New Year resolution 5780: Final preparation for the Royal Wedding
The context of Haftarah Bereisheet indicates a Covenant relationship (Brit) with the Creator. The Divine declaration of this Haftarah claims the ‘Messenger of HaShem’ to be representing (thus being part of) that Brit. And logically, the Call should therefore be to a de-covenanted People to become part of or be restored to that Covenant. The question now arises whether this ‘Messenger’ refers to a de-covenanted Judah (who has never yet been de-covenanted by the God of Israel) or to the House of Israel (which has indeed been de-covenanted when the Kingdom of Israel split in two in the Time of Solomon’s rule). Or, does it refer to ‘someone’ else, like the Prophet Isaiah who is addressed in this Haftarah, or the ‘Messiah’ (as Christians would claim)?