The Deep Meaning Underlying the Haftorah for the Second Day of Pesach By Rabbi Chaim Jachter

5783/2023

Introduction

Most Jews, even otherwise learned Jews, have at best a vague

understanding of how the Haftarah of a particular Shabbat or

Yom Tov adds to the Torah reading or character of the day. The

Haftarah of the second day of Pesach is a good example of this

phenomenon. Most see a story of how Yoshiyahu HaMelech, as

part of his massive Teshuvah movement, organizes a magnificent celebration of Pesach and the Korban Pesach

(Melachim II 23). As the story involves the celebration of

Pesach, we read it on Pesach. However, if one delves more

deeply, one can perceive a far more profound lesson

communicated by Chazal in their selection (Megillah 31a) of

this section of the Tanach as the Haftarah for the second day of

Pesach.

The Purpose of the Haftarah Reading

First, we must understand why Chazal instituted the reading of

Haftarot in general. Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, in a Shiur

delivered at Yeshiva University in May 1979, set forth the

primary purposes of the Haftarah. The most obvious goal is to

enhance the message of the Torah reading or of the holiday

upon which it is read. The second but less obvious point is

expressed by the Brachot we recite on the Haftarah. Rav

Soloveitchik noted that the Brachot indicate that the Haftarah

is intended to reinforce our belief in the coming of Mashiach.

Let us see how the Haftarah of the second day of Pesach fits

both themes.

Farewell to Avodah Zarah

Melachim II 23:1-19 describes Yoshiyahu’s efforts to rid the

land of Avodah Zarah. He removes all articles associated with

Ba’al and Asheirah from the Beit HaMikdash, defiles the various

Avodah Zarah altars found throughout Eretz Yisrael, and,

amongst other actions, kills the idolatrous priests. But why

does he organize a massive Pesach celebration in the wake of

his purge of idolatry? How does the Korban Pesach help him in

his efforts to rid the land of idol worship? The answer seems

fairly obvious, based on the focus of the original Korban Pesach

in Mitzrayim. Slaughtering a lamb, an Egyptian god, is an

expression of our rejection of the Egyptian deity. Yoshiyahu

HaMelech taps into this message and organizes a massive

Korban Pesach observance to reenact the original national

rejection of Avodah Zarah.

Thus, the Haftarah teaches us that in every generation we can

tap into the idea of the Korban Pesach as a rejection of Avodah

Zarah, or any ideology or belief system that is antithetical and

incompatible with the Torah. Yoshiyahu’s Teshuvah from

foreign ideology, so encapsulated by his great Korban Pesach

observance, serves as a model for all Jews to use Pesach as an

opportunity to reaffirm our complete and uncompromised

commitment to Torah practice and Torah ideology.

The Second Day of Yom Tov

We suggest that this Haftarah is especially appropriate for the

second day of Yom Tov because the second day of Yom Tov, Yom

Tov Sheni, is only celebrated outside of Eretz Yisrael. Outside

the friendly confines of our homeland, we are more vulnerable

and susceptible to foreign influence, as we were in Mitzrayim.

Outside of Eretz Yisrael is where we especially need to stress

this message of Pesach as an opportunity to express our full

allegiance to Hashem and His Torah, and to rid ourselves of

foreign influence.

Reunification of Am Yisrael

Yoshiyahu’s special Korban Pesach observance also celebrates

the reunification of the Jews of the Northern and Southern

Kingdoms. After the death of the last powerful Assyrian

emperor Ashurbanipal in 627 BCE, the Assyrian empire began

to crumble. As far as Eretz Yisrael is concerned, this meant the

freeing of northern Israel from Assyrian control. Yoshiyahu

HaMelech, as is clear from our Perek, steps in and retakes

control of northern Israel, as Rashi notes to Melachim II 23:22.

This is apparent from his ridding Eretz Yisrael of Avodah Zarah

and Bamot in Beit El and the Shomeron areas, which were

previously controlled by Malchut Yisrael and then by the

Assyrians.

The Korban Pesach in Mitzrayim also represents our

solidification as a nation as we prepare to leave Mitzrayim.

Tosafot (Brachot 14a s.v. Yamim) state that we are fully united

as a community only when we gather as a nation to offer the

Korban Pesach on the fourteenth of Nissan.

The Korban Pesach of Yoshiyahu accordingly celebrates the

reunification of the southern Bnei Yisrael with the remnants of

Bnei Yisrael in the north. Our reading of this story as the

Haftarah on the second day of Pesach can serve to bind Jews

outside of Israel together, who otherwise are not naturally

bound together as Jews are in Eretz Yisrael by a common land

and state.

TABC Talmid Eitan Barenholtz adds that Yoshiyahu’s

HaMelech’s Korban Pesach fits perfectly with the theme of

Yetziat Mitzrayim due to the end of Assyrian domination of

Eretz Yisrael. Eitan notes that Yoshiyahu HaMelech’s Korban

Pesach is a celebration of “Yetziat Ashur” after many decades of

subjugation. The obvious parallel to Yetziat Mitzrayim is makes

the story of Yoshiyahu HaMelech’s Korban Pesach a perfect

choice for the Haftorah for the second day of Pesach.

Reinforcing Belief in the Arrival of Mashi’ach

Although Yoshiyahu HaMelech’s unification of Am Yisrael lasted

only thirteen very short years, nonetheless it foreshadows a

great future event for Am Yisrael. Yoshiyahu HaMelech, a

descendent of David HaMelech, reunited Jews who had been

separated for hundreds of years with an extremely large-scale

Korban Pesach offering. This event foreshadows the future

where a descendent of Yoshiyahu HaMelech (and David

HaMelech), namely the Melech HaMashi’ach, will reunite

members of Am Yisrael separated for thousands of years in the

offering of an even larger-scale Korban Pesach in the Beit

HaMikdash. Reading the Haftarah describing Yoshiyahu’s great

Korban Pesach reunion we should trigger us to imagine our

attending this joyous event. This imagination, in turn, gives us

a glimpse of the magnitude of joy of that momentous future

occasion when the Mashiach will reunite us in the bringing of

the Korban Pesach in the rebuilt Beit HaMikdash.

Thus, we see how the Haftarah of the second day of Pesach

furthers the themes of Pesach and reinforces our belief in the

arrival of the Mashiach.

The Haftarah of the First Day of Pesach – A Contrast

The Haftarah of the second day of Pesach contrasts

dramatically with the Haftarah of the first day of Pesach. The

latter reminds us of the Korban Pesach the Bnei Yisrael offer

when they enter Eretz Yisrael under Yehoshua’s leadership.

This “Eretz Yisrael-worthy” generation is untainted by the sin

of Avodah Zarah. Thus, their Korban Pesach is an expression of

national solidification, and not of rejection of Avodah Zarah.

Indeed, the Gemara (Sanhedrin 43b-44a) stresses how our

national identity and responsibility for one another was

enhanced by our entry into Eretz Yisrael. Thus, upon our entry

into the land, the Korban Pesach takes on a special significance.

It is no coincidence that the Bnei Yisrael enter the land just in

time to offer the Korban Pesach. It is also not a coincidence that

this Haftarah is the Haftarah for the first day of Pesach, which is

also read in Eretz Yisrael. The message of Yoshiyahu’s Korban

Pesach, by contrast, is more relevant for Jews who

unfortunately reside outside of Eretz Yisrael, and is thus

reserved for the second day of Pesach.

In addition, entering Eretz Yisrael and very soon afterwards

offering the Korban Pesach is incredibly appropriate since

arriving in Eretz Yisrael constitutes the culmination of Yetziat

Mitzrayim. The beginning of Parashat Va’era records the

process of Ge’ula, V’Hotzeiti, V’Hatzalti, V’Ga’alti, V’Lakachti,

and finally V’Heiveiti Etchem El HaAretz, I will bring you into

the land.

The Haftarot of the two days of Pesach reflect the celebrated

dispute that rages between Rav and Shmuel in Pesachim 116a.

The Mishna (ad. loc.) teaches that the structure of the Maggid

portion of the Seder is Matchil BeGnut Umesayeim B’Shevach

(begin with denigration and conclude with praise). Rav argues

that we begin with Avadim HaYinu (we were slaves) and ends

with VaYotzi’einu Hashem MiMitzrayim, Hashem took us from

Mitzrayim. Shmuel argues that we begin with our spiritual

degradation, that we were idolaters at first but now Hashem

has welcomed us to His service.

Rav focuses on the physical redemption whereas Shmeul

focuses on the spiritual redemption. We, of course, satisfy both

opinions at our Sedarim. The Haftarot of the first two days of

Pesach, we believe, also reflect the views of Rav and Shmuel.

On the first day we read of the completion of Yetziat Mitzrayim,

our arrival in Eretz Yisra’el and offering a Korban Pesach. This

Haftarah fits more with Rav’s opinion. In the Haftorah second

day, we place the emphasis on the spiritual redemption from

foreign influences. This Haftarah, in turn, fits with Shmuel’s

view.

Conclusion

We hope to have demonstrated that profound messages are

broadcasted by the Haftarah selection for the second (and first)

day of Pesach. May Hashem grant us the wisdom to properly

focus on all of the Haftarot, and to glean the vital lessons

imparted during these precious readings.

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