Parshat Ha'azinu - The Song Of Moshe

The song “Ha’azinu” (“Listen”) completes the speech of Moshe Rabbeinu.

This song reveals to us the entire history of the Jewish people, starting with what has already happened, and is described in the Torah, and ending with what lies ahead: the entry into the Promised Land, the expulsion of the Jews from it, the country being left desolate.  In the absence of the Children of Israel, and the final return of the Jews to Eretz Yisrael.

Let’s read this song together (32:1-43).

“Listen, heaven, and I will speak, and the earth will hear the speech of my mouth. "

Why does Moshe begin the song with an appeal to heaven and earth?

He calls them to witness what is about to happen.

In the previous Parashah, we quoted: “…this song will bear witness to them as a testimony” (Devarim 31:21).  A testimony of what?  In his song, Moshe warns the people that a sin is always followed by punishment. In the future, in difficult times, the song will remind the Jews: you have been warned.  (Note that the same warning is contained in the Shema prayer we read daily.)

If the song serves as a reminder, and prayer serves as a reminder, why is there the added need for witnesses to the warning?

To explain this, a few words must be said about the Jewish court.  What do courts in general, and Jewish courts in particular have to do with it?  Because whoever deviates from the Torah’s laws will appear before the Highest Court.

There is some analogy between the principles of the Heavenly, Highest Court, and the earthly, Jewish one.  God does not punish a person without prior warning.  Likewise, the Jewish court considers a case depending on whether the criminal was given an appropriate warning before he sinned, and whether there were witnesses.  Let heaven and earth be witnesses that such a warning has been given.

And why did Moshe choose them as witnesses?  Because a witness must be present both at the warning and the violation.  Heaven and earth are present now, when the warning is pronounced, and will always be present, that is, at the moment when and if a violation occurs.

In addition, according to the laws of the Jewish court, the witnesses were also asked to carry out the sentence—the Jews did not have executioners.

Heaven and earth will carry out the sentence.  If the Jews transgress the Torah, then the heavens will begin to delay the rains, and the earth will not produce a harvest.  If the Jews live according to the Torah, then heaven will provide rain at the proper time, and the earth will bring forth a harvest (this is stated explicitly in the Shema).

2. “My teaching will fall like rain, will sprinkle my utterance like dew, [Refreshes you] like rain and wind—green and like drops—grass.”

Moshe compares the teaching given by God through him with rain and dew, and he speaks of rain with wind, that is, rain that not only nourishes the vegetation, but also cleanses it.  Without water there is no life on earth, without it, no plant can exist.  The eternal Torah is the source of the spiritual life of the Jewish people, without it, they assimilate among the nations and perish.

3. “When I pronounce the Name of the Lord, give glory to our God.
4. He is a rock, His deed is perfect, for all his ways are righteous;

God is just, and there is no unrighteousness [in Him];

He is righteous and straight.”

Any judge who wants to act honestly cannot help but think about what extent of punishment to give the defendant, if the law provides for punishment within some framework—say, from five to nine years.  Every offense has its own characteristics; the person who committed it has mitigating circumstances.  Well, let’s give it seven-and-a-half years!  Is the judge sure that during this period the person will change his mind and correct himself?  On the other hand, maybe seven years or seven years and one month will be enough for him?  And if you look at the court as a means of prevention, then maybe seven and a half is not enough, but eight and a half is needed?

It is a different matter if God calculates.  Sending a person a disease or isolating him from society, He weighs everything up to the minute—“His deed is perfect.”  God is omnipotent—“He is a stronghold,” but he will not give too much, “for all his ways are righteous.”

By Rabbi Yitzchok Zilber ztk"l
Founder, Toldot Yeshurun