The haftara for Parashat Zakhor deals with two issues: first, the mitzva of wiping out Amalek and our attitude toward it; and second, the personal tragedy of Shaul, king of Israel, and his failure of leadership.
What is the relationship between the dod and the ra'aya after the initial failure? The book answers that the dod did not forget his beloved, nor did he abandon her forever, nor did he even change her status in the wake of what had happened. Great is repentance out of love which draws man near to the Shekhina, and great is God's love and compassion for Israel that bears them for all time.
The haftara “Shuva Yisrael” depicts repentance stemming from trouble and distress, as opposed to “Dirshu Hashem be-himatze’o,” which presents a superior form of repentance. Why, then, is “Shuva Yisrael” read between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur?
