Haazinu Answers

Ha’azinu 5720

Alef.

People have a tendency to be selective in their observance and in their taking seriously the expectations that they are told have been set for them. The emphasis upon the word “Kol” suggests that compliance has to be complete as opposed to fragmentary. Obviously, accepting some of the rules is better than rejecting them all; yet such a partial approach has to be recognized as being less than ideal.

Beit.

Ibn Ezra is bothered by Yehoshua’s being mentioned separately from the rest of the Jewish people. Perhaps Ibn Ezra is of the opinion that since Yehoshua had been designated by HaShem as Israel’s next leader upon Moshe’s demise, one might think that he somehow is above the law or the outside of the adjurations that Moshe is now presenting to the rest of the people. Ibn Ezra notes that just as Yehoshua was not singled out for special mention when the Song at the Sea was sung by all of the Jewish people, thereby assuming that he was included with them, here too, it should be assumed that he is equal to the rest of the people when it comes to Moshe’s setting standards for everyone in anticipation of his death.

Gimel.

Give ear, ye heavens, and I will speak; and let the earth hear the words of my mouth. My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew; as the small rain upon the tender grass, and as the showers upon the herb. For I will proclaim the name of the LORD; ascribe ye greatness unto our God.  Is corruption His? No; His children's is the blemish; a generation crooked and perverse. Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not He thy father that hath gotten thee? hath He not made thee, and established thee?  Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations; ask thy father, and he will declare unto thee, thine elders, and they will tell thee. When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the children of men, He set the borders of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel. For the portion of the LORD is His people, Jacob the lot of His inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in the waste, a howling wilderness; He compassed him about, He cared for him, He kept him as the apple of His eye. As an eagle that stirreth up her nest, hovereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her pinions-- The LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with Him. He made him ride on the high places of the earth, and he did eat the fruitage of the field; and He made him to suck honey out of the crag, and oil out of the flinty rock; Curd of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and he-goats, with the kidney-fat of wheat; and of the blood of the grape thou drankest foaming wine. But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked--thou didst wax fat, thou didst grow thick, thou didst become gross--and he forsook God who made him, and contemned the Rock of his salvation. They roused Him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations did they provoke Him. They sacrificed unto demons, no-gods, gods that they knew not, new gods that came up of late, which your fathers dreaded not. Of the Rock that begot thee thou wast unmindful, and didst forget God that bore thee. And the LORD saw, and spurned, because of the provoking of His sons and His daughters. And He said: 'I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end shall be; for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faithfulness. They have roused Me to jealousy with a no-god; they have provoked Me with their vanities; and I will rouse them to jealousy with a no-people; I will provoke them with a vile nation. For a fire is kindled in My nostril, and burneth unto the depths of the nether-world, and devoureth the earth with her produce, and setteth ablaze the foundations of the mountains. I will heap evils upon them; I will spend Mine arrows upon them; The wasting of hunger, and the devouring of the fiery bolt, and bitter destruction; and the teeth of beasts will I send upon them, with the venom of crawling things of the dust. Without shall the sword bereave, and in the chambers terror; slaying both young man and virgin, the suckling with the man of gray hairs. I thought I would make an end of them, I would make their memory cease from among men;    But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked--thou didst wax fat, thou didst grow thick, thou didst become gross--and he forsook God who made him, and contemned the Rock of his salvation. They roused Him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations did they provoke Him. They sacrificed unto demons, no-gods, gods that they knew not, new gods that came up of late, which your fathers dreaded not. Of the Rock that begot thee thou wast unmindful, and didst forget God that bore thee. And the LORD saw, and spurned, because of the provoking of His sons and His daughters. And He said: 'I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end shall be; for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faithfulness. They have roused Me to jealousy with a no-god; they have provoked Me with their vanities; and I will rouse them to jealousy with a no-people; I will provoke them with a vile nation. For a fire is kindled in My nostril, and burneth unto the depths of the nether-world, and devoureth the earth with her produce, and setteth ablaze the foundations of the mountains. I will heap evils upon them; I will spend Mine arrows upon them; The wasting of hunger, and the devouring of the fiery bolt, and bitter destruction; and the teeth of beasts will I send upon them, with the venom of crawling things of the dust. Without shall the sword bereave, and in the chambers terror; slaying both young man and virgin, the suckling with the man of gray hairs. I thought I would make an end of them, I would make their memory cease from among men;  Were it not that I dreaded the enemy's provocation, lest their adversaries should misdeem, lest they should say: Our hand is exalted, and not the LORD hath wrought all this.' For they are a nation void of counsel, and there is no understanding in them. If they were wise, they would understand this, they would discern their latter end. How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had given them over and the LORD had delivered them up? For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges. For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah; their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter; Their wine is the venom of serpents, and the cruel poison of asps. 'Is not this laid up in store with Me, sealed up in My treasuries? Vengeance is Mine, and recompense, against the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that are to come upon them shall make haste.  For the LORD will judge His people, and repent Himself for His servants; when He seeth that their stay is gone, and there is none remaining, shut up or left at large. And it is said: Where are their gods, the rock in whom they trusted; Who did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink-offering? let him rise up and help you, let him be your protection. See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no god with Me; I kill, and I make alive; I have wounded, and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of My hand. For I lift up My hand to heaven, and say: As I live for ever, If I whet My glittering sword, and My hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to Mine adversaries, and will recompense them that hate Me. I will make Mine arrows drunk with blood, and My sword shall devour flesh; with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the long-haired heads of the enemy.' Sing aloud, O ye nations, of His people; for He doth avenge the blood of His servants, and doth render vengeance to His adversaries, and doth make expiation for the land of His people.

דברים פרק לב (א) הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וַאֲדַבֵּרָה וְתִשְׁמַע הָאָרֶץ אִמְרֵי פִי: (ב) יַעֲרֹף כַּמָּטָר לִקְחִי תִּזַּל כַּטַּל אִמְרָתִי כִּשְׂעִירִם עֲלֵי דֶשֶׁא וְכִרְבִיבִים עֲלֵי עֵשֶׂב: (ג) כִּי שֵׁם יְקֹוָק אֶקְרָא הָבוּ גֹדֶל לֵאלֹקינוּ: (ד) הַצּוּר תָּמִים פָּעֳלוֹ כִּי כָל דְּרָכָיו מִשְׁפָּט קל אֱמוּנָה וְאֵין עָוֶל צַדִּיק וְיָשָׁר הוּא: (ה) שִׁחֵת לוֹ לֹא בָּנָיו מוּמָם דּוֹר עִקֵּשׁ וּפְתַלְתֹּל: (ו) הֲ לַיְקֹוָק תִּגְמְלוּ זֹאת עַם נָבָל וְלֹא חָכָם הֲלוֹא הוּא אָבִיךָ קָּנֶךָ הוּא עָשְׂךָ וַיְכֹנְנֶךָ: (ז) זְכֹר יְמוֹת עוֹלָם בִּינוּ שְׁנוֹת דֹּר וָדֹר שְׁאַל אָבִיךָ וְיַגֵּדְךָ זְקֵנֶיךָ וְיֹאמְרוּ לָךְ: (ח) בְּהַנְחֵל עֶלְיוֹן גּוֹיִם בְּהַפְרִידוֹ בְּנֵי אָדָם יַצֵּב גְּבֻלֹת עַמִּים לְמִסְפַּר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל: (ט) כִּי חֵלֶק יְקֹוָק עַמּוֹ יַעֲקֹב חֶבֶל נַחֲלָתוֹ: (י) יִמְצָאֵהוּ בְּאֶרֶץ מִדְבָּר וּבְתֹהוּ יְלֵל יְשִׁמֹן יְסֹבְבֶנְהוּ יְבוֹנְנֵהוּ יִצְּרֶנְהוּ כְּאִישׁוֹן עֵינוֹ: (יא) כְּנֶשֶׁר יָעִיר קִנּוֹ עַל גּוֹזָלָיו יְרַחֵף יִפְרֹשׂ כְּנָפָיו יִקָּחֵהוּ יִשָּׂאֵהוּ עַל אֶבְרָתוֹ: (יב) יְקֹוָק בָּדָד יַנְחֶנּוּ וְאֵין עִמּוֹ אֵל נֵכָר: (יג) יַרְכִּבֵהוּ עַל במותי בָּמֳתֵי אָרֶץ וַיֹּאכַל תְּנוּבֹת שָׂדָי וַיֵּנִקֵהוּ דְבַשׁ מִסֶּלַע וְשֶׁמֶן מֵחַלְמִישׁ צוּר: (יד) חֶמְאַת בָּקָר וַחֲלֵב צֹאן עִם חֵלֶב כָּרִים וְאֵילִים בְּנֵי בָשָׁן וְעַתּוּדִים עִם חֵלֶב כִּלְיוֹת חִטָּה וְדַם עֵנָב תִּשְׁתֶּה חָמֶר: (טו) וַיִּשְׁמַן יְשֻׁרוּן וַיִּבְעָט שָׁמַנְתָּ עָבִיתָ כָּשִׂיתָ וַיִּטֹּשׁ אֱלוֹק עָשָׂהוּ וַיְנַבֵּל צוּר יְשֻׁעָתוֹ: (טז) יַקְנִאֻהוּ בְּזָרִים בְּתוֹעֵבֹת יַכְעִיסֻהוּ: (יז) יִזְבְּחוּ לַשֵּׁדִים לֹא אֱלֹהַּ אֱלֹהִים לֹא יְדָעוּם חֲדָשִׁים מִקָּרֹב בָּאוּ לֹא שְׂעָרוּם אֲבֹתֵיכֶם: (יח) צוּר יְלָדְךָ תֶּשִׁי וַתִּשְׁכַּח אֵל מְחֹלְלֶךָ: (יט) וַיַּרְא יְקֹוָק וַיִּנְאָץ מִכַּעַס בָּנָיו וּבְנֹתָיו: (כ) וַיֹּאמֶר אַסְתִּירָה פָנַי מֵהֶם אֶרְאֶה מָה אַחֲרִיתָם כִּי דוֹר תַּהְפֻּכֹת הֵמָּה בָּנִים לֹא אֵמֻן בָּם: (כא) הֵם קִנְאוּנִי בְלֹא אֵל כִּעֲסוּנִי בְּהַבְלֵיהֶם וַאֲנִי אַקְנִיאֵם בְּלֹא עָם בְּגוֹי נָבָל אַכְעִיסֵם: (כב) כִּי אֵשׁ קָדְחָה בְאַפִּי וַתִּיקַד עַד שְׁאוֹל תַּחְתִּית וַתֹּאכַל אֶרֶץ וִיבֻלָהּ וַתְּלַהֵט מוֹסְדֵי הָרִים: (כג) אַסְפֶּה עָלֵימוֹ רָעוֹת חִצַּי אֲכַלֶּה בָּם: (כד) מְזֵי רָעָב וּלְחֻמֵי רֶשֶׁף וְקֶטֶב מְרִירִי וְשֶׁן בְּהֵמֹת אֲשַׁלַּח בָּם עִם חֲמַת זֹחֲלֵי עָפָר: (כה) מִחוּץ תְּשַׁכֶּל חֶרֶב וּמֵחֲדָרִים אֵימָה גַּם בָּחוּר גַּם בְּתוּלָה יוֹנֵק עִם אִישׁ שֵׂיבָה: (כו) אָמַרְתִּי אַפְאֵיהֶם אַשְׁבִּיתָה מֵאֱנוֹשׁ זִכְרָם: (כז) לוּלֵי כַּעַס אוֹיֵב אָגוּר פֶּן יְנַכְּרוּ צָרֵימוֹ פֶּן יֹאמְרוּ יָדֵנוּ רָמָה וְלֹא יְקֹוָק פָּעַל כָּל זֹאת: (כח) כִּי גוֹי אֹבַד עֵצוֹת הֵמָּה וְאֵין בָּהֶם תְּבוּנָה: (כט) לוּ חָכְמוּ יַשְׂכִּילוּ זֹאת יָבִינוּ לְאַחֲרִיתָם: (ל) אֵיכָה יִרְדֹּף אֶחָד אֶלֶף וּשְׁנַיִם יָנִיסוּ רְבָבָה אִם לֹא כִּי צוּרָם מְכָרָם וַיקֹוָק הִסְגִּירָם: (לא) כִּי לֹא כְצוּרֵנוּ צוּרָם וְאֹיְבֵינוּ פְּלִילִים: (לב) כִּי מִגֶּפֶן סְדֹם גַּפְנָם וּמִשַּׁדְמֹת עֲמֹרָה עֲנָבֵמוֹ עִנְּבֵי רוֹשׁ אַשְׁכְּלֹת מְרֹרֹת לָמוֹ: (לג) חֲמַת תַּנִּינִם יֵינָם וְרֹאשׁ פְּתָנִים אַכְזָר: (לד) הֲלֹא הוּא כָּמֻס עִמָּדִי חָתוּם בְּאוֹצְרֹתָי: (לה) לִי נָקָם וְשִׁלֵּם לְעֵת תָּמוּט רַגְלָם כִּי קָרוֹב יוֹם אֵידָם וְחָשׁ עֲתִדֹת לָמוֹ: (לו) כִּי יָדִין יְקֹוָק עַמּוֹ וְעַל עֲבָדָיו יִתְנֶחָם כִּי יִרְאֶה כִּי אָזְלַת יָד וְאֶפֶס עָצוּר וְעָזוּב: (לז) וְאָמַר אֵי אֱלֹהֵימוֹ צוּר חָסָיוּ בוֹ: (לח) אֲשֶׁר חֵלֶב זְבָחֵימוֹ יֹאכֵלוּ יִשְׁתּוּ יֵין נְסִיכָם יָקוּמוּ וְיַעְזְרֻכֶם יְהִי עֲלֵיכֶם סִתְרָה: (לט) רְאוּ עַתָּה כִּי אֲנִי אֲנִי הוּא וְאֵין אֱלֹקים עִמָּדִי אֲנִי אָמִית וַאֲחַיֶּה מָחַצְתִּי וַאֲנִי אֶרְפָּא וְאֵין מִיָּדִי מַצִּיל: (מ) כִּי אֶשָּׂא אֶל שָׁמַיִם יָדִי וְאָמַרְתִּי חַי אָנֹכִי לְעֹלָם: (מא) אִם שַׁנּוֹתִי בְּרַק חַרְבִּי וְתֹאחֵז בְּמִשְׁפָּט יָדִי אָשִׁיב נָקָם לְצָרָי וְלִמְשַׂנְאַי אֲשַׁלֵּם: (מב) אַשְׁכִּיר חִצַּי מִדָּם וְחַרְבִּי תֹּאכַל בָּשָׂר מִדַּם חָלָל וְשִׁבְיָה מֵרֹאשׁ פַּרְעוֹת אוֹיֵב: (מג) הַרְנִינוּ גוֹיִם עַמּוֹ כִּי דַם עֲבָדָיו יִקּוֹם וְנָקָם יָשִׁיב לְצָרָיו וְכִפֶּר אַדְמָתוֹ עַמּוֹ: פ

תורה אור דברים פרק לב …ובפרטיותה נחלקת לששה פרקים שסימנם האזי"ו ל"ך שכל אחד כולל ענין אחד. א) עדות השמים והארץ עם המאמר המצורף לזה ומתחיל האזינו עד זכור. ב) חסדי ה' שעשה לישראל עד העת ההיא. ויתחיל מן זכור עד ירכיבהו. ג) הטובות שיעשה להם ה' בעתיד. ומתחיל מן ירכיבהו עד וישמן ישרון. ד) שמרוב טובה יסורו מדרכי ה'. והעונש שיבא עליהם. ויתחיל מן וישמן ישרון עד לולי כעס אויב. או עד לו חכמו. ה) ידבר מהגוי שיגלו בנ"י שמה. מן לולי כעס אויב או מן לו חכמו עד כי ידין ה' עמו. ו) מה שיהיה באחרית הימים עם ישראל ועם אלה שעשו רעה לישראל.

1. At the end of Parashat VaYelech, before we learn about the contents of the Shira, we read:

דברים פרק לא

(ל) וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה בְּאָזְנֵי כָּל קְהַל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת עַד תֻּמָּם: פ

If we have already been told that Moshe recited the entire Shira in such a manner that the Jewish people could hear it in its entirety, what is being added in 32:44?

דברים פרק לב

(מד) וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה וַיְדַבֵּר אֶת כָּל דִּבְרֵי הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת בְּאָזְנֵי הָעָם הוּא וְהוֹשֵׁעַ בִּן נוּן:

MaLBIM and HaEmek Davar obviously did not choose to understand this verse as constituting a flashback to the earlier citation, but rather look for something new to derive from the Tora’s wording.

2. The difference in the wording of the verses that distinguish between writing down the Shira (“Et HaShira HaZot”) and where the Shira will be spoken/discussed (“Kol Divrei HaShira HaZot”) is probably because with respect to creating a document, there is no expectation that only certain parts of a defined series of words would be recorded. Once I define what the Shira is and there is a commandment to write it down, then it should be obvious that the entire Shira is intended. However, if it is something verbal, and particularly a discussion/explanation of something verbal, there might be a tendency to be selective and not to go over every last aspect. Consequently when the Tora describes how Moshe went over all of the elements of the Shira with the people, there is an emphasis upon “Kol”, i.e., every element.

Daled.

Although Moshe has been teaching Tora to the people over the course of forty years, beginning with the Revelation on Sinai, this is the only instance where he tells the people in effect “to pay attention”. RaShI sees this as a general rule for Divrei Tora that perhaps was implicit until this point, but which Moshe now is making explicit. To understand something, particular when at least in part it might be aesoteric and metaphysical (as are most Chukim), you must truly pay attention with every aspect of your being, i.e., eyes, ears and heart.

Heh.

1.  The prepositional pronoun “Mikem” appears to be superfluous. The verse would have made equal sense if it had stated simply “Lo Davar Reik Hu”. Consequently, the Yerushalmi sees fit to separate “Mikem” from the phrase leading up to it, i.e., it is not empty, and if you perceive that it is, that is “Mikem” your fault rather than the fault of the material. (I always  understood the following quote from Shakespeare’s Julius Ceasar in a parallel vein:

Cassius:
"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings."

Julius Caesar (I, ii, 140-141)).

2.  The observer is not necessarily the measure of all things. If a person finds fault with something, it might be due to some personal lacking rather than a fault with that which he is criticizing. (A person once went to the Louvre, and being asked about what he thought of Leonardo DaVinci’s Mona Lisa, he said that he wasn’t impressed. The other said, “That says more about you than about the Mona Lisa.”)

Vav.

1.  The difficulty as RaShI frames it is parallel but not identical to that of R. Mana. The disconnect is associating the word “Reik” with the Tora. R. Mana’s solution is to castigate the person who even thought such a thing, arguing that it is the person’s problem rather than the Tora’s. RaShI focussed more on disavowing the person from such thinking by explaining why the Tora’s contents are truly valuable.

2.  In RaShI’s first explanation, “Sechar” is the reward one receives for the effort expended in studying the Tora, suggesting that even if one does not come up with anything edifying, nevertheless the effort, the Yegia, already makes the enterprise worthwhile and deserving of recognition and reward. In his second interpretation, RaShI explains “Sechar” as the lessons learned from even those topics that seem the height of triviality and insignificance.

3.  It would seem to me that the second of the two explanations fits best with R. Mana. Why did the individual disparage the Tora? Because he so no point in its contents. In his second answer, RaShI explains that every part of the Tora has important ideas embedded within it.

4.  A commentary that consistently seeks to explain why RaShI cites more than one answer in his commentary regarding a particular point is Siftei Chachamim. Here is what the commentary states:

(נ) הוצרך לפירוש דבר אחר, כי לפירוש ראשון קשה: לא הוה ליה למימר רק "שימו לבבכם וגו' את כל דברי התורה הזאת כי הוא חייכם וגו'". ולמה ליה למימר כי “לא דבר ריק הוא מכם”?

לכך פירש דבר אחר וכו' ושני ענינים הם, והכי פירושו: אין לך דבר ריקם בתורה, פירוש שיהא נכתב שלא לצורך, ועוד שאם תדרשנו וכו', והכי פירושו אין לך דבר שבתורה שאם תדרשנו וכו', ולכן כתיב מכם לרמוז על מתן שכר שהוא עצמותו של אדם ותכלית הצלחתו. ולפי דבר אחר קשה למה ליה למימר כי הוא חייכם הא כבר נתן הטעם לשימה הזאת. אי נמי היה לו להפוך דהיה לו לכתוב אחר דברי התורה הזאת כי הוא חייכם ואח"כ כי לא דבר ריק וגו' לכך פירש גם טעם ראשון:

Paraphrasing Siftei Chachamim:

a.  Once the Tora states, “it is your life”-- (Devarim 32:47 “For it is no vain thing for you; because it is your life, and through this thing ye shall prolong your days upon the land, whither ye go over the Jordan to possess it.'”—why did it also have to say “it is no vain/empty thing from you”? This is why a second interpretation had to be given, i.e., not a reason for studying, but rather there is nothing in the Tora of no significance because  the Tora is full of important lessons. The word “Mikem” refers to the reward which is the motivating factor for why an individual does things and that renders the Tora not a vain thing.

b.  The second interpretation’s problem is, if the Tora is full of important messages, why did the Tora also say that “it is your life”? Isn’t the reason for studying in order to understand the deep lessons of the Tora? So the first answer states that “it is your life” is a reference to the rewards that you stand to gain in addition to the lessons learned.

5.  In Beraishit 36:21-2 Timna’s geneology indicates that she was considered royalty among her people: and Dishon and Ezer and Dishan. “These are the chiefs that came of the Horites, the children of Seir in the land of Edom. And the children of Lotan were Hori and Hemam; and Lotan's sister was Timna.” Consequently  when we hear in the earlier verse (v. 12) that she was no more than a concubine to Eisav’s son—“And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau's son; and she bore to Eliphaz Amalek. These are the sons of Adah Esau's wife,” we see how her personal status fell and the only way to explain why she accepted such an inferior position was because she was so attracted to becoming a part of the Jewish people in any way that she could.

Zayin.

1 and 2.  The Akeidat Yitzchak is battling against those who claim that the external aspects of the Tora should be ignored in favor of only being concerned about the topics’ inner meanings. He says that anyone who says that the outer actions are “vain/empty” are deeply mistaken. For most things there is no contradiction between taking literally the external frameworks in which the matters are couched and more aesoteric, spiritual meanings. (One finds such arguments in the polemics of the early Christian fathers.)

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