Bookends to the Jews’ First Experience with Statehood

Tomorrow, synagogues across the world will read the opening chapters of the book of Exodus, but will follow it with different supplemental readings from the Prophets. Ashkenazim will read a passage from Isaiah, condemning sin but also promising redemption. For their part, Sephardim will read the opening chapter of Jeremiah, which begins thus:

The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiyahu
Of the priests at Anatot in the land of Benjamin
Whom the Lord spoke to in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judea,
In the thirteenth year of his reign.
And also in the days of Joachim son of Josiah, king of Judea
Until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judea,
When Jerusalem was exiled, in the fifth month.

This introduction sets out the character and even the plot of the book of Jeremiah: it is a catalogue of people who did not listen to this prophet, with the end result being the exile of the entire community from Jerusalem. If other prophets have their highs and lows, Jeremiah has been appointed to preside over a funeral procession.