This week’s Haftorah is the sixth Haftorah of the שבעה דנחמתא. It is a Nevuah in Yishayohu about the Final Redemption. The Haftorah from beginning to end is an extremely positive one and it ends off with an extremely positive note: that all of Am-Yisroel are Tzadikim and will eventually inherit the Land. The Haftorah ends with the promise that Hashem will hasten the Geula. The idea that all of Am-Yisroel are all Tzadikim and that we will all inherit a portion in the land is in a way mindboggling. One might be able to understand that that even ‘hollow’ Jews are full of Mitzvos etc. (aqnd that thus they are tzadikim) Likewise, one could understand that anyone who wants to live in Eretz-Yisroel might merit a portion in it. But how can it be that people who really don’t care to have a portion in Eretz-Yisroel should end up with a portion of it?

Earlier in the Haftorah the Navi envisions the sight of Am-Yisroel coming back in the Final Redemption. The Navi tells us that onlookers will ask: “who are these that are like clouds flying and those who are flying like doves to their nests…?” What is interesting here is the choice of words to represent Shivas Tzion (the Return to Tzion): clouds and doves. While doves can have a planned destination and fly where they wish to fly, clouds don’t. Clouds fly where the wind currents push them. Seemingly, the two are unrelated. Regardless as to whether or not they are related, why were these two examples specifically chosen to illustrate how we will appear to observers when we are on our way home?

As mentioned, a cloud travels in the direction and to where it is blown and a dove flies where it wishes to. The Mei-Menuchos suggests the Haftorah is conveying to us a very succinct message: All Jews will come back to Eretz-Yisroel. There are those who will come back because the currents push them to somehow end up in Eretz Yisroel. There are others, on the other hand, who understand that Eretz-Yisroel is our home and thus make their destination Eretz-Yisroel. There is yet another difference, however, between a dove and a cloud: the dove is active — it enjoys flying back home – while the cloud is passive – it just happens to end up in Eretz-Yisroel

The Haftorah tells us clearly that we will all wind up in Eretz-Yisroel and we will even all end up with a share of the Land. The question remains for us to decide: do we yearn for Eretz-Yisroel and are we are going to enable ourselves to enjoy our journey back home?

A very warm Good Shabbos, Rabbi Y. Dov Krakowski