Weekly Parsha

This Week Torah Study is sponsored by Yossef Serpico. Thank you for participating in this event by sponsoring a portion of the Torah to eveyone. May HaShem HaKadosh Baruch Hu Bless you in every way.

Let's pray for the "Refuah Shleima" (speedy recovery) of " our community". May G-d deliver us from this crisis speedily and grant a complete recovery to those who are ill, Amen!

Prayer List

"Shlomo Tamas ben Sarah"
"Malka Batya bas Tova"
"Adira (Heidi) bas Sarah"

Deuteronomy 32:1 - 32:51

HAAZINU is the Hebrew for "listen" when directed to more than one person, the first word in the week chapter of this bible study. This Torah portion is a song, a poem taught to the Jewish people by Moshe.

It recounts the trials and tribulations of the Jewish people during the 40 years in the desert. Jewish consciousness, until the present generation, was to teach every Jewish child to memorize Ha'azinu. In this manner we internalized the lessons of our history, especially the futility of rebelling against the Almighty.

The portion ends with Moshe being told to ascend Mount Nevo to see the Promised Land before he dies and is "gathered to his people". By the way, this is one of the allusions to an afterlife in the Torah. Moshe died alone and no one knows where he is buried. Therefore, "gathered to his people" has a higher meaning!

* * *

The Almighty told Moshe that he would not be allowed to enter the land of Israel "because you trespassed against me in the midst of the Children of Israel at the waters of Merivos-Kadesh, in the wilderness of Tzin, because you did not sanctify Me in the midst of the Children of Israel" (Deuteronomy 32:51). The verse seems to be redundant.

The concept of din (judgment) and cheshbon (accounting) are being referred to in this verse. Din is the judgment for what one has done wrong -- Moshe trespassed against the Almighty. The second part of the verse is the cheshbon, that is, the calculation of what Moshe could accomplish if he would have done what was proper by speaking to the rock instead of hitting it. He would have had the merit of a major Kidush HaShem, sanctification of God's name instead of "you did not sanctify Me".

Our lesson: Before we act, we must consider the possible harm of our action as well as the lost opportunity for accomplishing something positive.

It is never too late to be what you might have been ...

Joy is the holy fire
that keeps our purpose warm
and our intelligence aglow!

SHABBAT SHALOM

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my dear readers, and their families, and all of Klal Yisroel, a כתיבה וחתימה טובה

May the New Year ahead be filled with genuine closeness to Hashem, the long-awaited footsteps of Mashiach and the elevation of all of Am Yisrael to a Yom SheKulo Shabbat!

My special thanks to all who have helped support Weekly Studies this past year. You may still donate and send your contribution to Am Israel Chai Tzedakah Fund. Please contact Rabbi Tank or click HERE to donate below:

The wise man seizes the opportunity to do mitzvot" (King Solomon). The lazy person says -- someday I'll do it.

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