The United of Conservative Judaism Historic Comment Rapaport House, 820 Second Ave., New York, NY 10017 In parashat , read on September 7, 2013, after “ finished reciting all these Tel: 212-533-7800 Fax: 212-353-9439 words to all Israel,” God informs the of his imminent death on . On E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.uscj.org September 7, 1891, Heinrich Graetz, one of the intellectual giants of nineteenth century

Jewry and author of the multi-volume History of the Jews, died. On September 7, 2002, Uziel “Uzi” Gal, the Israeli gun designer, best known for the submachine gun that bears SPARKS his name, passed away… “and was gathered to his kin.” vru, ,umumhb Halachah L’Maaseh (vcua ,ca) ubhzgv ,arp There is a long established practice of personally reviewing the weekly in anticipation of its public reading on . BT Berachot 8A articulates the principle of Parashat Ha’azinu (Shabbat Shuvah) “shnayim mikra v’echad ” – reading the parashah twice in Hebrew and once (originally, at least, in the Aramaic) translation. To this pattern is attributed the greatest September 7, 2013 – 3 Tishrei 5774 – s”ga, hra, ‘d antiquity (see Aruch Ha-Shulchan 285:2). Those already intimately familiar with the Annual: Deuteronomy 32:1‐32:52 (Etz Hayim p. 1185; Hertz p. 896) content of the weekly nevertheless have the same obligation to study and Triennial: Deuteronomy 32:1‐32:52 (Etz Hayim p. 1185; Hertz p. 896) review each parashah (See Responsa of the Rashba 1:206; Responsa Igrot Moshe 5:17). Berurah 285:6 urges that the commentary of be consulted in conjunction (A): Hosea 14:2‐10; Joel 2:15‐27 (Etz Hayim p. 1234; Hertz p. 891) with the weekly review of the parashah. On the virtue of using English (or other Haftarah (S): Hosea 14:2‐10; Micah 7:18‐20 (Etz Hayim p. 1234; Hertz p. 891) vernacular) renditions of Scripture, Targum, and supporting materials (such as Torah Prepared by Joseph Prouser Sparks!!) in preparing the weekly parashah, see Turei Zahav 285:2, Mishnah Berurah (Temple Emanuel of North Jersey; Franklin Lakes, NJ) 285:5, and Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, quoted in Yagel Yaakov, p. 208. Parashat Haazinu is the next-to-last Torah portion, but is the last one to be read as part of Personal Note from Rabbi Joseph H. Prouser: With parashat Haazinu 5774, I conclude the weekly Shabbat schedule (we read parashat V’zot Ha-Berachah during Simchat Torah my three year tenure (in addition to Genesis 5765) preparing United Synagogue’s weekly services). Parashat Haazinu consists almost entirely of a song – or maybe it’s a poem – Torah Sparks. I am grateful for the privilege, as well as for the comments, critiques, Moses recites to the People Israel. The poem, which Israel is to learn, is intended as a questions, and kind correspondence my efforts have generated from among readers of reminder of God’s justice and patience with them, and that justice and patience are Torah Sparks. Yasher Koach on your devotion and your studies. May you continue to contrasted with Israel’s unworthiness and disloyalty. Israel is adjured to observe the grapple for ever deeper meaning, beauty, and inspiration in the weekly parashah, in our covenant and to follow God’s laws as a primary obligation and the route to prosperity and history, and in halachah l’maaseh. well-being in the Promised Land. It is to pass on both this message and the poem itself, in which heaven and earth are called upon as witnesses, as a legacy to future generations.

Haazinu might be viewed as Moses’ swan song. In the few prose verses with which the parashah concludes, God tells Moses that he is to ascend Mount Nebo, and he will be permitted to view the from there. He will not be permitted to enter the Land, however, but will die on the mountaintop. In keeping with its poetic content, parashat Haazinu is written in accordance with a unique scribal tradition. Its verses form two parallel columns, representing, according to one contemporary interpretation, the pillars of strength that will be required for the nation to confront the challenges of faith, statecraft, and nation-building that lie ahead. Haazinu is testimony to Voltaire’s insight: “One merit of few people will deny: it says more and in fewer words than prose.” So, too, we are reminded of Robert Browning: “God is the perfect poet.”

Theme #1: “Shall we not revenge?” Torah Sparks is a project of the United Synagogue. To offer comments please “For the Lord will vindicate His people and take revenge for His servants…” call Rabbi Paul Drazen at 646‐519‐9310 or email him at [email protected]. (Deuteronomy 32:36) Subscription information is available at www.uscj.org/torahsparks. Derash: Study ©Copyright 2013, The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism “Think of the Jews of the Middle Ages, who saw their fellow Jews accused of killing Christian children to drink their blood, of poisoning wells, desecrating the host and spreading the plague… and then murdered en masse…. We can still hear their responses: they are recorded for us in many of the lamentations, kinot, we say on the 9th Av. Yes,

they appeal to God’s vengeance, which is to say, to God’s justice. But Jews did not seek “And die on the mountain. This is a rare and shocking, use of the verb ‘to die’ in the to take vengeance. That is something you leave to God. There is a justice we will not see imperative.”(, The Five Books of Moses) this side of the end of days. In the meantime, it is sufficient to live, and affirm life, and “A hairdresser in Berkeley once told me that the biblical God often seemed like an seek no more than the right to be true to your faith without... The search for perfect alcoholic parent. It was painful to hear, because I knew she had been reading closely. justice is not for us, here, now. It is – as Moses taught the in the great song he Certainly God’s response to the song itself is brutal: ‘Go up onto Mount Nebo… and die sang at the end of his life – something that faith demands we leave to God, who alone on that mountain… for you dishonored me, and did not sanctify me… from afar you will knows the human heart, who alone knows what is just in a world of conflicting claims, see the land where you will not go.’ Moses’ silent acceptance of this judgment is the and who will establish perfect justice at a time, and in a way, of His choosing, not ours.” mute perversity of the codependent.” (Rabbi Pinchas Giller) (Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks) “Moses is told that he may not enter the Promised Land because of what would seem a “take revenge for. That is, avenge them, get satisfaction for the way the enemy treated trifling incident at the well of . But may we not see his exclusion as a blessing? them. Hebrew hitnahem does not have the negative connotations of English ‘revenge.’ Its He was, we are told, a faithful servant. How wonderful for him, then, to be given his rest meaning is to change one’s mind or mood, to assuage one’s feelings… God will satisfy in sight of his goal, but spared from the quotidian, enervating, anguishing results His outrage by punishing the guilty. Another possible translation, also based on the sense attendant upon his work’s completion. Any triumph, any absolute end must be followed ‘changing one’s mind,’ is ‘relent concerning His servants,’ meaning that God will relent by a period of emptiness, loss, dejection, and self-doubt… Had God informed Moses, from punishing Israel after all it has suffered.” (Jeffrey Tigay, JPS Commentary) ‘You have performed perfectly, now enter and receive your reward,’ Moses would have “Revenge is an act of passion; vengeance of justice. Injuries are revenged; crimes are had no reward at all.” ( Mamet) avenged.”(Samuel Johnson) “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die “Revenge is the naked idol of the worship of a semi-barbarous age.” (Percy Bysshe at any time.” (Mark Twain) Shelley) “Death would not be called bad, O people, if one knew how to truly die.” (Guru Nanak) Questions for Discussion “A few can touch the magic string, and noisy fame is proud to win them: Alas for those Rabbi Sacks asserts that attributing the process of vengeance to God is a moral that never sing, but die with all their music in them!” (Oliver Wendell Holmes) necessity, which removes the right to revenge from mortals from us. Under what Questions for Discussion circumstances is it morally justifiable to retaliate against those who attack us, What very different perspectives on our parashah!! Is God’s decision that Moses and inflict harm upon us? Is God’s unique capacity for justice “in a world of must die before reaching the Promised Land the “brutal” act of a Divine Abuser, conflicting claims” absolute? Or are we obligated to act on our own best, inflicted upon His long-suffering and emotionally damaged victim (a la Rabbi thoroughly investigated, but necessarily imperfect sense of the facts? How might Giller)… or the wise and compassionate plan of a benevolent God toward His Rabbi Sacks have changed his perspective if he were Chief Rabbi of Israel, beloved, faithful, and grateful servant (see David Mamet)? rather than Great Britain? The biblical text and subsequent Jewish Tradition insist that Moses’ relationship Is Rabbi Tigay’s explanation of “revenge” as an inaccurate rendering of our with God was one of unique clarity and intimacy… far rarer than those verse persuasive? How might he respond to Rabbi Sacks? How does divine privileged few who “touch the magic string.” How might this help explain punishment of the guilty differ from divine revenge? God’s decision? How do the comments of Guru Nanak (founder of Sikhism) and Clearly, Shelley would be troubled by our verse! Is the theology of this biblical Mark Twain contribute to our understanding of this question? text indeed “barbarous”? Idolatrous? Or is Shelley speaking only of ill- Does God’s intimate connection with Moses temper the “shocking” nature of the considered mortal vengeance? Might he agree that God’s revenge is “poetic imperative “die”? Perhaps 120-year-old Moses, who had served God diligently justice”? Do you? for forty years, needed God’s “permission” to stop, to rest… to die. Perhaps How does Samuel Johnson’s linguistic distinction help to elucidate our text? God, too, needed to let go. Was God simply easing His prophet’s passage into Does he strengthen the perspective of Rabbi Sacks… or Rabbi Tigay? eternity? Was the reference to Moses’ “trifling” failing a mutually understood Theme #2: “Do we not die?” pretense for this loving farewell? “You shall die on the mountain you are about to ascend, and shall be gathered to your While the timing and circumstances of Moses’ death might be depicted as kin, as your brother died on and was gathered to his kin; for you both tragic… how might we understand them as compassionate, beautiful… even broke faith with Me among the Israelite people, at the waters of Meribath-kadesh in the wilderness of Zin, by failing to uphold My sanctity among the Israelite people.” enviable? (Deuteronomy 32:50-51)

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