PARSHAS HAAZINU
Aliya-by-Aliya Sedra Summary
KOHEN - First Aliya - 6 p'sukim (32:1-6)
Moshe Rabeinu begins his farewell "song" to the People by calling upon the heavens and the earth to be witnesses to what he will be saying. He asks the people (in a very poetic way) to listen well to his words. Moshe tells us that G-d is completely fair and just; it is we who are responsible for "messing things up".
"When I (singluar) call G-d's Name, you (plural, minimum 2) praise G-d for His Greatness." From this pasuk we learn that when three people eat together, one calls to the other two to "bless G-d" - BIRKAT HAZIMUN (benching m'zuman). We also learn from this pasuk that we answer BARUCH HU U'VARUCH SH'MO when we hear G-d's name in a bracha (unless there is a halachic reason for not "interrupting"). From here, says the Gemara, we learn the mitzva of saying a bracha before learning Torah. (It is also derived logically from Birkat HaMazon.) Others learn from here (together with its context) that we should pray to G-d when there is a lack of rain. And, that we have brachot for different kinds of foods, rather than one catch-all bracha. This versatile pasuk is used to introduce the Musaf, Mincha, and Ne'ila Amida.
The Baal HaTurim notes that the numeric value of HASHAMAYIM VA'ADABEIRA (let the HEAVENS hear AND I WILL SPEAK) is 5+300+40+10+40 = 395 and 6+1+4+2+200+5 = 218. 395+218 = 613, as if Moshe was saying "Listen to the 613 mitzvot."
LEVI - Second Aliya - 6 p'sukim (32:7-12)
Moshe asks us once again to remember the "early history" of this unique nation of Israel and the special ancestors who established for us our close relationship with G-d.
There is no generation gap in real Jewish life; the older generation teaches the new one, the new generation gains by asking questions of their elders and learning from them.
G-d structured the world in parallel to the developing nation of Israel, and granted us special protection and guidance - "like an eagle protects its young..."
Rashi mentions several ways that eagles behave towards their offspring for their benefit. Apparently, eagles are extremely protective, and additionally, they do many things meant to prepare their fledglings for their adult lives, as well. The Torah's analogy is thus very appropriate.
Just as the positive effect of rain is often not immediately apparent, manifesting itself only at a later time - so it is sometimes with Torah.
SH'LISHI - Third Aliya - 6 p'sukim (32:13-18)
Notwithstanding the protection and nurturing that G-d provided us in the Wilderness, we rebelled. This happened and continues to happen. Moshe's words can be seen as a description of Dor HaMidbar as well as being a poetic prophecy of the people becoming too complacent in Eretz Yisrael and abandoning G-d from their positions of opulence and security.
Even from this poetic - essentially non-halachic context, we learn things of a halachic nature. Because the Torah uses the expression: To suckle honey from a rock, we are taught that honey has the status in halacha of a liquid. Because of its unique physical properties, honey might have been considered as a solid food rather than a drink.
R'VI'I - Fourth Aliya - 10 p'sukim (32:19-28)
Much of the content of Haazinu is a poetic formulation of ideas previously presented in the book of D'varim.
Moshe tells us that G-d's reaction to our disloyalty is HESTEIR PANIM - the hiding of "G-d's Face", so to speak.
He also tell us that there have been several times when G-d had wanted to destroy the People of Israel but did not, so as not to give the nations of the world cause to doubt the power of the "G-d of Israel".
The Gemara, in a play on words, tells us that the concept of Hester Panim is personified in Esther, who lived in exile and at a time that G-d chose not to reveal himself in open ways and generally operates through nature.
It is striking how similar are the words of reproach and how different the presentation.
General comment about Haazinu: There are many words in this sedra that appear nowhere else in the Torah (or in the whole Tanach). As a result, there is more than usual speculation among commentators as to the exact meanings of some of the words.
CHAMISHI - Fifth Aliya - 11 p'sukim (32:29-39)
Our challenge is to contemplate the above and understand the many lessons contained in G-d's (and Moshe's) words. The bottom line is that although Israel strays from the proper path, G-d will not abandon us, and He will rally to our side in the face of our enemies. If we would only realize this and appreciate the awesome power of G-d.
MITZVA WATCH
Pasuk 32:38 refers to idolatrous sacrifices and their wine of libation. The Rambam sites this pasuk as the source for the prohibition of YAYIN NESECH, sacramental wine. The Chinuch in cludes this prohibition with the one against benefitting from food consecrated to another religion.
This is the only mitzva that the Rambam counts among the 613 that the Sefer HaChinuch does not. (In order to keep the number 613 in balance, there is one example of vice versa.)
The rabbinic ban on STAM YEINAM (lit. their wine, non-Jewish wine) is partially inspired by this prohibition of Yayin Nesech. There are other factors, such as the limiting of social contact between Jew and non-Jew, a preventative measure to intermarriage, that input into the rabbinic ban of Stam Yeinam.
SHISHI - Sixth Aliya - 4 p'sukim (32:40-43)
In this concluding portion of the song portion of Haazinu, Moshe assures us of G-d's eternal nature and His promise to avenge Israel against the other nations.
The sedra until this point is written (in a Torah scroll) in an unusual manner. This is a Tradition passed down through the generations from scribe to scribe. The only other portion of the Torah to be written differently from the rest of the Torah (and different from Haazinu as well) is the Song of the Sea in B'shalach. Suffice it here to say, that the poetic form of these two Songs leaves room for all sorts of drash and interpretation. The blank spaces are considered to contain hidden mystical messages, sort of like reading between the lines.
SH'V'I - Seventh Aliya - 9 p'sukim (32:44-52)
Moshe, in front of Yehoshua, tells the people to heed the warning of this SHIRA and to keep the Torah, which in turn, will keep them.
An important point that has been oft- repeated in the book of D'varim is this: We did not receive the Land of Israel with "no strings attached". We must always be worthy of holding on to Eretz Yisrael.
G-d then tells Moshe to ascend Har Aravim-Nevo, see the Land from there, and die there, as Aharon had done earlier (the Torah reiterates the reason that both Moshe and Aharon couldn't enter E. Yisrael), rather than enter the Land which the People of Israel will enter.
The last 5 p'sukim are repeated for the Maftir.
HAFTARA - 22 p'sukim 9 from Hoshea 14:2-10 13 from Yoel 2:15-27
Some add other p'sukim - e.g. Micha 7:18-20
The choice of the haftara this time is its being Shabbat Shuva, rather than the usual idea of a connection to the sedra. Yet, given the content of Haazinu, the concept of T'shuva definitely has its connection to the sedra.
SHUVA YISRAEL AD HASHEM... These opening words of the Haftara give the Shabbat its name and basically say it all. Return to G-d. The following pasuk emphasizes the power of prayer in the T'shuva process. The command to repent is accompanied by wonderful promises (prophecies) of redemption and restoration of the former glory of Israel.
The passage from Yoel gives us a Shofar connection to the T'shuva process. Another encouraging note as we face the task of returning to G-d, is His assurance that He is among us - even before our T'shuva. And that He will not shame His people ever.
Note that there are several variations as to what is read as the Haftara on Shabbat Shuva. Some of the customs involve skipping around a bit, which is unusual.
Also note, that when Haazinu is read on the Shabbat between Yom Kippur and Sukkot, this Haftara is read with Parshat VAYEILECH, and Haazinu has its own Haftara.
The honor of Maftir on Shabbat Shuva is usually given to the rabbi or a prominent member of the congregation.
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