Ha'azinu

In this parsha

Moshe recites the song of Haazinu, calling heaven and earth as eternal witnesses. He extols Hashem as the faithful Rock whose ways are just, and recounts how God found Israel in the wilderness and nurtured them like an eagle its young. But Yeshurun grew fat and rebelled, turning to idols and provoking divine anger and hardship. Even so, God will not abandon His people forever; He will avenge and atone for His land. Moshe is then told to ascend Mount Nevo to view the Land and die there.

Themes

• Awakening inner vitality
• Heaven and earth as witnesses
• Preparing the vessel for Torah
• Torah like rain and dew
• Israel as Hashem's portion
• Toil before heavenly flow

Must-read teachings

1. 1Awakening Inner Vitality Through Torah"My teaching shall drop as the rain" (Devarim 32:2). The Sfas Emes opens with the verse from Ha'azinu likening Torah to rain, setting up the theme of Torah as a force that awakens hidden potential. For within every Jew there is a point of i…תרל"ד
2. 2Preparing Vessels For TorahRegarding the pasuk, "Set your hearts..." (Devarim 32:46). The Sfas Emes opens with the pasuk in which Moshe Rabbeinu urges Bnei Yisrael to set their hearts to the words of Torah. Rashi, of blessed memory, explains from the Sifri: A person …תרמ"ח
3. 3Preparing the Heart for TorahRegarding the verse "Set your hearts to all the words... for it is not an empty thing from you..." (Devarim 32:46-47), Chazal expounded: if it is empty, it is "from you" — the lack is on your side. The Sfas Emes opens with the verse urging …תרמ"ד
4. 4Elevating the Mundane World"Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; and let the earth hear the words of my mouth" (Devarim 32:1). The pasuk opens Shiras Ha'azinu by calling upon both heaven and earth. The Sfas Emes will use this pairing as the gateway to his theme of …תרל"ז
5. 5Hashem Rejoices In His PortionOn the pasuk "Remember the days of old... for Hashem's portion is His people..." (Devarim 32:7-9). The Sfas Emes opens with the pasuk in Haazinu that calls Bnei Yisrael Hashem's own portion, the theme of the whole piece. It is written, "Let…תרנ"ד
6. 6Cleaving to the Unchanging NameRegarding the verse, "The Rock, His work is perfect" (Devarim 32:4), and so forth. The Sfas Emes opens with the verse describing Hashem's work as perfect, setting up the theme of completeness. For everything was created through the Torah. H…תרנ"ז
7. 7Unchanging Portion Through TeshuvahOn the verse, "Remember the days of old... He found him in a desert land..." (Devarim 32:7-10). The Sfas Emes opens with the verses from Ha'azinu that speak of Hashem finding Bnei Yisrael in a desert land, which he will now expound. The nes…תר"ס