Irv Jacobs, MD

his entirely poetic Haftorah by Isaiah II, referenced c. 540 BCE, is set in Judea’s Babylonian exile. It anticipates release by the coming conqueror of Babylon, Cyrus of Persia. I remind that Isaiah II, like all of the Book of Isaiah, represents a composite of writers, who collectively are a Master ancient Hebrew ‘poet’. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]

These entirely prose ‘verses,’ from our previously encountered fantasy-crazed Prophet Ezekiel, have no connection to the assigned Shabbat Torah portion in the middle of Sukkot. The Torah passages depict dialogue between Moses and God. In the Torah, first God concedes to ever-curious Moses a look at his back. God then pronounces directions to observe the Sabbath and the three annual festivals. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]

Except for an opening prose sentence of introduction, this haftorah is entirely classical ancient Hebrew poetry/song. Nominally, it is David’s closing hymn of victory and thanksgiving to God who had ‘saved’ him from all enemies, particularly Saul. With minor textual variations, the whole hymn is also found in Psalm 18. [1] Historically we don’t know which text came first. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]

The rabbis clearly invented new ground rules for this fully ‘artistically Hebrew poetic’ haftorah. They artificially combined sources, from Hosea, active c. 747-722 BCE and Micah active post 721 BCE.  Together they are arguably ‘connected’ to passages Ch. 31:27-29 in parsha Vayelekh of Deuteronomy. Those passages ‘predicted’ that the people will wickedly go astray from the Law.| [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]

This week’s Torah reading is Nitzavim (Deuteronomy 29:9-30:20); Haftorah is Isaiah 61:10-63:9 By Irv Jacobs, M.D.      LA JOLLA, California — These strong poetic verses extracted from the Book of Isaiah are again from Isaiah III. They constitute the seventh and last Haftorah of Consolation, preceding Rosh Hashonah. Again, it has no connection to

 These strong poetic lines extracted from the Book of Isaiah are attributed to Isaiah III, again a composite figure. They were written in Judea, to coincide in setting to the era of post-return and the rebuilding of an early incomplete version of the second Temple, c. 480-450 BCE. The writer(s) expresses these verses under a repeated imagery of light. We don’t know actually when they were written/edited, which might have been years later. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]

Torah portion is Ki Tetse (Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19); Haftorah is Isaiah 54:1-10. By Irv Jacobs, M.D.   LA JOLLA, California — These brief poetic lines extracted from the book of Isaiah are attributed to Isaiah II, which scholars consider to be multiple writers. The entire text is a metaphor, with four metaphors and two similes contained

These extracted Grade B (to me) mixed ‘poetic’ and prose passages, from the Book of Isaiah, are attributed to Isaiah II. Though strong on dramatic images, they are scarce in metaphor and other literary devices. They are also heavily ambiguous in messaging. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]

Torah reading is Re’eh (Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17); Haftorah reading is Isaiah 54:11-55:5 By Irv Jacobs, M.D. LA JOLLA, California — These simplistic short poetic passages extracted from Isaiah II (c. 538-530 BCE) comprise the third haftorah of consolation, leading up to the Sabbath before Yom Kippur. It has no connection to the corresponding Torah parsha. The

This fully poetic, artistic passage from Isaiah II comprises the second  haftorah prophecy of consolation after the 9th of Av, leading up to the Sabbath before Yom Kippur. As stated in the previous essay, it has no connection to the corresponding Torah parasha.This fully poetic, artistic passage from Isaiah II comprises the second  haftorah prophecy of consolation after the 9th of Av, leading up to the Sabbath before Yom Kippur. As stated in the previous essay, it has no connection to the corresponding Torah parasha. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]

These entirely poetic passages are attributed to Isaiah II, [1] after 538 BCE when Emperor Cyrus released the Judean Babylonian exiles, to return to Judea. 
It is the first of seven haftorot after the 9th of Av, designated as prophecies of consolation, preceding a special haftorah on the Sabbath before Yom Kiippur. These haftorat have no connection to their corresponding Torah parashot readings. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]

Torah reading is Devarim, Deuteronomy 1-3:1-22; Haftorah is Isaiah 1, 1-27. By Irv Jacobs, M.D. These entirely poetic passages are attributed to Isaiah I, son of Amoz, written c. 735–701 BCE. However, scholars suspect unknown contributors likely added insertions. Altogether, the Hebrew poetry is well executed by accomplished writer(s). The time frame of the entire

Two non-continuous extracts, all in verse, form the second of the three Haftorahs of admonition, recited between the 17th of Tammuz and Tish-a b’ Av. Each has no literary connection to its accompanying Torah portion. In these verses, Jeremiah poetically goes after the southern nation’s universal violations against God’s law, in a ‘jeremiad.’ [1]  The northern nation of Israel had already been destroyed over 100 years earlier, by Assyria.[Irv Jacobs, M.D.]

This extract, more prose than verse, from the opening chapters of Jeremiah’s book (52 chapters), was selected by the rabbis as the first of Haftorahs of admonition, to be read during the three shabbatot between the fast of the 17th of Tammuz and that of Tish-a b’Av. The former of these two dates (in 586 BCE) recalls Babylon’s breach of Jerusalem’s wall, the latter the actual destruction of Jerusalem, shortly later in 586 BCE. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]