Torah of Recovery: Haazinu 2024/5785

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(א) הַאֲזִ֥ינוּ הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וַאֲדַבֵּ֑רָה וְתִשְׁמַ֥ע הָאָ֖רֶץ אִמְרֵי־פִֽי׃

(1) Give ear, O heavens, let me speak;
Let the earth hear the words I utter!

Hatam Sofer, cited in Rabbinical Assembly and USCJ, Etz Chayim, p. 1185

Listen to me - you spiritual people whose thoughts are in heaven, and also you down-to-earth people whose concerns are more material. This message is meant for all of you.

Genesis Rabbah 5:5, in The Book of Legends: Sefer Ha-Aggadah, 16:68, n. 16

R. Jeremiah ben Eleazar said: With everything that was created during the six days of creation, God made certain stipulations, about which Scripture says, "I, even My hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded' (Isaiah 45:12). I commanded the Red Sea to split apart for Israel; I commanded heaven and earth to be silent before Moses; I commended the sun and the moon to stand still before Joshua; I commanded the ravens to feed Elijah; I commanded the heavens to open before Ezekiel; I commanded the fish to spew out Jonah; I commanded the fire to do no hurt to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; I commanded the lions not to harm Daniel.

Rabbi Jhos Singer, Torah Queeries, p. 271-272

The text is also surprising on a literal level. Moses, who four decades prior described himself as “a man with uncircumcised lips” (Ex. 6:12), is now a poet, a bard, a troubadour, a preacher. Like the text, Moses is presented in a different form. No longer a reluctant orator needing either a spokesman (Ex. 4:10–16) or a chorus (Ex. 15:1) to back him up, solo he speaksings his swan song “into the ears of the people” (Deut. 31:30, 32:44). His poem is passionate, blunt, and eloquent. He is not the least bit held back—gone is the foreskin of his lips. As an orator, Moses has finally found the perfect synthesis of his gifts of poetry and prophecy.

(ב) יַעֲרֹ֤ף כַּמָּטָר֙ לִקְחִ֔י תִּזַּ֥ל כַּטַּ֖ל אִמְרָתִ֑י כִּשְׂעִירִ֣ם עֲלֵי־דֶ֔שֶׁא וְכִרְבִיבִ֖ים עֲלֵי־עֵֽשֶׂב׃

(2) May my discourse come down as the rain,

My speech distill as the dew,

Like showers on young growth,

Like droplets on the grass.

Jeffrey Tigay, The JPS Torah Commentary: Deuteronomy, p. 300

Showers - "se'irim - appears only here [in the Torah]. It...refers to the rising of rivers or fountains as a source of irrigation."

דְּקָתָנֵי: מַזְכִּירִים גְּבוּרוֹת גְּשָׁמִים בִּתְחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים, וְשׁוֹאֲלִין בְּבִרְכַּת הַשָּׁנִים, וְהַבְדָּלָה בְּחוֹנֵן הַדָּעַת. וְקָתָנֵי: מֵאֵימָתַי מַזְכִּירִים גְּבוּרוֹת גְּשָׁמִים.
As it teaches (Berakhot 33a): One mentions the might of the rains and recites: He makes the wind blow and the rain fall in the second blessing of the Amida prayer, the blessing of the resurrection of the dead. And the request for rain: And grant dew and rain as a blessing, is recited in the ninth blessing of the Amida prayer, the blessing of the years. And the prayer of distinction [havdala] between the sacred and the profane, recited in the evening prayer following Shabbat and Festivals, is recited in the fourth blessing of the Amida prayer: Who graciously grants knowledge. And it is based on that mishna, which establishes the obligation to request for rain, that this mishna teaches: From when does one begin to mention the might of the rains.

Ramban on Deuteronomy 32:2

(1) He states My doctrine shall drop as the rain, for that which he took from the heavens [i.e., the Written Torah] and His commandment upon the earth [i.e., the Oral Torah] shall drop upon Israel and distill upon them like dew.

Sifrei Devarim 206, in The Book of Legends: Sefer Ha-Aggadah, 4:13

"My teaching shall drop as the rain" (Deut 32:2). Even as one rain falling on various trees gives to each a special savor in keeping with its species - to the vine the savor of grapes, to the olive tree the savor of olives, to the fig tree the savor of figs - so the words of Torah are one, yet within them are Scripture and Mishnah, Halakhot and Aggadot.

Sifrei Devarim 307, in The Book of Legends: Sefer Ha-Aggadah, 423:197

'As the small rain upon the tender grass' (Deut 32:2). As the light rain coming down upon tender blades of grass stirs them up so that they do not become wormy, so must you keep stirring the memory of words of Torah, in order not to forget them. Thus R. Jacob son of R. Hanina said to Rabbi [Judah I, the Patriarch]: Come, let us stir up Halakhot, lest our memory of them become rusty.

Rabbi Mark Borowitz, Finding Recovery and Yourself in Torah, p. 360

Moses’s opening plea is for his words to “come down as rain” and to “distill as dew” (Deuteronomy 32:2). This conjures up some wild imagery. In this plea, I believe Moses is saying that I have to be pelted with the words and principles of God. They have to hit me over and over again and then be taken in like dew in the morning. This provides such a vibrant visual. These words tell me that I cannot say, “I read Torah once, so I know it all and don’t have to read it again.” These words remind me that I cannot think that I have reached the mountaintop and so have nowhere left to climb. These lies that I tell myself are smashed by these words of Torah. We have to continue to study and learn so that we can remember and remain faithful to its teachings.

(יא) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים תַּֽדְשֵׁ֤א הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ דֶּ֗שֶׁא עֵ֚שֶׂב מַזְרִ֣יעַ זֶ֔רַע עֵ֣ץ פְּרִ֞י עֹ֤שֶׂה פְּרִי֙ לְמִינ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר זַרְעוֹ־ב֖וֹ עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן׃ (יב) וַתּוֹצֵ֨א הָאָ֜רֶץ דֶּ֠שֶׁא עֵ֣שֶׂב מַזְרִ֤יעַ זֶ֙רַע֙ לְמִינֵ֔הוּ וְעֵ֧ץ עֹֽשֶׂה־פְּרִ֛י אֲשֶׁ֥ר זַרְעוֹ־ב֖וֹ לְמִינֵ֑הוּ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב׃

(11) And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation: seed-bearing plants, fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. (12) The earth brought forth vegetation: seed-bearing plants of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that this was good.

George Robinson, Essential Torah, p. 541

Ha'azinu is about closing the circle, about those echoes of the beginning of the Torah, of the beginning the Creation, about the unending cycle of Torah. As the S'fat Emet says, 'Torah is...a commentary or interpretation of Creation itself.' We live every day with the aftermath of Creation, regardless of our faith. Torah can be a useful guide.

(ג) כִּ֛י שֵׁ֥ם יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶקְרָ֑א הָב֥וּ גֹ֖דֶל לֵאלֹהֵֽינוּ׃
(3) For the name of יהוה I proclaim;
Give glory to our God!

Rabbi Mark Borowitz, Finding Recovery and Yourself in Torah, p. 361

Another lesson that Moses is giving to us is that we have to proclaim in God’s name. We have to know and say that God’s ways are simple, just, never false, faithful, and righteous (Deuteronomy 32:3–4). Wow, what a tall order. How do we do this? How can we do this when we feel that life is unfair? This is where simplicity comes in. Life is not fair; we must accept that. At least, it is not fair in the ways that most of us understand the concept of fairness. We proclaim God’s ways by how we choose to live. It is not fair that people die of the disease of addiction. Some addicts even have survivor’s guilt. We need to realize that life is a gift, and each day we must do our best to honor this gift.

(ד) הַצּוּר֙ תָּמִ֣ים פׇּֽעֳל֔וֹ כִּ֥י כׇל־דְּרָכָ֖יו מִשְׁפָּ֑ט אֵ֤ל אֱמוּנָה֙ וְאֵ֣ין עָ֔וֶל צַדִּ֥יק וְיָשָׁ֖ר הֽוּא׃

(4) The Rock!—whose deeds are perfect,

Yea, all God’s ways are just;

A faithful God, never false,

True and upright indeed.

Rabbi Shefa Gold, Torah Journeys, p. 216

Seven times in this poem, God is called 'Tzur,' The Rock. Through the wilderness of our lives we are called to return again and again to the presence of God who supports us, who is the ground beneath our feet. Because of the solidity of this Rock, we can stand upright. Each time we stumble, each time we fall into distraction, forgetfulness, confusion or complacency, we can again find our bearings and push against the Rock of God beneath us iin order to stand upright. In fact, in Ha'Azinu, 'Upright,' Jeshurun becomes our name.

Rabbi David Kasher, ParshaNut, p. 282

What, then, is the significance of the ‘rock’ for Moses? Well, if we look back at his life, it is clear there was one rock in particular that most affected his fate. And Moses has plenty of reason to be ruminating on that rock at this moment.

(ז) זְכֹר֙ יְמ֣וֹת עוֹלָ֔ם בִּ֖ינוּ שְׁנ֣וֹת דֹּר־וָדֹ֑ר שְׁאַ֤ל אָבִ֙יךָ֙ וְיַגֵּ֔דְךָ זְקֵנֶ֖יךָ וְיֹ֥אמְרוּ לָֽךְ׃
(7) Remember the days of old,
Consider the years of ages past;
Ask your parent, who will inform you,
Your elders, who will tell you:
(כו) וְהָיָ֕ה כִּֽי־יֹאמְר֥וּ אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם בְּנֵיכֶ֑ם מָ֛ה הָעֲבֹדָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את לָכֶֽם׃ (כז) וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֡ם זֶֽבַח־פֶּ֨סַח ה֜וּא לַֽיהֹוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר פָּ֠סַ֠ח עַל־בָּתֵּ֤י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם בְּנׇגְפּ֥וֹ אֶת־מִצְרַ֖יִם וְאֶת־בָּתֵּ֣ינוּ הִצִּ֑יל וַיִּקֹּ֥ד הָעָ֖ם וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֽוּ׃
(26) And when your children ask you, ‘What do you mean by this rite?’ (27) you shall say, ‘It is the passover sacrifice to יהוה, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when smiting the Egyptians, but saved our houses.’ Those assembled then bowed low in homage.
(ז) וְשִׁנַּנְתָּ֣ם לְבָנֶ֔יךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֖ בָּ֑ם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֤ בְּבֵיתֶ֙ךָ֙ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ֣ בַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וּֽבְשׇׁכְבְּךָ֖ וּבְקוּמֶֽךָ׃
(7) Impress them upon your children. Recite them when you stay at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up.

Marcus Lee Hansen, The Problem of the Third-Generation Immigrant, 1938

What the child wishes to forget, the grandchild wishes to remember.

Robert Cover, Nomos and Narrative, 1983

Choosing ancestry is a serious business with major implications.

(י) יִמְצָאֵ֙הוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִדְבָּ֔ר וּבְתֹ֖הוּ יְלֵ֣ל יְשִׁמֹ֑ן יְסֹבְבֶ֙נְהוּ֙ יְב֣וֹנְנֵ֔הוּ יִצְּרֶ֖נְהוּ כְּאִישׁ֥וֹן עֵינֽוֹ׃ (יא) כְּנֶ֙שֶׁר֙ יָעִ֣יר קִנּ֔וֹ עַל־גּוֹזָלָ֖יו יְרַחֵ֑ף יִפְרֹ֤שׂ כְּנָפָיו֙ יִקָּחֵ֔הוּ יִשָּׂאֵ֖הוּ עַל־אֶבְרָתֽוֹ׃ (יב) יְהֹוָ֖ה בָּדָ֣ד יַנְחֶ֑נּוּ וְאֵ֥ין עִמּ֖וֹ אֵ֥ל נֵכָֽר׃

(10) [God] found them in a desert region,

In an empty howling waste.

[God] engirded them, watched over them,

Guarded them as the pupil of God’s eye. (11)

Like an eagle who rouses its nestlings,

Gliding down to its young,

So did [God] spread wings and take them,

Bear them along on pinions;

(12) יהוה alone did guide them,

No alien god alongside.

(א) בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ב) וְהָאָ֗רֶץ הָיְתָ֥ה תֹ֙הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ וְחֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י תְה֑וֹם וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם׃

(1) When God began to create heaven and earth— (2) the earth being unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep and a wind from God sweeping over the water—

Richard Elliott Friedman, Commentary on the Torah, p. 3106-3107

32:10. a formless place. Hebrew tôhû. The word has not occurred since its mention at the very beginning of the Torah: “the earth had been formless and shapeless” (Gen 1:2). Now Israel’s environment in the wilderness is pictured comparably to the condition of the universe prior to the acts of creation: a condition of chaos.

32:11. hovers. This word, too, occurred in Gen 1:2 (see the preceding comment) and never again in the Torah until its appearance here. YHWH’s protection of Israel in its infancy in the wilderness (like an eagle hovering over its young) is pictured comparably to the divine spirit hovering over the still-shapeless waters in which the earth and skies will be formed.

Isaac Abravanel, translated in Nehama Leibowitz, Studies in Devarim, p. 341

What was the reason that Moses did not mention here the departure from Egypt which was the first kindness which the Jewish people received from God, prior to their entering the wilderness? When then did he begin with the wilderness? How could he say that He found them in the wilderness when He really had found them in Egypt and there called His name on them?

(טו) וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ן יְשֻׁרוּן֙ וַיִּבְעָ֔ט שָׁמַ֖נְתָּ עָבִ֣יתָ כָּשִׂ֑יתָ וַיִּטֹּשׁ֙ אֱל֣וֹהַּ עָשָׂ֔הוּ וַיְנַבֵּ֖ל צ֥וּר יְשֻׁעָתֽוֹ׃ (טז) יַקְנִאֻ֖הוּ בְּזָרִ֑ים בְּתוֹעֵבֹ֖ת יַכְעִיסֻֽהוּ׃ (יז) יִזְבְּח֗וּ לַשֵּׁדִים֙ לֹ֣א אֱלֹ֔הַּ אֱלֹהִ֖ים לֹ֣א יְדָע֑וּם חֲדָשִׁים֙ מִקָּרֹ֣ב בָּ֔אוּ לֹ֥א שְׂעָר֖וּם אֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם׃ (יח) צ֥וּר יְלָדְךָ֖ תֶּ֑שִׁי וַתִּשְׁכַּ֖ח אֵ֥ל מְחֹלְלֶֽךָ׃

(15) So Jeshurun grew fat and kicked—

You grew fat and gross and coarse —

They forsook the God who made them

And spurned the Rock of their support. (16)

They incensed [God] with alien things,

Vexed [God] with abominations.

(17) They sacrificed to demons, no-gods,

Gods they had never known,

New ones, who came but lately,

Who stirred not your forebears’ fears.

(18) You neglected the Rock who begot you,

Forgot the God who labored to bring you

forth.

Rabbinical Assembly and USCJ, Etz Chayim, p. 1188

God will bless Israel with a measure of prosperity, and that prosperity will lead them to become arrogant and to neglect God. When individuals or nations become wealthy, they are often tempted to celebrate their material wealth at the expense of their spiritual development, focusing on what they do well and abandoning what may be more challenging.

(יט) וַיַּ֥רְא יְהֹוָ֖ה וַיִּנְאָ֑ץ מִכַּ֥עַס בָּנָ֖יו וּבְנֹתָֽיו׃ (כ) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אַסְתִּ֤ירָה פָנַי֙ מֵהֶ֔ם אֶרְאֶ֖ה מָ֣ה אַחֲרִיתָ֑ם כִּ֣י ד֤וֹר תַּהְפֻּכֹת֙ הֵ֔מָּה בָּנִ֖ים לֹא־אֵמֻ֥ן בָּֽם׃

(19) יהוה saw and was vexed

And spurned these sons and daughters. (20)

[God] said: I will hide My countenance from them,

And see how they fare in the end [alt translation: 'I'll see what their future will be.']

For they are a treacherous breed,

Children with no loyalty in them.

(ח) וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֞וּ אֶת־ק֨וֹל יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהִ֛ים מִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ בַּגָּ֖ן לְר֣וּחַ הַיּ֑וֹם וַיִּתְחַבֵּ֨א הָֽאָדָ֜ם וְאִשְׁתּ֗וֹ מִפְּנֵי֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים בְּת֖וֹךְ עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן׃

(8) They heard the sound of God יהוה moving about in the garden at the breezy time of day; and the Human and his wife hid from God יהוה among the trees of the garden.

(כ) וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לֹ֥א תוּכַ֖ל לִרְאֹ֣ת אֶת־פָּנָ֑י כִּ֛י לֹֽא־יִרְאַ֥נִי הָאָדָ֖ם וָחָֽי׃

(20) continuing, “But you cannot see My face, for a human being may not see Me and live.”

Richard Elliott Friedman, Commentary on the Torah, p. 3110-31111

32:20. I’ll see what their future will be. Hebrew ’arît, often understood as “end,” does not mean this in the sense of humankind’s coming to an end. Rather, it refers to what will happen in the distant future, the long run. There are two sides to the hiding of the face. It is a fearful period of estrangement from their creator. It has been called divine eclipse, Deus Absconditus, and “death” of God. But, after living through it, humans are forced to grow up, to become more responsible for their world. The words of the Song of Moses declare that God is not simply hiding His face to bring His relationship with humans to an end. There are rather two halves to the statement: “I’ll hide my face from them; I’ll see what their future will be.” God gives humans responsibility for their world. And the only way that they can be forced to take that responsibility is if God is hidden. At whatever price (even world wars, even the holocaust?!) and with whatever successes (rebuilding Israel, conquering diseases, discovering secrets of the creation of the universe), humans must grow up. And God will see what their destiny will be. The Torah does not end with the natural conclusions of the story: the promised land has not been reached, but it is in sight. Everything lies in the future: finding a home, fulfillment of the promises, bringing blessing to all the families of the earth. The divine words resound: “I’ll see what their future will be.” The Torah ends leaving us looking forward to what we can do and what we can be.

(כא) הֵ֚ם קִנְא֣וּנִי בְלֹא־אֵ֔ל כִּעֲס֖וּנִי בְּהַבְלֵיהֶ֑ם וַֽאֲנִי֙ אַקְנִיאֵ֣ם בְּלֹא־עָ֔ם בְּג֥וֹי נָבָ֖ל אַכְעִיסֵֽם׃ (כב) כִּי־אֵשׁ֙ קָדְחָ֣ה בְאַפִּ֔י וַתִּיקַ֖ד עַד־שְׁא֣וֹל תַּחְתִּ֑ית וַתֹּ֤אכַל אֶ֙רֶץ֙ וִֽיבֻלָ֔הּ וַתְּלַהֵ֖ט מוֹסְדֵ֥י הָרִֽים׃ (כג) אַסְפֶּ֥ה עָלֵ֖ימוֹ רָע֑וֹת חִצַּ֖י אֲכַלֶּה־בָּֽם׃ (כד) מְזֵ֥י רָעָ֛ב וּלְחֻ֥מֵי רֶ֖שֶׁף וְקֶ֣טֶב מְרִירִ֑י וְשֶׁן־בְּהֵמֹת֙ אֲשַׁלַּח־בָּ֔ם עִם־חֲמַ֖ת זֹחֲלֵ֥י עָפָֽר׃ (כה) מִחוּץ֙ תְּשַׁכֶּל־חֶ֔רֶב וּמֵחֲדָרִ֖ים אֵימָ֑ה גַּם־בָּחוּר֙ גַּם־בְּתוּלָ֔ה יוֹנֵ֖ק עִם־אִ֥ישׁ שֵׂיבָֽה׃

(21) They incensed Me with no-gods,

Vexed Me with their futilities;

I’ll incense them with a no-folk,

Vex them with a nation of fools. (22) For a

fire has flared in My wrath

And burned to the bottom of Sheol,

Has consumed the earth and its increase,

Eaten down to the base of the hills.

(23) I will sweep misfortunes on them,

Use up My arrows on them:

(24) Wasting famine, ravaging plague,

Deadly pestilence, and fanged beasts

Will I let loose against them,

With venomous creepers in dust.

(25) The sword shall deal death without,

As shall the terror within,

To youth and maiden alike,

The suckling as well as the aged.

(לא) כִּ֛י לֹ֥א כְצוּרֵ֖נוּ צוּרָ֑ם וְאֹיְבֵ֖ינוּ פְּלִילִֽים׃

(31) For their rock is not like our Rock,

In our enemies’ own estimation.

(יג) יַרְכִּבֵ֙הוּ֙ עַל־[בָּ֣מֳתֵי] (במותי) אָ֔רֶץ וַיֹּאכַ֖ל תְּנוּבֹ֣ת שָׂדָ֑י וַיֵּנִקֵ֤הֽוּ דְבַשׁ֙ מִסֶּ֔לַע וְשֶׁ֖מֶן מֵחַלְמִ֥ישׁ צֽוּר׃

(13) [God] set them atop the highlands,

To feast on the yield of the earth;

Nursing them with honey from the crag,

And oil from the flinty rock,

RA & USCJ, Etz Hayim: Torah and Commentary, p. 1191

31. Their rock is not like our Rock The God of Israel is like a rock, unfailingly supportive and reliable. The gods of the pagan nations are like rocks, incapable of feeling or responding.

Rabbi Shefa Gold, Torah Journeys, p. 217

As we return again and again to the Rock on which we stand - feeling God beneath our feet supporting us on this journey - we might be deceived into thinking that this Rock is unresponsive, without love or tenderness. We might even be tempted to strike the Rock in frustration or anger. Laboring under this misapprehension, we would be missing the sweetest mystery...for, when we come to the highest places, the places of remembrance and true presence, the delicious bounty of Life will be ours. We will then suckle and be nourished by honey from that very. Rock, and we will be anointed with the choicest oil from what had once seemed the hardest crevice.

(לב) כִּֽי־מִגֶּ֤פֶן סְדֹם֙ גַּפְנָ֔ם וּמִשַּׁדְמֹ֖ת עֲמֹרָ֑ה עֲנָבֵ֙מוֹ֙ עִנְּבֵי־ר֔וֹשׁ אַשְׁכְּלֹ֥ת מְרֹרֹ֖ת לָֽמוֹ׃ (לג) חֲמַ֥ת תַּנִּינִ֖ם יֵינָ֑ם וְרֹ֥אשׁ פְּתָנִ֖ים אַכְזָֽר׃ (לד) הֲלֹא־ה֖וּא כָּמֻ֣ס עִמָּדִ֑י חָת֖וּם בְּאוֹצְרֹתָֽי׃ (לה) לִ֤י נָקָם֙ וְשִׁלֵּ֔ם לְעֵ֖ת תָּמ֣וּט רַגְלָ֑ם כִּ֤י קָרוֹב֙ י֣וֹם אֵידָ֔ם וְחָ֖שׁ עֲתִדֹ֥ת לָֽמוֹ׃

(32) Ah! The vine for them is from Sodom,

From the vineyards of Gomorrah;

The grapes for them are poison,

A bitter growth their clusters. (33) Their wine

is the venom of asps,

The pitiless poison of vipers.

(34) Lo, I have it all put away,

Sealed up in My storehouses,

(35) To be My vengeance and recompense,

At the time that their foot falters.

Yea, their day of disaster is near,

And destiny rushes upon them.

Genesis Rabbah 15:7, cited in The Book of Legends: Sefer Ha-Aggadah, 21: 91

What kind of tree did Adam and Eve eat of?...Adam ate grapes, according to R. Judah bar Ilai, for Scripture says, "Grapes of gall, they have clusters of bitterness" (Deut. 32:32) - those grape clusters brought bitterness into the world.

Rabbi Shefa Gold, Torah Journeys, p. 218

What is harder for me (and here lies the true spiritual challenge of Ha'Azinu) is acknowledging my own complicity. At times, I also drink from the poison wine. I wield the sword which is the cause of my own bereavement. I hide a terror within. I am a microcosm of the world that I so adeptly criticize...It is not possible to avoid the pain of life, but when we react to the inevitable pains and difficulties of life by becoming bitter, negative, and judgmental or by blaming others, then we turn our pain into suffering. Suffering is the magnification and reification of pain. We we become that pain and spiral down into an identification with negativity, then our lives become a 'worthless thing.'

Ellen M. Umansky, The Torah: A Women's Commentary, p. 1268

Perhaps parashat Haazinu can be seen as an invitation for us to act like Abraham and protest against what seems to be an indiscriminate, wholesale destruction. It is an opportunity to raise questions such as Where is Your compassion, God, not only toward us but toward all of Your creation? Why frighten us with your threats? Will such threats make us abandon other deities or, just as likely, will they lead us to reject You? Such questions express what it means to be covenantal partners, willing to challenge God. Thus, beyond protesting against what we now deem unacceptable, this parashah can prompt us to examine who we mean by God. It also can remind us of what is required in order to create a just society and uphold a covenantal relationship.

(מד) וַיָּבֹ֣א מֹשֶׁ֗ה וַיְדַבֵּ֛ר אֶת־כׇּל־דִּבְרֵ֥י הַשִּׁירָֽה־הַזֹּ֖את בְּאׇזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם ה֖וּא וְהוֹשֵׁ֥עַ בִּן־נֽוּן׃ (מה) וַיְכַ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֗ה לְדַבֵּ֛ר אֶת־כׇּל־הַדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה אֶל־כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (מו) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ שִׂ֣ימוּ לְבַבְכֶ֔ם לְכׇ֨ל־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י מֵעִ֥יד בָּכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר תְּצַוֻּם֙ אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶ֔ם לִשְׁמֹ֣ר לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת אֶת־כׇּל־דִּבְרֵ֖י הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּֽאת׃ (מז) כִּ֠י לֹֽא־דָבָ֨ר רֵ֥ק הוּא֙ מִכֶּ֔ם כִּי־ה֖וּא חַיֵּיכֶ֑ם וּבַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה תַּאֲרִ֤יכוּ יָמִים֙ עַל־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתֶּ֜ם עֹבְרִ֧ים אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֛ן שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃ {פ}

(44) Moses came, together with Hosea son of Nun, and recited all the words of this poem in the hearing of the people. (45) And when Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel, (46) he said to them: Take to heart all the words with which I have warned you this day. Enjoin them upon your children, that they may observe faithfully all the terms of this Teaching. (47) For this is not a trifling thing for you: it is your very life; through it you shall long endure on the land that you are to possess upon crossing the Jordan.

Rabbi Mark Borovitz, Finding Recovery and Yourself in Torah, p. 362

This parashah contains Moses’s final words to the Israelite people. Reading it [during the High Holy days] is a brilliant move by the sages. On [the High Holy days] we renew our covenant with God, and then on the next Shabbat, we read about Moses’s fear and knowledge that we will stray again.

Jerusalem Talmud Peah 1:1:16

It happened that Rebbi Yeshebab went and let his entire property be distributed to the poor. Rabban Gamliel sent to him: Did they not say one fifth of one’s property for good deeds? And was not Rabban Gamliel before Usha? Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun, Rebbi Levi: That was the current practice, they forgot it, but the later ones got up and agreed to the opinion of the earlier ones, to teach you that everything the Court insists on will come to be in the end, just as Moses was told on Sinai; as Rebbi Mana said (Deut. 32:47): “For it is not an empty word, from you,” if it is empty it is from you because you do not exert yourself about it. “Because it is your life,” when is it your life? At the time that you exert yourself!

Jerusalem Talmud Peah 1:1:37

Rebbi Mana understood all of them from this verse (Deut. 32:47): “Because it is not an empty word from you,” that is the study of Torah, “because it is your life,” that is honoring father and mother, “and by this you will have a long life,” that are works of kindness, “on the earth,” that is making peace between men.

(א) כי לא דבר רק הוא מכם - אין לך דבר ריקם בתורה, שאם תדרשנו שאין בו מתן שכר בעולם הזה, והקרן קיימת לו לעולם הבא.

(1) (Devarim 32:47) "For it is not an empty thing for you; for it is your life, and by this thing you shall prolong days": There is nothing empty in the Torah, for which, if you fulfill it, you will not be rewarded in this world, with the principal remaining for the world to come.

Sifrei Devarim 48

"For it is not an empty thing for you, for it is your life, etc." R. Shimon b. Yochai says: An analogy: Two brothers are counting money after their father's (death). One exchanges a dinar (for food) and eats it; the other exchanges it and sets (the exchange) aside. The first remains with nothing; the other, after some time, finds himself wealthy. Thus with a Torah scholar: If he learns two or three things a day, two or three chapters a week, two or three sections a month, after some time he finds himself "wealthy." Of such a one it is written (Proverbs 13:11) "… That (treasure) gathered with the hand will increase." And if one says "Today I will study (Torah)"; "Tomorrow I will study"; "Today I will learn (Mishnah)"; "Tomorrow I will learn," in the end he remains with nothing.

Cantor Chanin Becker, The Mussar Torah Commentary, p. 335

In his last few moments on earth, Moses gives us a powerful tool to preserve our humility. The message is simple: knowing our space is a lifelong pursuit, but the study of Torah is a sure way to begin. The teachings of the Torah have the capacity to bring balance between taking up too much space and not enough.

(מח) וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה בְּעֶ֛צֶם הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃ (מט) עֲלֵ֡ה אֶל־הַר֩ הָעֲבָרִ֨ים הַזֶּ֜ה הַר־נְב֗וֹ אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מוֹאָ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֣י יְרֵח֑וֹ וּרְאֵה֙ אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנִ֥י נֹתֵ֛ן לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לַאֲחֻזָּֽה׃ (נ) וּמֻ֗ת בָּהָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתָּה֙ עֹלֶ֣ה שָׁ֔מָּה וְהֵאָסֵ֖ף אֶל־עַמֶּ֑יךָ כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־מֵ֞ת אַהֲרֹ֤ן אָחִ֙יךָ֙ בְּהֹ֣ר הָהָ֔ר וַיֵּאָ֖סֶף אֶל־עַמָּֽיו׃ (נא) עַל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר מְעַלְתֶּ֜ם בִּ֗י בְּתוֹךְ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּמֵֽי־מְרִיבַ֥ת קָדֵ֖שׁ מִדְבַּר־צִ֑ן עַ֣ל אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־קִדַּשְׁתֶּם֙ אוֹתִ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (נב) כִּ֥י מִנֶּ֖גֶד תִּרְאֶ֣ה אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְשָׁ֙מָּה֙ לֹ֣א תָב֔וֹא אֶל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֥י נֹתֵ֖ן לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {פ}

(48) That very day יהוה spoke to Moses: (49) Ascend these heights of Abarim to Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab facing Jericho, and view the land of Canaan, which I am giving the Israelites as their holding. (50) You shall die on the mountain that you are about to ascend, and shall be gathered to your kin, as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his kin; (51) for you both 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. (52) You may view the land from a distance, but you shall not enter it—the land that I am giving to the Israelite people.

(כה) אֶעְבְּרָה־נָּ֗א וְאֶרְאֶה֙ אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַטּוֹבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּעֵ֣בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן הָהָ֥ר הַטּ֛וֹב הַזֶּ֖ה וְהַלְּבָנֹֽן׃
(25) Let me, I pray, cross over and see the good land on the other side of the Jordan, that good hill country, and the Lebanon.”

Rabbi Shai Held, The Heart of Torah, location 5467, Kindle edition

To put this differently—and more starkly—Moses has to die so that Judaism as we know it can be born. Moses dies so that Judaism can become a text-centered religion. Judaism as an interpretive project, as a never-ending process of reading and rereading the word of God, can really get off the ground only once the founding prophet exits the stage. Moses “now moves off the scene, and Israel henceforth will not be led by a great authority figure but by the living word of the Torah that Moses taught.” In a very deep sense, then, Moses is replaced not (only) by a person but by a text (or a set of texts).

Rabbi Hayim Vital, in Sefer ha Heyzyonot, cited by Howard Schwartz, Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism, p. 301

Now the day of the [Simchas Torah] festival arrived, and they brought the body of Moses to the synagogue in Safed. It took many men to carry to body inside the synagogue for it was at least ten cubits long. Then the body, wrapped in a white robe, was placed on a very long table that had been prepared in advance. But as soon as the body of Moses was stretched out on the long table, it became transformed into a scroll of the Torah that was opened to its full length, like a long letter, from the first words of Genesis to the end of Deuteronomy. And in the dream they began to read the words of the Torah, …and they continued until they reached the last words, “before the eyes of all Israel” (Deut 34:12 – the last words of the Torah)

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, a week before his assasination:

Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!