Ha'azinu - 7th Portion

Join me as we learn Humash for Shabbat, the seventh Torah reading of Parshat Ha'azinu. Last Yesterday, we just concluded the poem that Moshe made as the covenant between God and the Jewish people about how God will exact revenge on the nations of the world for the punishment and the things they have done to the Jewish people. Now we come as Moshe and Yehoshua instruct the Jewish people together after the solemn covenant of letting them know the future and to keep the laws of the Torah. Vayavei Moshe verse 44. Vayavei Moshe vidaber kol divrei ha'shirah ha'zot b'oznei ha'am, hu v'Yehoshua bin Nun. And Moshe came and spoke all of the words of this poem to the people so they can hear it together with Yehoshua, the Hoshea, the son of Nun. Rashi, hu v'Yehoshua bin Nun. What does it mean together with Yehoshua bin Nun? Shabbat shel zugay ho'isa. It was a Shabbat of pairs, meaning of two leaders. The word zugay comes from the word zugay, like a pair, together. Nitla rishut mizeh v'nitla mizeh. It was taken the power, the authority, the autonomy from one and given to another. Moshe made that if there was a translator, who usually in the time of the Talmud and especially the time of Moshe and so on, there was a person that scholar said the speech, the sermon, the Torah, and then there was somebody that translated and made it easier for the people to understand. And what it was that Moshe made that there should be a translator, meaning explaining what he said. >> [snorts] >> Meaning that Moshe made Yehoshua as a translator, that whatever Moshe said, Yehoshua will then translate it and make it easier and accessible for the people to understand. And this was that later on that when Moshe passes, the people should not say, "Hey, where did you come along all of a sudden? Where were you in the time of Moshe? You never said anything." You didn't have the ability to lift your head and say anything and to be in charge of us and to be a rabbi. Why all of a sudden now does his name change back to Oshea? Didn't we learn in the book of Numbers he was called Yeshua? To teach us that because of the humility that Yeshua had, he never had any ego or pride in himself with the very fact that Moshe appointed him as his successor. Even though he was given this leadership position, he was still humble enough as if he was in his first days as a young man known as Oshea before he was even popular. Verse 45. Moshe finished speaking all these words to the Jewish people. By 46, he said to them, "Pay close attention. All the words that I'm going to teach you today that I'm warning you about today. I'm warning you today that you should command your children to observe to do as all the words of this Torah." Rashi, similar to them. What is the word similar to them? Teaching us someone to study Torah, you have to pay attention. Your eyes and ears and heart have to be attentive to the words of Torah. And therefore it says in the words of Ezekiel, "Young man, you must see with your eyes, listen with your ears, and put your heart attentively to it to be able to notice and understand and appreciate what's being taught." These things are teaching us a lesson. >> If he's telling you about the measurements of the building of the structure of the Holy Temple, and this is something which you can easily measure and see what it is, and over there he still tells you that you have to be attentive with your eyes and ears and heart to know what's going on. How much more so to understand the words of Torah, which they are like which they are like mountains that are hung by ears, by threads, by one little single anecdote or standing or analytical explanation you can change the entire paradigm of what you're learning. How much more so how much more so you have to be able to understand it and realize and real and and be attentive and concentrate what you are learning to be able to understand it and how it applies and where it applies. And he said and he said this is he's telling this to them before it is not unwarranted pursuit for you. This is your life of our because with this you will lengthen your life of your days in this world. that you're crossing the Jordan the river to possess. Rashi says what does he mean empty this is not something which is unwarranted. This is not for for no reason. An unfruitful pursuit. This is a lot of reward dependent on this. This is your life that you're going to be able to extend and have time in this world. Another explanation of what this means is There is nothing in the Torah that doesn't teach you something. Every single word and letter in the Torah has something that you can learn from it. Because if you will only learn and examine meaning you're not going to of find something which there isn't something that can give you reward, something that you can learn from it, something that you can experience, and a behavior. You should know. The rabbis even said, why does it say in the Torah that the sister of Lotan is Timna? What do I learn from that? What do I know from that? And who is Timna? She was the concubine of Eliphaz, the son of Esau. Why does it tell us? Because Timna said I'm not going to be I'm not worthy enough to be his wife. Why is this telling us all about who cares if Timna was the concubine or the wife of of Lotan? It's telling us the greatness of Avram. So you should take them that there were so many different kingdoms that wanted to be able to connect and marry into Avram's family. And therefore, even if they couldn't be a wife, they'll be a concubine of Esau, Eliphaz, in that family. Even though it may talk about wicked people, but it's telling us that even these kind of people recognize the greatness of Avram. So too over here, the mission the the rabbis are telling us that every single word in the Torah, even something which seemingly seems insignificant, has something that you can learn from it in a great deal. Verse 48. Middle of broad daylight. That [snorts] very day, saying Rashi notes There are three places where the Torah uses the terminology in the Torah. When went into the ark it says in the Torah That means it was in the broad daylight that Because every because all the people of his generation were evil. And they were saying, ah, it's not going to happen. It's not going to happen. shouldn't be letting him in. If we see that it's going to happen, we're not going to let him go into the ark. We'll stop him from going in." We're going to go take hammers and chisels. Chop down and we'll break apart the ark. God said, I'm going to bring him in the middle of broad daylight. Whoever wants to come try to stop him, you're more than welcome try to stop him. So therefore again, God uses the terminology in broad daylight that Noah went into the ark. Anybody that wants to try to stop him, go ahead, see how that works out. Then we find another time. The second time is by Egypt. It says in the middle of broad daylight God took the Jewish people out of Egypt. Why? Because the Jewish people would say so and so we would swear. That if we feel that the Jewish people are going out in the time when they don't deserve, we're not going to let them out. Not only that, we can take swords and other arms. We're going to kill them. God said, "You know what? I'm going to bring them out in the middle of broad daylight, right in the middle of the day. stop, try. So too, and the third time that it says this terminology middle of broad daylight, is when Moshe passes. Because the Jewish people also made an oath. That if we're going to see that Moshe is about to die, we're not going to let him go up on the mountain. The uh And we're not going to let him. We're not going to We're not going to let him go up in the mountain and die. Adam, a person like Moses. He took us out of Egypt. He carried us across the sea. And he took us across the sea. He gave us He gave us the manna and he gave us the quail. And is a bear and he gave us the well gave us the Torah. I say we're not going to let him die. We want him to be here for with us for eternity. I'm going to God says I'm going to bring him into the cave on the mountain in the middle of broad daylight and if you try to come along and see if you can stop him. Verse 49. I lay a scent to the mountain of passes which is higher in the void mountain of void. I should have which is in the land of Moab. I should have which is facing Jericho or Canaan and you can see the land of Canaan. I share that I'm going to be giving to the Jewish people as a possession. Verse 50. Almost by heart. And you will die on that mountain I should have that you are sending to that you're climbing up to the also return to your people gather to your people like your brother Aaron died. But Aaron but Aaron and he was gathered to his people. I shall miss Aaron here. Rashi says. But we saw me so that same style death. Sure that you saw how Aaron passed the and you desired you said I wish I can have that as well. What was [snorts] it? He should that Moses took off the clothing the top clothing of Aaron and he gave it to Aaron. He was going to be the going to go after him. The next one third garment. The name and Aaron was able to see the majesty of his son that he became the high priest after him. I'm going to be with you. So Moses said Aaron Aaron my brother I lay the matter go up. I lay the matter go into the bed and he went straight to the stick out your hand to push it stick out your hand straight stick out your feet to push it stick his feet. Close your eyes, he closed speak out close your mouth, he closed his mouth. And at that point, Aaron ascended his soul ascended and left this world. I'm a Moshe. Moshe said at that time, lucky is one who's able to die in this special unique way. And that's why God tells him, you're going to pass the same way Aaron did as well. Why? Verse 51. Because you betrayed me in the midst of the Jewish people. The main issue is Kadesh in the desert. In the incident in the water of the contention of Kadesh in the desert of Sin, because you did not sanctify me amongst the Jewish people. Rashi 51. What does the word "altam" mean? What does the word "ma'altem" mean? It doesn't mean that Moshe and Aaron themselves rebelled against God. They caused the Jewish people to rebel against me. They didn't sanctify but you caused that my name should not be sanctified. I told you to speak to the rock. You hit it twice because the first time it didn't work. If they would have spoke to it, nothing would have went without hitting it. That would have been sanctifying God's name. So you throw a that the Jewish people would have said to themselves, if this stone which does not get rewarded or punished. If it does the right thing, it doesn't get rewarded. If it sins, it doesn't get any punishment. Look how it listens right away. Us, that we get rewarded or punished if we follow or don't follow. The culture king shouldn't we be listening a little better? And that's why it would have been sanctifying God's name. Verse 52. You may negate Torah audits. Because you will only see the land from afar. The sham but you will not enter there. A lot of to the land that nation of Israel that I'm going to give to the Jewish people. This concludes the Torah reading of parshas Hazinu.