From Stars to Soldiers: Acknowledging Hashem's Command
(Yeshayahu 40:1- 26)
This week, we continue the series of ten Haftorot that are connected to the time of year rather than a haftorah thematically related to the weekly Parsha. The following seven in the series are known as the Shiva d’Nechemta, the Seven Haftarot of Consolation. This week’s Haftorah is the first of the Haftorot of consolation.
שְׂאוּ־מָר֨וֹם עֵינֵיכֶ֤ם וּרְאוּ֙ מִי־בָרָ֣א אֵ֔לֶּה הַמּוֹצִ֥יא בְמִסְפָּ֖ר צְבָאָ֑ם לְכֻלָּם֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יִקְרָ֔א מֵרֹ֤ב
Lift high your eyes and see: Who created these? He who sends out their host by count, Who calls them each by name: (Yeshayahu 40:26)
Yeshayahu charges us to lift up our eyes in an effort to recognize the vast power of Hashem through the stars. It is not just the vast number of stars that communicates the power of Hashem but rather that He recognizes each star as unique with its own name and identity. The word צְבָאָ֑ם in our Haftorah is derived from the word army or legions. Just as a king has a relationship with his army where each individual soldier is counted and known, so too Hashem knows the number of stars and each one of them by name.
Not only is Hashem’s dominion in the heavens, but He reigns on earth as well. Earlier in Sefer Yeshayahu, the posuk (4:3) describes how angels refer to Hashem as ה’ צְבָקוֹת as we recite in Kedusah, “וְקָרָ֨א זֶ֤ה אֶל־זֶה֙ וְאָמַ֔ר קָד֧וֹשׁ ׀ קָד֛וֹשׁ קָד֖וֹשׁ ה צְבָקוֹת מְלֹ֥א כָל־הָאָ֖רֶץ כְּבוֹדֽוֹ׃,” And one would call to the other, “Holy, holy, holy! The LORD of Hosts! His presence fills all the earth!”
Rav Shimon Schwab in his commentary on Yeshayahu shares that while we use the term “צָבָא” to mean army, the word is actually defined as a large group of people or objects. The term suggests a level of organization and structure. It is not the numbers that define an army but rather its organization, with each soldier having
his or her own role and rank. Having an organized structure under one command is what gives an army its strength. To ensure its success, an army needs to have a unified command, with every person knowing exactly what is expected of them. Without this level of organization, the army cannot function.
In calling Hashem by the name Master of Legions, we, along with the angels, acknowledge that each one of Hashem’s creations has a purpose - both in the heavens and on earth. Each star, each person, every creature has a name and role in recognizing Hashem’s presence in this world. We call Hashem by this name and He calls us His army as seen when we leave Egypt, וַיְהִ֗י בְּעֶ֙צֶם֙ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה יָֽצְא֛וּ כָּל־צִבְקוֹת ה מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃, to the very day, all the ranks of the LORD departed from the land of Egypt (Shemot 12:42). Just as the heavenly stars are known by name and number, we too count and shine in our unique role in our world. We each have the opportunity to serve - and be recognized - by the Master of Legions.