Vayetze

Overview

Hosea was one of the prophets who lived at the time of the looming destruction of the northern state of Israel, which comprised ten of the twelve tribes. (He refers to the state as “Ephraim,” for its first ruler, Jeroboam ben Nebat, was from that tribe.) Hosea was the first of four prophets who warned of the eventual exile in similar terms, the others being Isaiah, Amos and Micah.

The beginning of the haftarah seems to be directed to the people as a whole. Although the people were very hesitant about mending their ways, G‑d still would not, nay could not, totally destroy them…