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“Then this song shall speak up before it as a witness, for it shall not be forgotten from the mouth of its offspring.” (31:21)

The Torah guarantees us that it will not be forgotten. This refers to the Torah in its entirety. It will be with us until the end of time. This assurance has been put to the test during each generation, reaching epic proportions during some of our darkest periods of history. In his Chayei Olam, the Steipler Rav, zl, takes the reader on a journey throughout history, recounting the many challenges that we have confronted: We were hurt; we were exiled; we were persecuted; but our commitment to the Torah remained intact. The Torah has undergone nine exiles: Bavel; North Africa;…

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Moshe wrote this song on that day, and he taught it to the Bnei Yisrael. (31:22)

It is noteworthy that the prophecy concerning the vicissitudes and challenges facing the Jewish People in the future is written as a song. The Bostoner Rebbe, zl, observes that, indeed, it is typical of the Torah and Hashem’s great love for the Jewish People. Even when the Almighty wanted to warn and rebuke the nation through Moshe Rabbeinu, He did so with a song. For a song has the ability to move the heart, to rebuke with love, to involve the whole person and to teach him as well. Rebuke is also an attitude. For example, one sees another person…

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“And many evils and troubles shall come upon them, and they shall say on that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because G-d is not in our midst?’ And I will surely have concealed My face on that day.” (31:17-18)

  These two pesukim begin by asserting Hashem’s anger, followed by the concealment of His countenance as a result of Klal Yisrael’s transgressions. Afterwards, when the  nation recognizes that its suffering is due to Hashem’s concealment, the next pasuk continues with Hashem concealing Himself once again. This is enigmatic. One would think that recognition of sin is a step towards teshuvah, repentance. Surely, it should not be followed with more hester Panim, concealment of Hashem’s countenance. Indeed, this is a difficult and most tragic prophecy. What could be worse than Hashem removing Himself from our midst? It is softened only…

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“This song shall speak up before it as a witness, for it shall not be forgotten from the mouth of its offspring.” (31:21)

This is the only consolation for a prophecy foretelling Klal Yisrael’s slide into a life of sin and rebellion against the Almighty. The Torah might be ignored; it might even be snubbed, but it will never be completely forgotten. Throughout history, there has always been a revival of Torah study following a period when many thought that its end was near. During the Holocaust of World War II, when Europe was burning, there were those doomsayers that said the end of Torah was near. It would die with European Jewry. This was not the case. Those who miraculously survived did…

Continue Reading

“And many evils and troubles shall come upon them, and they shall say on that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because G-d is not in our midst?’ And I will surely have concealed My face on that day.” (31:17-18)

  These two pesukim begin by asserting Hashem’s anger, followed by the concealment of His countenance as a result of Klal Yisrael’s transgressions. Afterwards, when the  nation recognizes that its suffering is due to Hashem’s concealment, the next pasuk continues with Hashem concealing Himself once again. This is enigmatic. One would think that recognition of sin is a step towards teshuvah, repentance. Surely, it should not be followed with more hester Panim, concealment of Hashem’s countenance. Indeed, this is a difficult and most tragic prophecy. What could be worse than Hashem removing Himself from our midst? It is softened only…

Continue Reading

“This song shall speak up before it as a witness, for it shall not be forgotten from the mouth of its offspring.” (31:21)

This is the only consolation for a prophecy foretelling Klal Yisrael’s slide into a life of sin and rebellion against the Almighty. The Torah might be ignored; it might even be snubbed, but it will never be completely forgotten. Throughout history, there has always been a revival of Torah study following a period when many thought that its end was near. During the Holocaust of World War II, when Europe was burning, there were those doomsayers that said the end of Torah was near. It would die with European Jewry. This was not the case. Those who miraculously survived did…

Continue Reading

“And many evils and troubles shall come upon them, and they shall say on that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because G-d is not in our midst?’ And I will surely have concealed My face on that day.” (31:17-18)

  These two pesukim begin by asserting Hashem’s anger, followed by the concealment of His countenance as a result of Klal Yisrael’s transgressions. Afterwards, when the  nation recognizes that its suffering is due to Hashem’s concealment, the next pasuk continues with Hashem concealing Himself once again. This is enigmatic. One would think that recognition of sin is a step towards teshuvah, repentance. Surely, it should not be followed with more hester Panim, concealment of Hashem’s countenance. Indeed, this is a difficult and most tragic prophecy. What could be worse than Hashem removing Himself from our midst? It is softened only…

Continue Reading

“This song shall speak up before it as a witness, for it shall not be forgotten from the mouth of its offspring.” (31:21)

This is the only consolation for a prophecy foretelling Klal Yisrael’s slide into a life of sin and rebellion against the Almighty. The Torah might be ignored; it might even be snubbed, but it will never be completely forgotten. Throughout history, there has always been a revival of Torah study following a period when many thought that its end was near. During the Holocaust of World War II, when Europe was burning, there were those doomsayers that said the end of Torah was near. It would die with European Jewry. This was not the case. Those who miraculously survived did…

Continue Reading

“And many evils and troubles shall come upon them, and they shall say on that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because G-d is not in our midst?’ And I will surely have concealed My face on that day.” (31:17-18)

  These two pesukim begin by asserting Hashem’s anger, followed by the concealment of His countenance as a result of Klal Yisrael’s transgressions. Afterwards, when the  nation recognizes that its suffering is due to Hashem’s concealment, the next pasuk continues with Hashem concealing Himself once again. This is enigmatic. One would think that recognition of sin is a step towards teshuvah, repentance. Surely, it should not be followed with more hester Panim, concealment of Hashem’s countenance. Indeed, this is a difficult and most tragic prophecy. What could be worse than Hashem removing Himself from our midst? It is softened only…

Continue Reading

“This song shall speak up before it as a witness, for it shall not be forgotten from the mouth of its offspring.” (31:21)

This is the only consolation for a prophecy foretelling Klal Yisrael’s slide into a life of sin and rebellion against the Almighty. The Torah might be ignored; it might even be snubbed, but it will never be completely forgotten. Throughout history, there has always been a revival of Torah study following a period when many thought that its end was near. During the Holocaust of World War II, when Europe was burning, there were those doomsayers that said the end of Torah was near. It would die with European Jewry. This was not the case. Those who miraculously survived did…

Continue Reading

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