Concepts of Scripture in the Synagogue Service 23preted as fasting from food and drink in addition to other abstentions) and
the cessation of work were maintained as central elements of Yom Kippur
practice. Th e haft arah for Yom Kippur, however, is more surprising. It is
Isaiah 57:14 – 58:14. Th is text is a critique of fasting and penitential rituals
which are not accompanied by a cessation of unjust actions on the part of
the penitents and by active work to alleviate social and economic suff ering
and injustice. Isaiah 58:5 – 9 states,
Is such the fast that I choose, a day to humble oneself? Is it to bow down
the head like a bulrush, and to lie in sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this
a fast, a day acceptable to the lord? Is not this the fast that I choose: to
loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the op-
pressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with
the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the
naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Th en
your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up
quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the lord shall be
your rear guard. Th en you shall call, and the lord will answer; you shall
cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. (Isaiah 58:5 – 9)Th e combination of parashah and haft arah here serves to shape the hear-
er’s experience of both texts and, perhaps as importantly, to articulate a
particular and distinctly rabbinic position regarding eff ective penance and
atonement. On its own, the parashah states that ritual actions will eff ec-
tively cleanse outstanding sins. In their context in Leviticus, the rituals of
the Day of Atonement are presented as self-suffi cient and eff ective. If they
are performed, the shrine will be cleansed of impurity caused by sin, and
the divine presence will be able to remain there. On its own, the Isaiah text
articulates a powerful critique of ritual penance unaccompanied by moral
action and argues that alleviation of oppression and injustice are the eff ec-
tive means to gaining divine favor and protection. In isolation, then, these
two texts off er very diff erent advice for communities seeking to gain divine
favor and protection through acts of penance. However, when combined,
they articulate a perspective that embraces both ritual and moral activity.
Th e centrality of the Torah portion validates the importance of ritual ac-
tion, whereas the inclusion of the haft arah serves to recast the ritual ap-
proach as only a part of eff ective penance. One cannot only practice self-
denial; one also has to work for justice. In addition, the two texts serve
as elements in a theological system of checks and balances. Whereas the