YOM KIPPUR-HA'AZINU, Deuteronomy 32:1–52

YOM KIPPUR-HA'AZINU Deuteronomy 32:1–52

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YOM KIPPUR

“Kol Nidrei”

Kol Nidrei (Aramaic: כָּל נִדְרֵי) is an Aramaic declaration recited in the synagogue before the beginning of the evening service on every Yom Kippur.  Kol Nidrei includes an emotional expression of penitence that sets the theme for Yom Kippur.

Kol Nidrei’s name is taken from the opening words, meaning "all vows". The formula proactively annuls any personal or religious oaths or prohibitions made upon oneself to God for the next year, so as to preemptively avoid the sin of breaking vows made to God which cannot be or are not upheld.

There is also a kabbalistic or spiritual purpose to Kol Nidrei: God has vowed, in Scripture, to punish Jewry for its sins; therefore by demonstrating that we can and do cancel our own vows, we hope to induce God to cancel His own dire decrees.

 According to the holy Zohar, Kol Nidre is recited on Yom Kippur because, at times, the Heavenly judgment is handed down as an 'avowed decree' for which there can normally be no annulment. By reciting the Kol Nidre annulment of vows at this time, we are asking of God that He favor us by annuling any negative decrees of judgment that await us, even though we are undeserving of such annulment.

 This declaration has often been held up by anti-Semites as proof that Jews are untrustworthy, In fact, the reverse is true: Jews cherish this ritual because they take vows so seriously that they consider themselves bound even if they make the vows under duress or in times of stress when not thinking straight. . This ritual gave comfort to those who were forcibly converted to Christianity, yet felt unable to break their vow to follow Christianity.

The legendary Cantor Yossele Rosenblatt sings "Kol Nidre" in this 1930 recording.

He was regarded as the greatest cantor of his time.

https://youtu.be/Fha6WfKLXy4

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The Shabbat before Yom Kippur is called the “Shabbos of Return”, Shabbos Shuvah, שבת תשובה.

The haftorah portion is taken from the Book of Hosea, and starts out at 14:2:

שׁוּבָה, יִשְׂרָאֵל, עַד, יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ:  כִּי כָשַׁלְתָּ, בַּעֲוֺנֶךָ

‘Return, Israel to the Lord your God, for you have been led astray by your iniquity”.

The setting for the Book of Hosea is in the Northern Kingdom where Jeroboam the 2nd is King, at around the mid-8^th century BCE.  The Kingdom is prosperous, but continues to worship Canaanite gods and to also perversely worship Hashem using golden calves as an idolatrous representation. 

Hosea’s personal life is used as a metaphor to describe the fractured relationship between God and us.    He learns that his wife (in the role of Israel) is an adulteress.  As a symbol of Israel’s estrangement from Hashem, Hosea names one of children Lo-ruchamah, which translates as "not pitied", and another as Lo-ammi, which translates as "not my people".  These children as well as the kingdoms of Israel and Judah are redeemed at 2:3.

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In 2015, Rabbi Wein said:

"We live with our past decisions, no matter whether they were fortuitous or ill advised. However, in spiritual matters regarding our soul, we are granted this great gift of a new start. And this is not just a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity but we are given this chance for renewal on an annual basis, on this holy day of Yom Kippur".

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 "Unetanneh Tokef"

Unetanneh Tokef   (ונתנה תוקף) ("Let us speak of the awesomeness ") is a  that has been a part of the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur liturgy for centuries. It is chanted while the Torah ark is open and the congregants are standing.  It is a central poem of the Day of Atonement.  It is one of the most stirring compositions in the entire liturgy of the Holy Day.

"All mankind will pass before You like a flock of sheep. Like a shepherd pasturing his flock, making sheep pass under his staff, so shall You cause to pass, count, calculate, and consider the soul of all the living; and You shall apportion the destinies of all Your creatures and inscribe their verdict.

On Rosh Hashanah will be inscribed and on Yom Kippur will be sealed – how many will pass from the earth and how many will be created; who will live and who will die; who will die after a long life and who before his time; who by water and who by fire, who by sword and who by beast, who by famine and who by thirst, who by upheaval and who by plague, who by strangling and who by stoning. Who will rest and who will wander, who will live in harmony and who will be harried, who will enjoy tranquility and who will suffer, who will be impoverished and who will be enriched, who will be degraded and who will be exalted.

But Repentance, Prayer, and Charity annul the severity of the Decree."

https://youtu.be/_t5bK53Q0Ic

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THE FAST OF GEDALIAH

 On the day following the 2nd day of Rosh Hashannah we have a fast day, the Fast of Gedaliah.  Who was Gedaliah?

When the Kingdom of Judah fell in 586 BCE and our capital Jerusalem was utterly destroyed, we became a Babylonian province called Yehud.  The first appointed Governor was Gedaliah who oversaw the administration of the province from the city of Mitzpe, located just north of Jerusalem in lands allotted to the Tribe of Benjamin.

Using the Book of Jeremiah (40-41), the 2nd Book of Kings (25) and an on line course entitled “The Rise and Fall of Jerusalem” as guides let’s explore what Gedaliah may be about:

Gedaliah was part of the aristocracy.  Both his father and grandfather played prominent roles in the royal court of the Kingdom of Judea.  Although part of the aristocracy, Gedaliah was not a descendent of David; he was not in line to sit on the throne.  That is one the reasons that Gedaliah was chosen as Governor; descendants of David were considered to be trouble makers. Gedaliah was indeed assassinated by a member of the royal bloodline.

The Babylonians wanted stability.  And with Gedaliah at its head, Yehud began to return to stability.  Jews, not necessarily the exiles to Babylonia, but those who had fled to neighboring lands began to return.  Gedaliah ruled for about 4 to 5 years before being murdered.  It is thought by many that with his passing, the end of an Era had gone by, and that our land was completely depopulated, this being the reason for the Fast of Gedaliah. 

I do not think this is so.  While it is true that the aristocracy and those of the royal bloodline as well as the Priests had been vanquished, the farmers and those who worked the Land had remained behind. The Babylonians did not want people who had the potential to foment rebellion to remain in the Land.  But what they wanted more than anything else was the wine, oil and wheat paid as tribute from their vassal province

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There is something celebrated by our Cousins that tells of the influence of us on the world at large. In July, Shite Muslims celebrated their solemn holiday called “Ashura”. This holiday falls on the 10^th day of the 1^st month in the Muslim calendar. It is a day for fasting and introspection.

Sounds familiar? On the 10^th day of the 1^st month, Tishrei, we celebrate Yom Kippur. Ashura is just a Knockoff.

https://youtube.com/shorts/HGdIMt8aCJc?si=ENjI_s-Q0xWncKVpThis video shows Ashura being celebrated in NYC with a parade down Park Avenue.

It does not bring out any warm fuzzies and is celebrated in other USA cities where large numbers of Muslims reside.

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HA'AZINU

Where We Stand Today with Hezbollah:

 Although we have taken down Hezbollah's top leadership by assassination, and a couple of thousand of the lower echelon with the pager-walkie talkie attacks, Hezbollah remains a formidable enemy. They have trained, armed manpower and a massive array of missiles and rockets which two tears ago they were using daily without interruption.

In April 2025 we established five strategically located bases in Lebanon near our border. Despite this strategy, northern Israel has not returned to normalcy. for all intents and purposes, Israeli communities are largely abandoned.

 In synagogues this coming Shabbat we will be reading four telling verses from Parshas Ha'azinu, Deuteronomy (32:40-43). In these verses Hashem tells us what he will personally do to our enemies. He swears an oath, no light thing. He says for the sake of our dead and for our people taken captive how He will destroy those responsible. Hamas beware:

“For I raise My hand to heaven, and say: As I live forever, When I sharpen My shining sword, and My hand grasps judgment; I will render vengeance to Mine adversaries, and will repay them that hate Me. I will make My arrows drunk with blood, and My sword will devour flesh; with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the long-haired heads of the enemy”.

Moses reiterates: “Sing aloud, O you nations, for His people! For He will avenge the blood of His servants, and inflict revenge upon His adversaries, and will make expiation for the land of His people”.

Hezbollah and the like should take notice.

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ROSH HASHANNAH

 

ROSH HASHANNAH

NUMBERS 29:1

וּבַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ, מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה לָכֶם--כָּל-מְלֶאכֶת עֲבֹדָה, לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ:  יוֹם תְּרוּעָה, יִהְיֶה לָכֶם.

"And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a holy convocation: you shall do no manner of servile work; it is a day of blowing for you you".

LEVITICUS 23:24

דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֵאמֹר:  בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ, יִהְיֶה לָכֶם שַׁבָּתוֹן--זִכְרוֹן תְּרוּעָה, מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ.

“Speak to the children of Israel, saying: In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall be a ultimate rest for you, a memorial proclaimed with blasts, a holy convocation”.

Rosh Hashanah literally meaning "head of the year". It is the Jewish New Year. The biblical name for Rosh Hashanah is Yom Teruah יוֹם תְּרוּעָה‎, literally "day of shouting or blasting or blowing (of a horn or a trumpet or a shofar)". is the traditional anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, the first man and woman.

The term "Rosh Hashanah" in its current meaning does not appear in the Torah. Leviticus 23:24 refers to the festival of the first day of the seventh month as Zikhron Teru'ah "a memorial of blowing"; it is also referred to in the same part of Leviticus as שבת שבתון Shabbat Shabbaton or ultimate Sabbath.

The celebration of Rosh Hashanah begins on the 1^st day of the seventh month.  This month is called month of Tishrei.  Tishrei is a Babylonian word that means “beginning”.  During the Exile to Babylonia we must have been rapidly assimilated and substituted Babylonian names for our calendar months.  

In the 1^st Book of Kings at 8:2, about 300 years before the Exile to Babylon, the seventh month is called Ethanim.

וַיִּקָּהֲלוּ אֶל-הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה, כָּל-אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּיֶרַח הָאֵתָנִים, בֶּחָג--הוּא, הַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי.

“And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast, in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month”.

Ethanim means everlasting or perennial.

Whereas Tishrei implies a beginning as in the creation of Adam and Eve; Ethanim has a sense of never-ending.  Does it apply to humankind in general or maybe to the Jewish people in particular?

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   TORAH READINGS FOR ROSH HASHANAH

FIRST DAY, BEREISHIS, 21:1- 21:34

SECOND DAY, BEREISHIS, 22:1-24

In the reading for the 1^st Day, among other things, at the behest of Sarah, Abraham sends Hagar and Ishmael away.  This is tantamount to divorcing Hagar and disinheriting Ishmael who would have normally shared with Isaac.

Question arise as to why Sarah did not want Ishmael to remain in her home?

And why should Ismael not share the inheritance with Isaac?

Are their implications for Jews in Israel today?

Rabbi Riskin addresses these questions, firstly looking at why Sarah was so upset with Ishmael.  At 21:9 -

  וַתֵּרֶא שָׂרָה אֶת-בֶּן-הָגָר הַמִּצְרִית, אֲשֶׁר-יָלְדָה לְאַבְרָהָם—מְצַחֵק

“And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne unto Abraham, making sport.”

Rabbi Riskin sees מְצַחֵק as not just “fooling around”, but probably Isaac being sodomized by Ishmael, the older brother overpowering the weaker brother.

And in the previous Parsha at 16:12 Rabbi Riskin translates –

 “…  יָדוֹ בַכֹּל, וְיַד כֹּל בּו…”

“…his hand grasps for everything…”

Ishmael is not a person who shares.  And given an opportunity he will overpower his brother.  He will take it all.

Since 1947 we have always been willing to share, but Ishmael has always wanted it all.  If Rabbi Kahane had his way, Ishmael and his Egyptian mother will have been banished, sent away. And he shall be a wild ass of a man: his hand shall be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the face of all his brethren.'

Rabbi Riskin interprets this verse differently: “his hand is in everything and a hand in all.”

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The Akedah, Binding of Isaac:

In the reading for the 2^nd Day, among other things, Abraham obeying the command to prepare to sacrifice one of his children has to be one of the most difficult episodes in the entire Five Books.  At 22:2 -

וַיֹּאמֶר קַח-נָא אֶת-בִּנְךָ אֶת-יְחִידְךָ אֲשֶׁר-אָהַבְתָּ, אֶת-יִצְחָק, וְלֶךְ-לְךָ, אֶל-אֶרֶץ הַמֹּרִיָּה; וְהַעֲלֵהוּ שָׁם, לְעֹלָה

“And He said, "Please take your son, your only one whom you love, Isaac, and you go to the land of Moriah and bring him up there for a burnt sacrifice…”

Abraham is the epitome of kindness.  He argues with Hashem to save the inhabitants of Sodom.  But in this instance, Abraham is complacent, resembling Noach in not pleading to save a life.

Perhaps the test was for Abraham to argue with Hashem, and if so, Abraham failed.  After the incident, Abraham returns to Beersheba alone.  We do not hear any further conversation between Abraham and Hashem.  Moreover, Sarah dies.

Bob Dylan’s take on the Akedah:

Oh, God said to Abraham, "Kill me a son"

Abe said, "Man, you must be puttin' me on"

God said, "No" Abe say, "What?"

God say, "You can do what you want, Abe, but

The next time you see me comin', you better run"

Well, Abe said, "Where d'you want this killin' done?"

God said, "Out on Highway 61"

https://youtu.be/8hr3Stnk8_k

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 The Haftarah :reading for the 2^nd Day is from Jeremiah 31:1-19:

The Prophet speaks of the in-gathering of the scattered exiles.  Most notably, Ephraim is singled out.  Ephraim is a metaphor for the 10 Lost Tribes of the Kingdom of Israel who were banished in the conquest of Israel by the Assyrians in 720 BCE.

It does not take a leap of faith to see that we are in the midst of an in-gathering.

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THE FAST OF GEDALIAH

 On the day following the 2nd day of Rosh Hashannah we have a fast day, the Fast of Gedaliah.  Who was Gedaliah?

When the Kingdom of Judah fell in 586 BCE and our capital Jerusalem was utterly destroyed, we became a Babylonian province called Yehud.  The first appointed Governor was Gedaliah who oversaw the administration of the province from the city of Mitzpe, located just north of Jerusalem in lands allotted to the Tribe of Benjamin.

Using the Book of Jeremiah (40-41), the 2nd Book of Kings (25) and an on line course entitled “The Rise and Fall of Jerusalem” as guides let’s explore what Gedaliah may be about:

Gedaliah was part of the aristocracy.  Both his father and grandfather played prominent roles in the royal court of the Kingdom of Judea.  Although part of the aristocracy, Gedaliah was not a descendent of David; he was not in line to sit on the throne.  That is one the reasons that Gedaliah was chosen as Governor; descendants of David were considered to be trouble makers. Gedaliah was indeed assassinated by a member of the royal bloodline.

The Babylonians wanted stability.  And with Gedaliah at its head, Yehud began to return to stability.  Jews, not necessarily the exiles to Babylonia, but those who had fled to neighboring lands began to return.  Gedaliah ruled for about 4 to 5 years before being murdered.  It is thought by many that with his passing, the end of an Era had gone by, and that our land was completely depopulated, this being the reason for the Fast of Gedaliah. 

I do not think this is so.  While it is true that the aristocracy and those of the royal bloodline as well as the Priests had been vanquished, the farmers and those who worked the Land had remained behind. The Babylonians did not want people who had the potential to foment rebellion to remain in the Land.  But what they wanted more than anything else was the wine, oil and wheat paid as tribute from their vassal province

DEVARIM: VAYELECH: 31:1-30

 DEVARIM: VAYELECH: 31:1-30

With just 30 verses, Vayelech has the fewest verses of any Parashah,

At 31:2, Moshe says: "...Today I am one hundred and twenty years old. I can no longer go or come, and the Hashem said to me, "You shall not cross this Jordan."

Rashi explores these statements:

A – Today is the exact day that my days and my years have become complete; on this day I will die. — [Talmud Tractate Sotah 13b]

B – “I can no longer go or come” is: I can no longer negotiate in matters of Torah.  The channels of transmission and the well-springs of wisdom were closed up

 C - Hashem did not permit him to go and come before the people, God had taken away the authority from Moses.

D – Moses will not be able to cross the Jordan.

Moses  transfers leadership to Joshua; he writes the Torah in a scroll; entrusts it to the Levites for safekeeping; and they place it in the Holy Ark..

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From the Hebrew verb haqhêl הַקְהֵ֣ל, "assemble" comes the Mitzvah Hakhel.  

At 31:10–12 we read:

"At the end of every seven years, at an appointed time, in the Festival of Sukkot the year of Shemitah. When all Israel comes to appear before Hashem, your G‑d, in the place He will choose, you shall read this Torah before all Israel, in their ears.

Assemble the people: the men, the women, the children, and your stranger in your cities..."

The Hakhel ceremony was conducted on the first day of Chol HaMoed Sukkot, Trumpets would sound and a large wooden platform was erected. The king would sit on this platform and all in attendance would gather around him.

 The High Priest, who would present a Torah scroll to the king  The king began the reading with the same blessings over the Torah that are recited before every Aliyah in synagogues today.

 The reading consisted of the following sections from the Book of Deuteronomy: 

From the beginning of the book through Shema Yisrael (6:4);

The second paragraph of the Shema (11:13-21);

"You shall surely tithe" (14:22-27);

"When you have finish tithing" (26:12-15);

The section about appointing a king (17:14-20);

The blessings and curses (28:1-69).

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At 31:6, Moshe says to Joshua:

חִזְק֣וּ וְאִמְצ֔וּ  , Be strong and resolute.

Moshe repeats at 31:23

In the Book of Joshua at 1:6,7 and 9, Hashem tells Joshua to be strong and resolute.

The Tribes of Reuven, Gad and ½ of Manasseh also repeat to Joshua at 1:18.

And finally, Joshua tells us at 10:25 to be strong and resolute.

The verse – “Be strong and resolute” חֲזַ֣ק וֶֽאֱמָץ  occurs nine times in Devarim and the Book of Joshua.

 ֽאֱמָץ has nuanced meanings: courageous stubborn, obstinate, hardened, determined, steadfast and patient.

Be strong and Courageous is also found at the conclusion of Psalm 27, verse 14.

In many synagogues from the start of the month of Elul until the very end of Sukkot we read Psalm 27, sometimes twice daily.

Take it to heart; חֲזַ֣ק וֶֽאֱמָץ is a message for us right now.

That message for the Jewish people 3,000 years ago persists until today:

 חִזְק֣וּ וְאִמְצ֔וּ , Be strong and resolute. 

By now Iran, Turkey, Qatar, Lebanon, Syria and the Houthi's are aware of this message.

 

 

 

 At 31:14-19 Hashem commands Moses and Joshua to enter the Tent of Meeting. Hashem appears and informs them that a time will come when the Jews will abandon Him.

 At that time, Hashem will hide His face, and we will be subjected to evils and troubles.

Hashem says to them: "Write for yourselves this song, and teach it to the Children of Israel. Place it into their mouths, in order that this song will be for Me as a witness..." This 'song' is narrated in next week's Torah reading.

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When Parshat Vayelech is read separately, the Haftarah for the Parashah is Isaiah 55:6–56:8.

This year when Parshat Vayelech occurs between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur it is called Shabbos Shuva, the Sabbath of Return. 

The Haftarah reading is from Hosea 14:2-10 and Micah 7:18-20.

Hosea14:2-3 :

2 - Return, O Israel, to the Hashem your God, for you have stumbled in your iniquity.3 - Take words with yourselves and return to the Lord. Say, "You shall forgive all iniquity and teach us good, and let us render bulls our lips.

Micah 7:18-20 : 
18 - Who is a God like You, Who forgives iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not maintain His anger forever, for He desires loving-kindness.
19 - He shall return and grant us compassion; He shall hide our iniquities, and You shall cast into the depths of the sea all their sins.
20 - You shall give the truth of Jacob, the loving-kindness of Abraham, which You swore to our forefathers from days of yore.

NITZAVIM, DEVARIM 29:9-30:20

 NITZAVIM, DEVARIM 29:9-30:20

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In Nitzavim we hear some heavy duty words:

 When we stand before Hashem, we stand as one people, the Klal Yisrael, together in unity.

We will be exiled, but Hashem will gather us in and return us to our Land. 

 Fast forward : 

We have already returned; Redemption has begun.  

Torah knowledge is not remote or distant, but is close at hand.

We have free choice, either to reap the benefits of keeping Hashem's commandments or to not walk in His ways and be subject to the curses. 

 It is your call: Choose Life or Choose Death.

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In the Torah reading at 29:9-14:  Moses gathered all the Israelites—men, women, and children—to enter them into a covenant with Hashem. This covenant established us as Hashem’s exclusive nation.

 The covenant, Moses explained, was not limited to those who were physically present on that day; rather, it included all future generations of Jews as well.  That means you and me.

The question arises as to what is the right of Hashem to commit future generations, let alone children, to the obligations of His covenant?

Answer: All of us were standing at Sinai.

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In the Parshaot at 30:11-14,  Moshe enjoins us to follow the mitzvot, informing us that “it is not beyond you, nor is it remote from you. It is not in heaven . . . It is not across the sea . . . Rather, it is very close to you, in your mouth, in your heart, that you may do it.”

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In the Parshah there is a curious phenomenon that occurs at 29:28, and all in all in about ten places in the Chumash.  These are the dots or nekudot that appear over a letter or word or words.  In in our case it is the nekudot that appear over the words "for us and for our children until...".

הַנִּ֨סְתָּרֹ֔ת לַיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וְהַנִּגְלֹ֞ת לָ֤ׄנׄוּׄ וּׄלְׄבָׄנֵ֙ׄיׄנׄוּ֙ׄ עַׄד־עוֹלָ֔ם לַעֲשׂ֕וֹת אֶת־כׇּל־דִּבְרֵ֖י הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּֽאת׃ {ס} 

“The hidden things belong to the Lord, our God, but the revealed things are for us and to our children forever: to do all the words of this Torah”.

What do we make of these nekudot?

 Is it Hashem's way of calling our attention to a particular passage? 

Perhaps as some believe  they were put there by a personage in authority such as Ezra the Scribe, who is likened to Moshe Rabbeinu.

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 In the Parsha at 30:19 we are told to choose life:

וּבָחַרְתָּ, בַּחַיִּים--לְמַעַן תִּחְיֶה, אַתָּה וְזַרְעֶךָ

“…choose life, that you may live, you and your seed;”

This statement is very timely in light of the War and the approaching High Holydays.

Look at the word “חַיִּים”.  The letters חַם meaning warmth surround the double yud that stands for Hashem.  When you are alive with warmth, you have Hashem within you.

Whether you hold by the Ramban who says that the Mitzvah referred to is doing T’sheuvah or you agree with Rashi that the Mitzvah is to abide by the entire Torah, it is well within our grasp.

 

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In the Haftarah portion from Isaiah 62:1 -

א  לְמַעַן צִיּוֹן לֹא אֶחֱשֶׁה, וּלְמַעַן יְרוּשָׁלִַם לֹא אֶשְׁקוֹט, עַד-יֵצֵא כַנֹּגַהּ צִדְקָהּ, וִישׁוּעָתָהּ כְּלַפִּיד יִבְעָר

There is a message here for Iran, Gaza, Hezbollah, Turkey, the Houthis and Qatar -

For the sake of Zion I will not be silent,

For the sake of Jerusalem I will not be still,

Till her victory emerges resplendent
And her triumph is like a flaming torch.

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In a Haftarah passages from Isaiah 63:2-6  we see Hashem’s anger and punishment of the nations that have oppressed Israel. The trampling of grapes, the grapes of wrath, is a metaphor for their punishment.

Here, the crushed grapes symbolizes the blood that will come from His wrath. Essentially, we learn about Hashem bestowing vengeance and justice upon peoples who deserve punishment.

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In the Haftarah portion at Isaiah 63:9, the Prophet says that because of Hashem’s love and pity He will redeem us.

בְּאַֽהֲבָת֥וֹ וּבְחֶמְלָת֖וֹ ה֣וּא גְאָלָ֑ם וַֽיְנַטְּלֵ֥ם וַֽיְנַשְּׂאֵ֖ם כָּל־יְמֵ֥י עוֹלָֽם

“with His love and with His pity He redeemed them, and He will bear them, and He will carry them for all the days of the world”.

 What exactly is redemption?

In today's vernacular: To redeem something, is to get something out of hock.

For the Jew, the Land of Israel is his native country.  For the Jew, Exile is having been barred, sent out from or dispersed from his native country.  For the Jew, his Exile results from religious, political and punitive reasons.  

The Jew in the Diaspora is a Jew in Exile, and he awaits a return to his Land.  HE AWAITS REDEMPTION.

Redemption is an essential concept in Judaism.  In Judaism, redemption (ge'ulah, גְאוּלָה) refers to God redeeming or freeing us from our exiles, starting from the first exile, our slavery in Egypt (BT, Tractate Rosh Hashanah 11b).  This form of redemption is called “Exilic Redemption”. There is a concept of a Final Redemption in the belief system of mainstream Orthodoxy that considers us to be currently in a state of exile.  When we are redeemed or freed by God from the current Exile, we will return to our Land and as a consequence owe Him a debt of gratitude. 

Redemption also applies to individuals or groups: an Israelite slave, Jewish captives, and the firstborn son.   It is from these three cases that the concept of exilic redemption is derived because Jews are considered God's 'firstborn' derived from Jacob, and Jews are God's slaves forever.

 Theologically, I am currently considered held captive by mainstream Orthodoxy even though I reside in the modern state of Israel..  Mainstream Orthodoxy aside, for me and my fellow Olim, Redemption is well underway.

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This week, the 23rd of Elul is the Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Sholomo  Carlebach, Z'L.  Have a taste of this spiritual genius:                              

 

                         https://youtu.be/n44fcxDt6DI

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This is a take-away from one of Reb Yitz’s shiurim:

From Rav Kook’s final shiur – During the month of Elul and on Rosh Hashanah we blow the shofar.

In terms of acceptability there are three available sources for this shofar :

1, A shofar made from a sheep’s horn is the most acceptable.

2. A shofar made from a kosher animal other than a sheep is also acceptable but is not as favorable as that made from a sheep.

3. Where there is no horn from a sheep or other kosher animal available, it is permissible for us to use the horn of a cow.

The gist of the hierarchy of sources for making a shofar is that not all Jews do a Mitzvah or lead a Jewish life, and all of its implications, in the same way or to the same degree of acceptability.

But the important thing is to reach out to Hashem as best we can and in doing so show the unity our Jewish nation and people.

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KI TAVO, DEVARIM 26:1-29:8

 KI TAVO, DEVARIM  26:1-29:8

 

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Parshat Ki Tavo, at 26:1 - 11

In Ki Tavo, 26:1-11, a farmer who owns his land brings ripened first fruits from the seven species to the Kohen.

 

He makes a two-part declaration, the first part of which is in Hebrew.  Since some of the farmers were Hebrew-language challenged (Is there anyone out there who can relate?), the Chazal had a Hebrew speaker make the declaration so that the farmer would not be embarrassed.  

The rationale being that if the farmer was to be embarrassed, he may be hesitant to bring the first fruits. 

This custom is employed today when a person is called up to the Torah, again not to cause embarrassment. 

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 Ki Tavo26:1-2 -

וְהָיָה֙ כִּֽי־תָב֣וֹא אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לְךָ֖ נַֽחֲלָ֑ה וִֽירִשְׁתָּ֖הּ וְיָשַׁ֥בְתָּ בָּֽהּ

“And it will be, when you come into the land which the Lord, your God, gives you for an inheritance, and you possess it and settle in it,

וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֞ מֵֽרֵאשִׁ֣ית | כָּל־פְּרִ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר תָּבִ֧יא מֵֽאַרְצְךָ֛ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָ֖ךְ וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ בַטֶּ֑נֶא וְהָֽלַכְתָּ֙ אֶל־הַמָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִבְחַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לְשַׁכֵּ֥ן שְׁמ֖וֹ שָֽׁם

 that you shall take of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you will bring from your land, which the Lord, your God, is giving you. And you shall put [them] into a basket and go to the place which the Lord, your God, will choose to have His Name dwell there”.

The Mishnah Bikkurim asks another question (1:3): What are the specific “fruits” that fall into the category of fruits of the ground?

One only brings Bikkurim from the seven species; special to the Land of Israel,

These are the seven fruits or species for which Israel was renowned, namely wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, oil olives and date-honey (Devarim 8:8).  And they must be of high quality.  

Raisins can substitute for grapes, but wine may not. 

Any thoughts, why?

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At 26:5, there are two accepted translations regarding the אֲרַמִּי "Aramean" in the verse below:

 וְעָנִיתָ וְאָמַרְתָּ לִפְנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, אֲרַמִּי אֹבֵד אָבִי, וַיֵּרֶד מִצְרַיְמָה, וַיָּגָר שָׁם בִּמְתֵי מְעָט; וַיְהִי-שָׁם, לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל עָצוּם וָרָב

1. "And you shall call out and say before the Lord, your God, "An Aramean [sought to] destroy my forefather, and he went down to Egypt and sojourned there with a small number of people, and there, he became a great, mighty, and numerous nation".

This is the translation-interpretation found in the Passover Hagaddah. Jacob's father in law, Lavan, is the villain seeking to destroy the Jews.

But there is another version:

2. "And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God: 'A wandering Aramean was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there, few in number; and he became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous".

In this instance the Aramean is Jacob himself, depicted as a wanderer, perhaps a person  lost.

Whichever translation-interpretation you choose will turn on the translation of the verb אֹבֵד, which commonly means "lost" or "wandering", but in a stretch could mean "perish".

Pays your money and takes your choice.

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At 26:11 - Then, you shall rejoice with all the good that the Lord, your God, has granted you and your household you, 

 וְשָׂמַחְתָּ בְכָל-הַטּוֹב, אֲשֶׁר נָתַן-לְךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ--וּלְבֵיתֶךָ:

From here, [our Rabbis] said that the first fruits declaration is recited only at the time of “rejoicing,” namely, from Shavuoth until Sukkoth, for [then] a person gathers in his grain, fruit, wine and oil [over which he rejoices]. However, from Sukkoth and onwards, he must bring [his first fruits to the Temple], but he does not recite the declaration. - [Pes. 36b]

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https://youtu.be/ZpNRaOg0ldg

 Rabbi Riskin speaks about the Parsha, quoting 26:13 as it applies to Bikkurim:

"Then you shall say before the Lord, your God, "I have removed the holy from the house, and I have also given it to the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow, according to all Your commandment that You commanded me; I have not transgressed Your commandments, nor have I forgotten".

Rabbi Riskin asks us to focus on "nor have I forgotten".

He takes us back to the Commandment not to forget Amalek, to destroy Amalek, the Amalek with out and the Amalek within. 

Watch the video.  There is much to learn.

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Olive Trees by Van Gough, 1889

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In Ki Tavo at 26:16 we are commanded as follows:
"This day, Hashem, your God, is commanding you to do these statutes and ordinances, and you will guard and do them with all your heart and with all your soul".
הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֗ה יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ מְצַוְּךָ֧ לַֽעֲשׂ֛וֹת אֶת־הַֽחֻקִּ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה וְאֶת־הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֑ים וְשָֽׁמַרְתָּ֤ וְעָשִׂ֨יתָ֙ אוֹתָ֔ם בְּכָל־לְבָֽבְךָ֖ וּבְכָל־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ

"Heart" in the biblical context has the connotation of "mind". Likewise, the word "soul" in the biblical context has the connotation of "being". Attributing other meanings to these words reflects a post-biblical interpretation and takes us away from the original intended meaning.

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At 26:17-19 we learn that we have entered into a contract with Hashem: We have chosen Him as our God.  In turn He has chosen us as His לְעַ֣ם סְגֻלָּ֔ה, “treasured nation”.

And if you have any doubts what this means:

וּלְתִתְּךָ֣ עֶלְי֗וֹן עַ֤ל כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם֙

“to establish you above all the peoples.”

It may seem hardly politically correct, perhaps even racist.  

And whatever you may think, it is an enormous burden.

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In the Parshah at 27:9 Moshe and the Priests say to us: 

וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה וְהַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם, אֶל כָּל-יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר:  הַסְכֵּת וּשְׁמַע, יִשְׂרָאֵל, הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה נִהְיֵיתָ לְעָם, לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ  

"And Moses and the Priests the Levites spoke to all Israel, saying: 'Silence! Hear, O Israel; today you have become a people for Hashem your God."  

I am curious about the word "הַסְכֵּת" , translated here as "Silence!".  It occurs nowhere else in the entire Torah.  

To me הַסְכֵּת looks and sounds sort of like and sounds very much like השקיט and means: calm down,  

The ":s" sound samekh instead of a shin,  and the "kh" sound caf instead of a kof.

הַסְכֵּת is also translated as "listen" and "pay attention".

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We receive a blessing at 28:4

בָּר֧וּךְ פְּרִֽי־בִטְנְךָ֛ וּפְרִ֥י אַדְמָֽתְךָ֖ וּפְרִ֣י בְהֶמְתֶּ֑ךָ שְׁגַ֥ר אֲלָפֶ֖יךָ וְעַשְׁתְּר֥וֹת צֹאנֶֽךָ-

 "Blessed will be the fruit of your womb, the fruit of your soil, the fruit of your livestock, the offspring of your cattle, and the flocks of your sheep".

A similar blessing was received at 7:13 -

"And He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your soil, your grain, your wine, and your oil, the offspring of your cattle and the choicest of your flocks, in the land which He swore to your forefathers to give you".

Focus on עשתרות, עַשְׁתְּרֹ֣ת:

 Devarim 7:13 – וְעַשְׁתְּרֹ֣ת צֹאנֶ֔ךָ - He will bless “the choice of your flocks”

From Rashi: Because they enrich (מַעֲשִׁירוֹת) their owners (Chul. 84b).

This word to enrich is too much like Astarte, goddess of the flocks.

Astarte is the Greek form of the name Ashtart, who, along with Asherah and Anath, was one of the three great goddesses of the Canaanite pantheon. Astarte is well known as a goddess of sexual love and fertility but also has associations with war.

I'm guessing that in any blessing there may be hidden some danger to be made aware of.

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In the Parsha at 28:6, Hashem says if you obey him:

“You are blessed when you arrive, and you are blessed when you go out”.

בָּר֥וּךְ אַתָּ֖ה בְּבֹאֶ֑ךָ וּבָר֥וּךְ אַתָּ֖ה בְּצֵאתֶֽךָ

Homiletically (pushing the envelope at six syllables), this verse can be taken to mean when you enter the world and when you depart.

Rashi on Bava Metzia 107a: Blessed will you be when you come, and blessed will you be when you depart: May your departure from the world be as free of sin as was your entry into the world.

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At 28:12 – “The Lord will open up for you His good treasury, the heaven, to give your land its rain in its [right] time,”

  יִפְתַּח יְהוָה לְךָ אֶת-אוֹצָרוֹ הַטּוֹב אֶת-הַשָּׁמַיִם, לָתֵת מְטַר-אַרְצְךָ בְּעִתּוֹ,

In the Talmud, Ta’anith טעa - . The fact that this verse is written in the second person singular demonstrates that rain can fall even for the sake of an individual.

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This is an adaptation of Rav Kook’s take on the Bikkurim:

The Mishnah in describing the Bikkurim offerings speaks of two groups of people: those who lived near to Jerusalem and could bring fresh fruits; and those who lived further away and had to be content with bringing an offering of dried fruit that could withstand the long journey. These two situations correspond to two spiritual paths the Jewish people have taken throughout history: the path of Prophecy and the path of Torah, each with its own advantages and benefits.

The path of Prophecy deals with Divine wisdom and lofty matters. It is closely connected to meditative prayer and the Torah’s mystical teachings.

The path of Torah concerns the development of the Oral Law, applying Halachah to all aspects of life. The fruit of these legalistic efforts may seem dry and uninspiring.

When we lived in the Land of Israel and the Shechinah dwelled in our midst, our spiritual world centered primarily on prophetic enlightenment.  When we were banished from the Land it became necessary to take the second path - a path capable of retaining our special character, despite exile and dispersion. 

This is the path of Torah,

Now we are back in our Land, close to God’s Presence; it is not unreasonable to expect the gift of prophecy to return once more.

However we still must rely on the gift of Torah, which may appear dry, but has retained its flavor despite the long journey.

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The Haftarah portion for Parshah Ki Tavo emphasizes the concept of a "chosen people".  It is taken from the Prophet Isaiah, 60:1-22.  It is one of the seven weekly consolation messages that we receive prior to Rosh Hashannah.  And it is indeed beautiful.  

Consider verses 1-3:

קוּמִי אוֹרִי, כִּי בָא אוֹרֵךְ; וּכְבוֹד יְהוָה, עָלַיִךְ זָרָח

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of Hashem has shone upon you”.

 

כִּֽי־הִנֵּ֚ה הַחֹ֙שֶׁךְ֙ יְכַסֶּה־אֶ֔רֶץ וַֽעֲרָפֶ֖ל לְאֻמִּ֑ים וְעָלַ֙יִךְ֙ יִזְרַ֣ח יְהֹוָ֔ה וּכְבוֹד֖וֹ עָלַ֥יִךְ יֵֽרָאֶֽה:

"For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and a gross darkness the kingdoms, and Hashem shall shine upon you, and His glory shall appear over you".

וְהָלְכוּ גוֹיִם, לְאוֹרֵךְ; וּמְלָכִים, לְנֹגַהּ זַרְחֵךְ  

“And nations shall walk by your light and kings by the brilliance of your shine”.

If you consider how the world regards our country Israel, then there is no doubt that darkness covers the earth. However, Israel shines with Hashem's brilliance, and soon they will learn.

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Continuing with the Haftorah portion for Parshat KI TAVO, at 60:10 it reads:

“And foreigners shall build your walls, and their kings shall serve you, for in My wrath I struck you, and in My grace have I had mercy on you.”

וּבָנוּ בְנֵי-נֵכָר חֹמֹתַיִךְ, וּמַלְכֵיהֶם יְשָׁרְתוּנֶךְ:  כִּי בְקִצְפִּי הִכִּיתִיךְ, וּבִרְצוֹנִי רִחַמְתִּיךְ

At  verse 18  there is a message for today:

Hamas (Violence) shall no longer be heard in your land

לֹֽא־יִשָּׁמַ֨ע ע֚וֹד חָמָס֙ בְּאַרְצֵ֔ךְ

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