Dvar Torah Parshat Haazinu 5775-2014

After the crossing the Sea of Reeds (the Red Sea) Moshe sang a song of praise to Hashem. Now, as the Israelites stand ready to cross into the Promised Land, he again sings a song of praise. Among the many tributes to Hashem for His blessings to our people, Moshe states: יַעֲרֹף כַּמָּטָר לִקְחִי תִּזַּל כַּטַּל אִמְרָתִי, “May my teaching drop like the rain, may my utterance flow like the dew…”. (Deut. 32,2) The Zohar teaches that the rain refers to the Written Torah and the dew to the Oral Torah. What is the connection between rain and dew to the Torah?

Rabbi Moshe Zevi Neriah, who is considered the founder of the Bnei Akiva yeshiva movement in Israel, offers a unique answer to this question. After the farmer plants his seeds the rains come. An onlooker sees the water seep into the ground and thinks to himself, this water will serve no purpose. It sank into the earth and is gone. Later the vegetation springs through the ground, grows and offers its wonderful produce. Only then one realizes the benefit of the rain.

The same is true with the study of Torah. Often a student studies Torah and we see no benefit derived from it. It seems that it had no effect on the student. And behold, after some period of time, maybe months or even years, it suddenly appears that the teachings were not in vain. They accomplished their intention and eventually they bear fruit. They were like the rain and like the dew.

Dvar Torah Parshat Haazinu 5773 2013

Our Sidra ends with Hashem’s instructions to Moshe to ascend Mt. Nevo to see the Promised Land for he will not enter there physically. The Torah says: Hashem spoke to Moshe, בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, “…on this very day…”. (Deut. 32,48) Of course this was the day Moshe was to die.

Rashi points out the three places in Scriptures that the expression בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה “on this very day” is found. It is used, in the story of the flood, at the time the Israelites left Egypt and at the death of Moshe. In each of these cases the people said they would not allow it to happen. Hashem then carried out His intention. בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, which means in broad day light. He thwarted their intentions.

We can understand that the intent of the people during the flood was to prevent the people from entering the Ark and destroying it. During the Exodus their objective was to prevent the people from leaving even if they had to resort to killing them. What could they have done to prevent Moshe from dying?

The answer is they could have prayed. We know prayer can annul an evil decree. That is why when a person is sick we recite aמי שברך . They could have done so but did not. Hence Moshe died on that day in broad day light.

In our day we see many atrocities throughout the world and we often can prevent them but we don’t. We must be more sensitive and every individual must do as much as one can to avert them.

Dvar Torah Parshat Haazinu 5773 2012

Our Sidra ends with Hashem’s instructions to Moshe to ascend Mt. Nevo to see the Promised Land for he will not enter there physically. The Torah says: Hashem spoke to Moshe, בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, “…on this very day…”. (Deut. 32,48) Of course this was the day Moshe was to die.

Rashi points out three places in Scriptures the expression בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה “on this very day”. It is used, in the story of the flood, at the time the Israelites left Egypt and at the death of Moshe. In each of these cases the people said they would not allow it to happen. Hashem then carried out His intention. בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, which means in broad day light. He thwarted their intentions.

We can understand that the intent of the people during the flood was to prevent the people from entering the Ark and destroying it. During the Exodus their objective was to prevent the people from leaving even if they had to resort to killing them. What could they have done to prevent Moshe from dying?

The answer is they could have prayed. We know prayer can annul an evil decree. That is why when a person is sick we recite aמי שברך . They could have done so but did not. Hence Moshe died on that day in broad day light.

In our day we see many atrocities throughout the world and we often can prevent them but we don’t. We must be more sensitive and every individual must do as much as one can to avert them.

Dvar Torah Parshat Haazinu 5771 2011

Many people have the philosophy to live for today. The past does not count and future generations should worry about what will be then. Moshe disputes this thinking and tells us specifically: ZECHOR YEMOT OLAM BINU SHNOT DOR VADOR, “Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations…”. (Deut. 32,7)

Moshe tells us how important it is to know the past and to understand why things happened as they did. History is a very important subject for it teaches us how to avoid the mistakes of the past in the future. We must recognize a pattern in man’s behavior and the consequences of his actions. We do not live in a vacuum. Whatever we do has an enormous effect on the direction civilization takes and on what happens in this world.

Furthermore, Moshe ends the verse and says; SHE’AL AVICHA VEYAGEDCHA ZEKENECHA VEYOMRU LACH, “… ask your father and he will relate to you and your elders and they will tell you.” It is an undesirable trend today for children to down-play the advice and the teachings of their parent and elders. They accuse them of being old fashioned and outdated. Moshe again contradicts this attitude and counsels us to take their advice and their teachings. They have years of experience and why not listen to them and not make mistakes and “re-invent the wheel”?

Dvar Torah Parshat HaAzinu 5771 2010

Moshe is talking to Bnei Israel and says: YA’AROF KAMATAR LIKCHI, TIZAL KATAL IMRATI, “May my teaching drop like the rain may my utterance flow like the dew…”. (Deut. 32,2). Moshe is obviously referring to the Torah. He compares the Torah to rain and to dew. What is the difference between the two? What is Moshe’s message?

The Seforno, printed in many editions of the Hebrew bible, proposes an interesting explanation why these two allegories are used. Rain comes down with force. This is how the Torah should come to the intellectuals, to the knowledgeable, to the scholars. They are to be given all they can take.

For the less educated the Torah should come like the dew, easily, subtly, hardly noticeably. Such individuals are to absorb the Torah in small amounts.

This is a great lesson for teachers and for parents. Not every child is the same. Everyone has different capabilities. Some need to be fed much knowledge and may be given it at a fast pace. Others require a slower speed.
Everyone needs to be taught according to their own tempo.

A statement in Proverbs (22,6) may be understood to be saying this thought. The proverb reads: CHANOCH LANA’AR AL PI DARKO, “Train a child in the way he should go…”. The word DARKO could be translated “according to his way”, meaning according to his ability.

Dvar Torah Haazinu 5770 (2009) Shabbat Shuva – Yom kippur just days away

Many people have the philosophy of live for today. The past does not count and let the future generations worry about what will be then. Moshe disputes this thinking and tells us specifically: ZECHOR YEMOT OLAM BINU SHNOT DOR VADOR, “Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations…”. (Deut. 32,7)

Moshe tells us how important it is to know the past and to understand why things happened as they did. History is a very important subject for it teaches us how to avoid the mistakes of the past. We must recognize a pattern in man’s behavior and the consequences of his actions. We do not live in a vacuum. Whatever we do has an enormous effect on the direction civilization takes and on what happens in this world.

Furthermore, Moshe ends the verse and says; SHE’AL AVICHA VEYAGEDCHA ZEKENECHA VEYOMRU LACH, “… ask your father and he will relate to you and your elders and they will tell you.” It is a regrettable trend today for children to down-play the advice and the teachings of their parents and elders. They accuse them of being old fashion and outdated. Moshe contradicts this attitude as well and counsels us to take their advice and their teachings. They have years of experience, so why should we make mistakes and “re-invent the wheel”?

Dvar Torah Parshat HaAzinu 2008 5769 דבר תורה פרשת האזינו

Moshe tells our people: YA’AROF KAMATAR LIKCHI TIZAL KATAL IMRATI, : “May my teaching drop like the rain, may my utterance flow like the dew…”. ( Deut. 32,2) Moshe is referring, of course, to the Torah. He uses two different metaphors. The Torah shall come down like rain and like dew. Rain comes down forcefully, dew serenely

The Sforno gives an interesting explanation for the two different comparisons. For the knowledgeable and learned the Torah can come vigorously, with intensity and with great detail. For those not so learned it must come in moderation and in less detail and greater generalization.

This is an extremely important lesson for teachers, for parents and for that matter, for everyone trying to convey a point to others. One must know to whom they are talking, what their ability of understanding is and how readily they are to accept the intended message. They must then convey it appropriately.

Dvar Torah Ha’azinu 5768 – 2007 דבר תורה האזינו

The Zohar has a very unique way of interpreting the opening verse of this week’s Portion. Moshe Rabbenu is delivering his last discourse to the Children of Israel before he departs from them. He starts by speaking to the heavens. He says: HA’AZINU HASHAMAYIM VA’ADABERA, “Give ear (listen) O heavens and I will speak.” (Deut. 32,1) The Zohar says that Moshe is speaking to the wealthy people who hold themselves up haughtily as if they are in the heavens. Then Moshe continues in the Pasuk and says: VETISHMA HA’ARETZ IMRE FI, “and may the earth hear the words of my mouth.” Here the Zohar says Moshe is speaking to the poor people who see themselves lowly as if they were part of the earth.

The meaning of the Zohar can be explained according to a Midrash which paraphrased, states that the poor man does more for the rich man than the rich man does for the poor. The meaning, of course, is that the fact that when the rich man performs a Mitzvah he feels elevated by this act. This sustains him more than the money he offered the down trodden individual.

In the same vain, the poor man should not be so depressed that he had to resort to charity from the rich. He should realize that although he is in unfortunate financial straights he should not loose his self respect. He should appreciate the fact that he too is contributing to the wealthy man. It may not be so obvious but indeed he is.

Dvar Torah Haazinu 6

Dvar Torah HaAzinu 5767
When Hashem tells Moshe to go up on Mt. Nevo where he will die, the Torah says: BE’ETZEM HAYOM HAZE, “this very same day…”. (Deut. 32,48)  Chazal tell us that this expression appears three times in the Torah and in each occasion it emphasizes that the action took place in broad daylight in face of opposition. The expression appears when Noach entered the Ark; when the Jews left Egypt and in our case when Moshe was to go up unto the mountain where he would die.In the case of Noach the people did not want to allow Noach to enter into the Ark. Noach was about to save humanity but the evil forces did not want him to go through with his plan. Hashem demonstrated that Noach could enter the Ark in broad daylight and no one could stop him.

The Egyptians too, refused to allow the Israelites leave and wanted to maintain the bondage over an enslaved people. They believed that people in power had the right to subjugate others. Hashem again demonstrated that the Israelites could leave and no one could stop them because people basically are free.When Moshe was about to die the people thought that it was not fair for someone who has done so much for the Jewish people should have to die. Again here Moshe went up unto the mountain in broad daylight. Man cannot change the course of nature.

 This is how Hashem created the world and man cannot change it.In effect, what Chazal are telling us is that humanity will survive despite evil forces that aim to destroy it; that man is free and no matter whoever tries to enslave others, in the end they will not succeed; and finally, no one lives forever and we have to realize that our lives are limited and we must make good use of the time given us.

Dvar Torah Haazinu 5

Moshe, in his parting poetic words, says, YA’AROF KAMATAR LIKCHI, “My teachings (the Torah) shall drop as the rain…”. (Deut. 32,2) Why is the Torah compared to rain? The world cannot exist without rain. Nothing would grow and life would not be able to be sustained. So too, the world cannot exist without the teachings of the Torah. Society could not survive without the morals of the Torah. Even the nations of the world who do not accept the Torah, they still live up to most of the Torah principles.There is, however, another implication. Rain comes down drop by drop. At times the drops come faster and closer together and at times they are slower and not so concentrated. The same is true about Torah. It cannot all be absorbed in one split second. It comes slowly, one thing at a time. First one must learn the Aleph Bet and then he goes on to learn to read, and then he starts learning the easy teachings. He then moves up to the study of the Chumash and then the Mishnah and then the Talmud, and then to the higher forms of knowledge.One may say at the onset, that this is too much to learn. I will never be able to accomplish it. He should then think of the following parable. Someone walked into a house and saw a delicacy hanging from the ceiling on a string but it was too high for him to reach. A foolish person will  decided that the item was too high and cannot be reached by anyone. A wise person will stop to realize that if someone found a way of putting it up so high, there must be a way of getting it down.Similarly with Torah. A foolish one will say there is too much to learn and it is impossible to master it all. A wise individual will say, this scholar who is going to teach it to me must have been able to master it, then there is a way. Patience, determination and hard work are needed to learn Torah, but it is doable.

Dvar Torah Haazinu 4

The Sidra relates the poetic words of Moshe right before he ends his parting words to Bnei Yisrael and he hands over the leadership of the people to Yehoshua.  The Torah says, “Moshe came and spoke all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he and HOSHEA bin Nun.” (Deut. 32:44) We all remember when Moshe sent the Meraglim to tour the Land of
Israel, he changed Hoshea’s name to Yehoshua. Why now at the end of his days does he revert back to the old name?Let us remember why Moshe added the letter Yod to Hoshea’s name. When he sent them with the other men, he suspected that they may come back with a negative report and he wanted that Hoshea would be humble and not haughty as they would be. The letter Yod is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet and symbolizes humility and humbleness. He changed his name to Yehoshua because he wanted him to have these traits and not follow the arrogance of the others. That is why he called him Yehoshua.Now, however, he was giving over the leadership of the people to him and he was conveying a different message. A leader must have some arrogance. A little cannot be only humble. A leader must be able to withstand all the pressures of special interests of different people. He must have a bit of haughtiness within him so as to be able to say no at times and to adhere to what he believes is best for his people. Moshe demonstrated this trait often in his leadership and he wanted Yehoshua to do the same so he removed the Yod to take away the humility.

Dvar Torah Haazinu 3

This Sidra contains the song of Moshe Rabenu to the people before he leaves them. One verse reads: KI CHELEK HASHEM AMO. Simply translated it means that the Jewish people are part of Hashem. It could also be read to mean that part of Hashem is the Jewish people.A teacher in a Day School was once explaining this Pasuk when a little child shouted out, “I wish I could be Hashem”. The teacher who was very perceptive answered the child that deep down in each and every one of us there is a part of Hashem. The boy then said, “I wish I could dig Him out”. Again the teacher explained that you could do that by performing the Mitzvot, saying Berachot, listening to your parents and so on. By doing these things you bring out the Hashem that is within you. The boy, who was very bright, continued and said, “That means if I do bad, I bury Hashem in me”.This story is of considerable importance. Too often we forget to bring out that part of Hashem that is in us. By relegating the Mitzvot and the good deeds to a secondary position we are in effect pushing Hashem down deeper in our existence and are preventing Him from coming out and being part of our very being. This time of the year when we just passed the Rosh Hashanah holiday and are approaching the Yom Kippur Day of Atonement we must be ever mindful of this lesson and do all we can to live by the dictates of Hashem.