The Book of Yirmiyahu brings us into a different era from that of Yeshayahu (a historical introduction from ‘Daat Mikra’, is attachedundefined). Historically, we are situated in the days of Yoshiyahu and his sons, the last kings of Yehuda who ruled during the period of Babylonian subjugation and the destruction of the Temple. Yoshiyahu was a righteous king who initiated a religious revolution, fought idolatry, and removed the high places, while his sons were kings who did what was evil in the eyes of God. One of the challenges throughout the book lies in determining which king and which period of their reign each prophecy should be related to.

A. Yirmiyahu’s designation: In many instances in the Tanakh, a prophet receives a "call to prophecy." Such calls typically follow a common structure, and these elements also appear in Yirmiyahu's call:
1.    The designation of the prophet: "I placed you as a prophet to the nations" (1:5).
2.    The prophet’s resistance: "Please, Lord God, I am not capable of speaking, for I am still only a boy" (1:6).
3.    Rejection of the resistance: "Do not say, ‘I am a boy’" (1:7).
4.    Encouragement for the prophet: "Do not fear them, for I am with you to rescue you, declares the Lord" (1:8).
5.    A symbolic act marking the beginning of the prophet’s mission: "The Lord extended His hand and touched my mouth" (1:9).
In Yirmiyahu’s call, there are unique words of encouragement compared to other prophets, which were particularly necessary given his mission as a young prophet tasked with standing against ministers and kings: "I have made you today a fortress city, an iron column, and walls of bronze against the entire land — against the kings of Yehuda, its princes, its priests, and the people of the land" (1:18). This promise to Yirmiyahu foreshadows the immense challenges he will face throughout the book: the persecutions against him and the attempts on his life, which render Yirmiyahu a tragic figure. He is a prophet who did not want to accept his mission, who feared the consequences, yet was compelled to convey God’s messages sent to him, and paid the price for doing so.

B. "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you": The Rambam in ‘Guide for the Perplexed’ (Moreh Nevukhim) explains that a person must reach a certain level, both spiritually and intellectually, to become a prophet. This raises the question: how was Yirmiyahu chosen as God’s prophet while still in his mother’s womb? Some commentators suggest that God wished to ease Yirmiyahu’s acceptance of his mission by explaining that he was chosen from the womb, allowing him to feel a natural connection to God and to prophecy. Harav Medan offers another explanation: Yirmiyahu was a priest from Anatot — the settlement to which King Shlomo exiled Evyatar the priest (Melakhim I Chapter 2). Evyatar was a descendant of the house of Eli, who served in Shilo, upon whom a prophecy of calamity was decreed, stating that Shilo would be destroyed and Eli’s lineage would cease to serve as priests. It is likely that Yirmiyahu was a descendant of Eli’s house, making him a living testament to the prophecy of destruction concerning Shilo. One of Yirmiyahu’s roles was to demonstrate that the Temple is like Shilo: just as the Tabernacle at Shilo was destroyed, so too would the Temple be destroyed if Israel did not repent (Yirmiyahu 7:12). If you do not believe it is possible: Look at me. This is the meaning of being chosen from the womb — a choice rooted in the lineage of Eli’s house.

C. The Content of the Prophecies: Even in Yirmiyahu’s call, three key themes emerge that will shape the content of his prophecies:
1.    Prophecies concerning the nations ("I placed you as a prophet to the nations"(1:5)).
2.    Prophecies of destruction ("to uproot and tear down, to destroy and to demolish"(1:11)).
3.    Prophecies of consolation ("To build and to plant"(1:11)).
Immediately following his call, Yirmiyahu begins to train in receiving prophecies. He is shown a vision, and God ensures that he understands how to interpret it. These initial visions foreshadow the main themes of the book: the almond branch, symbolizing God’s watchfulness over His words to fulfill them, and the boiling pot, representing the disaster that will come from the north. At this stage, the specific decree of what the northern kingdom will do upon reaching Jerusalem’s gates has not yet been issued. One of Yirmiyahu’s tasks will be to warn the people of Israel, urging them to repent and thereby mitigate the impending calamity.