Time for US to wise up.
(based on the first Meturgeman Drasha, Parshat Ha'azinu, 12 Tishrei, 5762)
Too many of us seem to forget the cause of our problems. God knew that we would forget, so he had Moshe teach B'nei Yisrael a song to bear witness (see Parshat Vayeilech, D'varim 31:16-21). Ha'azinu is that song. It tells of Israel sinning and being punished. It tells of "Hester Panim," which we all talk about...bad things happen to the Jews because God has withdrawn, hidden His face from us. But it doesn't stop there. There is a more serious level. D'varim 32:29-30 is ostensibly aimed at our enemies, but remember who this song is for. It says, if THEY were wise they would only understand, but WE need to relearn that wisdom, too.
"How can one chase a thousand, or two cause 10,000 to flee? If not that their Rock has sold them out, and Hashem has shut them out."
Wow. That's not Hester Panim, it's much worse. God goes knocking, as it were, on our enemies doors, saying, "You want to destroy this nation? It's yours, I've locked them out."
How can your average non-Jew refuse such an offer? He certainly has never had much in the way of high moral example, say from the Jews around him for example. Just as God hardened Pharoah's heart, He puts these ideas into our enemies' heads. If we defeat an enemy without doing the T'shuva He expects, He can and will find another.
No, there is only one way. That's the whole point of Ha'azinu; we are reminded of the reason we are suffering and also the cure. We have to cure ourselves; STOP DOING all the things that brought about the problem. That's the whole message of the season of Rosh Hashana around which we read this Parsha: if we fix ourselves, Hashem will immediately accept us and all of our enemies will be as nothing. If not, we have ONLY ourselves to blame.
Too many of us seem to forget the cause of our problems. God knew that we would forget, so he had Moshe teach B'nei Yisrael a song to bear witness (see Parshat Vayeilech, D'varim 31:16-21). Ha'azinu is that song. It tells of Israel sinning and being punished. It tells of "Hester Panim," which we all talk about...bad things happen to the Jews because God has withdrawn, hidden His face from us. But it doesn't stop there. There is a more serious level. D'varim 32:29-30 is ostensibly aimed at our enemies, but remember who this song is for. It says, if THEY were wise they would only understand, but WE need to relearn that wisdom, too.
"How can one chase a thousand, or two cause 10,000 to flee? If not that their Rock has sold them out, and Hashem has shut them out."
Wow. That's not Hester Panim, it's much worse. God goes knocking, as it were, on our enemies doors, saying, "You want to destroy this nation? It's yours, I've locked them out."
How can your average non-Jew refuse such an offer? He certainly has never had much in the way of high moral example, say from the Jews around him for example. Just as God hardened Pharoah's heart, He puts these ideas into our enemies' heads. If we defeat an enemy without doing the T'shuva He expects, He can and will find another.
No, there is only one way. That's the whole point of Ha'azinu; we are reminded of the reason we are suffering and also the cure. We have to cure ourselves; STOP DOING all the things that brought about the problem. That's the whole message of the season of Rosh Hashana around which we read this Parsha: if we fix ourselves, Hashem will immediately accept us and all of our enemies will be as nothing. If not, we have ONLY ourselves to blame.
posted by meturgeman | 10:10 PM
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