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ד' בדד ינחנו

Sruly Schnair
In 5787, Ha'azinu

Hashem alone guided them. (32:12)

The simple explanation is that Hashem alone leads us.  We are not relegated to the stewardship of an angel.  In his Haamek Davar, the Netziv, zl, explains that Hashem led us through the wilderness in order to establish and define for us the tzurah, image, of what a Jew should be.  He does not want us to intermingle in the gentile world more than necessary.  Thus, Klal Yisrael’s Heavenly mandate is to be an Am levadad yishkon, to be alone, to be distinct, to stand out among the nations as children/representatives of Hashem should be.  Hashem badad  yanchenu, the Almighty…

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שאל אביך ויגדך זקניך ויאמרו לך

Sruly Schnair
In 5787, Ha'azinu

Ask your father, and he will relate to you, your elders and they will tell you. (32:7)

The pasuk implies the verity that, if you consult with the elders/the past traditions, you will not err in your logical conclusions.  Why is this?  Why is questioning our elders so much a part of present decision making?  Horav Yissachar Ber, zl, m’Ritava quotes Horav Avraham Ragoler, zl (his grandfather), author of Maalos HaTorah and brother of the Gaon, zl, m’Vilna: How does one know whether the chiddush, novel Torah insight which he innovated, is true?  How can one determine that what he is saying is consistent with Hashem and the Torah? The Gaon answered that everything depends upon the…

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ויבא משה וידבר את כל דברי השירה הזאת... הוא והושע בן נון

Sruly Schnair
In 5786, Ha'azinu

Moshe came and spoke all the words of this Song… he and Hoshea bin Nun. (32:44)

While it was only Moshe Rabbeinu who proclaimed the Song, on the last day of his life he stood with Yehoshua, his worthy successor, to symbolize the transfer of leadership. Otherwise, cynics might belittle Yehoshua’s qualifications for leadership, saying that, as long as Moshe was alive, Yehoshua was afraid to lift his head. Actually, it was not Yehoshua who was different – it was the nation that was about to enter Eretz Yisrael that was different. The nation that left Egypt and journeyed for forty years in the Wilderness was melumad b’nissim, used to miracles. They were entering a land…

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כי שם ד' אקרא הבו גדול לאלוקינו וישמן ישורון ויבעט

Sruly Schnair
In 5786, Ha'azinu

Yeshurun waxed fat and rebelled. (32:15)

It seems implied that prosperity has its dangers. The Torah intimates that, once the Jewish people’s financial portfolio took an upward turn, the people felt that they no longer were under Heavenly obligation. They had money; it was now a free-for-all. This is clearly not true. We see many bnei Torah who, some after struggling, finally make it in the world of commerce. They are extraordinary baalei tzedakah, supporting every organization from Torah institutions to welfare and social organizations. Indeed, these bnei Torah act with the greatest reverence toward fulfilling their Heavenly obligations. Apparently, not everyone can handle sudden wealth….

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Home -> Ha'azinu -> 5786

זקניך ויאמרו לך

Sruly Schnair
In 5786, Ha'azinu

Your elders and they will tell you. (32:7)

In his hesped, eulogy, for Horav Elazar M. Shach, zl, Horav Moshe Shmuel Shapira, zl, spoke emotionally concerning the impact Rav Shach had on the thousands of talmidim who were studying Torah during his tenure as Rosh Yeshivas Ponovezh. He quoted the Brisker Rav, zl, in his hesped for the Chazon Ish, zl. The Rav said, “Up until now, we have experienced a world with the Chazon Ish alive – and now a world without the Chazon Ish.” “We too,” cried Rav Moshe Shmuel, “are now experiencing a different world” (without Rav Shach). He continued, relating that, when the Chafetz…

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כי שם ד' אקרא הבו גדול לאלוקינו

Sruly Schnair
In 5786, Ha'azinu

When I call out the name of Hashem, ascribe greatness to our G-d. (32:3)

Moshe Rabbeinu commences Shiras Haazinu with Ki shem Hashem ekra havu godel lei’Elokeinu. In his commentary to Berachos 21a, Rashi writes: Ki shem Hashem ekra, “When I call out Hashem’s Name;” havu godel lei’Elokeinu, “by saying amen.” We cannot overstate the significance of reciting amen following a blessing or kaddish. It incurs extraordinary reward, both in protecting the person and in earning eternal merit for him. A well-known story has circulated concerning the Levush, Horav Mordechai Yoffe, zl, who was invited to lead the Jewish community of Posen. He stipulated that, prior to accepting the position, he had desired to…

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אמרתי אפיהם אשביתם מאנוש זכרם

Sruly Schnair
In 5787, Ha'azinu

I had said, “I will scatter them; I will cause the memory to cease from man.” (32:26)

In an alternative exposition, Rashi defines afeihem as, “I will make them Pe’ah.” This refers to the corner of the field which the owner may not harvest; he must set it aside for the poor.  The pasuk is, thus, implying that, as pe’ah is hefker, ownerless, property available for others (who fit the criteria of ani, poor man) so, too, will the Jewish people become vulnerable, exposed to the nations, as though they are ownerless.  In his Shabbos Shuva derasha (5733), Horav Yitzchak Yaakov Weiss,zl, Minchas Yitchak, Raavad of Yerushalayim, wondered why Hashem chose pe’ah as the symbol of hefker,…

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Home -> Ha'azinu -> 5784

כי דור תהפוכות המה בנים לא אמון בם

Sruly Schnair
In 5784, Ha'azinu

For they are a generation of reversals, children whose upbringing is not in them. (32:20)

Horav Tzvi Hirsch Ferber, zl, adds a practical, sadly common, insight concerning the dor tahapuchos, generation of reversals, when everything is topsy turvy. Veritably, the way of the world should be that a father teaches/sees to his son’s Torah-learning development and focuses on his spiritual growth. Conversely, the son is responsible for the support of his father. As a parent ages, daily work becomes a greater challenge. It is up to the son to arrange for his father’s sustenance and wellbeing. Today, however, it is the other way around. Fathers no longer involve themselves or care about the son’s Jewish…

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זכור ימות עולם בינו שנות דור ודור

Sruly Schnair
In 5784, Ha'azinu

Remember the days of yore, understand the years of generation after generation. (32:7)

Moshe Rabbeinu pleads with the Jewish nation to wake up from its self-imposed slumber and ponder the lessons to be gleaned from the past. A refusal to delve into the occurrences of the past and what preceded various adversities, a lack of perspective, has become the basis of much human error. We are blessed with gedolei Torah, Torah sages, whose perspective on the past is honed by a wisdom borne of penetrating analysis of Torah and the wisdom and Divine Assistance that results from such immersion in it. Furthermore, as has been noted by many, we have no Hebrew word…

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הצור תמים פעלו

Sruly Schnair
In 5784, Ha'azinu

The deeds of the Rock are perfect. (32:4)

We are unable to fathom Hashem’s ways. It is impossible to come to grips with sadness and tragedy unless one has perfect faith that incorporates all of Hashem’s actions under the rubric of one harmonious whole. All actions are good – even if the “good” eludes us. All come from Hashem Who is the essence of good. He is perfect. We, however, as mortals, are imperfect; thus we are unable to grasp Hashem’s perfection. We can only believe with consummate faith in everything that he does. Chazal (Koheles Rabbah 20:15) teach that the word tzur, rock, a term which connotes…

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