· The definition of his name is “Hashem will elevate”.
· Born circumcised, to Chilkiya, also a prophet, in 640 B.C.E. about 2650 years ago, on Tishah Be’Av in Anatot, 2 miles north of Jerusalem, in the land of Binyamin.
· Was a Kohen and a descendant of Rachav, the Yericho (Jericho) innkeeper that Yehoshua saved.
· Spoke at childhood, cursing the day he was born. Began prophesying at age 18, continuing for 40 years.
· Lived in Jerusalem. He never married, and had no children.
· Was the head of the Mishmeret Hakohanim (The Guard by the Priests doing work in the Holy Temple). They were the custodians of the Ark of the Lord.
· Known as the Weeping Prophet, for he endured the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash. Symbolically, he wore a wooden yolk around his neck.
· His prophecies took place before, during, and after the destruction of the Bait Hamikdash (Holy Temple). Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon destroyed the Temple. He remained in Jerusalem after its destruction with Gedalyah ben Achikam, the man whom the fast of Gedalyah is named after. Shafan was his scribe. Shafan brought the scroll he found in the Bait Hamikdash to Jeremiah, which was originally written by Moses. It was open to the verse "Hashem will bring you and your elected King to a nation unknown to your fathers." That scared people into changing their ways.
· He was stoned to death after fleeing to Egypt, Alexandria.
· Wrote 3 Books: His own, Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah); Eicha (Lamentations), read on Tishah Be’Av; and Melachim (The Book of Kings). . The time span of the book Jeremiah was 66 years.
Famous phrases: Jeremiah 30:1, “Al tira, avdi Yaakov” “Have no fear, my servant Yaakov” This phrase is the chorus of a poignant song sung at the Melaveh Malka, Farewell to the Shabbat Queen, Meal.
Haftorahman’s Lesson of the week: Both “what goes around comes around
and never forget from where you came from. You are not aloud to take advantage of a Jew’s weaknesses. On the contrary: you must deal with them charitably.
Timeline: This story took place about 2600 years ago.
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