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אם שנותי ברק חרבי ותאחז במשפט ידי אשיב נקם לצרי ולמשנאי אשלם

If I sharpen My flashing sword and my hand grasps judgment I shall return vengeance upon my enemies and upon those that hate Me shall I bring retribution. (32:41)

In the Midrash, Chazal derive from the words, v’socheiz ba’mishpat Yadi, “and My hand grasps judgment,” that Hashem’s meting out of punishment is unlike that of human judges. A human being who lets the arrow leave the bow, or allows the bullet to exit the chamber, knows that there is no turning back. Once the arrow/bullet is released it is “deadset” on reaching its target. There is no pulling back, no reprieve. It is too late. For Hashem, it is never too late. The Almighty can retrieve His arrows, call back His bullets at any time. Hashem is always in…

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כי גוי אבד עצות המה ואין בהם תבונה

For they are a nation bereft of counsel, and there is no discernment in them. (32:28)

One would think that an individual who is unable to render sound advice lacks discernment. There is a reason we refer to it as “sage” advice. One who “can” renders advice. One who is unable to determine, make distinction, perceive, is not one whom we seek out for advice. If so, the pasuk is redundant. “For they are a nation bereft of counsel” – means that they are too foolish for their indiscretions. Why does the Torah add that “there is no discernment in them”? Obviously, they are not rocket scientists if they cannot figure out the course of events….

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זכור ימות העולם בינו שנות דור ודור

Remember the days of old, consider the years of each generation. (Devarim 32:7)

Remembrance is a major part of Jewish service to Hashem. Much of our tradition is based upon remembering what once was, our highs and lows, joys and travails. Most important, however, is the ability to see the Yad Hashem, guiding Hand of G-d, throughout all that occurs. The Bostoner Rebbe, zl, put remembrance into perspective when he said, “Remembrance is important, but we must know what to remember. Even concerning those tragedies closest to our own time, such as the Holocaust, are we to remember the pain – or the self-sacrifice – what its victims died for – or what…

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שיחת לו לא בניו מומם

Corruption is not His – the blemish is His children’s. (32:5)

Teshuvah is a wonderful thing, but sometimes it comes too late to prevent the damage that has already been done. There is no time limit to teshuvah. It is always accepted, thus allowing for a person who has lived a life of abandon to die and leave this world as a tzaddik, righteous person. There is, however, a collateral damage with regard to his children. This is a damage that is irreparable. When parents go along their merry way, living a life of abandon, a lifestyle that is antithetical to Torah, they must remember that their children are watching. When…

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יערף כמטר לקחי תזל כטל אמרתי

Let My teachings descend like the rain, may My utterance flow like the dew. (32:1)

The Torah is compared to rain which descends from the heavens, reviving the seeds buried within the earth. The Sefas Emes notes a relationship between adamah, earth, and rain vis-à-vis Adam HaRishon, primordial man, his offspring, and the Torah which is compared to rain. The earth filled with seed is potential vegetation, grass, etc. It is only when rain descends on the adamah that this potential is released and the seeds begin to sprout and produce. Likewise, adam, man, created from adamah, is filled with tremendous potential. Will he realize his potential, or will it continue to lay dormant? Torah…

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האזינו השמים ואדברה ותשמע הארץ אמרי פי. וערףכמטר לקחי תיזל כטל אמרתי כשעירים עלי דשא וכרבבים עלי עשב

Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; and may the earth hear the words of my mouth. (32:1)

There seems to be a disparity between the Torah’s description of Moshe Rabbeinu’s oratory to the Heaven and the way he addressed the earth. He says haazinu, “Give ear, ”pay attention, as if he was speaking directly to Heaven. Also, he uses the word, adabeirah, “I will speak,” which is a stronger, more direct form of communication. In contrast, Moshe tells the earth v’sishma, “and hear,” listen in, as I convey imrei fi, words of my mouth. It is almost as if Moshe is talking directly to Heaven, and he is requesting earth to listen in on the conversation. How…

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