Ha’azinu – Page 12 – Peninim on the Torah

May my teaching drop like the rain, may my utterance flow like the dew. (32:2)

The Zohar Ha’Kadosh tells us that the “rain” is an analogy for Torah She’Biksav, the Written Law, and the “dew” represents Torah She’Baal’Peh, the Oral Law. Just as the former is celestial in nature, the latter is earthly and mundane in nature. We infer from this statement that the Written Torah contains principles and laws from a pure, Heavenly point of view, while the Oral Torah emphasizes rules and regulations from the perspective of earthly society. The commentators emphasize the various differences between dew and rain, suggesting their parallel to Torah study. Horav Eli Munk, zl, observes that while raindrops…

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Moshe Marcovich In 5758, Ha'azinu

Remember the days of yore, understand the years of generation after generation. Ask your fathers and they will tell you… when the Supreme One gave the nations their inheritance… He set the borders of the peoples according to the numbers of the Bnei Yisrael. (32:7,8)

In recounting Jewish history, Moshe notes that after the Mabul, flood, surviving generations attempted to build the Tower of Bavel. Hashem scattered them, dividing them into seventy nations. Each nation had its own distinct language, corresponding to the number of Bnei Yisrael, the seventy members of Yaakov Avinu’s family who later went down to Egypt. The Shem M’Shmuel remarks that the correspondence between the seventy souls in Yaakov’s family and the seventy nations of the world is significant in Jewish thought. Although today there are certainly more than seventy nations, after the Mabul initially seventy nations emerged. Likewise, when Yaakov’s…

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Moshe Marcovich In 5758, Ha'azinu

Hashem will see and be provoked by the anger of His sons and daughters. (32:19)

Simply, the Torah is telling us that Hashem will be angry as a result of our iniquity. Horav Nissan Alpert, zl, makes a novel homiletic exposition to the pasuk, implying a valuable lesson. Hashem sees the iniquity, but that alone does not cause Him to become angry. After He sees how His children, Klal Yisrael, act when they do not get their own way, when they do not get their hearts desires, He is provoked to anger. It is one thing to make demands, to entreat Hashem for favors and hope that they are fulfilled. How do we have the…

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Moshe Marcovich In 5758, Ha'azinu

I put to death and I bring life; I struck down and I will heal. (32:39)

Hashem is the only source of healing. He strikes down, and He heals. Horav Yechezkel Abramski, zl, raised and addressed a pertinent question regarding the brachah of “Refaenu” which we recite in Shemonah Esrai. We say, “Heal us, Hashem – then we will be healed. Save us – then we will be saved, for You are our praise.” Why do we add the words, “For You are our praise“? Why is this the only brachah in which we emphasize Hashem’s unique involvement? Horav Abramski commented that in the field of medicine, one has the opportunity to attribute his recovery to…

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Moshe Marcovich In 5758, Ha'azinu

Ascent to this mount of Abarim… and die on this mountain… and be gathered to your people… because you trespassed against Me among the Bnei Yisrael… because you did not sanctify Me among the Bnei Yisrael. (32:49,50,51)

Perhaps Moshe Rabbeinu could have sanctified Hashem more emphatically. Why, however, is this considered to be a transgression against the Almighty? Did Moshe’s error constitute such an incursion against Hashem that hundreds of entreaties and prayers were not sufficient to effect his passage into Eretz Yisrael? Hashem refused to allow Moshe to enter the land, neither as a living being or as a corpse, as an animal or even an inanimate stone! He could not pardon Moshe’s error! Moshe’s behavior demanded serious consequences. Why? Horav Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi, Shlita, employs a practical approach to explaining this anomaly. Heads of state…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5757, Ha'azinu

May my teachings drop like the rain, may my utterance flow like the dew. (32:2)

Moshe hoped that the words of the Torah would penetrate the nation as rain and dew penetrate the earth. Moshe was essentially comparing Torah to water. Water imbues the earth, softening it, nourishing the soil to provide the seed with the proper environment for growth. So, too, does Torah permeate an individual, refining him, preparing him so that Torah will have a greater effect on his life. Horav Eliyahu Meier Bloch, zl, notes that the similarity between water and Torah is even more profound. Water seeps into every particle of the earth. Likewise, Torah enters into every corner of a…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5757, Ha'azinu

The Rock–Perfect is His work, for all His paths are justice. (32:4)

Hashem’s judgment is meticulous and fair. Our inability to comprehend His justice is not a reason to disdain those areas of Heavenly justice to which we do not relate well. Hashem has reasons for every Heavenly act and decree. Most are not within our scope of comprehension. Therefore, we need emunah, faith. We are to trust in Hashem that everything He does is good–even though we do not necessarily understand His decree. Life is all part of one great continuum. Everyone has his “day in court.” We are not on this world long enough to see or comprehend everything…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5757, Ha'azinu

 Because you trespassed against Me among the Bnei Yisrael at the waters of Merivas Kadesh….because you did not sanctify Me among Bnei Yisrael. (32:51)

Rashi attributes Moshe and Aharon’s sin to their non-compliance with Hashem’s original command to speak to the rock. Instead, they chose to strike the rock. The actual change did not elicit the punishment. It was, as Rashi explains, their failure to take advantage of an opportunity for increased Kiddush Hashem, sanctification of Hashem’s Name. Had Moshe spoken to the rock, Bnei Yisrael would have made a kal v’chomer, an fortiori argument. They would have reasoned: If a stone that does not receive reward or punishment listens to Hashem’s command, should not we surely do so? Horav Simcha Zissel Broide, Shlita,…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5756, Ha'azinu

“The Rock! Perfect in His work, for all His paths are justice. A G-d of faith without iniquity, righteous and fair is He.” (32:3,4)

Hashem’s judgement is perfect! The fact that we may not understand His ways does not in any manner affect the righteousness of His judgement. We must view every decree that Hashem issues as perfect. The essence of emunah is our belief that Hashem in His infinite wisdom knows what is best for us. We find this concept expressed in the Talmud Avodah Zarah 18b in an incident concerning Rabbi Chaninah ben Tradyon. Together with his wife, he recited these pesukim as he was led to a most terrible and painful death. It is difficult for a human being with limited…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5756, Ha'azinu

“Is He not your Father, your Master?” (32:6)

Horav Chaim Berlin, zl, translated the word “kanecha,” as a derivative of the word “ken,” nest. This would then mean that Hashem is Klal Yisrael’s nest, their home, their source of sustenance and protection. He rendered this interpretation in light of an interesting story that occurred when he was Rav of Moscow. One day a Jew came to him and implored him to circumcise his newborn son – secretly. This strange behavior aroused the Rav’s curiosity, and he questioned the man regarding his desire to keep his son’s circumcision secret. The man responded that he was a totally assimilated Jew…

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May my teaching drop like the rain, may my utterance flow like the dew. (32:2)

Remember the days of yore, understand the years of generation after generation. Ask your fathers and they will tell you… when the Supreme One gave the nations their inheritance… He set the borders of the peoples according to the numbers of the Bnei Yisrael. (32:7,8)

Hashem will see and be provoked by the anger of His sons and daughters. (32:19)

I put to death and I bring life; I struck down and I will heal. (32:39)

Ascent to this mount of Abarim… and die on this mountain… and be gathered to your people… because you trespassed against Me among the Bnei Yisrael… because you did not sanctify Me among the Bnei Yisrael. (32:49,50,51)

May my teachings drop like the rain, may my utterance flow like the dew. (32:2)

The Rock–Perfect is His work, for all His paths are justice. (32:4)

Because you trespassed against Me among the Bnei Yisrael at the waters of Merivas Kadesh….because you did not sanctify Me among Bnei Yisrael. (32:51)

“The Rock! Perfect in His work, for all His paths are justice. A G-d of faith without iniquity, righteous and fair is He.” (32:3,4)

“Is He not your Father, your Master?” (32:6)

YEARS

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