית יהודה
באותה שעה נשבע הקב"ה שהוא מקעקע ביצתן מן העולם
שנאמר (צפניה ב')לכן חי אני נאם ה' צבאות אלהי ישראל כי מואב כסדם תהיה ובני עמון כעמרה
כיון שחטאו גלו וכיון שגלו התחיל ירמיה מקונן עליהם איכה

Rabbi Yitzchak began {Yirmiyahu 51:51}:

נא בֹּשְׁנוּ כִּי-שָׁמַעְנוּ חֶרְפָּה, כִּסְּתָה כְלִמָּה פָּנֵינוּ: כִּי בָּאוּ זָרִים, עַל-מִקְדְּשֵׁי בֵּית ה.

51 'We are ashamed, because we have heard reproach, confusion hath covered our faces; for strangers are come into the sanctuaries of the LORD'S house.'

You find that at the time the enemy entered Yerushalayim, Ammonites and Moabites entered with them. For it is stated {Eicha 1:10}:

י יָדוֹ פָּרַשׂ צָר, עַל כָּל-מַחֲמַדֶּיהָ: כִּי-רָאֲתָה גוֹיִם, בָּאוּ מִקְדָּשָׁהּ--אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתָה, לֹא-יָבֹאוּ בַקָּהָל לָךְ.

10 The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her treasures; for she hath seen that the heathen are entered into her sanctuary, concerning whom Thou didst command that they should not enter into Thy congregation.

They entered the Holy of Holies and they found there the cherubim.
They took them and put them in a box.
And they brought them about the streets of Yerushalayim and said, "Did you not say that this nation does not worship idols? See what we found to them and what they worshipped! Thus all faces are identical."

This is what is written (Yechezkel 25:8):

ח כֹּה אָמַר, ה אלקים: יַעַן, אֲמֹר מוֹאָב וְשֵׂעִיר, הִנֵּה כְּכָל-הַגּוֹיִם, בֵּית יְהוּדָה.

8 Thus saith the Lord GOD: Because that Moab and Seir do say: Behold, the house of Judah is like unto all the nations,

At that hour, Hashem swore that he would stamp out their eggs from the world {=exterminate them}. For it states {Tzefania 2:9}:

ח שָׁמַעְתִּי חֶרְפַּת מוֹאָב, וְגִדֻּפֵי בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן--אֲשֶׁר חֵרְפוּ אֶת-עַמִּי, וַיַּגְדִּילוּ עַל-גְּבוּלָם.	8 I have heard the taunt of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, wherewith they have taunted My people, and spoken boastfully concerning their border.
ט לָכֵן חַי-אָנִי נְאֻם ה צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי-מוֹאָב כִּסְדֹם תִּהְיֶה וּבְנֵי עַמּוֹן כַּעֲמֹרָה, מִמְשַׁק חָרוּל וּמִכְרֵה-מֶלַח וּשְׁמָמָה, עַד-עוֹלָם; שְׁאֵרִית עַמִּי יְבָזּוּם, וְיֶתֶר גּוֹיִ יִנְחָלוּם.	9 Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding-place of nettles, and saltpits, and a desolation, for ever; the residue of My people shall spoil them, and the remnant of My nation shall inherit them.

Once they sinned they were exiled. And once they were exiled, Yirmiyahu began to lament upon them: (Eicha 1:1) אֵיכָה יָשְׁבָה בָדָד - "Eicha Yashva Badad", How doth sit solitary...'

ד"א (ירמיה נ"א)בושנו כי שמענו חרפה
אלו שבעה עשר בתמוז
כסתה כלמה פנינו
אלו תשעה באב
כי באו זרים על מקדשי בית ה'
חורבן ראשון וחורבן שני
כיון שחטאו גלו וכיון שגלו התחיל ירמיה מקונן עליהם איכה

Another matter: {Yirmiyahu 51:51:

נא בֹּשְׁנוּ כִּי-שָׁמַעְנוּ חֶרְפָּה, כִּסְּתָה כְלִמָּה פָּנֵינוּ: כִּי בָּאוּ זָרִים, עַל-מִקְדְּשֵׁי בֵּית ה.

51 'We are ashamed, because we have heard reproach, confusion hath covered our faces; for strangers are come into the sanctuaries of the LORD'S house.'

}

בֹּשְׁנוּ כִּי-שָׁמַעְנוּ חֶרְפָּה - "We are ashamed, because we have heard reproach" - this is the 17th of Tammuz.

כִּסְּתָה כְלִמָּה פָּנֵינוּ - "confusion hath covered our faces" - this is the 9th of Av.

כִּי בָּאוּ זָרִים, עַל-מִקְדְּשֵׁי בֵּית ה - "for strangers are come into the sanctuaries of the LORD'S house" - the first and second destruction {of the Temple}.

Once they sinned they were exiled. And once they were exiled, Yirmiyahu began to lament upon them: (Eicha 1:1) אֵיכָה יָשְׁבָה בָדָד - "Eicha Yashva Badad", How doth sit solitary...'

Saw You At Sinai Shabbos Nachamu Weekend - Registration Still Open For Men. Plus, some Nachamu related posts

A public service announcement :)
Click on the picture below for more info, and to register. (Tell 'em Josh sent you ;)





Meanwhile, my Nachamu related posts: (actually mostly summarized in this post as well)

• The Significance of Nachamu :)
• "Every Valley Shall Be Lifted Up" - An Incredible Kulla ;)
  
• Nachamu Parsing Issue
• Nachamu, Gay Marriage, and The End of Days
• Proof by Contradiction in the Thought of Chazal
  

Midrash Rabba - Eicha - Petichata - 8

ח רבי יצחק פתח
(ירמיה ט')כי קול נהי נשמע מציון איך שודדנו
וכי יש עצים בוכים ויש אבנים בוכות שאתה אומר כי קול נהי נשמע מציון?
אלא ממי שהוא משרה שכינתו בציון
איך שודדנו?
איך הות לן מבזונים
(שם )בושנו מאד כי עזבנו ארץ
זו א"י דכתיב (דברים י"א)ארץ אשר ה' אלהיך דורש אותה
(ירמיה ט')וכי השליכו משכנותינו
אלו בתי כנסיות ובתי מדרשות

Rabbi Yitzchak began {Yirmiyahu 9:18}:

יח כִּי קוֹל נְהִי נִשְׁמַע מִצִּיּוֹן, אֵיךְ שֻׁדָּדְנוּ; בֹּשְׁנוּ מְאֹד כִּי-עָזַבְנוּ אָרֶץ, כִּי הִשְׁלִיכוּ מִשְׁכְּנוֹתֵינוּ.

18 For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion: 'How are we undone! We are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast us out.' {S}

Now do trees cry, and do stones cry, that you should say "for a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion?" {as opposed to from the populace of Tzion}
Rather from {Hashem,} he who bestows his presence in Tzion.

יח כִּי קוֹל נְהִי נִשְׁמַע מִצִּיּוֹן, אֵיךְ שֻׁדָּדְנוּ; בֹּשְׁנוּ מְאֹד כִּי-עָזַבְנוּ אָרֶץ, כִּי הִשְׁלִיכוּ מִשְׁכְּנוֹתֵינוּ.

18 For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion: 'How are we undone? We are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast us out.' {S}

How did we have for us spoilers?

יח כִּי קוֹל נְהִי נִשְׁמַע מִצִּיּוֹן, אֵיךְ שֻׁדָּדְנוּ; בֹּשְׁנוּ מְאֹד כִּי-עָזַבְנוּ אָרֶץ, כִּי הִשְׁלִיכוּ מִשְׁכְּנוֹתֵינוּ.

18 For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion: 'How are we undone! We are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast us out.' {S}

This is the land of Israel, of which is written {Devarim 11:12}:

יב אֶרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר-ה אֱלֹקֶיךָ דֹּרֵשׁ אֹתָהּ: תָּמִיד, עֵינֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹקֶיךָ בָּהּ--מֵרֵשִׁית הַשָּׁנָה, וְעַד אַחֲרִית שָׁנָה.

12 a land which the LORD thy God careth for; the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year. {S}

{back to Yirmiyah 9:18}

יח כִּי קוֹל נְהִי נִשְׁמַע מִצִּיּוֹן, אֵיךְ שֻׁדָּדְנוּ; בֹּשְׁנוּ מְאֹד כִּי-עָזַבְנוּ אָרֶץ, כִּי הִשְׁלִיכוּ מִשְׁכְּנוֹתֵינוּ.

18 For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion: 'How are we undone! We are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast us out.'

these are the synagogues and houses of study.

ד"א בושנו מאד כי עזבנו ארץ
אלו ד"ת כמד"א (איוב י"א)ארוכה מארץ מדה
וכי השליכו משכנותינו אלו בתי כנסיות ובתי מדרשות

Another explanation. {Yirmiyahu 9:18}:

יח כִּי קוֹל נְהִי נִשְׁמַע מִצִּיּוֹן, אֵיךְ שֻׁדָּדְנוּ; בֹּשְׁנוּ מְאֹד כִּי-עָזַבְנוּ אָרֶץ, כִּי הִשְׁלִיכוּ מִשְׁכְּנוֹתֵינוּ.

18 For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion: 'How are we undone! We are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast us out.'

These are words of Torah, as it states {Iyyov 11:9}:

ח גָּבְהֵי שָׁמַיִם, מַה-תִּפְעָל; עֲמֻקָּה מִשְּׁאוֹל, מַה-תֵּדָע.	8 It is high as heaven; what canst thou do? Deeper than the nether-world; what canst thou know?
ט אֲרֻכָּה מֵאֶרֶץ מִדָּהּ; וּרְחָבָה, מִנִּי-יָם.	9 The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

{back to Yirmiya:}

יח כִּי קוֹל נְהִי נִשְׁמַע מִצִּיּוֹן, אֵיךְ שֻׁדָּדְנוּ; בֹּשְׁנוּ מְאֹד כִּי-עָזַבְנוּ אָרֶץ, כִּי הִשְׁלִיכוּ מִשְׁכְּנוֹתֵינוּ.

18 For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion: 'How are we undone! We are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast us out.'

These are the synagogues and houses of study.

ד"א בושנו מאד כי עזבנו ארץ

זה בית המקדש
כמה דאת אמר (יחזקאל מ"ג)ומחיק הארץ ועד העזרה התחתונה
וכי השליכו משכנותינו
חורבן בית ראשון וחורבן בית שני
כיון שחטאו גלו וכיון שגלו התחיל ירמיה מקונן עליהם איכה

Another explanation. {Yirmiyahu 9:18}:

יח כִּי קוֹל נְהִי נִשְׁמַע מִצִּיּוֹן, אֵיךְ שֻׁדָּדְנוּ; בֹּשְׁנוּ מְאֹד כִּי-עָזַבְנוּ אָרֶץ, כִּי הִשְׁלִיכוּ מִשְׁכְּנוֹתֵינוּ.

18 For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion: 'How are we undone! We are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast us out.'

This is the Temple. As you say {Yechezkel 43:14}:

יד וּמֵחֵיק הָאָרֶץ עַד-הָעֲזָרָה הַתַּחְתּוֹנָה, שְׁתַּיִם אַמּוֹת, וְרֹחַב, אַמָּה אֶחָת; וּמֵהָעֲזָרָה הַקְּטַנָּה עַד-הָעֲזָרָה הַגְּדוֹלָה, אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת, וְרֹחַב, הָאַמָּה.

14 And from the bottom upon the ground to the lower settle shall be two cubits, and the breadth one cubit; and from the lesser settle to the greater settle shall be four cubits, and the breadth a cubit.

and {back to Yirmiya}:

יח כִּי קוֹל נְהִי נִשְׁמַע מִצִּיּוֹן, אֵיךְ שֻׁדָּדְנוּ; בֹּשְׁנוּ מְאֹד כִּי-עָזַבְנוּ אָרֶץ, כִּי הִשְׁלִיכוּ מִשְׁכְּנוֹתֵינוּ.

18 For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion: 'How are we undone! We are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast us out.'

this is the destruction of the first Temple and the second Temple.

Once they sinned they were exiled. And once they were exiled, Yirmiyahu began to lament upon them: (Eicha 1:1) אֵיכָה יָשְׁבָה בָדָד - "Eicha Yashva Badad", How doth sit solitary...'

Midrash Rabba - Eicha - Petichata - 7

ז רבי אבהו בשם ר' יוסי בר חנינא פתח
(ישעיה ג')ואנו ואבלו פתחיה
אנינה מבפנים ואבילה מבחוץ
פתחיה
חורבן ראשון וחורבן שני
ונקתה
נקיה מדברי תורה נקיה מדברי נבואה נקיה מצדיקים נקיה ממצות
ומע"ט לפיכך לארץ תשב
ישבו לארץ ידמו זקני וגו

Rabbi Abahu citing Rabbi Yossi bar Chanina began {Yeshaya 3:26}:

כו וְאָנוּ וְאָבְלוּ, פְּתָחֶיהָ; וְנִקָּתָה, לָאָרֶץ תֵּשֵׁב.

26 And her gates shall lament and mourn; and utterly bereft she shall sit upon the ground.

Lament inside and mourning outside.

פְּתָחֶיהָ - gates {plural}: The first destruction and the second destruction. {of the first and second Temples}

כו וְאָנוּ וְאָבְלוּ, פְּתָחֶיהָ; וְנִקָּתָה, לָאָרֶץ תֵּשֵׁב.

26 And her gates shall lament and mourn; and utterly bereft she shall sit upon the ground.

Bereft {clean} of words of Torah; bereft of words of prophecy; bereft of righteous people; bereft of mitzvot.
And for what cause?

כו וְאָנוּ וְאָבְלוּ, פְּתָחֶיהָ; וְנִקָּתָה, לָאָרֶץ תֵּשֵׁב.

26 And her gates shall lament and mourn; and utterly bereft she shall sit upon the ground.

{= Eicha 2:10}:

י יֵשְׁבוּ לָאָרֶץ יִדְּמוּ, זִקְנֵי בַת-צִיּוֹן--הֶעֱלוּ עָפָר עַל-רֹאשָׁם, חָגְרוּ שַׂקִּים; הוֹרִידוּ לָאָרֶץ רֹאשָׁן, בְּתוּלֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָם. {ס}

10 They sit upon the ground, and keep silence, the elders of the daughter of Zion; they have cast up dust upon their heads, they have girded themselves with sackcloth; the virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground. {S}

Midrash Rabba - Eicha - Petichata - 6

ו רבי אבהו בשם ר' יוסי בר חנינא פתח
(הושע ה')אפרים לשמה תהיה
אימתי? ביום תוכחה
יום שהקב"ה עתיד להתוכח עמהם בדין
אתה מוצא בשעה שגלו עשרת השבטים לא גלו יהודה ובנימין
והיו עשרת השבטים אומרים מפני מה הגלה אותנו והם לא הגלה?מפני שהם בני פלטין שלו?דלמא משוא פנים יש כאן
ח"ו אין כאן משוא פנים
אלא עדיין לא חטאו וכיון שחטאו הגלה אותם
אמרו עשרת השבטים הא אלהינו הא אלהינו הא תקיף הא תקיף הא קשוט הא קשוט דאפי' לבני ביתיה לא נסיב אפין
כיון שחטאו גלו וכיון שגלו התחיל ירמיה מקונן עליהם איכה

Rabbi Abahu citing Rabbi Yossi ben Chanina began {Hoshea 5:9}:

ט אֶפְרַיִם לְשַׁמָּה תִהְיֶה, בְּיוֹם תּוֹכֵחָה; בְּשִׁבְטֵי, יִשְׂרָאֵל, הוֹדַעְתִּי, נֶאֱמָנָה.

9 Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke; among the tribes of Israel do I make known that which shall surely be.

When?

ט אֶפְרַיִם לְשַׁמָּה תִהְיֶה, בְּיוֹם תּוֹכֵחָה; בְּשִׁבְטֵי, יִשְׂרָאֵל, הוֹדַעְתִּי, נֶאֱמָנָה.

9 Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke; among the tribes of Israel do I make known that which shall surely be.

On the day that Hashem is to contend (להתוכח) with them in Judgement.

You find that at the time that the ten tribes were exiled, Yehuda and Binyamin were not exiled. And the ten tribes said: For what cause did He exile us and them He did not exile? Because they are the members of his palace {for the Bet HaMikdash was in that territory}? Perhaps there is preferential treatment here!
Heaven forfend! There is not here preferential treatment {in Judgement}
But these have not yet sinned, and when they sin, He will exile them.
The ten tribes said: Behold Our God, Behold Our God, Behold he is strong, Behold he is strong, Behold he is truthful, Behold he is truthful - for even to the members of his household he does not treat preferentially {in judgement}.

Once they sinned they were exiled.
And once they were exiled, Yirmiyahu began to lament upon them: (Eicha 1:1) אֵיכָה יָשְׁבָה בָדָד - "Eicha Yashva Badad", How doth sit solitary...'

Midrash Rabba - Eicha - Petichata - 5

ה רבי אבהו בשם ר' יוסי בר חנינא פתח
(יחזקאל כ"ד)לכן כה אמר ה' אוי עיר הדמים
אוי מן קמי דקרתא דשפכו דמים בגווה
סיר אשר חלאתה בה
דחפשושיתה בגווה
וחלאתה לא יצאת ממנה
וחפשושיתה לא נפקת מן גווה
לנתחיה לנתחיה הוציאה
מטליות מטליות היו גולים
כיצד גלו?
ר' אלעזר אומר שבט ראובן ושבט גד גלו תחלה
ר' שמואל בר נחמן אומר שבט זבולן ושבט נפתלי גלו תחלה

הה"ד (ישעיה ח')כעת הראשון הקל ארצה זבולון וארצה נפתלי
ומה מקיים ר' אלעזר קרייה דר' שמואל בר נחמן?
אלא כעת שגלו שבט ראובן וגד כך גלו שבט זבולון ושבט נפתלי

Rabbi Abahu citing Rabbi Yossi bar Chanina began: {Yechezkel 24:6}:

ו לָכֵן כֹּה-אָמַר ה אלקים, אוֹי עִיר הַדָּמִים--סִיר אֲשֶׁר חֶלְאָתָה בָהּ, וְחֶלְאָתָהּ לֹא יָצְאָה מִמֶּנָּה; לִנְתָחֶיהָ לִנְתָחֶיהָ הוֹצִיאָהּ, לֹא-נָפַל עָלֶיהָ גּוֹרָל.

6 Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD: Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose filth is therein, and whose filth is not gone out of it! bring it out piece by piece; no lot is fallen upon it.

Woe from before the city in which blood is spilled.

{Yechezkel 24:6}:

ו לָכֵן כֹּה-אָמַר ה אלקים, אוֹי עִיר הַדָּמִים--סִיר אֲשֶׁר חֶלְאָתָה בָהּ, וְחֶלְאָתָהּ לֹא יָצְאָה מִמֶּנָּה; לִנְתָחֶיהָ לִנְתָחֶיהָ הוֹצִיאָהּ, לֹא-נָפַל עָלֶיהָ גּוֹרָל.

6 Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD: Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose filth is therein, and whose filth is not gone out of it! bring it out piece by piece; no lot is fallen upon it.

that its sediment {=lower classes} are {remain} within her.

{Yechezkel 24:6}:

ו לָכֵן כֹּה-אָמַר ה אלקים, אוֹי עִיר הַדָּמִים--סִיר אֲשֶׁר חֶלְאָתָה בָהּ, וְחֶלְאָתָהּ לֹא יָצְאָה מִמֶּנָּה; לִנְתָחֶיהָ לִנְתָחֶיהָ הוֹצִיאָהּ, לֹא-נָפַל עָלֶיהָ גּוֹרָל.

6 Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD: Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose filth is therein, and whose filth is not gone out of it! bring it out piece by piece; no lot is fallen upon it.

and whose sediment {lower classes} do not go out from it.

{Yechezkel 24:6}:

ו לָכֵן כֹּה-אָמַר ה אלקים, אוֹי עִיר הַדָּמִים--סִיר אֲשֶׁר חֶלְאָתָה בָהּ, וְחֶלְאָתָהּ לֹא יָצְאָה מִמֶּנָּה; לִנְתָחֶיהָ לִנְתָחֶיהָ הוֹצִיאָהּ, לֹא-נָפַל עָלֶיהָ גּוֹרָל.

6 Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD: Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose filth is therein, and whose filth is not gone out of it! bring it out piece by piece; no lot is fallen upon it.

district by district they were exiled.

How were they exiled?
Rabbi Eleazar says: The tribe of Reuven and the tribe of Gad were exiled first.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman says: The tribe of Zevulun and the tribe of Naftali were exiled first.

This is what is written {Yeshaya 8:23 - the last pasuk of the perek}

כג כִּי לֹא מוּעָף, לַאֲשֶׁר מוּצָק לָהּ, כָּעֵת הָרִאשׁוֹן הֵקַל אַרְצָה זְבֻלוּן וְאַרְצָה נַפְתָּלִי, וְהָאַחֲרוֹן הִכְבִּיד--דֶּרֶךְ הַיָּם עֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן, גְּלִיל הַגּוֹיִם.

23 For is there no gloom to her that was stedfast? Now the former hath lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but the latter hath dealt a more grievous blow by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in the district of the nations.

{which we may read as the land of Zevulun and Naftali being kaEt haRishon, first.}

And what will Rabbi Eleazar do with the verse of Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman?
Rather {he would say} at the time the tribe of Reuven and Gad were exiled so were exiled the tribe of Zevulun and the tribe of Naftali.

(שם )והאחרון הכביד
ר' אבא בר כהנא אמר הממם כבמכביד
הה"ד (שם י"ד)וטאטאתיה במטאטא השמד

{The pasuk in Yeshaya continues:}

כג כִּי לֹא מוּעָף, לַאֲשֶׁר מוּצָק לָהּ, כָּעֵת הָרִאשׁוֹן הֵקַל אַרְצָה זְבֻלוּן וְאַרְצָה נַפְתָּלִי, וְהָאַחֲרוֹן הִכְבִּיד--דֶּרֶךְ הַיָּם עֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן, גְּלִיל הַגּוֹיִם.

23 For is there no gloom to her that was stedfast? Now the former hath lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but the latter hath dealt a more grievous blow by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in the district of the nations.

He confounded them like a broom {mechabed}.

This is what is written {Yeshaya 14:23}:

כג וְשַׂמְתִּיהָ לְמוֹרַשׁ קִפֹּד, וְאַגְמֵי-מָיִם; וְטֵאטֵאתִיהָ בְּמַטְאֲטֵא הַשְׁמֵד, נְאֻם ה צְבָאוֹת.

23 I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water; and I will sweep it with the besom {=broom} of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts. {S}

{We now return to the end of the pasuk in Yechezkel.}

to be continued...

לא נפל עליה גורל
ר' נחמן בשם ר' אחא אמר מהו לא נפל עליה גורל?
אמר הקב"ה רשעה שהפלתי קלסים על אומות העולם להגלותם לא גלו ואתם למה גליתם?

{Yechezkel 24:6}:

ו לָכֵן כֹּה-אָמַר ה אלקים, אוֹי עִיר הַדָּמִים--סִיר אֲשֶׁר חֶלְאָתָה בָהּ, וְחֶלְאָתָהּ לֹא יָצְאָה מִמֶּנָּה; לִנְתָחֶיהָ לִנְתָחֶיהָ הוֹצִיאָהּ, לֹא-נָפַל עָלֶיהָ גּוֹרָל.

6 Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD: Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose filth is therein, and whose filth is not gone out of it! bring it out piece by piece; no lot is fallen upon it.

Rav Nachman citing Rav Acha: What is mean by "no lot is fallen upon it?"
Hashem said: The evil that called out for the nations of the world to be exiled {*}, and they were not exiled. And you, why were you exiled?

כי דמה בתוכה הי'
כל כך למה?
להעלות חמה
ר' יודן שאל לר' אחא א"ל היכן הרגו ישראל את זכריה בעזרת ישראל או בעזרת נשים?
אמר לו לא בעזרת ישראל ולא בעזרת נשים אלא בעזרת הכהנים
ולא נהגו בדמו לא כדם איל ולא כדם צבי
שבדם צבי ובדם איל כתיב (ויקרא י"ז)ושפך את דמו וכסהו בעפר
ברם הכא כתיב (יחזקאל כ"ד)כי דמה בתוכה היה, על צחיח סלע שמתהו לא שפכתהו על הארץ לכסות עליו עפר

{Yechezkel 24:7}:

כִּי דָמָהּ בְּתוֹכָהּ הָיָה, עַל-צְחִיחַ סֶלַע שָׂמָתְהוּ; לֹא שְׁפָכַתְהוּ עַל-הָאָרֶץ, לְכַסּוֹת עָלָיו עָפָר.

7 For her blood is in the midst of her; she set it upon the bare rock; she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust;

All of this for what?

{Yechezkel 24:8}:

ח לְהַעֲלוֹת חֵמָה לִנְקֹם נָקָם, נָתַתִּי אֶת-דָּמָהּ עַל-צְחִיחַ סָלַע--לְבִלְתִּי, הִכָּסוֹת

8 that it might cause fury to come up, that vengeance might be taken, I have set her blood upon the bare rock, that it should not be covered. {P}

Rabbi Yudan asked Rabba Acha - He said to him: Where did the Israelites kill Zecharia? In the ezrat yisrael or the ezrat nashim?
He said to him: Not in the the ezrat yisrael and not in the ezrat nashim, but in the ezrat haKohanim, and they did not treat his blood not like the blood of a hart, nor like the blood of a deer.
For by the blood of a deer and the blood of a hart it is written {Vayikra 17:13}:

יג וְאִישׁ אִישׁ מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּמִן-הַגֵּר הַגָּר בְּתוֹכָם, אֲשֶׁר יָצוּד צֵיד חַיָּה אוֹ-עוֹף, אֲשֶׁר יֵאָכֵל--וְשָׁפַךְ, אֶת-דָּמוֹ, וְכִסָּהוּ, בֶּעָפָר.

13 And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among them, that taketh in hunting any beast or fowl that may be eaten, he shall pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust.

while here it is written {Yechezkel 24:7}:

ז כִּי דָמָהּ בְּתוֹכָהּ הָיָה, עַל-צְחִיחַ סֶלַע שָׂמָתְהוּ; לֹא שְׁפָכַתְהוּ עַל-הָאָרֶץ, לְכַסּוֹת עָלָיו עָפָר.

7 For her blood is in the midst of her; she set it upon the bare rock; she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust;

ד"א לכן כה אמר ה' אוי עיר הדמים
אוי מן קמי דקרתא דשפכי דמה לגווה
גם אני אגדיל המדורה
ארבה בפורענות
הרבה העצים
אלו הלגיונות
הדלק האש
אלו המלכים
התם הבשר
זה הצבור
והרקח המרקחה :
ר' יהושע ור' נחמיה בשם ר' אחא אמרי לפי שהיו כל ישראל אומרים נבוכדנצר כנס כל ממונו של עולם ולממון שלנו הוא צריך?
אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא חייכם שאני עושה ממונכם חביב עליו כמו בשמים הללו שהן עולין בסעודה
והעצמות יחרו
את מוצא בשעה שגלו ישראל היה גופן תוסס כהדא מרקחתא
והעמידה על גחליה ריקה
אמר רבי אלעזר אלו נאמר שבורה לא היה לה תקנה לעולם וכשהוא אומר ריקה כל כלי שהוא ריקן סופו להתמלאות
כל כך למה?
למען תחם וחרה נחשתה ונתכה בתוכה וגו'
כיון שחטאו גלו
וכיון שגלו התחיל ירמיה מקונן עליהם איכא ישבה בדד

Another explanation:
{Yechezkel 24:9}:

ט לָכֵן, כֹּה אָמַר ה אלקים, אוֹי, עִיר הַדָּמִים; גַּם-אֲנִי, אַגְדִּיל הַמְּדוּרָה.

9 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD: Woe to the bloody city! I also will make the pile great,

Woe from before the city that I have spilled her blood within her.

ט לָכֵן, כֹּה אָמַר ה אלקים, אוֹי, עִיר הַדָּמִים; גַּם-אֲנִי, אַגְדִּיל הַמְּדוּרָה.

9 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD: Woe to the bloody city! I also will make the pile great,

I will increase in punishments.
{Yechezkel 24:10}:

י הַרְבֵּה הָעֵצִים הַדְלֵק הָאֵשׁ, הָתֵם הַבָּשָׂר; וְהַרְקַח, הַמֶּרְקָחָה, וְהָעֲצָמוֹת, יֵחָרוּ.

10 heaping on the wood, kindling the fire, that the flesh may be consumed; and preparing the mixture, that the bones also may be burned;

These are the legions.

י הַרְבֵּה הָעֵצִים הַדְלֵק הָאֵשׁ, הָתֵם הַבָּשָׂר; וְהַרְקַח, הַמֶּרְקָחָה, וְהָעֲצָמוֹת, יֵחָרוּ.

10 heaping on the wood, kindling the fire, that the flesh may be consumed; and preparing the mixture, that the bones also may be burned;

These are the kings.

י הַרְבֵּה הָעֵצִים הַדְלֵק הָאֵשׁ, הָתֵם הַבָּשָׂר; וְהַרְקַח, הַמֶּרְקָחָה, וְהָעֲצָמוֹת, יֵחָרוּ.

10 heaping on the wood, kindling the fire, that the flesh may be consumed; and preparing the mixture, that the bones also may be burned;

This is the populace.

י הַרְבֵּה הָעֵצִים הַדְלֵק הָאֵשׁ, הָתֵם הַבָּשָׂר; וְהַרְקַח, הַמֶּרְקָחָה, וְהָעֲצָמוֹת, יֵחָרוּ.

10 heaping on the wood, kindling the fire, that the flesh may be consumed; and preparing the mixture, that the bones also may be burned;

Rabbi Yehoshua and Rabbi Nechemia citing Rabbi Acha said: Because all of Israel would say, "Nevuchadnezzar has collected all of the money of the world, and he has need of our money?" {such that he would attack?}
Hashem said: By your lives! I will make your money desirable to him like these spices which they bring in to the meal.

י הַרְבֵּה הָעֵצִים הַדְלֵק הָאֵשׁ, הָתֵם הַבָּשָׂר; וְהַרְקַח, הַמֶּרְקָחָה, וְהָעֲצָמוֹת, יֵחָרוּ.

10 heaping on the wood, kindling the fire, that the flesh may be consumed; and preparing the mixture, that the bones also may be burned;

You find that at the time Israel was exiled their bodies bubbled like that mixture {merkachta}.
{Yechezkel 24:11}:

יא וְהַעֲמִידֶהָ עַל-גֶּחָלֶיהָ, רֵקָה: לְמַעַן תֵּחַם וְחָרָה נְחֻשְׁתָּהּ, וְנִתְּכָה בְתוֹכָהּ טֻמְאָתָהּ--תִּתֻּם, חֶלְאָתָהּ.

11 then will I set it empty upon the coals thereof, that it may be hot, and the bottom thereof may burn, and that the impurity of it may be molten in it, that the filth of it may be consumed.

Rabbi Eleazar said: Had it said "broken" {shevura} there would have never been a fix. And once it states "empty," any vessel which is empty, in the end it will be filled.
All of this, for what?

יא וְהַעֲמִידֶהָ עַל-גֶּחָלֶיהָ, רֵקָה: לְמַעַן תֵּחַם וְחָרָה נְחֻשְׁתָּהּ, וְנִתְּכָה בְתוֹכָהּ טֻמְאָתָהּ--תִּתֻּם, חֶלְאָתָהּ.

11 then will I set it empty upon the coals thereof, that it may be hot, and the bottom thereof may burn, and that the impurity of it may be molten in it, that the filth of it may be consumed.

Once they sinned they were exiled.
And once they were exiled, Yirmiyahu began to lament upon them: (Eicha 1:1) אֵיכָה יָשְׁבָה בָדָד - "Eicha Yashva Badad", How doth sit solitary...'

haftarat Devarim: Yeshaya 1

The haftara for parshat Devarim is the beginning of sefer Yeshaya, Chazon Yeshayahu. Although this starts the sefer, this is not necessarily Yeshayahu's first prophecy. Rather, we see in Yeshaya 1:1 that Yeshaya prophesied through the reigns of several Davidic kings, the first of whom was Uzziah:

א חֲזוֹן, יְשַׁעְיָהוּ בֶן-אָמוֹץ, אֲשֶׁר חָזָה, עַל-יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלִָם--בִּימֵי עֻזִּיָּהוּ יוֹתָם אָחָז יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ, מַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה.

1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

Many identify Yeshaya's first prophecy, and thus his initiation prophecy, as that in Yeshaya 6.

א בִּשְׁנַת-מוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ עֻזִּיָּהוּ, וָאֶרְאֶה אֶת-אֲדֹנָי יֹשֵׁב עַל-כִּסֵּא רָם וְנִשָּׂא; וְשׁוּלָיו, מְלֵאִים אֶת-הַהֵיכָל.

1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple.

It happens in the year of Uzziah's death, but perhaps his death was later that year, or that this is enough to be considered prophesying in his reign, or his death is not meant but rather his affliction with leprosy and stepping down from the throne. (A discussion of the merits of the last would take us too far afield, but it is an interesting subject.)

And perek 6 has all the marks of an initiation prophecy. Just as Moshe protests that he is of slow of speech {Shemot 4:10-12}:

י וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל-ה, בִּי אֲדֹנָי, לֹא אִישׁ דְּבָרִים אָנֹכִי גַּם מִתְּמוֹל גַּם מִשִּׁלְשֹׁם, גַּם מֵאָז דַּבֶּרְךָ אֶל-עַבְדֶּךָ: כִּי כְבַד-פֶּה וּכְבַד לָשׁוֹן, אָנֹכִי.	10 And Moses said unto the LORD: 'Oh Lord, I am not a man of words, neither heretofore, nor since Thou hast spoken unto Thy servant; for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.'
יא וַיֹּאמֶר ה אֵלָיו, מִי שָׂם פֶּה לָאָדָם, אוֹ מִי-יָשׂוּם אִלֵּם, אוֹ חֵרֵשׁ אוֹ פִקֵּחַ אוֹ עִוֵּר--הֲלֹא אָנֹכִי, ה.	11 And the LORD said unto him: 'Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh a man dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? is it not I the LORD?
יב וְעַתָּה, לֵךְ; וְאָנֹכִי אֶהְיֶה עִם-פִּיךָ, וְהוֹרֵיתִיךָ אֲשֶׁר תְּדַבֵּר.	12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt speak.'

and Yirmiyahu (last week's haftara), in his initiation prophecy, said that he could not speak eloquently, being a child:

ד וַיְהִי דְבַר-ה, אֵלַי לֵאמֹר.	4 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:
ה בְּטֶרֶם אצורך (אֶצָּרְךָ) בַבֶּטֶן יְדַעְתִּיךָ, וּבְטֶרֶם תֵּצֵא מֵרֶחֶם הִקְדַּשְׁתִּיךָ: נָבִיא לַגּוֹיִם, נְתַתִּיךָ.	5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee; I have appointed thee a prophet unto the nations.
ו וָאֹמַר, אֲהָהּ ה אלקים, הִנֵּה לֹא-יָדַעְתִּי, דַּבֵּר: כִּי-נַעַר, אָנֹכִי.	6 Then said I: 'Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak; for I am a child.'

In Yeshaya 6, as well, we see an initiation prophecy, with a call to be a prophet {Yeshaya 6:8-9}:

ח וָאֶשְׁמַע אֶת-קוֹל אֲדֹנָי, אֹמֵר, אֶת-מִי אֶשְׁלַח, וּמִי יֵלֶךְ-לָנוּ; וָאֹמַר, הִנְנִי שְׁלָחֵנִי.	8 And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said: 'Here am I; send me.'
ט וַיֹּאמֶר, לֵךְ וְאָמַרְתָּ לָעָם הַזֶּה: שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמוֹעַ וְאַל-תָּבִינוּ, וּרְאוּ רָאוֹ וְאַל-תֵּדָעוּ.	9 And He said: 'Go, and tell this people: hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

and a protest that he is unable to be God's spokesman, being of unclean lips:

ה וָאֹמַר אוֹי-לִי כִי-נִדְמֵיתִי, כִּי אִישׁ טְמֵא-שְׂפָתַיִם אָנֹכִי, וּבְתוֹךְ עַם-טְמֵא שְׂפָתַיִם, אָנֹכִי יוֹשֵׁב: כִּי, אֶת-הַמֶּלֶךְ ה צְבָאוֹת--רָאוּ עֵינָי.	5 Then said I: Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
ו וַיָּעָף אֵלַי, אֶחָד מִן-הַשְּׂרָפִים, וּבְיָדוֹ, רִצְפָּה; בְּמֶלְקַחַיִם--לָקַח, מֵעַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ.	6 Then flew unto me one of the seraphim, with a glowing stone in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar;
ז וַיַּגַּע עַל-פִּי--וַיֹּאמֶר, הִנֵּה נָגַע זֶה עַל-שְׂפָתֶיךָ; וְסָר עֲו‍ֹנֶךָ, וְחַטָּאתְךָ תְּכֻפָּר.	7 and he touched my mouth with it, and said: Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin expiated.

One major theme in Yeshaya perek 1 is how Hashem does not want sacrifices and visits to His Temple. This seems at odds with much of Torah, in which Hashem commands the particulars of various sacrifices - olot, shelamim, etc., and commands visits to the mikdash 3 times a year. Yet in the haftara we read:

יא לָמָּה-לִּי רֹב-זִבְחֵיכֶם יֹאמַר ה, שָׂבַעְתִּי עֹלוֹת אֵילִים וְחֵלֶב מְרִיאִים; וְדַם פָּרִים וּכְבָשִׂים וְעַתּוּדִים, לֹא חָפָצְתִּי.	11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto Me? saith the LORD; I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats.
יב כִּי תָבֹאוּ, לֵרָאוֹת פָּנָי--מִי-בִקֵּשׁ זֹאת מִיֶּדְכֶם, רְמֹס חֲצֵרָי.	12 When ye come to appear before Me, who hath required this at your hand, to trample My courts?
יג לֹא תוֹסִיפוּ, הָבִיא מִנְחַת-שָׁוְא--קְטֹרֶת תּוֹעֵבָה הִיא, לִי; חֹדֶשׁ וְשַׁבָּת קְרֹא מִקְרָא, לֹא-אוּכַל אָוֶן וַעֲצָרָה.	13 Bring no more vain oblations; it is an offering of abomination unto Me; new moon and sabbath, the holding of convocations--I cannot endure iniquity along with the solemn assembly.
יד חָדְשֵׁיכֶם וּמוֹעֲדֵיכֶם שָׂנְאָה נַפְשִׁי, הָיוּ עָלַי לָטֹרַח; נִלְאֵיתִי, נְשֹׂא.	14 Your new moons and your appointed seasons My soul hateth; they are a burden unto Me; I am weary to bear them.
טו וּבְפָרִשְׂכֶם כַּפֵּיכֶם, אַעְלִים עֵינַי מִכֶּם--גַּם כִּי-תַרְבּוּ תְפִלָּה, אֵינֶנִּי שֹׁמֵעַ: יְדֵיכֶם, דָּמִים מָלֵאוּ.	15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide Mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear; your hands are full of blood.
טז רַחֲצוּ, הִזַּכּוּ--הָסִירוּ רֹעַ מַעַלְלֵיכֶם, מִנֶּגֶד עֵינָי: חִדְלוּ, הָרֵעַ.	16 Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes, cease to do evil;
יז לִמְדוּ הֵיטֵב דִּרְשׁוּ מִשְׁפָּט, אַשְּׁרוּ חָמוֹץ; שִׁפְטוּ יָתוֹם, רִיבוּ אַלְמָנָה.	17 Learn to do well; seek justice, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

I don't believe there is any contradiction here. The Torah, after all, also commands us to eschew bloodshed and iniquity, seeking justice and relieving of the oppressed. At issue here is priority. When the commands relating to conduct between man and his fellow are not followed, and the private keeping of bein adam lamakom as well are not followed (see verses 2-4 above) -- the fact that they follow rituals and bring sacrifices mean little. They are מִנְחַת-שָׁוְא - vain oblations, reflecting nothing deeper. If Israel conducts itself properly, keeps the mitzvot relating to man and to God, and seriously desires a heart-felt connection to God, then the korbanot - sacrifices, can mean something, and bolster this connection.

Similarly, in verse 15, Hashem speaks of ignoring tefilla - prayer. This is not because Hashem dislikes prayer as a way of connecting to Him, but rather, they are spreading forth their hands to seek help from Hashem, but those same hands are filled with blood from the innocents they have actually or metaphorically killed. Remove the iniquity from their hands (as in verses 16 and 17) and Hashem will accept the tefilla once more. The same goes for the korbanot, and visits to the Mikdash.

Let us focus now on verse 15.

טו וּבְפָרִשְׂכֶם כַּפֵּיכֶם, אַעְלִים עֵינַי מִכֶּם--גַּם כִּי-תַרְבּוּ תְפִלָּה, אֵינֶנִּי שֹׁמֵעַ: יְדֵיכֶם, דָּמִים מָלֵאוּ.

15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide Mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear; your hands are full of blood.

While often people think of tefillah as a post-destruction of the Temple institution, since sacrifices could no longer be brought, here we see that there was a concept of tefillah even back then, with spreading out the hands as part of the practice. We know of various Biblical prayers, such as that of Yaakov, and such as that of Moshe to heal Miriam and to enter the land. Here we see that people in general pray - and it is in some way juxtaposed to korbanot.

{I should also mention here Hoshea 14:3, which Chazal point to as a source for tefillah substituting for sacrifices:

ג קְחוּ עִמָּכֶם דְּבָרִים, וְשׁוּבוּ אֶל-ה; אִמְרוּ אֵלָיו, כָּל-תִּשָּׂא עָו‍ֹן וְקַח-טוֹב, וּנְשַׁלְּמָה פָרִים, שְׂפָתֵינוּ

3 Take with you words, and return unto the LORD; say unto Him: 'Forgive all iniquity, and accept that which is good; so will we render for bullocks the offering of our lips.

}

The gemara has an interesting take on verse 15, from Niddah 13b, (which the Rif cites "lehalacha," and which I'll be posting fairly soon when the Rif digresses, on page 39a in the Rif on Shabbat). Here, the "blood on the hands" which causes Hashem to ignore one's tefillah refers to a different sin:

Rav said: A man who wilfully causes erection should be placed under the ban.
But why did he not say, 'This is forbidden'?
Because the man merely incites his evil inclination against himself.
Rabbi Ammi said: He is called a kofer, because such is the art of the evil inclination: To-day it incites man to do one wrong thing, and to-morrow it incites him to worship idols and he proceeds to worship them.

Some say, Rabbi Ammi said: He who excites himself by lustful thoughts will not be allowed to enter the division of the Holy One, blessed be He. For here it is written {Bereishit 38:10}:

י וַיֵּרַע בְּעֵינֵי ה, אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה; וַיָּמֶת, גַּם-אֹתוֹ.

10 And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of the LORD; and He slew him also.

and there it is written {Tehillim 5:5}:

ה כִּי, לֹא אֵל חָפֵץ רֶשַׁע אָתָּה: לֹא יְגֻרְךָ רָע.

5 For Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness; evil shall not sojourn with Thee.

Rabbi Eliezer said: What is meant by לֹא יְגֻרְךָ רָע? In your dwelling evil shall not sojourn.

And Rabbi Eliezer said: What is meant by that which is written {Yeshaya 1:15}:

טו וּבְפָרִשְׂכֶם כַּפֵּיכֶם, אַעְלִים עֵינַי מִכֶּם--גַּם כִּי-תַרְבּוּ תְפִלָּה, אֵינֶנִּי שֹׁמֵעַ: יְדֵיכֶם, דָּמִים מָלֵאוּ.

15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide Mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear; your hands are full of blood.

Those that commit sexual impropriety {=masturbation} with their hands.

It was taught at the school of Rabbi Yishmael: {Shemot 20:12}

יב לֹא תִרְצָח, {ס} לֹא תִנְאָף; {ס} לֹא תִגְנֹב, {ס} לֹא-תַעֲנֶה בְרֵעֲךָ עֵד שָׁקֶר.

12 Thou shalt not murder. {S} Thou shalt not commit adultery. {S} Thou shalt not steal. {S} Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. {S}

implies, Thou shalt not practise sexual impropriety {=masturbation} either with hand or with foot.

Similarly, Chazal (on Brachot 8a, cited by the Rif on 4a in his pages) have a more practical, day to-day, concrete application of forsaking Hashem, mentioned in in Yeshaya 1:28.

And Rav Chiyya bar Ami further cited Ulla: What is meant by the pasuk in Yeshaya 1:28?

כח וְשֶׁבֶר פֹּשְׁעִים וְחַטָּאִים, יַחְדָּו; וְעֹזְבֵי ה, יִכְלוּ.

28 But the destruction of the transgressors and the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.

This is the one who leaves the Sefer Torah when it is opened, and exits.

Rabbi Abahu left between aliyot. {between one man and the next}
Rava asked: Between verses, what? {may one leave?}

Teku. {the question stands.}

Bug-free non-Bodek Salad

Engineers at the university were asked for help by Hampshire-based Vitacress Salads Ltd, which is a grower and packer of watercress, rocket and baby leaf salads for all the major supermarkets.

They were asked to come up with a scheme to ensure no foreign bodies found their way into their washed and bagged salads during production.

The university's research and innovation service staff then enlisted the help of the department of mechanical engineering to help design a new production system.

Recent graduate Amit Kumavat, with supervision from Professor Steve Culley, designed the system which includes devices to separate leaves automatically, helping to remove unwanted pests.

Mr Kumavat also worked with the university's professor of biometrics, Julian Vincent, to create artificial bugs which emit electrical signals as a test for the new system.

They were deliberately introduced into the salad production system and transmitted signals if they successfully made it through inspection without being extracted by Mr Kumavat's system.

The full article here.

parshat Devarim: Why Begin Here?

Earlier I suggested that rather than Devarim being rebuke, it was actually a pep talk. Thus the talk of other nations that took control of various territories because God wished to grant them it as an inheritance, even taking the territory from giants. This, we read, is what frightened the Israelites after the spies brought back their evil report.

I would suggest another motivation. To cite the first Rashi on sefer Bereishit:

In the beginning Said Rabbi Isaac: It was not necessary to begin the Torah except from “This month is to you,” (Exod. 12:2) which is the first commandment that the Israelites were commanded, (for the main purpose of the Torah is its commandments, and although several commandments are found in Genesis, e.g., circumcision and the prohibition of eating the thigh sinew, they could have been included together with the other commandments). Now for what reason did He commence with “In the beginning?” Because of [the verse] “The strength of His works He related to His people, to give them the inheritance of the nations” (Ps. 111:6). For if the nations of the world should say to Israel, “You are robbers, for you conquered by force the lands of the seven nations [of Canaan],” they will reply, "The entire earth belongs to the Holy One, blessed be He; He created it (this we learn from the story of the Creation) and gave it to whomever He deemed proper When He wished, He gave it to them, and when He wished, He took it away from them and gave it to us.

Now, sefer Devarim does not begin with a Creation narrative. However, it begins with reluctance to take the land of Israel, and mentions how Hashem had caused many nations to uproot and inherit the previous residents, which was in Hashem's power, and Hashem's right as the Creator and Owner of the world. If the nations of the world should say "You are robbers," we could point out many other nations did the same, under the same rightful justification, and in fact many of the ones complaining themselves conquered land belonging to others. Additionally, that which Hashem did not give permission to conquer, because Hashem wanted them to have it as an inheritance, the Israelites did not take.

If sefer Devarim is supposed to be a mishneh Torah, a review and repetition of the rest of Torah, then here it gets off to a good start.