This Shabbat, the rhythm of the Jewish liturgical year asserts itself once again. It will shape the feeling tone of the community through the High Holy Day season.

Earlier this week, we observed the fast of the 17th of Tamuz. That day begins a three-week period of mourning culminating with the fast of Tisha B'Av. Following Tisha B'Av, we observe seven weeks of consolation. These in turn culminate with Rosh Hashana. During the three weeks of mourning, we refrain from celebrating marriages or attending public entertainment events. The mourning tone is intensified in the nine days between the beginning of the month of Av and the fast day. In contrast, the seven weeks of consolation are marked by the encouragement of public celebrations of all kinds.

The cycle of feelings, then, moves from mourning, to celebration, to heightened self-scrutiny as the High Holy Day season approaches. This mood intensifies during the Ten Days of Repentance between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.

The three Sabbaths between the 17th of Tamuz and Tisha B'Av are known as "the three of rebuke." The seven Sabbaths between Tisha B'Av and Rosh Hashana are known as "the seven of consolation." In both cases, the special haftarot assigned to these 10 Sabbaths have no relationship to the Torah readings but are geared to the mood of the period.

This Shabbat and next, the haftarot are from the book of Jeremiah. The third haftara will be the first chapter of Isaiah. All the haftarot of consolation are taken from Isaiah.

I have often speculated about the thinking that led the talmudic sages to assign a specific haftara to a specific Torah portion. Typically, the haftara reflects some theme in the Torah reading. I have wondered what haftara text I would have assigned had I been part of that conversation. But for the next 10 weeks, our haftarot will abandon the themes of the Torah reading and concentrate instead on the moods of the season.

This Shabbat, Shabbat Pinhas, for example, presents a fascinating case study. There are at least two unusual themes in the parsha that could lead to interesting haftarot. The first is the character of Pinhas himself.

Pinhas is a zealot who slaughters an Israelite man and a Moabite woman because they committed a flagrantly immoral act that profaned God's name. Pinhas' act generated a great deal of controversy. God and the Torah itself seem to approve, but many post-biblical commentators, beginning with the Talmud, do not. Some years, this Torah reading occurs before the 17th of Tamuz, in which case we would read as the haftara a narrative about the prophet Elijah — a perfect choice because Elijah is as much of a zealot as was Pinhas. But we will not read this text this year.

The second theme is the appointment of Joshua, Moses' successor, to lead the people into the Promised Land. This is a particularly poignant account because Moses is being deprived of the opportunity to fulfill his mission. It also deals with larger issues, such as qualifications for positions of communal leadership and succession. To this day, Moses' request that God appoint his successor is recited in my school's ordination ritual for each new class of rabbis. But the sages did not choose a haftara text to echo this theme.

Instead, for our haftara this week, we will read the first chapter of Jeremiah. I look forward each year to this haftara because, of all the major prophets, Jeremiah is the most engaging. We know more about this man's personal life and his feelings about his vocation than of any other of the prophets. This chapter recounts his appointment as prophet. It also reports his reluctance to take this mission and God's promise of support.

It concludes with one of the most moving expressions of God's affection for Israel — despite its record of faithlessness. Quite a reassuring conclusion for a haftara of rebuke.