Jeremiah (650 - c. 570 BCE) lived during a time of destruction -- in the aftermath of the destruction of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and foretold of the pending destruction of the Temple by the Babylonians, as well as chronicled the history of the tragedy in the Book of Lamentations. He looked for a cause and result answer as to why this tragedy was befalling the people and predicted the people would be enslaved to the Babylonians for 70 years. For this, the priests and prophets rose up against him, he went into hiding after death threats were made, and eventually was arrested and imprisoned. Despite all of this, Jeremiah's words are beautifully poetic, even when tragic.
8 themes, as identified in the Plaut Haftarah commentary:
(1) The peoples of the earth will come to acknowledge the Eternal.
יהוה עֻזִּ֧י וּמָעֻזִּ֛י וּמְנוּסִ֖י בְּי֣וֹם צָרָ֑ה אֵלֶ֗יךָ גּוֹיִ֤ם יָבֹ֙אוּ֙ מֵֽאַפְסֵי־אָ֔רֶץ וְיֹאמְר֗וּ אַךְ־שֶׁ֙קֶר֙ נָחֲל֣וּ אֲבוֹתֵ֔ינוּ הֶ֖בֶל וְאֵֽין־בָּ֥ם מוֹעִֽיל׃
Eternal One, my strength and my stronghold,
My refuge in a day of trouble,
To You nations shall come
From the ends of the earth and say:
Our fathers inherited utter delusions,
Things that are futile and worthless.
My refuge in a day of trouble,
To You nations shall come
From the ends of the earth and say:
Our fathers inherited utter delusions,
Things that are futile and worthless.
(2) Pagan deities are not divine.
(כ) הֲיַעֲשֶׂה־לּ֥וֹ אָדָ֖ם אֱלֹהִ֑ים וְהֵ֖מָּה לֹ֥א אֱלֹהִֽים׃(כא) לָכֵן֙ הִנְנִ֣י מֽוֹדִיעָ֔ם בַּפַּ֣עַם הַזֹּ֔את אוֹדִיעֵ֥ם אֶת־יָדִ֖י וְאֶת־גְּבוּרָתִ֑י וְיָדְע֖וּ כִּֽי־שְׁמִ֥י יהוה׃ {ס}
(20) Can a man make gods for himself?
No-gods are they!(21) Assuredly, I will teach them,
Once and for all I will teach them
My power and My might.
And they shall learn that I am called the Eternal.
No-gods are they!(21) Assuredly, I will teach them,
Once and for all I will teach them
My power and My might.
And they shall learn that I am called the Eternal.
(3) Israel's sins will cause it to lose its inheritance.
(א) חַטַּ֣את יְהוּדָ֗ה כְּתוּבָ֛ה בְּעֵ֥ט בַּרְזֶ֖ל בְּצִפֹּ֣רֶן שָׁמִ֑יר חֲרוּשָׁה֙ עַל־ל֣וּחַ לִבָּ֔ם וּלְקַרְנ֖וֹת מִזְבְּחוֹתֵיכֶֽם׃(ב) כִּזְכֹּ֤ר בְּנֵיהֶם֙ מִזְבְּחוֹתָ֔ם וַאֲשֵׁרֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־עֵ֣ץ רַעֲנָ֑ן עַ֖ל גְּבָע֥וֹת הַגְּבֹהֽוֹת׃(ג) הֲרָרִי֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה חֵילְךָ֥ כׇל־אוֹצְרוֹתֶ֖יךָ לָבַ֣ז אֶתֵּ֑ן בָּמֹתֶ֕יךָ בְּחַטָּ֖את בְּכׇל־גְּבוּלֶֽיךָ׃(ד) וְשָׁמַטְתָּ֗ה וּבְךָ֙ מִנַּחֲלָֽתְךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָתַ֣תִּי לָ֔ךְ וְהַעֲבַדְתִּ֙יךָ֙ אֶת־אֹ֣יְבֶ֔יךָ בָּאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־יָדָ֑עְתָּ כִּֽי־אֵ֛שׁ קְדַחְתֶּ֥ם בְּאַפִּ֖י עַד־עוֹלָ֥ם תּוּקָֽד׃ {ס}
(1) The guilt of Judah is inscribed
With a stylus of iron,
Engraved with an adamant point
On the tablet of their hearts,
And on the horns of their altars,(2) While their children remember-a
Their altars and sacred posts,
By verdant trees,
Upon lofty hills.(3) Because of the sin of your shrines
Throughout your borders,
I will make your rampart a heap in the field,
And all your treasures a spoil.-b(4) You will forfeit,-c by your own act,
The inheritance I have given you;
I will make you a slave to your enemies
In a land you have never known.
For you have kindled the flame of My wrath
Which shall burn for all time.
With a stylus of iron,
Engraved with an adamant point
On the tablet of their hearts,
And on the horns of their altars,(2) While their children remember-a
Their altars and sacred posts,
By verdant trees,
Upon lofty hills.(3) Because of the sin of your shrines
Throughout your borders,
I will make your rampart a heap in the field,
And all your treasures a spoil.-b(4) You will forfeit,-c by your own act,
The inheritance I have given you;
I will make you a slave to your enemies
In a land you have never known.
For you have kindled the flame of My wrath
Which shall burn for all time.
(4) The cursed contrasted with the blessed.
(ה) כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יהוה אָר֤וּר הַגֶּ֙בֶר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִבְטַ֣ח בָּאָדָ֔ם וְשָׂ֥ם בָּשָׂ֖ר זְרֹע֑וֹ וּמִן־יהוה יָס֥וּר לִבּֽוֹ׃(ו) וְהָיָה֙ כְּעַרְעָ֣ר בָּעֲרָבָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א יִרְאֶ֖ה כִּֽי־יָ֣בוֹא ט֑וֹב וְשָׁכַ֤ן חֲרֵרִים֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר אֶ֥רֶץ מְלֵחָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א תֵשֵֽׁב׃ {ס}(ז) בָּר֣וּךְ הַגֶּ֔בֶר אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְטַ֖ח בַּיהוה וְהָיָ֥ה יהוה מִבְטַחֽוֹ׃
(5) Thus says the Eternal One: Cursed is he who trusts in mortals,
making mortal flesh their strength,
And turns his thoughts from the Eternal.(6) They shall be like a bush in the desert,
Which does not sense the coming of good:
It is set in the scorched places of the wilderness,
In a barren land without inhabitant.(7) Blessed are those who trust in the Eternal,
Whose trust is the Eternal alone.
making mortal flesh their strength,
And turns his thoughts from the Eternal.(6) They shall be like a bush in the desert,
Which does not sense the coming of good:
It is set in the scorched places of the wilderness,
In a barren land without inhabitant.(7) Blessed are those who trust in the Eternal,
Whose trust is the Eternal alone.
(5) The human heart is deceitful, but God knows its ways.
(ט) עָקֹ֥ב הַלֵּ֛ב מִכֹּ֖ל וְאָנֻ֣שׁ ה֑וּא מִ֖י יֵדָעֶֽנּוּ׃(י) אֲנִ֧י יהוה חֹקֵ֥ר לֵ֖ב בֹּחֵ֣ן כְּלָי֑וֹת וְלָתֵ֤ת לְאִישׁ֙ כִּדְרָכָ֔ו כִּפְרִ֖י מַעֲלָלָֽיו׃ {ס}
(9) Most devious is the heart;
It is perverse—who can fathom it?(10) I, the Eternal, probe the heart,
Search the mind—
To repay every man according to his ways,
With the proper fruit of his deeds.
It is perverse—who can fathom it?(10) I, the Eternal, probe the heart,
Search the mind—
To repay every man according to his ways,
With the proper fruit of his deeds.
(6) On wealth unjustly acquired.
(יא) קֹרֵ֤א דָגַר֙ וְלֹ֣א יָלָ֔ד עֹ֥שֶׂה עֹ֖שֶׁר וְלֹ֣א בְמִשְׁפָּ֑ט בַּחֲצִ֤י יָמָו֙ יַעַזְבֶ֔נּוּ וּבְאַחֲרִית֖וֹ יִהְיֶ֥ה נָבָֽל׃
(11) Like a partridge hatching what she did not lay,-b
So is one who amasses wealth by unjust means;
In the middle of his life it will leave him,
And in the end he will be proved a fool.
So is one who amasses wealth by unjust means;
In the middle of his life it will leave him,
And in the end he will be proved a fool.
(7) The consequence of forsaking the Eternal described as the "Fountain of Living Waters" (using Jeremiah's famous expression -- 'mikveh Israel,' hope of Israel).
(יב) כִּסֵּ֣א כָב֔וֹד מָר֖וֹם מֵרִאשׁ֑וֹן מְק֖וֹם מִקְדָּשֵֽׁנוּ׃(יג) מִקְוֵ֤ה יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ יהוה כׇּל־עֹזְבֶ֖יךָ יֵבֹ֑שׁוּ (יסורי)[וְסוּרַי֙] בָּאָ֣רֶץ יִכָּתֵ֔בוּ כִּ֥י עָזְב֛וּ מְק֥וֹר מַֽיִם־חַיִּ֖ים אֶת־יהוה׃ {פ}
(12) O Throne of Glory exalted from of old,
Our Sacred Shrine!(13) O Hope of Israel! O Eternal!
All who forsake You shall be put to shame,
Those in the land who turn from You
Shall be doomed men,
For they have forsaken the Eternal,
The Fountain of living waters.
Our Sacred Shrine!(13) O Hope of Israel! O Eternal!
All who forsake You shall be put to shame,
Those in the land who turn from You
Shall be doomed men,
For they have forsaken the Eternal,
The Fountain of living waters.
(8) A short prayer for healing (with lasting impact upon our liturgy).
(יד) רְפָאֵ֤נִי יהוה וְאֵ֣רָפֵ֔א הוֹשִׁיעֵ֖נִי וְאִוָּשֵׁ֑עָה כִּ֥י תְהִלָּתִ֖י אָֽתָּה׃
(14) Heal me, Eternal One, and let me be healed (or then shall I be healed);
Save me, and let me be saved (or then shall I be saved);
For You are my praise.
Save me, and let me be saved (or then shall I be saved);
For You are my praise.
The Rabbis ask in the Talmud, can this verse be directly used as a prayer for healing today?
פירוש ברכת רפאינו. ובו ס"א:רפאינו יהוה ונרפא אע"פ דהכתוב ליחיד אין מכנין אותו לרבים ה"מ בזמן שמתכוין לקרות אבל כשאומר אותו דרך תפלה ובקשה מותר ומ"מ אם אומר מזמור שלם אסור לשנות מלשון יחיד לרבים או להיפך: [טור והרא"ש פ' הקורא עומד בשם הר"י]:
The commentary of the the blessing "Heal us". Containing 1 Se'if:
"Heal us, O God, and we shall be healed..." Even though a verse that is written for an individual may not be conjugated for the masses (ie. like the beginning words of this blessing which is based off of Jeremiah 17:14 and is written in singular form) - this refers to when it was intended to be read [as a verse], but when one says it as a prayer or request, it is permitted.
"Heal us, O God, and we shall be healed..." Even though a verse that is written for an individual may not be conjugated for the masses (ie. like the beginning words of this blessing which is based off of Jeremiah 17:14 and is written in singular form) - this refers to when it was intended to be read [as a verse], but when one says it as a prayer or request, it is permitted.
And so the Hebrew has been re-conjugated for the third person, and this prayer is the 8th blessing of the 19 blessings of the weekday Amidah. It follows four blessings before it asking for spiritual blessing and healing -- for wisdom, repentence, forgiveness, and redemption, and then one can ask for healing of body (and we often add in healing of mind and spirit in modern context).
רְפָאֵֽנוּ יהוה וְנֵרָפֵא הוֹשִׁיעֵֽנוּ וְנִוָּשֵֽׁעָה כִּי תְהִלָּתֵֽנוּ אָֽתָּה וְהַעֲלֵה רְפוּאָה שְׁלֵמָה לְכָל מַכּוֹתֵֽינוּ
Heal us, Adonai, and we will be healed, deliver us and we will be delivered; for You are our praise. Grant a complete healing to all our affliction ....
Another lovely translation (including the full prayer here):
רְפָאֵֽנוּ יהוה וְנֵֽרָפֵא, הֽוֹשִׁיעֵֽנוּ וְנִוָּשֵֽׁעָה, כִּי תְהִלָּתֵֽנוּ אָֽתָּה, וְהַֽעֲלֵה אֲרוּכָה וּמַרְפֵּא לְכָל־תַּֽחֲלוּאֵֽינוּ וּלְכָל־מַכְאוֹבֵֽינוּ וּלְכָל־מַכּוֹתֵֽינוּ. כִּי אֵל רוֹפֵא רַחְמָן וְנֶֽאֱמָן אָֽתָּה: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה, רוֹפֵא חוֹלֵי עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל:
Heal us, Adonai, and we will be healed. Save us and we will be saved, for You are our Praise. And bring a cure and healing for all of our ailments, and all our pains, and all our wounds for, God, You are a compassionate and faithful healer. Blessed are You Adonai, Who heals the ill of your people, Yisrael.
Jeremiah is a prophet who knows how to conclude with hopeful messages, despite living in an era of destruction.
His words of the penultimate verse of the Book of Lamentations should be very familiar to you:
הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּ יהוה ׀ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ (ונשוב)[וְֽנָשׁ֔וּבָה] חַדֵּ֥שׁ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם׃
Take us back, O LORD, to Yourself,
And let us come back;
Renew our days as of old!
And let us come back;
Renew our days as of old!
And he is quoted in the 7th blessing of the Sheva Brachot of a wedding ceremony:
עוֹד֮ יִשָּׁמַ֣ע ... בְּעָרֵ֤י יְהוּדָה֙ וּבְחֻצ֣וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם...ק֣וֹל שָׂשׂ֞וֹן וְק֣וֹל שִׂמְחָ֗ה ק֣וֹל חָתָן֮ וְק֣וֹל כַּלָּה֒
Again there shall be heard in this place...in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem...the sound of mirth and gladness, the voice of bridegroom and bride
Rofeh Elyon (written by Cantor Jonathan Comisar)
performed by Cantor Azi Schwartz
On Jeremiah - "The Polarity Within," Rabbi A.J. Heschel (The Prophets):
See I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms,
To pluck up and to break down,
To destroy and to overthrow,
To build and to plant. (Jer. 1:10)
"Jeremiah was called to an office both sublime and appalling. First he had to castigate, foretell doom and destruction; only after that could he comfort, offer hope, build and plant. Because of the ordeals he would have to face and the strength he would need, he was told:
"Gird up your loins; arise and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them" (1:17).
In order to be able to rise above dismay, to be able to persevere in the spirit of defiance, he was suddenly transformed into the stark opposite of his usual self. "Behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests, and the people of the land" (1:18). He succeeded, indeed, in offending, chafing, even alarming his contemporaries. Dashing the people's sense of security, he added insult to gloom by chiding them for what they revered. Having been enabled to withstand like a fortress all the attacks that came from without, Jeremiah's inner life never turned to bronze or iron.
The role of the prophet was ambiguous in the eyes of some of his contemporaries. The indignation that flowed from him, the anger he displayed, even when extrinsic to his mind, became so intimate a part of his soul that those exposed to it could easily mistake it as his own antipathy rather than as sympathy with divine anger, and could assume that he had his own ax to grind, that he was giving vent to personal hostility. It seems that Jeremiah was accused of feeling delight in anticipating the disaster which he had announced in the name of the Lord. He who loved his people, whose life was dedicated to saving his people, was regarded as an enemy. Over and above the agony of sensing the imminent disaster, his soul was bruised by calumny. What protection was there against such backbiting? No one could look into his heart, but everybody was hurt by his words. Only the Lord knew the truth.
"Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed;
Save me, and I shall be saved;
For Thou art my praise ....
I have not pressed Thee to send evil,
Nor have I desired the day of disaster,
Thou knowest;
That which came out of my lips
Was before Thy face." (Jer. 17:14, 16)
? How does knowing Jeremiah's personal history and fragile connection with the people reflect in his words -- particularly in this most famous section that became prayer unto its own?
? Jeremiah prayed on behalf of his enemies, as he said "Woe is me, my mother, that you bore me, a man of strife and contention to the whole land! I have not lent, nor have I borrowed, yet all of them curse me. So let it be, O Lord, if I have not entreated Thee for their good, if I have not pleaded with Thee on behalf of the enemy in the time of trouble and in the time of distress!" (15:10-11)
What do you make of his composure under this duress? What do you make of his ability to balance between this polarity which surrounded him and which he felt compelled to respond to in pointing his finger to what he observed and in his hope for the future?
? How does it impact your view of our prayers knowing the prophetic influence upon them?
Do we continue to use that prophetic voice effectively today?