Ha Hazinu
Devarim 32:1 - 52
Listen-In
"Listen O' Heavens and I will speak, and let the earth hear the words of my mouth"
The dichotomy of our upward reaching G-Dly Soul and our Earth-bound animal soul.
In the final song of Moses, he beseeches us with song. A melody to pass down from generation to generation, during periods of calamity.
Ha Hazinu, Listen O' Heavens, be closer to your G-Dly aspirations than you are to the inclinations of your Earthly Soul. As the Heavens are closer to you, they will listen. Whereas the earthly animal soul, being of greater distance will hear the words of your mouth.
Rain vs Dew1
My lesson will drip like rain, my word will flow like dew.
According to the Midrash, Moses requested the Divine Inspiration would flow like rain - that upon the Tshuvah of mankind of mankind would rise from our earthly-plain, and up to the higher heavenly-plain would illicit a response from G-D whereas he would bestow upon us his love ~ like rain.
G-d replies that instead of rain, his love and inspiration would come to us as the dew, that even without Tshuvah, G-D would place around us dew drops of his love to inspire us.
The Rambam notes2 that the warning of Jeshuran becoming fat and rebellious, was our leaning away from our given path - for we are a Nation of Priests and when the preponderance of our activities are akin to those of the nations around us, then we are not exercising our highest level of choice.
The Chazal tells us that the story of when Jacob was battling with the Angel of Esau, all night and that neither one could conquer the other. How is it then that the Angel was able to hurt Jacob, what tactic did he use? After a night of battling / wrestling, what precipitated the Angel obtaining a sufficient advantage that he could at this point during the battle inflict pain unto Jacob.
The Chazal indicates that the Angel of Esau showed Jacob a glimpse of the future. Not one of future generations being destroyed by Inquisitions, Pogroms or Holocausts; because as we have learned, it is with strong Torah Leadership that Klal Israel will always continue. That which was shown to Jacob was the leadership itself sinning. That the guarantors of Israel’s survival had become fat and rebellious. It is this vision which “froze” Jacob in midst of battle and lose his advantage.
In the end, the parashah, Ha Hazinu is a fight song, it is our fight song. For we are a Nation of Priests whose inclinations and aspirations are with our upward reaching G-Dly Soul. And though we are in the month of Tishrah, G-D does not wait for our penitence from which to bestow His Love upon us. His Love is like the morning ew greeting us each and every morning.
Beckoning us to take a walk along a long path, understanding the choices that are placed before us. Reaching the goal of our essence, and elevating those around us to the beauty of the morning dew.
1. Perek 2
2. Perek 15
"Listen O' Heavens and I will speak, and let the earth hear the words of my mouth"
The dichotomy of our upward reaching G-Dly Soul and our Earth-bound animal soul.
In the final song of Moses, he beseeches us with song. A melody to pass down from generation to generation, during periods of calamity.
Ha Hazinu, Listen O' Heavens, be closer to your G-Dly aspirations than you are to the inclinations of your Earthly Soul. As the Heavens are closer to you, they will listen. Whereas the earthly animal soul, being of greater distance will hear the words of your mouth.
Rain vs Dew1
My lesson will drip like rain, my word will flow like dew.
According to the Midrash, Moses requested the Divine Inspiration would flow like rain - that upon the Tshuvah of mankind of mankind would rise from our earthly-plain, and up to the higher heavenly-plain would illicit a response from G-D whereas he would bestow upon us his love ~ like rain.
G-d replies that instead of rain, his love and inspiration would come to us as the dew, that even without Tshuvah, G-D would place around us dew drops of his love to inspire us.
The Rambam notes2 that the warning of Jeshuran becoming fat and rebellious, was our leaning away from our given path - for we are a Nation of Priests and when the preponderance of our activities are akin to those of the nations around us, then we are not exercising our highest level of choice.
The Chazal tells us that the story of when Jacob was battling with the Angel of Esau, all night and that neither one could conquer the other. How is it then that the Angel was able to hurt Jacob, what tactic did he use? After a night of battling / wrestling, what precipitated the Angel obtaining a sufficient advantage that he could at this point during the battle inflict pain unto Jacob.
The Chazal indicates that the Angel of Esau showed Jacob a glimpse of the future. Not one of future generations being destroyed by Inquisitions, Pogroms or Holocausts; because as we have learned, it is with strong Torah Leadership that Klal Israel will always continue. That which was shown to Jacob was the leadership itself sinning. That the guarantors of Israel’s survival had become fat and rebellious. It is this vision which “froze” Jacob in midst of battle and lose his advantage.
In the end, the parashah, Ha Hazinu is a fight song, it is our fight song. For we are a Nation of Priests whose inclinations and aspirations are with our upward reaching G-Dly Soul. And though we are in the month of Tishrah, G-D does not wait for our penitence from which to bestow His Love upon us. His Love is like the morning ew greeting us each and every morning.
Beckoning us to take a walk along a long path, understanding the choices that are placed before us. Reaching the goal of our essence, and elevating those around us to the beauty of the morning dew.
1. Perek 2
2. Perek 15
