Yirmiyah 31-36
Perek Summaries:
Perek 31: Prophecy of the redemption and return from exile. Knowledge of HaShem will be widespread, and sins will be forgiven.
Perek 32: Prophecy in the second year of Tzidkiyahu, king of Yehudah. Yirmiyah has been put in jail for his prophecies concerning the downfall of Yerushalayim. HaShem makes Yirmiyah purchase a plot of land to show that one day, HaShem will return the Jewish People to their Land, and they will inhabit the plots of land again.
Perek 33: Another prophecy whilst Yirmiyah is locked up in jail. And again, it concerns the future redemption and return from exile. Future habitation of the Land, and increase of population of the Bnei Yisrael.
Perek 34: A prophecy whilst Nebuchdnezzar has laid siege to Yerushalayim. The prophecy is directed to Tzidkiyahu (the king), and its message is that Yerushalayim will fall to the invading armies. HaShem tells the people to free their slaves (it’s the Shmittah year), and though the people oblige, they then take back their slaves. HaShem is not happy, and tells of the repercussions of the people’s actions.
Perek 35: Yirmiyah is told to try and make Yazniyah drink wine. He refuses, citing loyalty to his father, who told him never to drink wine (amongst other things). HaShem uses this to contrast with the fact that Bnei Yisrael are not listening to their Father in Heaven.
Perek 36: Yirmiyah is told to write down his prophecies in a scroll (this was megillas Eichah; metzudas david 36:23), which he appoints Baruch ben Neriyah to do. The scroll is read in public on the fast day. However, king Yehoyakim is not happy at the prophecies of destruction, and after personally hearing the first four psukim, the scroll is torn up and burnt in front of him, and they do not show any sign of mourning. HaShem tells Yirmiyah to write his prophecies down again, and he makes megillas Eichah larger than before.
DVAR TORAH:
Another shortish one this week. Pasuk 32:42 reads ‘For so says HaShem: ‘just like I brought upon this nation all this tragedy, so too will I bring upon them all this goodness…’ The concept here is brought out by a gemarra (Pesachim 50a). The gemarra says that this world is not like the Next World, for in this world we make separate brachos on good news and bad news, whilst in the Next World there will only be one bracha for both. The point is that HaShem is the source of all good things that happen to us, but He is also the source for the ‘bad things’ that we are dealt with in life. There are many consequences of such a concept, but we will leave you to ponder what they are…
