[Par-reg] Haazinu - three mini-shiurim
Menachem Leibtag
tsc at bezeqint.net
Tue Oct 11 15:18:01 EDT 2005
*************************************************************
THE TANACH STUDY CENTER [http://www.tanach.org]
In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag
Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem Leibtag
*************************************************************
for PARSHAT HA'AZINU - 3 mini- shiurim
Shiur #1 - MOSHE RABEINU'S LAST DAY
Parshat Vayelech opens with Moshe's farewell to Bnei
Yisrael, in which he informs them that he will soon die and
reassures them that Yehoshua will take over and fulfill what
God had promised (see 31:1-6). The opening pasuk of the parsha
baffled the commentators:
"Va'yelech Moshe - and Moshe WENT, and spoke these things to
Bnei Yisrael..." (31:1)
Where did Moshe go? Where was he coming from?
Most commentators suggest that for his final farewell,
Moshe left his own tent and 'went' from tribe to tribe to
comfort each shevet individually. [See Ramban, Chizkuni, & Ibn
Ezra.]
Ibn Ezra adds a very interesting insight to this
interpretation. He understands that while Moshe visited each
shevet to bid farewell, he gave each tribe their individual
blessing, i.e. the blessing recorded later in Parshat V'zot
Ha'bracha (33:1-29). [See Ibn Ezra on 31:1 inside!]
If Ibn Ezra is correct, then SHIRAT HA'AZINU becomes
the final message of Chumash! This interpretation is supported
by the final psukim of Parshat Ha'azinu, where God commands
Moshe to ascend Har Nevo to die (see 32:48-52), which,
chronologically, must be the last narrative of Chumash.
[See also Ramban on 31:24-26. Even though Ramban disagrees
with Ibn Ezra with regard to the actual sequence of events,
V'ZOT HABRACHA is still not Moshe's final message to Bnei
Yisrael. It is merely his final blessing. The closing 'charge
to Am Yisrael' of Chumash is definitely Shirat Ha'azinu, even
though Moshe may have administered his blessings to the tribes
later on that day.]
This observation can provide us with a better
appreciation of the final events of Sefer Devarim. After
Moshe Rabeinu completed his speeches [i.e. the main speech of
mitzvot/ chapters 5->26, and the "tochacha"/ chapters.27->30],
Chumash concludes with two mitzvot that guarantee the
continuity of Am Yisrael.
1) HAKHEL (31:7-13)
2) SHIRAT HA'AZINU (31:14->32:47)
[Note that both these sections include the writing of the
Torah, see 31:9 & 31:24-26!]
Let's explain:
After introducing Yehoshua as his successor (31:1-8),
Moshe gives the written Torah to the KOHANIM and the elders
(31:9), charging them with the responsibility of continuing
what Moshe had begun - i.e. teaching this Torah to the entire
nation. As we explained in last week's shiur, the mitzvah of
HAKHEL is added in order to 'relive' the SINAI experience
every seven years.
Note the conclusion of this unit:
"And the children, who do not yet know, will listen and learn
to fear God all the days that you LIVE on THE LAND THAT YOU
ARE NOW CROSSING THE JORDAN TO INHERIT." (31:13)
A similar conclusion closes SHIRAT HA'AZINU:
"For this is not an empty thing, for it is your life, and by
keeping this, you will LIVE many years on THE LAND THAT YOU
ARE NOW CROSSING THE JORDAN TO INHERIT." (See 32:47 and its
context.)
Certainly, the teaching of the Torah guarantees the
continuity of Am Yisrael; but wherein lies the importance of
SHIRAT HA'AZINU?
As we explained in Sefer Breishit, God has set a goal
for the Jewish people: to become a nation that abides by His
Torah and represents Him by serving as His chosen nation. This
stature of a special nation entails not only privileges, but,
even more so, responsibility. Therefore, to assure that Bnei
Yisrael will keep His laws, it becomes necessary to punish
them should they disobey and not fulfill that destiny. [That's
what the "tochacha" is all about.]
The fact that God's covenant with Bnei Yisrael
necessarily includes divine punishment creates an intriguing
predicament. Specifically because of our status as His special
nation, our plight becomes worse than other nations (see Amos
3:1-2!). When misunderstood, this can lead to a very dangerous
conclusion. Instead of understanding punishment as a divine
call for "teshuva," Am Yisrael may perceive it as proof that
they are no longer chosen, and hence no longer bound by God's
covenant. When things go bad, they will blame God rather than
themselves. For example:
"The ROCK (the Lord)- His deeds are perfect, His ways are
just, a faithful God, never false, He is true and upright,
[but] SHICHET LO, LOA BANAV MUMAM... - Do you attribute the
bad to Him? No! It is His children who are at fault, a crooked
and perverse generation. Do you blame God for this, o dull and
witless people? Is not He the Father who created you? He made
you and fashioned you!" (loose translation of 32:4-6).
As SHIRAT HA'AZINU continues, God predicts the
inevitable outcome of Bnei Yisrael's settlement in the land.
They will become affluent and forget Him (see 32:15). He, in
turn, will punish them or hide His face from them, but they
will fail to recognize the reason behind their punishment (see
32:16-26). That is why we need the SHIRA. SHIRAT HAAZINU
reminds us not only of God, but also of WHY we are chosen,
that our stature and accompanying responsibilities remain
applicable even when our situation is far from ideal. "ZCHOR
Y'MOT OLAM..." - Remember, learn from your history... (see
32:7-13). God tells us how to relate to Him in trying times.
If we remember WHY we were chosen, for WHAT PURPOSE, then we
will understand why we have been punished. Hopefully, those
thoughts will steer Am Yisrael back onto the proper path.
Finally, even should we not repent, ultimately God
will redeem us (see 32:27-29), but once again, only so that we
recognize our purpose. If not, then the awful process of
punishment will start all over again.
This is how SHIRAT HA'AZINU guarantees the continuity
of Am Yisrael. It is an eternal cry not only for TESHUVA, but
also for the recognition of our purpose, and hence, it reminds
us of the reason for both our reward and our punishment.
==========
Shiur #2: THE FIVE SONGS IN TANACH
"Shirat Ha'azinu" is one of five 'songs' found in the
Tanach. We begin this section by demonstrating that each song
marks the end of an important time period. As we will see,
this analysis can greatly enhance our appreciation of "Shirat
Ha'azinu."
THE FIVE 'SONGS'
For the purpose of this shiur, a 'song' is defined as
a parsha in Tanach written on the Torah scroll in a special
pattern.
Two songs, Ha'azinu and Yehoshua, exhibit the pattern
of:
-- --
-- --
-- -- (pattern A)
Three others: ha'Yam, Devorah, & David, exhibit the pattern
of:
-- --
--
-- --
--
-- -- (pattern B)
The following table summarizes these five songs and
the respective time period that each one concludes:
SOURCE SONG TIME PERIOD
====== ==== ===========
Shmot 15:1 19 "Shirat ha'Yam" Yetziat Mitzraim (the
Exodus)
Devarim 32:1 43 "Shirat Ha'azinu" Bnei Yisrael in the
desert
Yehoshua 12:1 24 "Shirat Yehoshua" Defeat of the 31 kings
Shoftim 5:1 31 "Shirat Devorah" Complete conquest of
north
Shm.II 22:1 51 "Shirat David" Establishing
the Monarchy
Although all five songs mark the conclusion of certain
time periods, it appears that the songs following pattern A,
i.e. Shirat Ha'azinu and Yehoshua, mark the end of historical
periods which fell short of their original expectations. On
the other hand, the songs following pattern B - Shirat ha'Yam,
Devorah, & David - relate to more ideal situations.
One could suggest that the structure of these two
patterns reflects this distinction: 'pattern B' reflects a
'stable' existence, while 'pattern A' symbolizes a more
'shaky' reality.
YEHOSHUA IN CONTRAST TO DEVORAH
Even though Yehoshua conquered the entire land, his
conquest was far from complete. The simplest proof is the
psukim immediately following this "shira":
"And Yehoshua had become old, and God said to him, you have
grown old, but there is MUCH MORE LAND which needs to be
conquered"
(See Yehoshua 13:1 5. See also
18:1 3,23:1 16).
Even though the tribes of Yehuda and Yosef were
successful in their conquest, the remaining tribes who were to
settle in Eretz Canaan (see Yehoshua 18:1-6) had not captured
their respective areas.
The primary area not conquered at that time centered
around EMEK YIZRAEL (the Jezreel Valley), which sat on the
major trade route from Egypt to Mesopotamia. It was not until
the time of Devorah that the area was finally conquered,
through the joint effort of the surrounding tribes. In the war
of Barak and Devorah in Emek Yizrael, Israel's enemies in the
north were defeated, thus geographically uniting the twelve
tribes.
This explains the importance of SHIRAT DEVORAH and why
it is written according to pattern B.
Later, during the time of the Judges, Israel lost
control of this area. Only during the period of David did this
area come back under Jewish control. David expanded his sphere
of occupation to the north, east, and south, thus creating a
political environment characterized by a stable monarchy and
secure borders. His song - SHIRAT DAVID - also follows pattern
B, as it thanks God for His assistance in achieving the most
complete conquest of Eretz Canaan.
SHIRAT HA'YAM AND SHIRAT HA'AZINU
We now turn our focus to the distinction between the
two 'songs' found in Chumash - Shirat Ha'Yam and Shirat
Ha'azinu.
Shirat Ha'Yam marks not only the completion of the
Exodus, but also our total independence from Egypt. Recall
that Bnei Yisrael were granted permission to leave Egypt just
for a few days in order to worship their God in the desert
(see Shmot 12:31-2). Therefore, when Pharaoh drove them from
his land after "makat b'chorot," he expected them to return
after just a few days. Thus, only after "kriyat Yam Suf" did
Bnei Yisrael achieve TOTAL freedom.
Hence, Shirat Ha'Yam marks the conclusion of the first
stage of the redemption process, as promised in Brit Bein
Ha'btarim (see Breishit 15:13-20).
The generation of the desert, after receiving the
Torah, should have conquered the Land within the first year.
Had this come true, i.e. had Bnei Yisrael not sinned, then the
next "shira" should have been the idyllic one - that of the
conquest of the Promised Land with Moshe as their leader.
Instead, that generation and the next consistently angered
Hashem. Forty years later, as Bnei Yisrael finally prepare to
enter the Land, their situation remained far from the ideal.
Therefore, the ideal "shira" that should have been sung is now
'replaced' with a more 'realistic' one - "Shirat Ha'azinu,"
tailored to God's pessimistic forecast of what will happen
after Bnei Yisrael enter the Land.
We can now better understand the psukim towards the
end of Parshat Va'yelech which introduce this "Shira":
"...God told Moshe, you will soon die, and this Nation will go
astray after the foreign gods in their midst, in the land that
they are about to enter. They will forsake Me and break My
covenant that I made with them.
Then My anger will flare up at them, and I will
abandon them ('hester panim')... then they shall say: 'Surely,
it is because God is not in our midst that these evils have
befallen us'...
Therefore, write down this 'shira' and teach it to the
people... in order that this 'shira' may be My witness against
the Nation, when I bring them into the Land.... For I know the
very nature of this people (the way they will act) even before
I bring them into the Land..."
(Devarim 31:16 21)
Moshe later repeats this pessimistic prognosis to the
people, prior to teaching them this song:
"[Moshe charged the Leviim, saying... ] Gather for me all the
leaders, and I will speak to them these words... For I know
that after I die you will act wickedly and leave the path
which I have commanded you. Misfortune will thus befall you in
later generations, because your evil actions will anger God.
Moshe then recited this "shira" to the entire congregation..."
(See Devarim 31:28 30)
Thus, the period of the 'forty years in the desert'
ends on a very tragic note. It appears inevitable that Bnei
Yisrael will fail to meet the challenge of establishing God's
model nation in the Land. Despite this bleak forecast, "Shirat
Ha'azinu" remains as an eternal reminder for Bnei Yisrael that
the time will ultimately come, should they perform proper
teshuva, when a new song will be sung ["v'nomar l'fanav SHIRA
CHADASHA..."], a song of praise and recognition of God as the
source of our victory, a song similar to "shirat David."
================
Shiur #3 - The witnesses - 'SHAMAYIM VA'ARETZ'
In its preface, "shirat Ha'azinu" calls upon shamayim
va-aretz ['heaven & earth'] to bear witness. On the one hand,
the very mention of this 'Biblical duo' beautifully ties
together the end of Sefer Devarim with the very beginning of
Sefer Breishit.
In the following shiur, we discuss how the mention of
"shamayim v'aretz" may also relate to a very interesting
relationship between this song and a very basic theme of
Chumash.
INTRODUCTION
Already in the introduction to shirat Ha'azinu (back
in Parshat Vayelech), we find the mention 'shamayim va-aretz',
as Moshe calls upon them to serve witness:
"Gather to Me all the elders of your tribes that I may speak
these words to them, and that I may call shamayim va-aretz to
testify..." (see 31:28-29 / note also 30:19).
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that we find
their mention at the very beginning of the song:
"Ha'azinu ha-shamayim va-adabera, ve-tishma ha-aretz imrei
fi." - Listen heaven, and I will speak, and the aretz should
hear the words of my mouth (see 32:1).
But why are specifically 'heaven and earth' summoned
as witnesses? Although the answer may seem obvious at first,
as we will see, there may be far more here than first meets
the eye.
RASHI'S APPROACH
Rashi quotes the two classic answers, based on two
Midrashim (Sifrei 306 and Tanchuma 1):
1) An eternal witness:
Heaven and earth exist forever and can thus serve as eternal
witnesses. Whereas Moshe himself is mortal, he must summon
the everlasting forces of nature as his witnesses. (See also
Ibn Ezra.)
2) An agent of enforcement:
As explained in Devarim 11:13-17, 'heaven and earth' will
reward Bnei Yisrael with adequate rainfall and plenty should
they follow God's covenant, and punish them with drought
should they disobey. (See also Rashbam.)
In truth, these two answers are not mutually
exclusive. They provide a 'double reason' for God's choice of
"shamayim va-aretz": not only do they provide eternal
testimony, but they also help enforce the covenant.
Nevertheless, according to other commentators, these
reasons alone do not suffice. We will now note how both
Ramban and Ibn Ezra provide additional comments on this pasuk
that point us back to Sefer Breishit.
BACK TO BREISHIT
Ramban begins his commentary by agreeing with the
first reason brought down by Rashi [i.e. everlasting
witnesses], and even offers additional proof from a similar
incident - where Yehoshua designates a stone as an eternal
witness to a covenant (see Yehoshua 24:25-28). However,
afterward he adds a very interesting comment:
"... these are the original shamayim and aretz that are first
mentioned in Breishit. Since they are entering into a
covenant with Israel, they are told to listen..." (Ramban
32:1)
[Note how Ramban refers to this approach as 'al derech
ha-emet' [lit. 'by way of the truth'], as opposed to his
assessment of his first peirush, as 'al derech ha-pshat' [lit.
'by way of the simple meaning of the text']. We find this
expression al derech ha-emet- quite often throughout the
Ramban's commentary, usually when he hints to a much deeper
reason for why the Torah chooses a specific phrase, one which
relates to a more general theme in Chumash. (See Ramban's
introduction to Chumash.)]
Here we find that Ramban 'hints' to a thematic
connection between shirat Ha'azinu and Bereishit, even though
he does not explain the reason or significance behind this
relationship.
Though somewhat obscure, a connection between Ha'azinu
and the beginning of Chumash appears in the comments of Ibn
Ezra, as well. First, he quotes Rav Sa'adia Gaon's suggestion
that shamayim refers to the 'angels in heaven' and aretz to
'men on earth.' He then continues:
"... or the testimony [refers to] the rain that will come from
heaven, and earth that will give [the earth's] produce. But
what seems most correct to me is that they both exist forever
[reason (1) above], and I have earlier alluded to the fact
that the neshama (of man) is in the middle - between above and
below..." (see Ibn Ezra 32:1).
What exactly Ibn Ezra has in mind is far from clear.
However, it appears to be an allusion to his lengthy
commentary on Breishit 1:26, where he explains the meaning of
God's creation of man 'be-tzelem Elokim'.
Following this 'lead' alluded to by both Ibn Ezra and
Ramban, we will explore a possible thematic connection (on a
'pshat level') between the shamayim va-aretz in the first
pasuk of shirat Ha'azinu and the shamayim va-aretz in the
first pasuk of Chumash.
A 'PROSECUTOR' OR A 'REMINDER'?
As we explained earlier, both explanations quoted by
Rashi personify shamayim and aretz, treating them as actual
witnesses who will enforce the covenant. This understanding
implies that the purpose of this summons to shamayim va-aretz
is to frighten Bnei Yisrael, so that they realize that
'someone' is always there watching should they break the
covenant.
However, one could suggest a different function of
shamayim va-aretz, based on an earlier instance in Sefer
Devarim, where Moshe Rabbeinu summoned shamayim va-aretz to
witness his final charge to Bnei Yisrael at the conclusion of
his 'finale' speech:
"I call upon the shamayim and the aretz as witnesses today,
for I am presenting the choice between life and death - the
blessing or the curse - and you should choose life..." (see
30:19 & its context).
Commenting on this pasuk, Rashi offers a beautiful
explanation. After first identifying their function as
'eternal witnesses,' Rashi then cites a different explanation,
based on the Midrash:
"Hashem tells Bnei Yisrael: look at the shamayim that I
created to serve you - do they ever change from their regular
pattern? Look at the aretz that I created to serve you..."
According to this second interpretation, the shamayim
and aretz are not personified; they take no active role.
Instead, the pasuk calls upon Am Yisrael, to act! They must
look at and contemplate the shamayim va-aretz, who now serve
as a constant reminders to man, and thereby help him find
purpose in God's creation.
In other words, God's selection of shamayim and aretz
to witness the covenant is not in order to 'scare' us, but
rather to 'teach' us that just as there is a purpose for God's
creation of heaven and earth, so too there is a purpose for
His covenant with Am Yisrael.
[See also Ramban on Breishit 6:18, in his peirush of the word
"brit", where he adds al derech ha-emet that brit is connected
to 'briya'. In other words, God's covenant with Noach
directly relates to the very purpose of His Creation.]
This Midrash raises the fundamental question
concerning the conclusions that man should reach when he
contemplates the very existence of 'heaven and earth'? What
does man see in nature - pure coincidence? Or possibly the
work of many gods (with a delicate balance between their
conflicting powers)? Are these 'forces' beyond human
comprehension, or does man perceive an organized universe
created by One God - for a definite purpose?
It is precisely this question that the first two
chapters of Sefer Breishit attempt to answer. They teach us
that what we perceive as nature - i.e. shamayim va-aretz and
all their hosts (see 1:1, 2:1 & 2:4) - is a willful act of
God. Man, the pinnacle of God's creation, was charged to both
serve God (see 2:15) and to rule over nature (see 1:28).
At the same time, however, it is precisely shamayim
va-aretz that may cause man to arrive at the exact opposite
conclusion. He may indeed perceive Creation as an act of God,
but the vast abyss separating shamayim and aretz seems too
wide to bridge. Indeed, God is in heaven - but man remains on
earth, with no means by which to connect to the heavens. God
may exist, but there may be no 'hashgacha' [divine
providence]. Even though man may perceive and recognize
divine Creation, he can still question how that Creator
relates to his own daily life.
The Torah provides the answer, presenting the
'prophetic history' of God's relationship with man, himself a
'mixture' of shamayim and aretz (see 2:4-10, note 'neshama' /
this may be what Ibn Ezra is referring to in his commentary to
Devarim 32:1). Each brit found in Chumash exemplifies this
relationship.
In fact, we find a similar use of the words 'shamayim
va-aretz' in relation to events that took place when the Torah
was given - at Matan Torah - the most intense 'brit' between
God and Am Yisrael:
"From the shamayim He made his voice heard... and on the aretz
He showed you His great fire, and you heard his words from
that fire..." (see Devarim 4:36. The beginning of that
parshia - 4:26 - is the first time we find shamayim and aretz
as witnesses! Find the other parallels between chapters 4 and
30-31.)
HASHGACHA
We may now, therefore, suggest an additional reason
for God's invocation of shamayim and aretz to witness the
covenant. Let's return to the psukim in Parshat Vayelech that
outline the reason for shirat Ha'azinu:
"... and they will leave Me, and I will hide My face from
them, and terrible things will befall them, and they will say
on that day - it is because God is not in our midst that these
terrible things have happened. But I will continue to hide My
face... Therefore, write down this shira... and teach it to
Bnei Yisrael in order that it be a witness for Bnei
Yisrael..." (see 31:16-19).
God here threatens 'hester panim' - hiding His face,
the most severe punishment Bnei Yisrael can experience. This
dreadful reality raises a critical theological question: how
can Bnei Yisrael find God if He seems to pay no attention to
them? God's answer to this question is the shira. God
expects Am Yisrael to find Him by contemplating their history
and the reason for their existence. Even when God appears to
conceal Himself, He continues to guide our fate - like a
parent who 'punishes' a child by ignoring him. The parent
does so not because he doesn't care, but rather to educate the
child so that he'll come to realize on his own the importance
of parents.
The same 'self-taught' lesson that shirat Ha'azinu
demands of us (see 32:7) may be the lesson of the opening
pasuk in particular. Shamayim and aretz are summoned as
witnesses to help us recognize God's hashgacha, even when it
appears to be hiding from us.
[Iy"h, in our shiur on Parshat Breishit we will discuss the
meaning of raki'a - created on the second day, that appears to
divide between shamayim va-aretz (note the absence of 'ki-tov'
on that day). Similarly, in our study of Sukkot, we will
discuss how the s'chach, which divides between our sukka on
the aretz and the shamayim above, yet needs to remain
partially open - so that we can still 'see the stars'!]
As you study shirat Ha'azinu, note how this theme of
historical perspective emerges as a primary topic.
Furthermore, note how it demands that we contemplate not only
nature, but even more so - historical events - as it provides
an eternal guide for the pattern of God's dynamic relationship
with His people.
shabbat shalom,
menachem
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