מחר חודש

Yesterday we started reading the Torah anew with Parshat Bereishet. 

However, the Haftorah reading that followed was not the regular one. Rather, we read a special Haftorah due to the fact that Today is Rosh Chodesh. 

We therefore read the Torah reading from ספר שמואל that’s referred to as מחר חודש — tomorrow is (Rosh) Chodesh. 

In the Haftorah, King Shaul, who represents a corrupted version of service to God, wants to take away the kingship from King David — the rightful servant of יהוה, the proper vessel to express God’s will and message to the world. 

King Shaul has a desire for his rule to last, and he’s consumed by a burning rage to kill David. However, his son Yehonathan doesn’t share his feelings at all. Yehonathan knows that although his father Shaul is in power, the true power and the true kingship belongs to David. 

David does not deserve to die, and the day will come when, with the help of יהוה, David will reign as king forever. 

Yehonathan therefore goes out of his way at great risk to help David and save him from Shauls rage and bloodthirstiness. 

Yehonathan represents משיח בן יוסף who saves כלל ישראל from the rage of the bloodthirsty tyrants. 

Just like יהוה prepared a משיח בן יוסף then, יהוה has one here for us now, and he will save us from our bloodthirsty enemies who think they are doing the work of God. 

We refer to the הפטרה that we read yesterday (after reading Parshat Bereishet) “מחר חודש” and חודש is גימטריה of the words ״יהי אלהים אור״

May יהוה be a light to us through משיח בן יוסף who also represents the אור לגוים may he be strengthened through our prayers and Torah learning, and may we see a speedy redemption. 

כי מלאכיו יצוה לך לשמרך בכל דרכיך יהוה ישמור צאתך ובואך מעתה ועד עולם