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To contact Rabbi Dubov, visit ⁠JewishSussex.com⁠. Our haftarah is taken from the last part of the book of Jeremiah, in which he delivers a number of prophecies concerning Israel’s neighboring nations. The time was one of great upheaval. Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia was conquering one empire after another, soon making his nation the superpower of the time. One of the greatest rival empires to Babylonia was Egypt. In this reading, Jeremiah foresees the defeat of the Egyptian Pharaoh and his nation by the Babylonians. He begins with calling on Egypt to mobilize in preparation for a battle that would take place with Babylonia, some years after the latter would destroy Judea. Egypt would suffer total defeat, her mercenaries sent fleeing to their homelands. The cause for Egypt’s defeat would be by Divine ordinance: G‑d had taken an irrevocable oath that Egypt would fall. (The reason for Egypt’s punishment was because they had promised the Judean kingdom to fight with them against Nebuchadnezzar. When, however, Judea was attacked, Egypt failed to send any help.) Soon, the Egyptians who enjoyed a prosperous life until then would go into exile. Even the aristocrats, indeed the king himself with his powerful army, would not withstand the Babylonian onslaught. Nevertheless, after some time, the state of defeat and subservience to Babylonia would come to an end. At that time the Egyptians would regain some of their power and a semblance of their original sovereignty. Upon seeing this, the Jews could feel hurt: What about us? Why are we failing to return to our original state of glory? To this prophet responds in a reassuring tone: “Have no fear, My servant Jacob.” Although it will take more time, G‑d will never forsake His people, and in the end they will return to their land in peace and security. Even if the Jews would see the total destruction of the empires who took them captive, or major wars between the nations amongst whom they lived, they still should not fear. Yes, they would have to suffer, but they would always survive.