TRANSLITERATION
Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu laasok b’divrei Torah.
TRANSLATION
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who hallows us with mitzvot, commanding us to engage with words of Torah.
Aliyah/Aliyot - When someone is called up to recite the blessings at the Torah during the Torah reading.
· There are typically 7 aliyot on Shabbat, the 8th aliyah is called the Maftir - It is the aliyah that marks the end of the Torah reading and makes a bridge into reading the Haftarah. The Maftir aliyah is the first aliyah a Bar/Bat Mitzvah student takes in his/her life - it is the moment you officially become a 'Bar Mitzvah'.
· Haftarah - A selection from the books of the prophets that parallels themes, ideas, characters and events with the weekly Torah reading.
· Parsha - "Torah portion", each week we read from the next portion in the 5 Books of the Torah - Your portion is called HA'AZINU, from Sefer Devarim, the Book of Deuteronomy
Triennial reading - Each Torah portion is divided into 3 parts, we read one third each year
Where are we in the Torah?
Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu laasok b’divrei Torah.
TRANSLATION
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who hallows us with mitzvot, commanding us to engage with words of Torah.
Aliyah/Aliyot - When someone is called up to recite the blessings at the Torah during the Torah reading.
· There are typically 7 aliyot on Shabbat, the 8th aliyah is called the Maftir - It is the aliyah that marks the end of the Torah reading and makes a bridge into reading the Haftarah. The Maftir aliyah is the first aliyah a Bar/Bat Mitzvah student takes in his/her life - it is the moment you officially become a 'Bar Mitzvah'.
· Haftarah - A selection from the books of the prophets that parallels themes, ideas, characters and events with the weekly Torah reading.
· Parsha - "Torah portion", each week we read from the next portion in the 5 Books of the Torah - Your portion is called HA'AZINU, from Sefer Devarim, the Book of Deuteronomy
Triennial reading - Each Torah portion is divided into 3 parts, we read one third each year
Where are we in the Torah?
- We started reading the Torah again at the beginning of Braysheet, the Book of Genesis - Creation of the world, Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden, Sent out of Eden, Cain & Abel
- Noach - God is unhappy with the world, Noah and his family build the Ark, save the animals, and eventually are saved and become the ancestors for all the peoples of the world
- After 10 generations, God chooses Abram and Abram accepts, makes the journey west to Canaan, nephew Lot goes to Sodom/Gomorah area (Think: Gamora from Guardians of the Galaxy), Sarai/Hagar - Ishmael
- Isaac, Jacob, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah...12 children born...one is Joseph
- Joseph sent down to Egypt as as slave...becomes 2nd in command...brothers come to him during famine...family saved
- Family stays in Egypt...end of Genesis
- Exodus - New Pharaoh, Israelites enslaved, Moses - Aaron - Miriam lead them out, they go to Sinai, 10 commandments, building of the Mishkan - portable Holy Place for 40 years in the wilderness
- Leviticus - Instructions for the priests and Levites who will lead worship of God in the Mishkan
- Numbers - Israelites finally leave from Mount Sinai and start off into the wilderness, what should have been a short trip turns into a 40 year trip (one year for each day the spies went into the Holy Land - then came back with a negative report), Rebellions against Moses and Aaron, Balak and Bilaam (TALKING DONKEY!)...
- Deuteronomy - We've arrived on the Eastern side of the Jordan River, review of everything that's happened up until now (First, the earth cooled and then, then dinosaurs came, then they got too fat and turned into oil...only funny if you've seen the movie Airplane!)...
- Your portion - Ha'azinu - the LAST Torah portion that we read on a regular Shabbat before starting over at Simchat Torah
- It is a poem, a song they can recite to help remind them of everything they need to remember when they enter the Holy Land, God is concerned they'll get comfortable and forget what they learned and experienced in the wilderness
The song starts in a positive, happy way, reminding everyone of the good ol' days, God's blessings given to the whole people
(א) הַאֲזִ֥ינוּ הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וַאֲדַבֵּ֑רָה וְתִשְׁמַ֥ע הָאָ֖רֶץ אִמְרֵי־פִֽי׃ (ב) יַעֲרֹ֤ף כַּמָּטָר֙ לִקְחִ֔י תִּזַּ֥ל כַּטַּ֖ל אִמְרָתִ֑י כִּשְׂעִירִ֣ם עֲלֵי־דֶ֔שֶׁא וְכִרְבִיבִ֖ים עֲלֵי־עֵֽשֶׂב׃ (ג) כִּ֛י שֵׁ֥ם ה' אֶקְרָ֑א הָב֥וּ גֹ֖דֶל לֵאלֹקֵֽינוּ׃ (ד) הַצּוּר֙ תָּמִ֣ים פָּעֳל֔וֹ כִּ֥י כָל־דְּרָכָ֖יו מִשְׁפָּ֑ט אֵ֤ל אֱמוּנָה֙ וְאֵ֣ין עָ֔וֶל צַדִּ֥יק וְיָשָׁ֖ר הֽוּא׃ (ה) שִׁחֵ֥ת ל֛וֹ לֹ֖א בָּנָ֣יו מוּמָ֑ם דּ֥וֹר עִקֵּ֖שׁ וּפְתַלְתֹּֽל׃ (ו) הֲ־לַה' תִּגְמְלוּ־זֹ֔את עַ֥ם נָבָ֖ל וְלֹ֣א חָכָ֑ם הֲלוֹא־הוּא֙ אָבִ֣יךָ קָּנֶ֔ךָ ה֥וּא עָֽשְׂךָ֖ וַֽיְכֹנְנֶֽךָ׃ (ז) זְכֹר֙ יְמ֣וֹת עוֹלָ֔ם בִּ֖ינוּ שְׁנ֣וֹת דּוֹר־וָד֑וֹר שְׁאַ֤ל אָבִ֙יךָ֙ וְיַגֵּ֔דְךָ זְקֵנֶ֖יךָ וְיֹ֥אמְרוּ לָֽךְ׃ (ח) בְּהַנְחֵ֤ל עֶלְיוֹן֙ גּוֹיִ֔ם בְּהַפְרִיד֖וֹ בְּנֵ֣י אָדָ֑ם יַצֵּב֙ גְּבֻלֹ֣ת עַמִּ֔ים לְמִסְפַּ֖ר בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ט) כִּ֛י חֵ֥לֶק ה' עַמּ֑וֹ יַעֲקֹ֖ב חֶ֥בֶל נַחֲלָתֽוֹ׃ (י) יִמְצָאֵ֙הוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִדְבָּ֔ר וּבְתֹ֖הוּ יְלֵ֣ל יְשִׁמֹ֑ן יְסֹֽבְבֶ֙נְהוּ֙ יְב֣וֹנְנֵ֔הוּ יִצְּרֶ֖נְהוּ כְּאִישׁ֥וֹן עֵינֽוֹ׃ (יא) כְּנֶ֙שֶׁר֙ יָעִ֣יר קִנּ֔וֹ עַל־גּוֹזָלָ֖יו יְרַחֵ֑ף יִפְרֹ֤שׂ כְּנָפָיו֙ יִקָּחֵ֔הוּ יִשָּׂאֵ֖הוּ עַל־אֶבְרָתֽוֹ׃ (יב) ה' בָּדָ֣ד יַנְחֶ֑נּוּ וְאֵ֥ין עִמּ֖וֹ אֵ֥ל נֵכָֽר׃ (יג) יַרְכִּבֵ֙הוּ֙ עַל־במותי [בָּ֣מֳתֵי] אָ֔רֶץ וַיֹּאכַ֖ל תְּנוּבֹ֣ת שָׂדָ֑י וַיֵּנִקֵ֤הֽוּ דְבַשׁ֙ מִסֶּ֔לַע וְשֶׁ֖מֶן מֵחַלְמִ֥ישׁ צֽוּר׃ (יד) חֶמְאַ֨ת בָּקָ֜ר וַחֲלֵ֣ב צֹ֗אן עִם־חֵ֨לֶב כָּרִ֜ים וְאֵילִ֤ים בְּנֵֽי־בָשָׁן֙ וְעַתּוּדִ֔ים עִם־חֵ֖לֶב כִּלְי֣וֹת חִטָּ֑ה וְדַם־עֵנָ֖ב תִּשְׁתֶּה־חָֽמֶר׃
(1) Give ear, O heavens, let me speak; Let the earth hear the words I utter! (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. (3) For the name of the LORD I proclaim; Give glory to our God! (4) The Rock!—His deeds are perfect, Yea, all His ways are just; A faithful God, never false, True and upright is He. (5) Children unworthy of Him— That crooked, perverse generation— Their baseness has played Him false. (6) Do you thus requite the LORD, O dull and witless people? Is not He the Father who created you, Fashioned you and made you endure! (7) Remember the days of old, Consider the years of ages past; Ask your father, he will inform you, Your elders, they will tell you: (8) When the Most High gave nations their homes And set the divisions of man, He fixed the boundaries of peoples In relation to Israel’s numbers. (9) For the LORD’s portion is His people, Jacob His own allotment. (10) He found him in a desert region, In an empty howling waste. He engirded him, watched over him, Guarded him as the pupil of His eye. (11) Like an eagle who rouses his nestlings, Gliding down to his young, So did He spread His wings and take him, Bear him along on His pinions; (12) The LORD alone did guide him, No alien god at His side. (13) He set him atop the highlands, To feast on the yield of the earth; He fed him honey from the crag, And oil from the flinty rock, (14) Curd of kine and milk of flocks; With the best of lambs, And rams of Bashan, and he-goats; With the very finest wheat— And foaming grape-blood was your drink.
Now for the WARNING! All blessings/covenants, like products on the shelf that are potentially dangerous if misused, come with a warning label...
(טו) וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ן יְשֻׁרוּן֙ וַיִּבְעָ֔ט שָׁמַ֖נְתָּ עָבִ֣יתָ כָּשִׂ֑יתָ וַיִּטֹּשׁ֙ אֱל֣וֹקַ עָשָׂ֔הוּ וַיְנַבֵּ֖ל צ֥וּר יְשֻׁעָתֽוֹ׃ (טז) יַקְנִאֻ֖הוּ בְּזָרִ֑ים בְּתוֹעֵבֹ֖ת יַכְעִיסֻֽהוּ׃ (יז) יִזְבְּח֗וּ לַשֵּׁדִים֙ לֹ֣א אֱלֹ֔הַ אֱלֹקִ֖ים לֹ֣א יְדָע֑וּם חֲדָשִׁים֙ מִקָּרֹ֣ב בָּ֔אוּ לֹ֥א שְׂעָר֖וּם אֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם׃ (יח) צ֥וּר יְלָדְךָ֖ תֶּ֑שִׁי וַתִּשְׁכַּ֖ח אֵ֥ל מְחֹלְלֶֽךָ׃ (יט) וַיַּ֥רְא ה' וַיִּנְאָ֑ץ מִכַּ֥עַס בָּנָ֖יו וּבְנֹתָֽיו׃ (כ) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אַסְתִּ֤ירָה פָנַי֙ מֵהֶ֔ם אֶרְאֶ֖ה מָ֣ה אַחֲרִיתָ֑ם כִּ֣י ד֤וֹר תַּהְפֻּכֹת֙ הֵ֔מָּה בָּנִ֖ים לֹא־אֵמֻ֥ן בָּֽם׃ (כא) הֵ֚ם קִנְא֣וּנִי בְלֹא־אֵ֔ל כִּעֲס֖וּנִי בְּהַבְלֵיהֶ֑ם וַאֲנִי֙ 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־בְּהֵמוֹת֙ אֲשַׁלַּח־בָּ֔ם עִם־חֲמַ֖ת זֹחֲלֵ֥י עָפָֽר׃ (כה) מִחוּץ֙ תְּשַׁכֶּל־חֶ֔רֶב וּמֵחֲדָרִ֖ים אֵימָ֑ה גַּם־בָּחוּר֙ גַּם־בְּתוּלָ֔ה יוֹנֵ֖ק עִם־אִ֥ישׁ שֵׂיבָֽה׃
(15) So Jeshurun grew fat and kicked— You grew fat and gross and coarse— He forsook the God who made him And spurned the Rock of his support. (16) They incensed Him with alien things, Vexed Him with abominations. (17) They sacrificed to demons, no-gods, Gods they had never known, New ones, who came but lately, Who stirred not your fathers’ fears. (18) You neglected the Rock that begot you, Forgot the God who brought you forth. (19) The LORD saw and was vexed And spurned His sons and His daughters. (20) He said: I will hide My countenance from them, And see how they fare in the end. For they are a treacherous breed, Children with no loyalty in them. (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.
But God will not curse the people forever, even if they misbehave...there will always be a chance for redemption, for a fresh start...
(מג) הַרְנִ֤ינוּ גוֹיִם֙ עַמּ֔וֹ כִּ֥י דַם־עֲבָדָ֖יו יִקּ֑וֹם וְנָקָם֙ יָשִׁ֣יב לְצָרָ֔יו וְכִפֶּ֥ר אַדְמָת֖וֹ עַמּֽוֹ׃ (פ)
(43) O nations, acclaim His people! For He’ll avenge the blood of His servants, Wreak vengeance on His foes, And cleanse the land of His people.
Theme/Question:
- Music and memory - Are facts/thoughts easier to remember when put to rhythm/music?
- Should God be so concerned the people will forget and not keep the covenant, the agreements starting from Sinai that we will keep the Torah and teach it? (And God will be our God...)