By Rabbi Dovid Sapirman, Dean, Ani Maamin Foundation
The three haftaros we will read in the next weeks are called “tlasa d’puranisa,” the three haftaros of punishment. The last is from the navi Yeshayahu, while the first two are from Yirmiyahu, who prophesied for the 40 years leading up to the destruction of the Bayis Rishon. At a time when Am Yisrael was still an independent and mighty nation, he predicted all that would befall them.
During Yirmiyahu’s very first prophecy, in perek alef, Hashem showed him a vision and asked him to describe it. “I saw a bubbling pot with the smoke coming from the north,” Yirmiyahu answered. Hashem told him that, indeed, the evil that would befall the Jewish people would come from the north. “Behold! I am calling all the families of the northern kingdoms...they will come and each will place his throne by the opening of the gates of Yerushalayim, all around its walls, and by all the cities of Yehuda.”
The “kingdom of the north” was a reference to Bavel. The other royal families allude to its allies, who would assist Nevuchadnetzar in the destruction of Yehuda. This nevuah was given a full forty years before it came true; Nevuchadnetzar would not even appear on the scene for another 21 years.
In perek lamed-tes, Yirmiyahu describes what eventually took place: “In the eleventh year of Tzidkiyahu, all the leaders of Bavel came and sat at the Shaar Hatevech [a central gate]”—exactly as predicted forty years earlier.
Since the Churban, nothing that has befallen us should come as a surprise. In the two sections of tochacha, in Haazinu, in the prophecies of Bilaam, and throughout the words of the nevi’im, we have been forewarned of our destiny. Yet all of it could have been avoided had we internalized the messages Hashem was sending us.
As we enter the period of mourning for our Beis Hamikdash, we bemoan all our tzaros, tzaros that began when we lost Hashem’s favor in the time of the Churban. All He asks of us is to sincerely turn our hearts towards Him, and pledge to live by His commandments, and He will bring about the final redemption.
