Chukat | In Each Generation ... (Shoftim 11:1-33)

The connection between the parasha and the haftora is obvious: Yiftach describes to the king of Ammon the history of how Bnei Yisrael conquered the land of King Sichon, including those portions which Sichon had conquered from Ammon, and that same conquest is described in our parasha.

Aside from the actual mention of the events narrated in the parasha, there is something common to the actions of Yiftach and those of Moshe, and it seems that Moshe truly served as Yiftach's model with regard to first offering peace. Twice in the parasha we find that Moshe sends a message of peace; first to the king of Edom (20:14-19) and then to Sichon (21:21-22). Yiftach adopts the same approach, offering peace to the king of Ammon.

We also find that there is something common to the content and intention of their words. Just as Moshe gives the king of Edom a brief lesson in Jewish history, so Yiftach presents an account of the conquest of the land of Ammon.

b. They are for war

But the peaceful overtures are not appreciated by the neighboring monarchs – "Though I speak, they are for war." Both in the parasha and in the haftora we read of war, of victories and conquests by Bnei Yisrael.

In his war Yiftach adopts an Israelite strategy apparently learned from the parasha. Just as Israel had made a vow in the war against the Cana'ani who dwelled in the Negev – "And Israel vowed a vow to Hashem and said, If You will give this nation into our hands, then we will completely destroy their cities" (Bemidbar 21:3). As he enters battle, Yiftach similarly makes a vow: "And Yiftach made a vow to Hashem and said, If You will give the children of Ammon into my hand, then whatever comes out of the door of my house towards me when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, it will be devoted to Hashem..." (Shoftim 11:30-31).

But the possibility of giving in never occurs either to Yiftach or to Bnei Yisrael. Although Bnei Yisrael never intended at the time to conquer the territory of Sichon, and if he had allowed them to pass through his land then it would not in fact have been conquered, nevertheless once he came to wage war against them and his land was conquered, as part of a defensive battle on the part of Israel (see Bemidbar 21:23), they held on to it and it became part of their inheritance: "All that Hashem our God has given before us, we shall possess" (Shoftim 11:24). Attention should be paid to the fact that this refers not to the "inheritance of Hashem" – the western part of Eretz Yisrael – but rather to the eastern side, which has a lesser level of sanctity. Moreover, in contrast with the war against Sichon in the parasha, where victory was promised in advance to Moshe, we find no Divine promises to Yiftach, but still no-one – neither Yiftach himself nor the elders of Gilad nor anyone from the nation – entertains for even a moment the possibility of relinquishing and returning the territories to Ammon, who clearly once ruled those territories, even if the unavoidable alternative is war.

d. Yiftach in his generation like Shmuel in his generation

Another thought may have prompted the choice of this haftora. Last week the haftora dealt with the question of the kingship against the background of Shmuel's leadership. Now we are introduced to the leadership of Yiftach. There is, clearly, an enormous difference between these two personalities. On the one hand there is Shmuel, who is compared to Moshe and Aharon, and on the other hand Yiftach – so superficial in comparison. Nevertheless, "Yiftach was for his generation like Shmuel was for his – to teach us that even the most unworthy individual who comes to be appointed as leader of the nation is considered as the mightiest of the mighty" (Rosh Hashana 25b).

Translated by Kaeren Fish