Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 8 Tishri, 5784

Today we close out Ha-Azinu – the second to last portion of the Torah.  We have Yom Kippur and Sukkot coming up which means it will take us almost two weeks to work our way through the final portion.  But we are getting ahead of ourselves.  Let’s close out our portion today.

The theme here is about Hashem taking Moses to the top of the mountain to look on the promised land, before he passes away:

32:52 While you will see the land from afar, you will not come there, to the land I am giving to the children of Israel.”

On one hand, this feels VERY cruel, doesn’t it?  Moses gets to “look but not touch.”

But I reflect on this idea of what exactly Moses “saw.”

One of the things Rabbi Meir here in Oneonta brings up often is the prayer based on Psalms 34:8 – “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”

This feels like a mistake too, right?  How do we taste with our tongue and see with our eyes?

I think this has more to do with experience.  When we “taste” something – we bring something external to us, and bring it within us.  All other senses remain external.  When we look with our eyes, the image does not then go inside of us.  If I look at a car, I don’t then have a car inside me.  Same with a touch. Or a smell.  The other senses are just data in our brain.

Tasting connects to our body.  We internalize it.

I don’t think Moses went up to the mountain to just see a picture.  I wonder if Hashem gave Moses the EXPERIENCE of the Israelites entering the promised land. Moses was able to EXPERIENCE the land from afar. In a moment – Moses was able to see, taste, touch, smell, and experience the land – and the freedom – and he was at peace.

How often do we internalize our experiences? When I watch a movie, do I take it within me? Or do I leave it outside of me?

When I spend time with friends, or my kids; do I take that in?  Or do I leave it on the surface?

As we get ready for Yom Kippur tomorrow night – and we complete these Days of Awe – we are being called to truly internalize the Kingship of Hashem within us.  What does coronating Him as King on Rosh Hashanah now mean to us? How does effect us within?  That is the reflection we should be navigating over the next two days preparing for Yom Kippur.

What are your thoughts?

Here is my commentary from a year ago:

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 13 Tishri, 5783

Shabbat Shalom! We are getting so close to the end of the Torah cycle! I am super excited to bring this home with you all!

We have another major Jewish Holiday coming up Sunday evening at Sundown. The eight day Holy day Sukkot begins; and as Jews we dwell in Temporary booths – eating, praying and some will even sleep there for the week.

Sukkot is a time of joy. It’s the harvest. It’s when all of the spiritual work we’ve done over the past year comes to a head and we can just enjoy the presence of Hashem in the Sukkah (booth). The end of Sukkot is another interesting Holy Day; Shmeni Atzeret (eighth day of assembly) and Simchat Torah. In Israel this all happens on one day; but outside of Israel it is separated into two. The first day (Shmeni Atzeret which starts at sundown next Sunday, October 16) is one last day in the sukkah. We put aside a lot of the physical pieces (to just spend one more day with Hashem in the sukkah). Shmeni Atzeret is really unique in that it is BOTH a part of Sukkot AND it’s own Holy Day.

Then the following day (sundown on Monday, October 17, 2022) we celebrate Simchat Torah. This is the MOST joyous day as we read the final portion of the Torah, then scroll back the Torah to Genesis, and read the first passage of the Torah. It’s a reminder of the cyclical nature of life. That we aren’t on a linear path here. We can scroll upwards each year towards heaven, or scroll downwards where we need Heaven more.

Super exciting, but let’s dig into our portion today; we finish out this amazing song Hashem has given us to help us in our liberation and freedom so we don’t forget!

Todays portion tells us, the song is now over. We’ve been given everything we need:

Deuteronomy 32:44

“Moses came and spoke all the words of this song into the ears of the people, he and Hosea son of Nun”

They had been given everything. And this is Moses final words to us:

32:45: When Moses finished speaking all these words to all of Israel,

32:46: he said to them, “Turn your hearts to all of the words which I am bearing witness for you today, so that you will command your children to be careful to observe all the words of this Torah,

32:47: for it is not an empty thing for you (for which you will not be rewarded). Rather, it is your life! Through this thing, you will lengthen your days upon the land of which you are crossing over the Jordan, to take possession.”

When we struggle, when we struggle to see our freedom and liberation, Moses is telling us; turn our hearts to the words Moses has spoken. The Torah speaks words of LIFE for us. It is not death. It is not a weight we need to carry with us to our detriment. The Torah is life.

The portion closes with Moses leaving. Now. You can imagine the people not wanting the let him leave. How tough would it have been to just let Moses walk away? And yet, that is what Hashem asked him to do;

32:48 God spoke to Moses on that very day, saying

32:49 “Climb up the Abarite mountains here, (at) Mount Nebo- which is in the land of Moab that is facing Jericho-and see the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel as a possession.”

Let’s stop for a minute. Rabbi Schneerson has some interesting thoughts on this:

“The Jewish people were saying. “We swear, that if we notice Moses is going to die, we will not let him! He is the man who brought us out of Egypt! He split the Reed Sea for us! He brought the manna down for us! He made flocks of quails fly over to us! He brought up the well for us! And he gave us the Torah! We will not let him die”

But God said, “I will take him in broad daylight.”

(Rashi).

Life and death are in the hands of God and cannot be decided by man. How could the Jewish people have possibly “not let” Moses die?

The Jewish people wished to avert Moses’ death by preventing him from relocating to another place, namely, to Mount Nebo. God had said “Climb up the Abarite mountains here, (at) Moun Nebo… Then die on the mountain” (v. 49-50), indicating that Moses’ death was to be the result of a Divine decree (not from natural causes), after ascending the mountain. So the people figured: if Moses does not “climb up Mount Nebo,” then the decree will not take effect, and he will not die.

However, this leaves us with another question: How could a righteous generation attempt to defy God’s will and prevent Moses from dying!

Divine decree?

If a person helps you, there is a Torah obligation not to be ungrateful to that person. Moses had helped the Jewish people in so many ways:

“He is the man who brought us out of Egypt! He split the Reed Sea for us! He brought the manna down for us! He made flocks of quails fly over to us! He brought up the well for us! And he gave us the Torah!” So when Moses faced a decree of death, the people were obliged to help him, by restraining him from going on the mountain where the decree was to be enacted.

There were actually two conflicting obligations here: Moses was obligated to ascend the mountain, but the people were obligated to ensure that Moses did not ascend the mountain!

As far as the people were concerned, they had one single obligation resting upon them which they were required to carry out: to save Moses. And the fact that God had put it within the control of the Jewish people to nullify the decree was decree was taken as a hint by them from God that they should do everything in their power to keep Moses alive. (End quote)

Interesting. Conflicting obligations. And it feels like someone “has to lose.” And yet we can learn from this, we can’t worry about someone ELSE’s obligations to Hashem. We need to focus on our own and trust Hashem.

Ok. Let’s close this out.

32:50 Then die on the mountain upon which you are climbing and be gathered to your people, just as your brother Aaron died on the double mountain and was gathered to his people.

32:51: For, in the presence of the children of Israel, you (caused people to) betray Me at the waters of Meribath-kadesh, in the desert of Zin, for you did not (allow) My (name) to be sanctified in the presence of the children of Israel.

32:52 While you will see the land from afar, you will not come there, to the land I am giving to the children of Israel.”

Moses couldn’t go with the people. And we need to consider a major reason why. In freedom and liberation, those who help get us there (mentors, friends, etc) can’t necessarily go with us; because we may be tempted to give them the credit instead of Hashem, or even our own choices. We achieve liberation and freedom based on our personal relationship with Hashem, not because of something external to us. It’s a great message as we come to the final Parsha in the Torah!

What are your thoughts?

As always on Shabbat, Haftorah thoughts will be posted in the comments below:

Haftorah thoughts:

Todays Haftorah comes from 2 Samuel 22:1-51

It is connected to our Parsha Ha’Azinu because it’s a song. It’s the Song of David when he was saved.

It starts out with David singing – “God is my Rock and my Fortress, who saves me.” And “When I call out God’s praises I am saved from my enemies.”

Let’s stop there for a minute. That’s a powerful thought. The idea of calling out God’s praises and saving us from our enemies? That’s an interesting connection to reflect on – especially as we consider freedom and liberation.

David continues to sing about how when he felt backed into a corner; when he was desperate and alone, he called to Hashem. And Hashem hears his voice from His temple.

We can take comfort – Hashem hears us. We often question this because things don’t work the way we think they should. We focus on what we don’t have. We focus on the absence. But we have to trust the abundance instead. We have what we need. To make it in each moment.

David describes the power of Hashem. Hashem almost comes across as dangerous. But David sings comfort (in one of my favorite passages in Psalms that is quoted here in this Haftorah)

(2 Samuel 22:17-20):

He sent His salvation from on high and took me. He drew me from deep waters. He saved me from my powerful enemy, from those who hated me, when they were stronger than me. They took advantage of me by attacking me on the day of my calamity, but God was a support for me. He brought me out to a wide place. He delivered me from the straits, because He wants me.”

Hashem wants me. He desires us. Think about that. He loves us.

David writes “I was wholehearted with Him, and I guarded myself from sin.”

It’s a good question to reflect on. Are we wholehearted with Hashem? Or do we hold our heart back? Out of fear?

This is a formula for us to draw power from within. Hashem is the battery within us that lights our path. He gives us the internal fortitude to persevere.

David writes about how “He makes my legs straight” and “He teaches my hands to fight.” This battle with others is really an internal receiving of Hashem’s presence inside. It starts within us. With a whole heart.

David attributes everything he has to Hashem. That is the way to live. We do nothing on our own. Without Him. And yet it is all on our own; that internal battle within us- internal divinity and harmony. That is our strength and power!

The bottom line? We must attribute our power to the source of our power. Hashem.

What are your thoughts?