"The Rock!—whose deeds are perfect"
(Deuteronomy 32:4)
Tishrei 12, 5783/October 7, 2022
"Ha'azinu - Listen, O heavens, and I will speak! And let the earth hear the words of my mouth!" (Deuteronomy 32:1) begins the penultimate Torah reading, not only of the book of Deuteronomy, but of the Hebrew year. It also comprises the next to final address by Moshe to his people, before ascending Mount Nevo to have one first and last look into the land into which he will not enter, before giving up the ghost and being gathered up unto his people.
Ha'azinu was a song that Moshe was commanded by G-d to compose and recite before Israel, to serve as an eternal testimony to Israel's covenant with HaShem. And, indeed, Moshe, in the song's opening stanza, calls upon the heavens and the earth, the very same heavens and earth that G-d formed on the first day of creation, to serve as witnesses to what follows, as Moshe both praises HaShem and chastises his people.
The overriding tenor of Ha'azinu is dark and brooding. "Is this how you repay HaShem, you disgraceful, unwise people?" (ibid 32:6) is just the beginning of Moshe's dressing down of his people, and it only gets worse from there. These are the words of Moshe and he certainly seems to be anticipating some serious backsliding by Israel after he is gone. The only bright spot offered by Moshe is at the song's conclusion. Despite meting out to Israel the appropriate punishment for their transgressions, G-d will forever stand by His people: "Sing out praise, O you nations, for His people! For He will avenge the blood of His servants, inflict revenge upon His adversaries, and appease His land and His people." (ibid 32:43)
Fortunately, for all of us, Moshe's very final address to his people, (which we will read in ten days on Simchat Torah), is much lighter and warmer, consisting of blessings bestowed upon the twelve tribes of Israel.
Besides the spotlight on Israel's many faults, Ha'azinu also focuses on G-d's greatness. "The Rock!—whose deeds are perfect, for all His ways are just; a faithful G-d, without injustice He is righteous and upright." (ibid 32:4) While we may have a hard time owning up to our own failings, truly seeing the perfection and justice of G-d's deeds is by far a more daunting task. While we all may give lip service to G-d's greatness it is ever so easy to fault G-d for all of life’s’ aches and pains and even tragedies. Why did this happen to me? How could G-d create a world in which there is so much suffering? We have all had these questions, and they are truly legitimate questions. Even out patriarch Avraham questioned and challenged G-d, and Yaakov wrestled with an angel. Questioning G-d and wrestling with the ups and downs that G-d deals us as we pass through life, is part and parcel of our relationship with G-d, of our covenant with HaShem. G-d wants to hear from us, our kvetches as well as our praises.
Ultimately, realizing the perfection of G-d's deeds, and the justice of His ways, means living our lives on G-d's terms, and not trying to compel G-d to fit into the neat notions of perfection that we possess, while all along trusting that G-d, for His part, is working constantly to shine His grace on us.
"The Rock!—whose deeds are perfect." It is imperative that we count ourselves as among G-d's perfect deeds. G-d created each of us, just as He intended, and that, by definition, is perfection. What we do with our perfect selves is up to us, but counting our blessings, praising HaShem for all the good in life, and keeping Him near would seem the best course to keep.
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