Rabbi Yitzi’s Parsha Blog: Audio

Temecula Shliach Rabbi Yitzi Hurwitz’s Weekly Parsha Blog is now available in an audio presentation, narrated by Rabbi Sholem Perl of Los Angeles.

May Hashem Bless Reb Yosef Yitzchok Ben Brocho with a speedy recovery!

For Rabbi Yitzi’s weekly Parsha Dvar Torah in audio format, visit YitziHurwitz.blogspot.com.

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This week’s Parsha Dvar Torah

By Rabbi Yitzi Hurwitz

The Haftora for parshas Chayei Sarah, is the beginning of first chapter of the book of Melachim Alef (Kings I). Where it tells us, that “King David became old, he came with his days.” Just like our parsha tells us, that “Avraham became old, he came with his days.” This is the first connection between the Haftora and the parsha. “He came with his days,” means, that all his days were full and accounted for.

How does the rest of the Haftora connect with the parsha?

The Haftora tells us, that when David was at advanced age, his eldest living, extremely handsome and spoiled son, Adoniyahu, sought to claim David’s throne, knowing that his younger brother Shlomo was meant to be king after David.

With the guidance of the prophet Noson, Shlomo’s mother Bas Sheva, went to David and let him know what was happening. David reassured her, reiterating the promise he made earlier, that her son Shlomo would reign after him. She bowed and prostrated before the king and said, “May my master King David live forever!”

Here we find another similarity between the Haftora and the parsha. In the parsha Avraham makes his younger son Yitzchak his sole heir, just as King David made Shlomo, his younger son, the heir to his throne.

However, our parsha continues to tell us of how Avraham gave Yitzchak everything making him his heir in his lifetime. It also tells us what happened after Avraham died, that Hashem blessed Yitzchak, just as He blessed Avraham.

On the other hand, the prevailing custom is to end the Haftora after King David’s promise to Bas Sheva, while the continuing verses tell us how he had Shlomo anointed as king during his lifetime. It also tells us what happened after David died, that Shlomo sat on the throne.

It would make sense to continue reading on, being that the events parallel the events of the parsha so closely. Why don’t we continue?

The law is, that the royal Davidic dynasty is everlasting and must go from David and through Shlomo. Moshiach will be heir to the throne of King David, specifically through Shlomo. So until Shlomo became king the Davidic dynasty was not solidified.

The heirs to Shlomo’s throne were intrinsically royal and did not need to be anointed. Sometimes they would be anointed just to clarify who was king, when there was a dispute and to demonstrate that he alone was king.

The Jewish dynasty started with Avraham, but must go through Yitzchak and his son Yaakov. Everyone who comes from Avraham, through Yitzchak and Yaakov is intrinsically Jewish.

Since the Jewish dynasty would not be solidified until Yaakov comes into the picture, which happens in the next parsha, the Haftora stops before the Davidic dynasty is solidified.

Now we have another reason we read this Haftora. The establishment of the Davidic dynasty is the final solidification of the Jewish nation. Before the Jewish people had a king, they were not unified. It was the appointment of David that unified the Jewish people under one everlasting rulership. So our Haftora is the completion of the events of the parsha.

May the events that began in our parsha and continued in the Haftora, come to the ultimate completion. When our Davidic king, Moshiach, once again ascends the throne. May it happen soon.