This Week’s Torah Portion: Haazinu – הַאֲזִינוּ (Deuteronomy 32:1–52)
יַעֲרֹ֤ף כַּמָּטָר֙ לִקְחִ֔י תִּזַּ֥ל כַּטַּ֖ל אִמְרָתִ֑י כִּשְׂעִירִ֣ם עֲלֵי־דֶ֔שֶׁא וְכִרְבִיבִ֖ים עֲלֵי־עֵֽשֶׂב׃
May my teaching come down like rain, my speech drop like dew, like showers on seed sprouts, like droplets upon the grass. (Deuteronomy 32:2).
When Moses calls out to the heavens, the first thing that he asks is for his teachings to fall like rain. On this Sabbath of returning home to ourselves, may we have the wisdom to share the values within our Torah, providing nourishing rain to a parched world.
Parsha Haazinu – הַאֲזִינוּ Torah Summary:
Moses sings his last song, a love poem to God and a chastisement of the people, who are not worthy of Adonai. (32:1–6)
The poem recounts the blessings that God has bestowed on the Israelites, the wicked deeds they have committed, and the punishments that God then inflicted upon them. (32:7–43)
God tells Moses to begin his ascent of Mount Nebo, from where he will see the Land of Israel from a distance but will not be allowed to enter it. (32:45–52)
Haazinu – הַאֲזִינוּ יַעֲרֹ֤ף כַּמָּטָר֙ לִקְחִ֔י תִּזַּ֥ל כַּטַּ֖ל אִמְרָתִ֑י כִּשְׂעִירִ֣ם עֲלֵי־דֶ֔שֶׁא וְכִרְבִיבִ֖ים עֲלֵי־עֵֽשֶׂב׃
May my teaching come down like rain, my speech drop like dew, like showers on seed sprouts, like droplets upon the grass. (Deuteronomy 32:2).
When Moses calls out to the heavens, the first thing that he asks is for his teachings to fall like rain. On this Sabbath of returning home to ourselves, may we have the wisdom to share the values within our Torah, providing nourishing rain to a parched world.
