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The Haftarah Project: Bo — Chilling Metaphors

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The Egyptians are the target of a furious Adonai and the violence of the imagery in this chapter of Jeremiah is stunning:

“The sword shall devour, it shall be sated and drunk with their blood.”

“For the sword had devoured all around you.” 

“Their day of disaster is upon them,
The hour of their doom.”

The link to Parashat Bo which encompasses the last three plagues is clear.

What are we to do with these chilling metaphors? We hear this haftarah every year. Do we subconsciously absorb that the annihilation of Mitzrayim is acceptable? Are we to hear these words as an invitation to violence?

Jeremiah is addressing the battle of the Babylonians and the Egyptians at Carchemish in 605 BC. Assyria is no longer a great power and Babylon is emerging as the superpower in the region.  Josiah, King of Judah, who had attempted to restore a kingdom of righteousness and justice had been killed – by the Egyptians – four years previously. His son, Johoiakim, is on the throne as a result of Egyptian intervention.  Jehoiakim has little of his father’s conviction and rules as a lackey of Egypt. It is a turbulent time.

Jeremiah is concerned above all with the survival and safety of the people. From early in his career, he advocates for an accommodation with Babylon.

He can see what the people and their leaders cannot. A section of the elite, following the king, prefer to ally with Egypt. Jeremiah knows what will befall both Egypt and Judah.

In just 19 years (586 BCE), Jeremiah will witness the destruction of the Judean monarchy, the city of Jerusalem and the Temple. And ironically, he goes with the remnant of the people to Egypt.

So the burning passion of Jeremiah’s language stems from what he deems ill-advised decisions and from his fear for the people. He knows that survival lies with Babylon.

While the violence in this chapter is chilling and it seems that the Egyptians are the primary target with Israel getting a pass, in reality, total destruction looms. Israel is not unscathed: “I will not leave you unpunished but I will chastise you in measure.”.

It is only after losing everything and five decades in Babylon that the Jews are permitted to return to Judah.

As we read this Haftarah, what does God’s anger evoke? Does it move us to action or immobilize us? Do we chafe with resentment or are we spurred to action?

Shai Held argues in Judaism Is About Love that God’s anger is the flip side of God’s love. ‘God gets angry because God cares deeply…. A God who is all love and no judgement quickly becomes a god of saccharine sentimentality, but a God who is all judgement and no love is a merciless tyrant.”

Held quotes Heschel: ‘Divine anger signifies the end of indifference … divine anger can be a blessing. It means that somewhere, someone truly cares about the victims.’ 

While the God of mercy and justice may spur us to hesed, perhaps the angry God will shake our indifference? An indifferent God would indeed be terrifying.

Unlike Jeremiah, and like the people, we don’t hear from God and we too must make decisions in the here and now, not knowing the outcome. We ask of the Exodus, would I have remained or would I have stayed? Of the Holocaust, would I have had the courage to protect Jews? Today, do I fight for the innocents? And in Judah of 605 BCE, how do I disobey a king appointed by Egypt?

Jeremiah would probably have driven many of us nuts. He is forever upbraiding the king, the priests, other prophets, and the community. Yet he always displays the courage to confront power.


Editors Note: The reflections from the Haftarah Project represent the thoughts and opinions of the author.