Parashat Ha’Azinu 5782

by Rabbi Margie Cella

This parashah consists of Moses’ final song to the nation, his farewell message. In it, he offers praise to God for all that God has done for the nation and exhorts the people once again to remain faithful to God.

He begins by calling both the heavens and the earth to give ear to his words. Praising God’s ways of justice and truth, Moses admonishes Israel for the way in which they have requited God.

He continues by recounting the history of the nation, how they were chosen by God, how God protectively cared for them, providing for all their needs. All this they repaid with their apostasy, worshipping foreign gods. This in turn provoked God’s jealous anger and threats of punishment.

“Turn your hearts to the Torah,” Moses encourages the nation, and teach your children to observe its commandments—because it is your life.

Ironically, as Moses finishes his song with this statement, God tells him that the time has come for him to go up to Mt. Nebo to his own death. The chapter ends with a message meant for us as much as for Moses: he will see the land from the mountaintop, but he will not be permitted to enter it, because he had sinned against God at the waters of Meribah-Kadesh. Even a man as great as Moses can be guilty of sinning before God; therefore, none of us is perfect. We have just completed a period of teshuvah, repentance; yet we know that we are bound to make new mistakes in the coming year. And when we do, we need to remember to turn our hearts to the Torah–because it is our life. Hazak v’Ematz-Be Strong and Courageous.