This week’s Haftorah is from Yishayahu. It is particularly curious because instead of mirroring the Sedra it stands out in stark contrast to it. The Sedra discusses the bringing of Korbanos to Hashem as a virtuous activity, whereas the Haftorah relates how Hashem didn’t want our Korbanos because we were worshipping Avoda Zara. Why was such a Haftorah picked instead of one relating our Avoda in the Beis Hamikdash? Why was such a negative Haftorah chosen?

The contrast between the two suggests that there is a lesson to be learned here.

It is clear from the Haftorah that Hashem doesn’t want us to offer Korbanos if we also worship Avoda Zara. It is equally clear from the Parsha that Hashem does want us to offer Korbanos and that bringing them is indeed virtuous.

One of the fundamental machlokesim between Chassidus and the Misnagdim is whether one’s intentions or one’s actions are more important. This is something that can be debated back and forth at length. There are, however, instances in which what is more important is clear one way or the other. Sometimes the whole idea is to do something and thoughts alone are not sufficient. Other times action is worthless with the wrong intent. When one offers Korbanos to Hashem the idea is to show complete and utter faithfulness to Hashem. The mechanics and procedures of Avoda Zara may have similarities to Judaism’s, but its essence and substance are starkly different. My father has often explained that whereas Paganism is ‘me-centered’, Judaism is ‘Hashem-centered’ and that Avoda Zara is really the attempt of man to control, or at least to influence nature so as to bend it to his whim. Theoretically one could attempt to do the same to Hashem. Bilam offered Korbanos to Hashem and it was clear that his intention was to try to influence, כביכול, Hashem’s Will.

It would seem that this is the lesson of the jarring contrast between the Parsha and Haftorah. One cannot worship both Avoda Zara and Hashem. Korbanos to Hashem can only be brought if one is doing so as a sign of serving Hashem; if one does so while at the same time serving, הבדילל, Avoda Zara, it is clear that he is not devoted to Hashem but is rather trying to influence nature to be what he sees as best for himself.

What the Prophet Yishayahu is condemning is the propensity to confuse (and substitute) procedure for substance, to delude oneself in thinking that one can do as one pleases and yet fulfill moral obligations and serve Hashem by going through the motions of offering sacrifices.

Perhaps this is what Chazal mean when they say תפילה is עבודה שבלב. When we worship Hashem we can only do so by dedicating ourselves to Hashem.

A very warm Good Shabbos, Rabbi Y. Dov Krakowski