Summary of Haftarat Shabbat Machar Chodesh
The Talmud says that “if the new moon falls on the first day of the week, then the haftarah read on the day before is the passage that beings with the word [of 1 Samuel 20:18} “ Tomorrow in the new moon. That is to say, when Erev Rosh Chodesh falls on a Sabbath, the regular haftarah portion is replaced with the Shabbat Erev Rosh Chodesh reading of 1 Samuel 28:18-42.
This haftarah portion begins with the words machar chodesh, “Tomorrow in the new moon.” The haftarah portion is read on the Sabbath to remind the congregation is the new moon and the beginning of the new month.
The haftarah portion begins in the middle of 1 Samuel 20 and the middle of the story. David is certain that Saul is trying to kill him. Jonathan advises David to hide during the two days of the new moon banquet. Jonathan planned to test Saul’s disposition during the banquet and report back to David. David was to hide behind a certain mound and await Jonathan’s report.
To protect Jonathan from Saul’s wrath and to keep David’s presence secret, they devised a signal. Jonathan was to pretend to be doing some archery practice. He would shoot three arrows and then send his servant to retrieve them. If he called out to his servant, “Behold, the arrows are on this side of you” Behold the arrows are beyond you” (20:12), then David would know that his life was in danger and that he should flee.
All was not well. At the banquet, Saul demanded to know where David was. Jonathan offered a plausible excuse for David’s absence, but Saul responded by accusing Jonathan of collusion with a contender for the throne and by hurling his spear at Jonathan.
The next day Jonathan executed the prearranged signal. Rather than fleeing right away, David lingered briefly for a tearful farewell before becoming a fugitive.
From FFOZ Voice of the Prophets
FFOZ.org