1The 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.

2Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord has spoken; Children I have raised and exalted, yet they
have rebelled against Me.

3An ox knows his owner and a donkey his master's crib; Israel does not know, my people, does not consider.

4Woe to a sinful nation, a people heavy with iniquity, evildoing seed, corrupt children. They forsook the Lord; they provoked the Holy One of Israel; they drew backwards.

5Why are you beaten when you still continue to rebel? Every head is afflicted with illness and every heart with malaise.

6From the sole of the foot until the head there is no soundness-wounds and contusions and lacerated sores; they have not sprinkled, neither have they been bandaged, nor was it softened with oil.

7Your land is desolate; your cities burnt with fire. Your land-in your presence, strangers devour it; and it is desolate as that turned over to strangers.

8And the daughter of Zion shall be left like a hut in a vineyard, like a lodge in a cucumber field, like a besieged city.

9"Had not the Lord of Hosts left us a remnant, we would soon be like Sodom; we would resemble Gomorrah."

10Hear the word of the Lord, O rulers of Sodom; give ear to the law of our God, O people of Gomorrah!

11Of what use are your many sacrifices to Me? says the Lord. I am sated with the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened cattle; and the blood of bulls and sheep and he goats I do not want.

12When you come to appear before Me, who requested this of you, to trample My courts?

13You shall no longer bring vain meal-offerings, it is smoke of abomination to Me; New Moons and Sabbaths, calling convocations, I cannot bear iniquity with assembly.

14Your New Moons and your appointed seasons My soul hates, they are a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them.

15And when you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you, even when you pray at length, I do not hear; your hands are full of blood.

16Wash, cleanse yourselves, remove the evil of your deeds from before My eyes, cease to do evil.

17Learn to do good, seek justice, strengthen the robbed, perform justice for the orphan, plead the case of the widow.

18Come now, let us debate, says the Lord. If your sins prove to be like crimson, they will become white as snow; if they prove to be as red as crimson dye, they shall become as wool.

19If you be willing and obey, you shall eat the best of the land.

20But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword, for the mouth of the Lord spoke.

21How has she become a harlot, a faithful city; full of justice, in which righteousness would lodge, but now murderers.

22Your silver has become dross; your wine is diluted with water.

23Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves; everyone loves bribes and runs after payments; the orphan they do not judge, and the quarrel of the widow does not come to them.

24"Therefore," says the Master, the Lord of Hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, "Oh, I will console Myself from My adversaries, and I will avenge Myself of My foes.

25And I will return My hand upon you and purge away your dross as with lye and remove all your tin.

26And I will restore your judges as at first and your counsellors as in the beginning; afterwards you shall be called City of Righteousness, Faithful City.

27Zion shall be redeemed through justice and her penitent through righteousness.

How can we read this and not be overwhelmed by the war now raging in Israel. Hamas was indeed used as a servant of Elohim when they attacked the Nova Music Festival on Shabbat, October 7, 2023.
On Shabbat; really? On a day set apart by G-d from the creation of the world to stop doing and start being???

And now, we’re in the month of Av; a month significant for to holy days. Tisha B’Av, the day we remember the destruction of both holy Temples in Jerusalem, which this year falls on Tuesday, August 12, 2024. This is the most sorrowful day of the year. We are expected to fast, and mourn for all the lives lost on such a tragic day.

And I am sad to say that if all of Israel repents, I truly expect another attack on the 9^th of Av, 2024…

Okay, enough from me about this Haftorah portion, let’s take a look at what MyJewishLearning.com has to offer:

Isaiah charges the people with rebellion against God.

By My Jewish Learning

Why Tisha B’Av is Not Really About Mourning

My Jewish Learning is a not-for-profit and relies on your help

The haftarah selection is from Isaiah 1:1-27.

Tisha B’Av, the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, marks the anniversary of the destruction of the Temple. On the Shabbat before Tisha B’Av, which always coincides with Parashat Devarim, Jews read a haftarah from the beginning of the Book of Isaiah. The Shabbat before Tisha B’Av is often called Shabbat Hazon, named after the first word of the haftarah. Unlike Jeremiah and Ezekiel, who both experienced vivid visions as their initiation into prophecy, Isaiah does not report having visions he simply begins by condemning the people of Judah and Jerusalem for their poor behavior.

He reminds the people that God has been like a father to them, and instead of being grateful and respectful for all that He has done for them, the people continue to rebel and spurn God’s authority. When they sin, they are punished. Yet instead of learning from their mistakes, the people continue to do wrong. Even the land they live on is penalized for their insidious behavior.

Isaiah tells the people that God no longer has any interest in the sacrifices that the people have been bringing to Him. Though they obediently gather in the Temple on holidays and at the beginning of every month, their lack of social justice nullifies any reward they may get for offering gifts to God.

As the haftarah progresses, Isaiah’s rage wanes slightly. He tells the people to change their behavior–“Learn to do good, devote yourselves to justice, aid the wronged, uphold the rights of the orphan, defend the cause of the widow” (1:17)–and promises that they will be rewarded with a bountiful harvest.

In the closing section of the haftarah, Isaiah laments the downfall of Judah and Jerusalem, the destitution of Zion, and the injustice that is rampant. But Isaiah promises that God’s anger will be abated, and there is a hint of hope for the future: “Zion shall be saved in the judgment, her repentant ones, in the retribution.” (1:27)

Connection to the Calendar

On Tisha B’Av Jewish communities around the world sit on the floor and weep for the destruction of the Temple. The book of Lamentations, Eicha, records the tragedy of Zion’s destruction, and it is chanted in a mournful tune.

Though most haftarot are chanted in a special melody for haftarot, it is traditional to read most or all of the haftarah for Shabbat Hazon in the same tune used for Eicha. This highlights the themes that are similar in the haftarah and the Book of Lamentations, and the use of the word eicha in the haftarah (“Alas [eicha] she has become a harlot, the faithful city”).

And that is why on Tisha B’Av, we read the book of Eicha, or Ecclesiastes, as it is called in English.

Now, let’s peruse some learning from Torah.org…

Shabbos Chazon

By Rabbi Dovid Siegel

Yeshaya 1:1

This week’s haftorah concludes the three week series regarding the Jewish people’s exile and the destruction of their Bais Hamikdash. This final reading of rebuke goes down in history as the strongest message of reprimand ever delivered to the Jewish people. The prophet Yeshaya depicts the moral conduct of the Jews to be the most corrupt and wicked since the days of Sedom and Gemorah. He declares the Jews worse than the animals, and says in the name of Hashem, “The ox knows his master and the donkey his owner’s feeding tray but My nation doesn’t know and doesn’t even consider Me. Woe guilty people, heavy with sin, evil and corrupt children who forsook Hashem and disgraced Israel’s Holy One.” (1:3,4) Yeshaya continues with harsh words of chastisement, and says, “Why should you continue to be beaten if you just increase your straying? From head to toe there is no clear spot, only stabs, bruises and open wounds. But you have not treated them, not bandaged them or even softened them.” (1:5,6) The prophet indicates that after all the beatings they have received the Jewish people haven’t even made an attempt to rectify their faults.

Yeshaya then concentrated on the Jewish service in the Bais Hamikdash and attacked them even on that count. He expressed that Hashem was displeased with their sacrifices and lacked interest in their service. Hashem says, “When you come to see Me who asked you to trample on My courtyard? Don’t continue bringing useless offerings; your incense is disgusting to Me. I cannot tolerate your gatherings on Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh, and I despise your festivals and celebrations; they’re too much bother for Me.” (1:12,13) The Jewish people were going through the motions of Judaism but lacked any level of sincerity. They assembled in the Bais Hamikdash during the holiday seasons but did not dedicate their efforts to Hashem, rather to themselves. Hashem therefore referred to those gatherings as theirs rather than His. Even their prayers, their direct line to Hashem, were being rejected. Yeshaya said in the name of Hashem, “When you stretch out your hands
in supplication I will ignore you;
even when you increase your prayers I won’t listen because your hands are full of blood.” (1:15)

These last words refer to the increasing number of murders and crimes that were taking place amongst the Jewish people, even in the Bais Hamikdash proper. Yeshaya said that Hashem had literally closed the door on His people and was not interested in seeing or hearing from them anymore.

Suddenly, we discover a complete change in nature and the prophet extends the Jewish people an open invitation. Hashem says, “Please go and reconcile, if your sins are likened to scarlet they will be whitened like snow and if they are like deep red crimson they will be like white wool. If you consent and listen then you will eat the goodness of the land.” (1:18,19) This seems to indicate a total reversal of direction. Moments earlier, the prophet proclaimed that Hashem had absolutely no interest in His people and despised their trampling on His property. Hashem was so angry and disgusted with them that He severed all lines of communication. And now, one passage later Hashem was prepared to brighten and whiten the Jewish people to the extent of glistening snowflakes?!

The answer to this perplexing message is found in the insightful words of Chazal in explanation of a puzzling passage in Shir Hashirim. Shlomo Hamelech presents the overall status of the Jewish people shortly before their bitter exile from their homeland. They project themselves to Hashem in the following manner, “I am asleep but my heart is awake.” (Shir Hashirim 5:2) Rashi quotes the comment of Chazal in the Pesikta explaining the Jewish people’s response. They said that they fell into a deep slumber and basically abandoned their service of Hashem but their heart, Hashem himself would always remain awake. He doesn’t permit them to disappear from the scene and continuously sends them opportunities to return to Him. He consistently sends His prophets to awaken His people even from
their deep comatose state.

This is the hidden secret of the Jewish people’s eternal existence. From the vantage point of their actions, the Jews at that time fell into a deep coma and developed the most corrupt and immoral standards conceivable. They did not demonstrate any inner interest of being with Hashem or any sincerity regarding their service to Him. But Hashem, the heart and pulse of the Jewish nation retained His interest in His people. His love for them is so great that He never gives up on them. And so, when their actions were so corrupt that they didn’t even deserve “the time of day” from Hashem, He didn’t forget His people. He beckoned them to reconcile their ways and informed them that He was prepared to cleanse them from all of their sins. This experience reinforces the fact that Hashem is forever waiting for His people to return. He patiently awaits that glorious moment when all of His people will finally proclaim, “You are our father and we are Your sons!” May this day come speedily in our times.

And now, let’s visit, Midreshet B’erot Bat Ayin – Holistic Torah Study for Women on the Land of Israel the premier Jewish Women’s yeshiva in the world, located in the Judean foothills out side Jerusalem.

The Shabbat of Vision

Haftorat Devarim
Yesha’yahu 1-1:1-27
I feel that Yesha’ahu is speaking straight to us today, to feel remorse for the ruin of our people, and to strengthen our vision in a future of a united thriving Torah community infused with justice, morality and righteousness in the heart of our Holy Land.
A Vision of the Ruin of our People
Rosh Chodesh Av – Yesha’yahu had a vision:

“The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Yehudah and Yerushalayimm, in the days of Uzziahu, Yotam, Achaz, [and] Chezkiyahu, kings of Judah” (Yesha’yahu 1:1). On Rosh Chodesh Av in the sadness of our time, I cry: Yesha’yahu had a vision concerning Gush Katif, and Jerusalem in the days of Rice and Baker, Bibi, and the dormant dog. “Your land is desolate; your cities burnt with fire. As for your land, strangers devour it, in your presence, and it is desolate, as turned over to strangers” (Yesha’yahu 1:7). “Your land is desolate” –The thriving greenhouses, farms, schools, community centers, synagogues and homes of the Gush Katif communities were made into dust and sand by no other than Israeli forces. 9,000 Jews from Gush Katif and northern Shomron were expelled by their brothers. Their homes, communities and trees were uprooted. “Your cities burnt with fire” – Their holy synagogues were burnt down to ashes by life hating Arabs. “As for your land, strangers devour it in your presence” – It was taken over by Hamas to become a stronghold for firing Kassam rockets at the face of Israel. Thousands of rockets began bombarding Israeli towns. Six years after, with my Land in tears, there has still not been “A solution for every settler,” as promised. I cry for my disillusioned sisters and brothers. “From the sole of the foot until the head there is no soundness, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; they have not sprinkled, neither have they been bandaged, nor softened with oil” (Yesha’yahu 1:6). Only 9 percent of the expelled families have completed construction on their permanent homes. Some 85 percent continue to live in temporary makeshift homes, while they wait for their sites to be prepared. “The daughter of Tzion is left like a hut in a vineyard… (Yesha’yahu 1:8). How long will the building freeze last?

How long will they poison the daughters of Tzion with anger, spite, violence, immodesty and hatred?
How did the Daughter of Tzion Sink into Such Deep Mud?
I cry with Yesha’yahu about how low the daughter of Tzion has fallen. Echoed in the Book of Lamentation, “Eicha?”(How?), Yesha’yahu laments the downfall of the Jewish woman. How can it be, that from the people destined to be “A light to the Nations” (Yesha’yahu 42:6), women have succumbed to the worst kind of immorality harlotry and murder? “How has the faithful city become a harlot! Justice and righteousness would lodge in it, but now murderers” (Yesha’yahu 1:21). Six years after, with my Land in tears, where were the outcries, when in June 2010, Tali Atar z”l, 34, was brutally murdered by another woman? Is there anything more unbelievably tragic than an eight month pregnant single mother being stabbed to death by her downstairs neighbor, because she spilled coffee on her laundry? The woman pulled out a knife, striking in the abdomen, neck and chest so severely, that the doctors in Kaplan Hospital could save neither her life nor the life of her unborn baby. Can you imagine a more horrific vision than that of Tali’s three children, 12, 10 and 6 who heard her screams and witnessed the horror of seeing their mother lying in a pool of blood fighting for her life? Who cried in the city of Ashdod, so close to the tragic expulsion six years ago, where Tali Atar died of her massive stab wounds? Police admit that they are astounded that a mother took the life of another mother, one who was eight months pregnant, over a spilled cup of coffee. During the ‘70s, ‘80s & up to the mid-’90s violence was a rarity back then in Israel. Murders were extremely rare, and if one occurred, it got the attention of the whole country for a long time. I remember even as a teenager, violence of the current type was unheard of. Murder and attempted murder in Israel rose from 107 and 90 in 1990 to 134 and 312 in 2007. That means that attempted murder rose 300% while the rate of murder rose “only” 30%. Oy! What has become of us?
From the Depth of the Abyss Hashem Calls Us Back
Once we have hit rock bottom, there is no other way than return. Women are awakening from the abyss of drugs, immodesty, and abuse, returning to the faith of our mothers – every descent leads to a greater ascent. Rabbi Yochanan said, “The son of David comes only to a generation who is either entirely pure or entirely guilty” (Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 98a). Within Yesha’yahu’s horrendous vision, the spark of the greatest hope is kindled. “Come now, and let us reason together, says Hashem, though your sins be like scarlet, they shall be white as snow…” (Yesha’yahu 1:18). Even when the behavior of the Jewish people is truly abhorrent, it only represents the external layers of our heart. From within our inner dimension, our true source of existence, Hashem calls us to return and be cleansed and brightened like glistening snowflakes.

Even when the daughter of Tzion has fallen into the most inconceivable immoral behavior, Hashem – the heart and pulse of the Jewish nation – remains connected to His people. Even when our actions are totally corrupt, Hashem calls us back, and reveals (draws out) the purity of our inner dimension.

Shabbat Chazon – Visualizing our Temple Within
This Shabbat is called Shabbat Chazon – “The Shabbat of Vision.” According to Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, every year, on the Shabbat prior to Tish’ah B’Av, we are shown a vision of our world as a Divine home – a place where all G-d’s creatures will experience His presence. This vision evokes a profound response in us, even if we are not consciously aware of the cause of our sudden inspiration. Even if we do not see, our souls do see. I’d like to encourage all of us to take advantage of this special Shabbat to consciously visualize our own Temple within. I’d like to call on all our readers to take a few minutes, any time during this upcoming Shabbat, to close your eyes and imagine the splendor of the Feminine In-dwelling Presence returning to the world. What colors do you see? What landscapes, people, flowers, sparks of light and shapes comes to mind? What is your vision for yourself, how do you imagine yourself growing in righteous accomplishment? “Tzion shall be redeemed through justice and her returners through tzedaka (righteousness/charity)” (Yesha’yahu 1:27).

And now, let’s close with a bit of insight from Chabad.org

On the Haftarah: The Vision of Isaiah

For the haftarah for Shabbat Chazon,
From the Teachings of the Rebbe

By Rabbi Yitzi Hurwitz

On the Shabbat before Tisha B’Av, called Shabbat Chazon, we read the haftorah that begins with the words: “Chazon Yeshayahu” (vision of Isaiah).

The haftorah ends: “Zion will be redeemed with justice, and its captives, with tzedakah.”

The question is: Who or what is Zion? And who are the captives?

Some simply translate Zion to refer to Jerusalem, and the captives are the Jewish people. Others understand Zion to be the Jewish people. But if so, then who are the captives?

The answer is that Zion refers to Jews who study Torah and do the mitzvahs, and the captives are Jews who are not involved in Torah and mitzvahs. They are called captives because they have surrendered their will to their bodies and their “animal souls.” So-called Zion Jews are redeemed with justice because they earned it. However, the captive Jews are redeemed with tzedakah because they otherwise can’t be redeemed.

We are told that in the end, all Jews will repent and immediately be redeemed. This is an act of kindness, of tzedakah.

As Jews, we know that our bodies can be subjected to exile. Our G‑dly souls, however, cannot.

Even when the soul is sent down to influence the body and the physical world since it is an actual part of G‑d, it is not affected by the dark concealment it experiences. On the contrary, the darkness and the exile cause the soul to bring out hidden strength that had been lying dormant, strengthening its connection with G‑d.

The body, on the other hand, is subject to the harsh conditions and darkness of the exile. G‑d put us in this great darkness so we can transform the darkness into light.

While the soul is strengthened because of the darkness, it doesn’t directly affect the darkness. However, the body, through fulfilling G‑d’s will in the exile, changes the darkness into light. This light is greater than the light of the soul. It is Hashem’s will, His very essence, which is the greatest light possible.

This brings us to yet a third explanation of our verse. Zion refers to our bodies, and v’shaveha (which we had translated as “captives,” but can also mean “returnees”) refers to our souls.

The soul is not subject to the exile. Being in the body, which is in exile, is merely a matter of being in the wrong place. It doesn’t need redemption; all it needs is to return.

The body will be redeemed with justice because it suffered in exile and did the work, and so it rightfully earned its redemption.

The neshamah, which did not suffer in exile, returns as a kindness, a tzedakah. It did influence the body, and so it comes along and receives the greatest revelation through the body: the body’s reward for its physical work in the dark exile, the revelation of G‑d’s essence.

Now we can understand the first words of the haftorah: “Chazon Yeshayahu.” Chazon means the vision, and the name Yeshayahu comes from the word yeshuah, which means “redemption.” Our haftorah is telling us that specifically during times of darkness, which the Three Weeks and Tisha B’Av symbolize, is where you can accomplish the vision of the redemption.

We will experience this great revelation with the coming of Moshiach. May he come soon.

My desire is for you to share this teaching with everyone you know and that you continue to pray that Debra & I remain in strength with good health so that we may continue to serve HaShem through
our service to His people.

Please check out & SHARE Debra’s music
and her weekly podcast, A Story & A Song is now there too
Sunday mornings @ 11:30 ET
is always worth a half hour of spiritual uplifting:
You can find it easily on YouTube:
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Debra has a brand new book on Amazon
that everyone should read & review…
https://a.co/d/aAmG4pH

And please share this teaching with those
whom you suspect could do with a little insight
into G-d’s Word & His Ways…