By Rabbi Binyamin Lifshutz
Valley Village Community Kollel
The connection between this week’s haftorah and parshas vayeishev is plain. In the parsha Yoseph is sold into slavery by his brothers, and the haftorah begins with the navi Amos delivering Hashem’s message of rebuke for the commission of four sins by the Jewish people. The fourth is a reference to that sale, described as the “sale of a righteous one for monetary compensation and a pauper for a pair of shoes.”
However, there may be another, less obvious connection between our parsha and the theme of the haftorah.
Rabbeinu Osher (ro”sh) asks why Yoseph would antagonize his brothers by relating his dreams, knowing the hateful reaction it would elicit. He answers that these were no ordinary dreams. In fact, they were no less than prophetic visions. Yoseph was therefore obligated to share his dreams because a navi who withholds the message which has been revealed to him for the purpose of retelling, is liable to be punished by death.
In the haftorah Hashem says: “I have raised prophets from among your sons… and you instructed the prophets saying do not prophesy.” The haftorah continues by stressing the importance of nevuah and following it’s dictates and ends with a message for the navi on the imperative for him to share his prophecy and not keep it to himself. In light of the words of the ro”sh, this dynamic was manifest in our parsha as well with the prophecy of Yoseph and the refusal of the brothers to accept his revelations.
The haftorah concludes with a dramatic declaration, in line with this theme and with Yoseph’s insistence on sharing his dreams, “A lion has roared, who fears not, Hashem Elokim has spoken, who will not prophesy.” May we merit the return of prophecy speedily in our days.