In the Slichot prayers, we exclaim time and again: "Renew our days as of old." In parshat Ha'azinu, the parasha of Shabbat Shuva, the same theme appears in different words: "Remember the days of old, understand the years of generation after generation. Ask your father and he will relate to you, your elders and they will tell you." (Devarim 32:7)



Rashi explains the verse as an admonishment to learn from the punishment received by earlier generations, the generation of Enosh, and the generation of the Flood, and that we should learn from the prophets and sages in this respect. He explains that "your father" refers to the prophets - citing II Kings 2:12, where Eliyahu is called "father" - and that "your elders" refers to the sages.



In another view on the verse, its second part is a poetic explanation of the first. In the days of old, we had prophets and the elders of the Sanhedrin. We would ask them, and they would tell us. We are called upon to remember and understand, to prepare for the renewal of what was in days of old. Who should remember and understand? The verse before, Devarim 32:6, identifies the addressed: "a people that has withered and is unwise." It might be that our generation qualifies.



How will the days of old be restored? There is a tradition that Eliyahu will come to help us establish the Sanhedrin. It finds remarkable support in our verse, as its second part can be read as follows: "Ask your father and he will relate your elders to you, and they will tell you." Eliyahu, our father, will give his semicha to the elders. Let us prepare his welcome by doing the groundwork.