This week’s Haftorah is a Nevuah from Yirmiyahu. Yirmiyahu imparts to Klal-Yisroel an unfortunate Nevuah of klala (curse). It would seem that this is the reason this Haftorah is chosen as our second Parsha (Bechukosai) contains Klala in it as well. There is, however, a striking difference between the Klalos in the Haftorah and those in the Sedra. In the Haftorah the Navi tells us that cursed is a man who puts his faith in Man. The Navi contrasts this as well with the converse: praiseworthy is the man who places his Faith in Hashem… In our Sedra the Torah takes a different approach. The Klala and Brocho in our Sedra seem to depend not so much on a person’s faith but rather on his actions.

Why the discrepancy? Is our fulfillment of Torah and Mitzvos the main element here or is the philosophy behind it more important?

Rashi at the beginning of Parshas Bechukosai points out that there are seven steps a person takes until he ultimately becomes an apikores (a heretic). While Rashi bases his seven steps on the words of the Pessukim it seems as though Rashi is adding a criterion that it isn’t necessary to evoke Divine wrath. The Torah seems to be saying if Am-Yisroel doesn’t do Retzon Hashem then Hashem will plague them with klalos. What does becoming a heretic have to do with anything?

In the Haftorah the Navi focuses on our belief and trust in Hashem. The Navi seems not to be interested with our performance of each and every Mitzvah. Trust in Hashem, however, implies that one who truly has faith in Hashem will understand that he must fully cooperate and fulfill Hashem’s every command. While this is all true the Navi first said that cursed is he who places his faith and fate in hands of Man. The Navi in fact is implying that it is foolish to do so because Man is mere flesh and blood while Hashem is Omnipotent. Following the Navi’s logic, it would seem to be close to impossible to at one and the same time be rational and not fulfill Retzon Hashem.

It would seem that Rashi is therefore compelled to explain that not fulfilling Retzon Hashem must start off with a lack of learning Hashem’s Torah and therefore a lack of understanding the Torah. Rashi is then left with the simple chain reaction that leads to becoming a complete apikores. Rashi is merely illuminating the standard set of reactions that take place in order for someone to really stop keeping Torah and Mitzvos.

In essence the Haftorah is a link in our Parsha: the klala is a result of not fulfilling Retzon Hashem but the only way it is possible to do so is without having faith (Chas VeShalom) in Hashem. Reb Chaim (Brisker) is said to have declared that the Chovas HaleVavos is the Shulchan Aruch of Emuna and Bitachon. Reb Chaim felt it was extremely important to learn and to strengthen one’s faith in Hashem – because without it it is nearly impossible to have any form of Yidishkeit.

A very warm Good Shabbos, Rabbi Y. Dov Krakowski