One of the main themes of the parasha is the creation of a new world in light of human nature. The antediluvian creation stories (Genesis 1 & 2) precede humanity. However, within the cycle of Noah stories, we encounter God re-creating a world in light of the foibles and appetites of humanity.
Isaiah 54:1-10 is the full Haftarah within the Sephardi tradition and a portion of the Ashkenazi tradition. Read through the following pericope from the prophet Isaiah with an eye towards the following questions:
1. The flood and God's promise never to destroy the world again is a metaphor for our relationship with God. What is the metaphor used in the following story? Who are we in the metaphor? What is the before and after look like?
2. Moving forward, how are we to understand our covenant with God? What implications does God's promise to our future? Specifically, what does the text say about our responsibilities?
(א) רׇנִּ֥י עֲקָרָ֖ה לֹ֣א יָלָ֑דָה פִּצְחִ֨י רִנָּ֤ה וְצַֽהֲלִי֙ לֹא־חָ֔לָה כִּֽי־רַבִּ֧ים בְּֽנֵי־שׁוֹמֵמָ֛ה מִבְּנֵ֥י בְעוּלָ֖ה אָמַ֥ר ה׳׃ (ב) הַרְחִ֣יבִי ׀ מְק֣וֹם אׇהֳלֵ֗ךְ וִירִיע֧וֹת מִשְׁכְּנוֹתַ֛יִךְ יַטּ֖וּ אַל־תַּחְשֹׂ֑כִי הַאֲרִ֙יכִי֙ מֵיתָרַ֔יִךְ וִיתֵדֹתַ֖יִךְ חַזֵּֽקִי׃ (ג) כִּֽי־יָמִ֥ין וּשְׂמֹ֖אול תִּפְרֹ֑צִי וְזַרְעֵךְ֙ גּוֹיִ֣ם יִירָ֔שׁ וְעָרִ֥ים נְשַׁמּ֖וֹת יוֹשִֽׁיבוּ׃ (ד) אַל־תִּֽירְאִי֙ כִּֽי־לֹ֣א תֵב֔וֹשִׁי וְאַל־תִּכָּלְמִ֖י כִּ֣י לֹ֣א תַחְפִּ֑ירִי כִּ֣י בֹ֤שֶׁת עֲלוּמַ֙יִךְ֙ תִּשְׁכָּ֔חִי וְחֶרְפַּ֥ת אַלְמְנוּתַ֖יִךְ לֹ֥א תִזְכְּרִי־עֽוֹד׃ (ה) כִּ֤י בֹעֲלַ֙יִךְ֙ עֹשַׂ֔יִךְ ה׳ צְבָא֖וֹת שְׁמ֑וֹ וְגֹֽאֲלֵךְ֙ קְד֣וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֱלֹקֵ֥י כׇל־הָאָ֖רֶץ יִקָּרֵֽא׃ (ו) כִּֽי־כְאִשָּׁ֧ה עֲזוּבָ֛ה וַעֲצ֥וּבַת ר֖וּחַ קְרָאָ֣ךְ ה׳ וְאֵ֧שֶׁת נְעוּרִ֛ים כִּ֥י תִמָּאֵ֖ס אָמַ֥ר אֱלֹקָֽיִךְ׃ (ז) בְּרֶ֥גַע קָטֹ֖ן עֲזַבְתִּ֑יךְ וּבְרַחֲמִ֥ים גְּדֹלִ֖ים אֲקַבְּצֵֽךְ׃ (ח) בְּשֶׁ֣צֶף קֶ֗צֶף הִסְתַּ֨רְתִּי פָנַ֥י רֶ֙גַע֙ מִמֵּ֔ךְ וּבְחֶ֥סֶד עוֹלָ֖ם רִחַמְתִּ֑יךְ אָמַ֥ר גֹּאֲלֵ֖ךְ ה׳׃ {ס}(ט) כִּֽי־מֵ֥י נֹ֙חַ֙ זֹ֣את לִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִשְׁבַּ֗עְתִּי מֵעֲבֹ֥ר מֵי־נֹ֛חַ ע֖וֹד עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ כֵּ֥ן נִשְׁבַּ֛עְתִּי מִקְּצֹ֥ף עָלַ֖יִךְ וּמִגְּעׇר־בָּֽךְ׃ (י) כִּ֤י הֶהָרִים֙ יָמ֔וּשׁוּ וְהַגְּבָע֖וֹת תְּמוּטֶ֑ינָה וְחַסְדִּ֞י מֵאִתֵּ֣ךְ לֹא־יָמ֗וּשׁ וּבְרִ֤ית שְׁלוֹמִי֙ לֹ֣א תָמ֔וּט אָמַ֥ר מְרַחֲמֵ֖ךְ ה׳׃ {ס}
(1)Shout, O infertile one, You who bore no child! Shout aloud for joy, You who did not travail! For the children of the wife forlorn Shall outnumber those of the espoused—said GOD. (2)Enlarge the site of your tent, Extend the size of your dwelling, Do not stint! Lengthen the ropes, and drive the pegs firm.(3) For you shall spread out to the right and the left; Your offspring shall dispossess nations And shall people the desolate towns.(4)Fear not, you shall not be shamed; Do not cringe, you shall not be disgraced. For you shall forget The reproach of your youth, And remember no more The shame of your widowhood.(5)For the One who made you—whose name is “ GOD of Hosts”— Will espouse you. The Holy One of Israel—who is called “God of all the Earth”—Will redeem you.(6) GOD has called you back As a wife forlorn and forsaken. Can one cast off the wife of his youth?—said your God.(7)For a little while I forsook you, But with vast love I will bring you back.(8)In slight anger, for a moment, I hid My face from you; But with kindness everlasting I will take you back in love—said GOD your Redeemer. (9)For this to Me is like the waters of Noah: As I swore that the waters of Noah Nevermore would flood the earth, So I swear that I will not Be angry with you or rebuke you.(10)For the mountains may move And the hills be shaken, But my loyalty shall never move from you, Nor My covenant of friendship be shaken—said GOD, who takes you back in love.