Ha'azinu

Monday, October 10, 2016 · Posted in , ,

(Eagle hovering over its fledglings)


Monday, 8 Tishrei 5777 / October 10, 2016

Parshat Ha'azinu, 2nd Portion (Devarim 32:7-32:12)

 כְּנֶ֨שֶׁר֙ יָעִ֣יר קִנּ֔וֹ עַל־גּֽוֹזָלָ֖יו יְרַחֵ֑ף יִפְרֹ֤שׂ כְּנָפָיו֙ יִקָּחֵ֔הוּ יִשָּׂאֵ֖הוּ עַל־אֶבְרָתֽוֹ

Devarim 32:11 As an eagle rousing its nest[lings], hovering over its fledglings. He spreads His wings and took them, carrying them on His pinions.

The eagle is used as a metaphor for G-d because it is the "king" of the bird kingdom (Rabbeinu Bachya).

Alternately, that metaphor is employed because of the merciful way in which the eagle rouses it nestlings. Rather than enter its nest suddenly, it stirs its wings and rustles the branches to wake up its young, hovering over them until they are ready for it to enter.

When G-d revealed Himself to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai, He also roused them gently, approaching from all four sides of the mountain, and prepared them for the revelation (Yalkut Shimoni).

All other birds protect their young from the eagles by carrying them with their legs, lest an eagle swoop down upon them and take away their offspring.

Eagles do not fear other birds. They are afraid of man and his hunting arrows alone. Therefore, "they spread their wings and take them, carrying them on ... pinions." They carry their young on their wings, declaring: "If an arrow is shot, it will pierce me, rather than my child" (Midrash Tanchumah, Ekev 2).

Similarly, G-d took the Jews out of Egypt "on eagles' wings" (Shemot 19:4). He caused the shafts and stones which the Egyptians hurled to be absorbed by His protective cloud, rather than fall on the Jewish people.

Zohar (II:80b) explains that the eagle shows great mercy to its offspring, but to others, it is a fierce bird of prey. Thus, when G-d took Yisrael "on eagles' wings," He revealed both qualities. To Yisrael, He was merciful. However, He unleased fierce judgments against the Egyptians.

Nevertheless, for the Jewish people, the eagle is a symbol of mercy. Zohar (III:333a) states that they very appearance of an eagle is a sign of Divine favor.

- Me'am Lo'ez

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Ha'azinu

Sunday, October 9, 2016 · Posted in , , ,


(Torah dropping like rain)


Ha'azinu for Sunday, 7 Tishrei 5777 / October 9, 2016

Devarim (Deut.) Chapter 32


יַֽעֲרֹ֤ף כַּמָּטָר֙ לִקְחִ֔י תִּזַּ֥ל כַּטַּ֖ל אִמְרָתִ֑י כִּשְׂעִירִ֣ם עֲלֵי־דֶ֔שֶׁא וְכִרְבִיבִ֖ים עֲלֵי־עֵֽשֶׂב

Devarim 32:2 My teaching shall drop like rain; my word will flow like dew; like storm winds on vegetation and like raindrops on grass

My teaching shall drop like rain: This is the testimony that you shall testify, that in your presence, I declare, "The Torah (לִקְחִי), which I gave to Israel, which provides life to the world, is just like this rain, which provides life to the world, [i.e.,] when the heavens drip down dew and rain." — [Sifrei 32:2]

like storm winds: Heb. כִּשְׂעִירִם. This is an expression similar to “storm (סְעָרָה) wind” [since ס and שׂ are interchangeable. Accordingly,] the Targum renders [כִּשְׂעִירִם as]: כְּרוּחֵי מִטְרָא, “like winds [that bring] rain.” [The metaphor is explained as follows:] Just as these [stormy, rainy] winds maintain the plants and promote their growth, so too, the words of the Torah cause those who study them to grow.

(Chabad, Rashi, Me'am Lo'ez)

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Parashat Ekev - Kol HaMitzvah

Thursday, August 25, 2016 · Posted in , ,

[Dead Sea Sunrise]

Devarim 8:1 You shall faithfully observe all the Instructions that I enjoin upon you today, that you may thrive and increase and be able to occupy the land which Hashem promised on oath to your fathers.

This verse follows immediately after the discussion of idolatry in order to teach us that whoever denies pagan worship is regarded as having upheld the whole Torah.

The verse uses the words Kol haMitzvah (כל המצוה - all the Instruction) instead of the plural form Kol haMitzvot (כל המצות - all the Instructions). A number of possible explanations are offered. The first reason is to signify that the entire body of laws in the Torah constitutes a single entity. One is not permitted to state that since he observes most of the, he can afford to omit others. One is not permitted to pick and choose among the Mitzvot since they all represent one unit.

Another reason offered is that the singular terminology does not refer to the mitzvah itself but to the performer of the mitzvah. That is to say, if one person begins a mitzvah but for some reason is unable to complete it, the mitzvah accrues only to the account of the person completing it. It is not considered a joint venture but is exclusively to the credit of the latter.

The singular use can also be understood as signaling that if any mitzvah is performed, it is to be observed with the totality and devotion as if it were the only mitzvah in the Torah. This is why pious people prepare themselves intently before performing a mitzvah - meditating upon the mitzvah and reciting the biblical texts which refer to the mitzvah they are embarking upon.

Finally, a singular usage signals that all mitzvot of the Torah constitute a single organic whole. Therefore, one who is unable to perform various mitzvot because of circumstances (such as an ordinary Jew who is unable to perform the mitzvot that involve only Kohanim), but nevertheless performs all the mitzvot that are required of him faithfully, and studies those mitzvot which are not applicable to him, receives the reward for even those mitzvot which he cannot perform.

Support for this last interpretation is found in the usage of the word Hayom (היום - this day) in the verse. Since it is evident that in the desert there were many mitzvot which the Benei Yisrael were not able to perform, particularly those dealing with the Land of Yisrael, nonetheless, they were adjured to heed all the mitzvot, even those which fell into this category.

- Me'am Lo'ez, Devarim, Parashat Ekev

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