There are no seasonal festivities on the Jewish calendar between Shavuot and Rosh Hashanah. Because of this, Tisha B’Av is by default the major calendrical observance of the Summer months. Beforehand, we build up to it for Three Weeks, beginning on 17 Tammuz; afterward, we pivot from its themes of despair and lowliness to Elul & Tishrei’s more hopeful themes of repentance and rebuilding.
The haftarot assigned to the weeks surrounding Tisha B’av trace this path for us. Each Shabbat in the Three Weeks, we read one of the “Three Haftarot of Punishment,” prophecies of doom and well-deserved downfall that establish the seasonal mood.
As soon as the fast has passed, we move to a sequence of “Seven Haftarot of Comfort,” readings designed to reassure and revivify our spirits after the period of intense mourning. These latter haftarot hold our hand and bring us back from the brink of guilt and doom, shepherding us to the High Holidays and our chance at redemption.
Join us for ten sessions of text study and get more familiar with some of the most beautiful, evocative, and gripping — but also challenging — haftarot of the year.
Videos release each Sunday.
Michael Bernstein is Drisha’s Lead Administrator. Michael’s studies prior to earning his MSW at Wurzweiler School of Social Work focused on peshat-based Biblical interpretation & translation as well as Biblical intertextuality.
In addition to contributing editorial work to publications by scholars including Dr. Malka Z. Simkovich, Dr. James A. Redfield, & Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Zuckier, Michael has published his own scholarship in the area of Karaite law codes, including a critical edition of the definitive work Adderet Eliyahu (updated revision forthcoming in print).
In 2025, Michael earned rabbinical ordination from Yeshiva Pirchei Shoshanim.
Michael lives in Riverdale, Bronx with his wife Dr. Jade Gormady and their two children.
