Moshe summons the heavens and the earth to stand as eternal witnesses to what will happen if the Jewish People sin and do not obey the Torah. G-d has shown the Children of Israel tremendous kindness in each generation. However prosperity can lead the people to become bloated and corrupt the morals of the people. They will worship empty idols and powerless gods and indulge in all kinds of depravity. G-d will then show His anger by “hiding His face” to let foreign nations subjugate Israel and scatter them across the world. However, when these nations think that it is through their own power that they have dominated Israel, G-d will remind them that they are no more than a tool to execute His will. He will comfort the Jewish People, in the knowledge that neither exile nor suffering can sever the bond between G-d and His people. Eventually, in the final redemption, this closeness will be restored. G-d will then turn His anger against the enemies of Israel, as though they were His enemies, showing no mercy to the tormentors of His people.
Moshe speaks all these words to the Children of Israel. Then G-d commands Moshe to Mount Nevo and be gathered there to his people.
| David Sedley on the Parsha | David Sedley’s Times of Israel Blogs on Ha’azinu | Tosefet Beracha |
|---|---|---|
| Ha’azinu | Rainmakers One book to rule them all | Tosefet Beracha on Ha’azinu |
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