Deuteronomy Haazinu

Haazinu
Deuteronomy 32:1 – 52

I. Summary

A. Haazinu – “Hear” or “Give ear” (O heavens, let me speak).

B. Moses recites poem that praises God (32:4 - “all God’s ways are just”), recounts history (32:7 = “remember the days of old …”), and notes how 1) God protected Israelites (32:10 – “God … watched over them”), 2) Israelites sinned (32:15 – “They forsook … God”), 3) God punished sinners (32:23 – “sweep misfortunes on them”), 4) God had a choice (32:26 – “I might have reduced them to naught”) and 5) God has ability to punish yet be merciful (32:39 - “I wounded and I will heal”). (32:1-43)

C. Moses urges Israelites to take his words very seriously (32:46-47 - “Take to heart all the words … it is your very life”). (32:44-47)

D. God tells Moses to climb Mount Nebo where he will die while being able to see the Promised Land from a distance but will not be allowed to enter it. (32:48-52)

II. Commentary (Plaut, various websites and prior Hevreh discussions)

A. Shabbat Shuva - The Shabbat between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is called is Shabbat Shuva (the Shabbat of Return). This is a time when we need to realize that humanity is intrinsically good and that if we stray from the path of God’s laws, we are not wicked or evil. Rather, we should simply acknowledge our failings, gathering our bearings and “return” to the right path. This ties into Torah portion since one theme of poem in Haazinu is God’s willingness to punish us for our sin’s being tempered by God’s readiness to take us back (allowing us to “return”).

B. Why the poetic form? - There is powerful emotional force to this song-poem. Arranged not in the Torah's typical textual format, Haazinu's verses instead are presented in columns … the better, one can imagine, to see their words quiver. Even our scrolls seem to acknowledge that Ha'azinu's power is drawn not only from the narrative substance of its verses, but also from their form (each line of poem contains two phrase parts separated by central space = basis for poem being written in two columns in Torah manuscripts). The poem holds its audience in thrall through its couplets and cadences, its lurid imagery and outlandish metaphor. Perhaps the poetic form was intended to present the words of God in a unique fashion so as to make the substantive content more memorable than prose ... another way to reach out to the Israelites.

C. Two songs frame wilderness experience - The Israelites’ wilderness experience is framed by two songs of Moses: Song of the Sea (Exodus 15:1-21 … thanksgiving after Israel’s rescue from Sea of Reeds and the beginning of wilderness trek) and Song of Moses (Deut. 32:1-43 … giving hope to the future at end of trek).

D. Emotional contrasts evoked in poem – Contrasts include 1) Israelite fear v. praise/awe, 2) Israelite despair v. hope, 3) Israelite faithfulness v. sinning, 4) God’s anger v. God’s love 5) God’s punishment v. protection/mercifulness and 6) Israelite triumph v. despair.

E. Contrast between poem and Moses’ fate – Two elements of this portion are 1) Moses' concluding poem to Israelites and 2) God's injunction to Moses not to enter the Promised Land. The two are tied together. The poem describes the rewarding relationship with God that the Jewish people will have as a result of their faith and observance, as well as the dire consequences they would suffer for their lack of involvement. The story of Moses' inability to enter the Promised Land illustrates the consequences of not listening to God.

F. Parental characterizations of God - Poem’s parental metaphors (God as father in 32:6,11,18 and mother in 32:11,13,18) drive home Israelite’s total reliance on God.

G. Ambivalence(?) of God – Israelites are both at risk from God (32:26 - “I might have reduced them to naught”) and protected by God (32:36 – “the Eternal will vindicate God’s people”). This suggests that conflicting mandates guide God’s actions … if Israelites do not follow God’s words, Israelites will suffer; however, God’s covenant with Israelites requires God to forgive and protect Israelites.

H. Hearing v. more difficult listening - Moses calls the heavens to "give ear" or "hear" (haazinu) and then calls upon the earth (per URJ commentary interpreting 32:1 - “Let the earth hear the words I utter”) to "listen" (tishma). These separate verbs in Hebrew, haazinu and tishma, are synonyms on the surface, but reflect nuances in their different definitions. To truly hear means taking time to listen and then to reflect. On a spiritual level, the heavens may just be asked collectively to hear (haazinu), but we on earth are challenged to hear with understanding (tishma).

I. Israelite control of their own destiny - Poem’s basic message is that the longevity of the Jewish people depends on how they act in the Land of Israel. This organizing principle is the last real advice the Israelites receive from Moses.

(revised 9/23/09)