From TorahVort.com
Haazinu
This week’s torah reading is the portion of ‘Ha’azinu’ and poetically depicts what will happen to the Jewish people until the end of days. It states what the ramifications on the Jews will be, if they transgress the covenant with Hashem and portrays how Hashem will punish the nations who wronged the Jewish people while in exile. Ha’azinu is the forth out the ten prophetic songs featured in the Tanach, other examples of songs included in the Tanach is the song of ‘the praise of Miriam’ which was featured in Parshas Chukas and Adam reciting the first song in Gan Eden just after creation. In this Parsha we learn the power of saying the word ‘amen’ after a blessing is made, as Moshe summoned the people to respond with praise of G-d whenever he mentioned G-d’s name. Moshe prefaced the anthem of ‘Ha’azinu with the lesson; ‘Whenever I mention Hashems Name, praise him by responding ‘amen.’’ Our sages derived from this verse that after every blessing recited in the temple the people were required to respond ‘blessed be the name of his glorious kingdom for ever and ever.’ We too observe the rule of ‘responding with a blessing’ whenever we hear a person reciting a blessing. There is also the idea that an individual who responds with the word ‘amen’ to a blessing, is even greater than the person who recited the blessing! It’s such an easy Mitzvah!!! The song has many verses to it; the song talks about how Moshe declared that the Torah is ‘Lifegiving like rain,’ the song states that G-d’s work is perfect and all his ways are absolutely Just; the song also enumerates of Hashems kindness to the Jewish people. Moshe prophesies that the Jews will sin and rebel against Hashem; the song talks about the punishments that will befall the Jews if they don’t heed to the word of torah; the song concludes with a comfort for the Jewish people and the divine promise that justice will be executed on their oppressors. The torah reading continues with Moshe and the future leader, Yehoshua, teaching the song of Ha’azinu to the children of Israel and Moshe explaining how everything in the Torah is true. The reading concludes as Moshe ascends on to Mount Nevo to view the land of Israel. This parsha is the forth shortest in the five books of Torah as it only has 52 verses. On Sunday, it is the festival of Yom Kippur (day of atonement) and the torah reading in the morning prayers will be sections of the Parsha, ‘Acharai Mos’ featured in the book of Vayikra (Leviticus) which deal with the Yom Kippur service and the laws of Yom Kippur. I hope you all have a fantastic Shabbat and a meaningful fast and Yom Kippur!! Shabbat Shalom!! From Michael Z, learning in Ohr Sameach yeshiva in Jerusalem.
