Israel is Forever
The Parsha begins with the song referred to in the very last verse of last week?s Parsha: ?Moshe spoke the words of this song in the ears of the entire congregation of Israel, until their conclusion (Chap. 31, verse 30).? The song of Haazinu is a beautiful mix of poetry and prophecy in which Moshe describes Israel?s past, relates to its present and foretells its future. Though parts of it constitute a harsh warning as to what will befall the Jewish people if they stray from G-d?s commands, the Parsha also contains a promise of Israel?s final redemption along with the punishment of those who persecuted her throughout the millennia. The Rambam (Maimonides) writes in his compendium of Jewish law, the Mishneh Torah, that some Jews had a custom of reciting the song of Haazinu every day as part of the morning prayers (Laws of Prayer 7:13). The Torah states in the opening verse, ?Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; and may the earth hear the words of my mouth (Chap. 32, verse 1).? The commentators interpret this verse as a request from Moshe to the heavens and the earth - that they should serve as witnesses to what he is about to say to Israel.
The Question:
Why does Moshe call upon the heavens and the earth to serve as witnesses?
The Answer:
The Midrash offers several explanations, one of which is: ?since the heavens and the earth exist forever and Israel exists forever, he [Moshe] called them to bear witness that Israel would fulfill the Torah and its commandments. And if, G-d forbid, they do not, then the hand of the witnesses will be the first to slay them, as it is written (Deut. 11:17): ?And He will restrain the heavens so there will be no rain, and the ground will not yield its produce.?? Thus, according to the Midrash, Moshe called upon the heavens and the earth to be witnesses because, like Israel, they will exist until the end of time. Thus (as another Midrash explains), if a later generation of Jews should ever wish to deny that they had forged a Covenant with G-d, the heavens and the earth would be there to testify against them.
The Lesson:
As tensions mount over the coming conflict between American troops and Osama Bin Laden?s terrorist brigades in Afghanistan, radical Islamic fundamentalists are brazenly threatening to retaliate against Jews and Christians worldwide. Israelis are growing increasingly concerned that the Jewish state might very well prove to be high on the terrorists? target list, with various media reports even speculating about the possibility of Iraq firing missiles at Israel if Saddam Hussein feels that his grip on power is endangered. Indeed, Israel?s Home Front Command has reported a sharp increase in recent days in the number of Israelis seeking to refresh their gas mask kits. With the ominous possibility of an external threat on the horizon joining together with the threat posed by the ongoing Palestinian terror campaign, many Israelis are beginning to fear for the future of the country.
While such fears are perfectly understandable, given the current situation in the region, Moshe?s song gives us cause for comfort, reminding us of an immutable fact of history ? the Jewish people will never be destroyed. Our enemies can plot and plan and scheme and conspire, but it will do them no good, for as we saw above, the Jewish people are eternal, like the heavens and the earth. Our history has been filled with periods of tragedy unlike that of any other people, but we have always outlasted those who conquered us and survived those who sought to destroy us. History?s worst tyrants, from Titus to Hitler, from Nebuchadnezzar to Stalin, all sought our demise. They battered us and made us bleed, but they have never succeeded in defeating us. Israel is forever, and as Moshe pointed out, as long as there is a heaven above and an earth below, the Jewish people will never falter.
Keeping a Watchful Eye on the Kids
Moshe describes what will happen if the Jewish people will sin. The Torah says, ?G-d will see and be provoked by the anger of His sons and daughters, and He will say, ?I shall hide my face from them and see what their end will be? (Chap. 32, verses 19-20).?
The Question:
What is the connection between G-d?s vow to ?hide my face? while watching to ?see what their end will be??
The Answer:
The Shem MiShmuel (cited in Menachem Beker?s Parperaot LaTorah) explains the verse with a parable. He says that it is similar to a father who is angry with his young son and decides to hide his face from him. But since the father knows that his son cannot yet walk on his own, the father does not take his eyes off of him for a moment. When the son attempts to walk and falls, the father watches but refrains from leaving his hiding place. Only when the son approaches a spot where falling could prove dangerous does the father quickly emerge to assist his child and save him. This, says the Shem MiShmuel, is what the verse above is telling us ? that even at a time when G-d hides His face from the Jewish people out of anger, He nevertheless keeps a watchful eye on us at all times to ?see what their end will be?. And when we are in danger, G-d emerges to save us.
The Lesson:
The Jewish people can always be assured that G-d is watching over them and protecting them. Even when Israel behaves in a manner that displeases G-d, leading Him to ?hide His face?, He nevertheless is watching us carefully, just as a loving father watches his son to protect him. As we saw in the previous item above, the Jewish people are eternal and indestructible, but the reason for that is to be found here, for it is G-d?s guardianship and protection that ensures we shall never be destroyed. Like the child in the Shem MiShmuel?s parable, the Jewish people may stumble at times, falling painfully to the ground. That is an essential part of the learning process, for both child and nation alike. But should we ever reach a point where we as a people are in danger of tumbling into the depths, we can always rest assured that our Father in Heaven will step in to give us a helping hand.
Sukkot ? The Feast of Tabernacles
On the festival of Sukkot, Jews around the world traditionally leave the comforts of their homes and go to dwell in little booths, temporary dwellings meant to recall the manner in which the Children of Israel lived in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt. The commandment to dwell in the Sukkah (hut or booth) appears in the Book of Leviticus (Chap. 23, verses 42-3), where the Torah states: ?You shall dwell in booths for a seven-day period, every native in Israel shall dwell in booths. So that your generations will know that I caused the Children of Israel to dwell in booths when I took them out from the land of Egypt; I am the L-rd your G-d.?
The Question:
What does the Sukkah symbolize?
The Answer:
The commentators note that the Sukkah, as a temporary dwelling, is symbolic of the Exile. The Knesset Yisrael (cited in MeOtzareinu HaYashan) offers a beautiful elaboration on this theme, pointing out that the laws regarding the construction of the Sukkah also hint at the nature of Jewish life in the Exile. For example: the material used for the s?chach (the covering of the Sukkah) is required to be detached from the earth (i.e. you can not use a branch attached to a tree, unless you remove it from the tree). This, says the Knesset Yisrael, is symbolic of how Jewish life in the Diaspora is not firmly rooted and can easily be detached. Also: the minimum height required for a Sukkah to be kosher is ten tefachim (fists), or about 40 inches, which is hardly tall enough to allow a person to lift his head. This, says the Knesset Yisrael, is to remind us how in the Diaspora, Jews must often walk with their heads bowed, cowering in fear, rather than upright and proud like a free people. Also, every year the Sukkah must be rebuilt from scratch, just as Jewish homes, businesses and communities in the Diaspora have been built and then subsequently dismantled, requiring the Jews to move on and rebuild again, starting over from the beginning. We see from the Knesset Yisrael?s explanation that the Sukkah is meant to impress upon us the vulnerability of Jewish life in the Exile.
The Lesson:
Jewish life in exile is transitory and uncertain. Living outdoors in a booth, exposed to the elements and with little in the way of physical protection, the Jew realizes that he must turn his gaze heavenward to seek security. Yet, while the Sukkah symbolizes Jewish exile, it can also represent Jewish redemption. During the week of Sukkot, in the Grace after Meals, a special prayer is added which says: ?May the Compassionate One erect for us David?s fallen booth [?Sukkat David? in Heb.].? What exactly is this ?Sukkat David?? The term itself is taken from the Book of Amos (Chap. 9, verse 11), where G-d says, ?On that day, I will raise up the fallen booth of David [?Sukkat David?], and I will close up their breaches and I will raise up its ruins, and build it up as in the days of yore.? The Talmud in Tractate Sanhedrin (96b-97a) understands the phrase ?Sukkat David? as referring to the Davidic monarchy, which will be restored when the Messiah comes. Thus, even when the Jew is living in his Sukkah of Exile, he is thinking ahead to a time when the Sukkah will come to mean something far greater and more permanent ? the Final Redemption.
Let us hope and pray that this year, we will all merit to see our own Sukkot similarly transformed ? from outposts of exile to fortresses of redemption.
Chag Sameach.
The Parsha begins with the song referred to in the very last verse of last week?s Parsha: ?Moshe spoke the words of this song in the ears of the entire congregation of Israel, until their conclusion (Chap. 31, verse 30).? The song of Haazinu is a beautiful mix of poetry and prophecy in which Moshe describes Israel?s past, relates to its present and foretells its future. Though parts of it constitute a harsh warning as to what will befall the Jewish people if they stray from G-d?s commands, the Parsha also contains a promise of Israel?s final redemption along with the punishment of those who persecuted her throughout the millennia. The Rambam (Maimonides) writes in his compendium of Jewish law, the Mishneh Torah, that some Jews had a custom of reciting the song of Haazinu every day as part of the morning prayers (Laws of Prayer 7:13). The Torah states in the opening verse, ?Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; and may the earth hear the words of my mouth (Chap. 32, verse 1).? The commentators interpret this verse as a request from Moshe to the heavens and the earth - that they should serve as witnesses to what he is about to say to Israel.
The Question:
Why does Moshe call upon the heavens and the earth to serve as witnesses?
The Answer:
The Midrash offers several explanations, one of which is: ?since the heavens and the earth exist forever and Israel exists forever, he [Moshe] called them to bear witness that Israel would fulfill the Torah and its commandments. And if, G-d forbid, they do not, then the hand of the witnesses will be the first to slay them, as it is written (Deut. 11:17): ?And He will restrain the heavens so there will be no rain, and the ground will not yield its produce.?? Thus, according to the Midrash, Moshe called upon the heavens and the earth to be witnesses because, like Israel, they will exist until the end of time. Thus (as another Midrash explains), if a later generation of Jews should ever wish to deny that they had forged a Covenant with G-d, the heavens and the earth would be there to testify against them.
The Lesson:
As tensions mount over the coming conflict between American troops and Osama Bin Laden?s terrorist brigades in Afghanistan, radical Islamic fundamentalists are brazenly threatening to retaliate against Jews and Christians worldwide. Israelis are growing increasingly concerned that the Jewish state might very well prove to be high on the terrorists? target list, with various media reports even speculating about the possibility of Iraq firing missiles at Israel if Saddam Hussein feels that his grip on power is endangered. Indeed, Israel?s Home Front Command has reported a sharp increase in recent days in the number of Israelis seeking to refresh their gas mask kits. With the ominous possibility of an external threat on the horizon joining together with the threat posed by the ongoing Palestinian terror campaign, many Israelis are beginning to fear for the future of the country.
While such fears are perfectly understandable, given the current situation in the region, Moshe?s song gives us cause for comfort, reminding us of an immutable fact of history ? the Jewish people will never be destroyed. Our enemies can plot and plan and scheme and conspire, but it will do them no good, for as we saw above, the Jewish people are eternal, like the heavens and the earth. Our history has been filled with periods of tragedy unlike that of any other people, but we have always outlasted those who conquered us and survived those who sought to destroy us. History?s worst tyrants, from Titus to Hitler, from Nebuchadnezzar to Stalin, all sought our demise. They battered us and made us bleed, but they have never succeeded in defeating us. Israel is forever, and as Moshe pointed out, as long as there is a heaven above and an earth below, the Jewish people will never falter.
Keeping a Watchful Eye on the Kids
Moshe describes what will happen if the Jewish people will sin. The Torah says, ?G-d will see and be provoked by the anger of His sons and daughters, and He will say, ?I shall hide my face from them and see what their end will be? (Chap. 32, verses 19-20).?
The Question:
What is the connection between G-d?s vow to ?hide my face? while watching to ?see what their end will be??
The Answer:
The Shem MiShmuel (cited in Menachem Beker?s Parperaot LaTorah) explains the verse with a parable. He says that it is similar to a father who is angry with his young son and decides to hide his face from him. But since the father knows that his son cannot yet walk on his own, the father does not take his eyes off of him for a moment. When the son attempts to walk and falls, the father watches but refrains from leaving his hiding place. Only when the son approaches a spot where falling could prove dangerous does the father quickly emerge to assist his child and save him. This, says the Shem MiShmuel, is what the verse above is telling us ? that even at a time when G-d hides His face from the Jewish people out of anger, He nevertheless keeps a watchful eye on us at all times to ?see what their end will be?. And when we are in danger, G-d emerges to save us.
The Lesson:
The Jewish people can always be assured that G-d is watching over them and protecting them. Even when Israel behaves in a manner that displeases G-d, leading Him to ?hide His face?, He nevertheless is watching us carefully, just as a loving father watches his son to protect him. As we saw in the previous item above, the Jewish people are eternal and indestructible, but the reason for that is to be found here, for it is G-d?s guardianship and protection that ensures we shall never be destroyed. Like the child in the Shem MiShmuel?s parable, the Jewish people may stumble at times, falling painfully to the ground. That is an essential part of the learning process, for both child and nation alike. But should we ever reach a point where we as a people are in danger of tumbling into the depths, we can always rest assured that our Father in Heaven will step in to give us a helping hand.
Sukkot ? The Feast of Tabernacles
On the festival of Sukkot, Jews around the world traditionally leave the comforts of their homes and go to dwell in little booths, temporary dwellings meant to recall the manner in which the Children of Israel lived in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt. The commandment to dwell in the Sukkah (hut or booth) appears in the Book of Leviticus (Chap. 23, verses 42-3), where the Torah states: ?You shall dwell in booths for a seven-day period, every native in Israel shall dwell in booths. So that your generations will know that I caused the Children of Israel to dwell in booths when I took them out from the land of Egypt; I am the L-rd your G-d.?
The Question:
What does the Sukkah symbolize?
The Answer:
The commentators note that the Sukkah, as a temporary dwelling, is symbolic of the Exile. The Knesset Yisrael (cited in MeOtzareinu HaYashan) offers a beautiful elaboration on this theme, pointing out that the laws regarding the construction of the Sukkah also hint at the nature of Jewish life in the Exile. For example: the material used for the s?chach (the covering of the Sukkah) is required to be detached from the earth (i.e. you can not use a branch attached to a tree, unless you remove it from the tree). This, says the Knesset Yisrael, is symbolic of how Jewish life in the Diaspora is not firmly rooted and can easily be detached. Also: the minimum height required for a Sukkah to be kosher is ten tefachim (fists), or about 40 inches, which is hardly tall enough to allow a person to lift his head. This, says the Knesset Yisrael, is to remind us how in the Diaspora, Jews must often walk with their heads bowed, cowering in fear, rather than upright and proud like a free people. Also, every year the Sukkah must be rebuilt from scratch, just as Jewish homes, businesses and communities in the Diaspora have been built and then subsequently dismantled, requiring the Jews to move on and rebuild again, starting over from the beginning. We see from the Knesset Yisrael?s explanation that the Sukkah is meant to impress upon us the vulnerability of Jewish life in the Exile.
The Lesson:
Jewish life in exile is transitory and uncertain. Living outdoors in a booth, exposed to the elements and with little in the way of physical protection, the Jew realizes that he must turn his gaze heavenward to seek security. Yet, while the Sukkah symbolizes Jewish exile, it can also represent Jewish redemption. During the week of Sukkot, in the Grace after Meals, a special prayer is added which says: ?May the Compassionate One erect for us David?s fallen booth [?Sukkat David? in Heb.].? What exactly is this ?Sukkat David?? The term itself is taken from the Book of Amos (Chap. 9, verse 11), where G-d says, ?On that day, I will raise up the fallen booth of David [?Sukkat David?], and I will close up their breaches and I will raise up its ruins, and build it up as in the days of yore.? The Talmud in Tractate Sanhedrin (96b-97a) understands the phrase ?Sukkat David? as referring to the Davidic monarchy, which will be restored when the Messiah comes. Thus, even when the Jew is living in his Sukkah of Exile, he is thinking ahead to a time when the Sukkah will come to mean something far greater and more permanent ? the Final Redemption.
Let us hope and pray that this year, we will all merit to see our own Sukkot similarly transformed ? from outposts of exile to fortresses of redemption.
Chag Sameach.