Shoshana Gottlieb, 14 Jewish Pick Up Lines Hotter Than the Burning Bush
- You know where that coat of many colors would look better? Torn to shreds and covered in blood as your siblings convince your elderly father you’re dead. Also my bedroom floor.
- Baby, are you Eve? Because you make me want to try new things! Also you’ve gotten us permanently banned from this establishment.
- You must be the Tower of Babel because you make me unable to communicate effectively.
Okay, back to the parashah! We start Devarim this Shabbat Chazon - Shabbat of Vision - and there's a general principle (see Abarbanel) that the beginning of each book contains great insights into the book - like a blurb, or a foreword, or an inside jacket. I mean, how many of us can recall famous first lines of books?
(א) אֵ֣לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּעֵ֖בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן בַּמִּדְבָּ֡ר בָּֽעֲרָבָה֩ מ֨וֹל ס֜וּף בֵּֽין־פָּארָ֧ן וּבֵֽין־תֹּ֛פֶל וְלָבָ֥ן וַחֲצֵרֹ֖ת וְדִ֥י זָהָֽב׃ (ב) אַחַ֨ד עָשָׂ֥ר יוֹם֙ מֵֽחֹרֵ֔ב דֶּ֖רֶךְ הַר־שֵׂעִ֑יר עַ֖ד קָדֵ֥שׁ בַּרְנֵֽעַ׃ (ג) וַֽיְהִי֙ בְּאַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה בְּעַשְׁתֵּֽי־עָשָׂ֥ר חֹ֖דֶשׁ בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ דִּבֶּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כְּ֠כֹ֠ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה ה׳ אֹת֖וֹ אֲלֵהֶֽם׃
(1) These are the words that Moses addressed to all Israel on the other side of the Jordan.—Through the wilderness, in the Arabah near Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Di-zahab, (2) it is eleven days from Horeb to Kadesh-barnea by the Mount Seir route. (3) It was in the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, that Moses addressed the Israelites in accordance with the instructions that ה׳ had given him for them,
This sets up the entire context of the book - this is a speech in this place at this time to everyone, but why all the places?
אלה הדברים. לְפִי שֶׁהֵן דִּבְרֵי תוֹכָחוֹת וּמָנָה כָאן כָּל הַמְּקוֹמוֹת שֶׁהִכְעִיסוּ לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם בָּהֶן, לְפִיכָךְ סָתַם אֶת הַדְּבָרִים וְהִזְכִּירָם בְּרֶמֶז מִפְּנֵי כְבוֹדָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל (עי' ספרי):
אלה הדברים THESE ARE THE WORDS — Because these are words of reproof and he is enumerating here all the places where they provoked God to anger, therefore he suppresses all mention of the matters in which they sinned and refers to them only by a mere allusion contained in the names of these places out of regard for Israel.
What about prophets? Do they adhere to the same introductory rule?
(א) אִ֛ישׁ הָיָ֥ה בְאֶֽרֶץ־ע֖וּץ אִיּ֣וֹב שְׁמ֑וֹ וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ הָאִ֣ישׁ הַה֗וּא תָּ֧ם וְיָשָׁ֛ר וִירֵ֥א אֱלֹקִ֖ים וְסָ֥ר מֵרָֽע׃ (ב) וַיִּוָּ֥לְדוּ ל֛וֹ שִׁבְעָ֥ה בָנִ֖ים וְשָׁל֥וֹשׁ בָּנֽוֹת׃ (ג) וַיְהִ֣י מִ֠קְנֵ֠הוּ שִֽׁבְעַ֨ת אַלְפֵי־צֹ֜אן וּשְׁלֹ֧שֶׁת אַלְפֵ֣י גְמַלִּ֗ים וַחֲמֵ֨שׁ מֵא֤וֹת צֶֽמֶד־בָּקָר֙ וַחֲמֵ֣שׁ מֵא֣וֹת אֲתוֹנ֔וֹת וַעֲבֻדָּ֖ה רַבָּ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד וַֽיְהִי֙ הָאִ֣ישׁ הַה֔וּא גָּד֖וֹל מִכׇּל־בְּנֵי־קֶֽדֶם׃ (ד) וְהָלְכ֤וּ בָנָיו֙ וְעָשׂ֣וּ מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה בֵּ֖ית אִ֣ישׁ יוֹמ֑וֹ וְשָׁלְח֗וּ וְקָֽרְאוּ֙ לִשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת אַחְיֹתֵיהֶ֔ם לֶאֱכֹ֥ל וְלִשְׁתּ֖וֹת עִמָּהֶֽם׃ (ה) וַיְהִ֡י כִּ֣י הִקִּ֩יפוּ֩ יְמֵ֨י הַמִּשְׁתֶּ֜ה וַיִּשְׁלַ֧ח אִיּ֣וֹב וַֽיְקַדְּשֵׁ֗ם וְהִשְׁכִּ֣ים בַּבֹּ֘קֶר֮ וְהֶעֱלָ֣ה עֹלוֹת֮ מִסְפַּ֣ר כֻּלָּם֒ כִּ֚י אָמַ֣ר אִיּ֔וֹב אוּלַי֙ חָטְא֣וּ בָנַ֔י וּבֵרְכ֥וּ אֱלֹקִ֖ים בִּלְבָבָ֑ם כָּ֛כָה יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה אִיּ֖וֹב כׇּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃ {פ}
(1) There was a man in the land of Uz named Job. That man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. (2) Seven sons and three daughters were born to him; (3) his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred she-asses, and a very large household. That man was wealthier than anyone in the East. (4) It was the custom of his sons to hold feasts, each on his set day in his own home. They would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. (5) When a round of feast days was over, Job would send word to them to sanctify themselves, and, rising early in the morning, he would make burnt offerings, one for each of them; for Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned and blasphemed God in their thoughts.” This is what Job always used to do.
(א) דִּבְרֵ֣י עָמ֔וֹס אֲשֶׁר־הָיָ֥ה בַנֹּקְדִ֖ים מִתְּק֑וֹעַ אֲשֶׁר֩ חָזָ֨ה עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל בִּימֵ֣י ׀ עֻזִּיָּ֣ה מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֗ה וּבִימֵ֞י יָרׇבְעָ֤ם בֶּן־יוֹאָשׁ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שְׁנָתַ֖יִם לִפְנֵ֥י הָרָֽעַשׁ׃
(1) The words of Amos, a sheep breeder from Tekoa, who prophesied concerning Israel in the reigns of Kings Uzziah of Judah and Jeroboam son of Joash of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
And now to Isaiah - our Haftarah.
(א) חֲזוֹן֙ יְשַֽׁעְיָ֣הוּ בֶן־אָמ֔וֹץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָזָ֔ה עַל־יְהוּדָ֖ה וִירֽוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם בִּימֵ֨י עֻזִּיָּ֧הוּ יוֹתָ֛ם אָחָ֥ז יְחִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ מַלְכֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה׃ (ב) שִׁמְע֤וּ שָׁמַ֙יִם֙ וְהַאֲזִ֣ינִי אֶ֔רֶץ כִּ֥י ה׳ דִּבֵּ֑ר בָּנִים֙ גִּדַּ֣לְתִּי וְרוֹמַ֔מְתִּי וְהֵ֖ם פָּ֥שְׁעוּ בִֽי׃ (ג) יָדַ֥ע שׁוֹר֙ קֹנֵ֔הוּ וַחֲמ֖וֹר אֵב֣וּס בְּעָלָ֑יו יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֹ֣א יָדַ֔ע עַמִּ֖י לֹ֥א הִתְבּוֹנָֽן׃ (ד) ה֣וֹי ׀ גּ֣וֹי חֹטֵ֗א עַ֚ם כֶּ֣בֶד עָוֺ֔ן זֶ֣רַע מְרֵעִ֔ים בָּנִ֖ים מַשְׁחִיתִ֑ים עָזְב֣וּ אֶת־ה׳ נִֽאֲצ֛וּ אֶת־קְד֥וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נָזֹ֥רוּ אָחֽוֹר׃ (ה) עַ֣ל מֶ֥ה תֻכּ֛וּ ע֖וֹד תּוֹסִ֣יפוּ סָרָ֑ה כׇּל־רֹ֣אשׁ לׇֽחֳלִ֔י וְכׇל־לֵבָ֖ב דַּוָּֽי׃
(1) The visions of Isaiah son of Amoz, who prophesied concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. (2) Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, For GOD has spoken: “I reared children and brought them up— And they have rebelled against Me! (3) An ox knows its owner, A donkey its master’s crib: Israel does not know, My people takes no thought.” (4) Ah, sinful nation! People laden with iniquity! Brood of evildoers! Depraved children! They have forsaken GOD, Spurned the Holy One of Israel, Turned their backs. (5) Why do you seek further beatings, That you continue to offend? Every head is ailing, And every heart is sick.
What does the word 'chazon' really imply, and why does it impart such strong language - from a prophet who will soon give us such prophecies of comfort?
וְתֶחֱזֶֽינָה עֵינֵֽינוּ בְּשׁוּבְ֒ךָ לְצִיּוֹן בְּרַחֲמִים: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ הַמַּחֲזִיר שְׁכִינָתוֹ לְצִיּוֹן:
And may our eyes behold Your merciful return to Zion. Blessed are You, Adonoy, Who returns His Divine Presence to Zion.(Also, Herzl is known as Choze HaMedina.)
הָיָה דְּבַר ה׳ אֶל אַבְרָם בַּמַּחֲזֶה לֵאמֹר (בראשית טו, א), עֲשָׂרָה לְשׁוֹנוֹת נִקְרֵאת, נְבוּאָה, חָזוֹן, הֲטָפָה, דִּבּוּר, אֲמִירָה, צִוּוּי, מַשָּׂא, מָשָׁל, מְלִיצָה, חִידָה. וְאֵיזוֹ הִיא קָשָׁה שֶׁבְּכֻלָּן רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אָמַר חָזוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה כא, ב): חָזוּת קָשָׁה הֻגַּד לִי...גָּדוֹל כֹּחוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָם שֶׁנִּדְבַּר עִמּוֹ בְּדִבּוּר וּבֶחָזוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הָיָה דְבַר ה׳ אֶל אַבְרָם בַּמַּחֲזֶה.
It is referred to by ten expressions: a prophecy, a vision, preaching, speaking, saying, a command, a burden, a parable, a metaphor, an enigma. Which is the harshest of them all? Rabbi Eliezer said: Vision, as it is stated: “A harsh vision was told to me” (Isaiah 21:2)....Abram’s potency [of prophecy] was great, as God spoke to him with both speaking [dibur] and vision, as it is stated: “The word [devar] of the Lord came to Abram in a vision.”
Okay, so it wasn't just harsh - it's the harshest we get. It's a foresight of evil - something mysterious that only the prophet can understand. What causes the shift?
אשר חזה על יהודה וירושלים. והלא על כמה אומות נתנבא משא בבל משא מואב הא למדת שאין זה תחלת הספר ולא נקרא הספר על שם החזון הזה וכן שנינו בברייתא דמכילתא, בשנת מות המלך עוזיהו תחלת הספר אלא שאין מוקדם ומאוחר בסדר
which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem Now, did he not prophesy concerning many nations...? Thus you learn that this is not the beginning of the Book, and that the Book is not given its name for this prophecy. So we learned in the Baraitha of the Mechilta (Exod. 15: 9,10): “In the year of King Uzziah’s death” (6:1) is the beginning of the Book, but there is no early and late in the order
(א) בִּשְׁנַת־מוֹת֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ עֻזִּיָּ֔הוּ וָאֶרְאֶ֧ה אֶת־אדושם יֹשֵׁ֥ב עַל־כִּסֵּ֖א רָ֣ם וְנִשָּׂ֑א וְשׁוּלָ֖יו מְלֵאִ֥ים אֶת־הַהֵיכָֽל׃ (ב) שְׂרָפִ֨ים עֹמְדִ֤ים ׀ מִמַּ֙עַל֙ ל֔וֹ שֵׁ֧שׁ כְּנָפַ֛יִם שֵׁ֥שׁ כְּנָפַ֖יִם לְאֶחָ֑ד בִּשְׁתַּ֣יִם ׀ יְכַסֶּ֣ה פָנָ֗יו וּבִשְׁתַּ֛יִם יְכַסֶּ֥ה רַגְלָ֖יו וּבִשְׁתַּ֥יִם יְעוֹפֵֽף׃ (ג) וְקָרָ֨א זֶ֤ה אֶל־זֶה֙ וְאָמַ֔ר קָד֧וֹשׁ ׀ קָד֛וֹשׁ קָד֖וֹשׁ ה׳ צְבָא֑וֹת מְלֹ֥א כׇל־הָאָ֖רֶץ כְּבוֹדֽוֹ׃
(1) In the year that King Uzziah died, I beheld my Sovereign seated on a high and lofty throne; and the skirts of God’s robe filled the temple. (2) Seraphs stood in attendance, each with six wings—two covering the face, two covering the body, and two to fly with. (3) And one would call to the other, “Holy, holy, holy! GOD of Hosts— Whose presence fills all the earth!”
הכונה הכוללת בנבואה הזאת היא להוכיח את בני יהודה ויושבי ירושלם על רשעת מעשיהם והיותם כפויי טובה לפניו יתברך ולהתרות בהם שיקבלו תוכחתו וישובו אל ה׳ כדי שלא יבא עליהם הגלות והחרבן אשר בא על עשרת השבטים, וייעדם עם זה בצרות שיהיו בימי אחז והנחמות והטובות שיהיו בימי חזקיהו בנו...
Overall, the purpose of this prophecy is to rebuke the people of Judah and Jerusalem for their wickedness and encourage them to repent to avoid the exile and destruction that will come upon them. The prophecy also contains messages of comfort and hope for the future, including during the reigns of Ahaz and Hezekiah.
After all, our Sages tell us (long before 1946):
רַבִּי אוֹמֵר, אַל תִּסְתַּכֵּל בַּקַּנְקַן, אֶלָּא בְמַה שֶּׁיֶּשׁ בּוֹ. יֵשׁ קַנְקַן חָדָשׁ מָלֵא יָשָׁן, וְיָשָׁן שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ חָדָשׁ אֵין בּוֹ:
Rabbi said: don’t look at the container but at that which is in it: there is a new container full of old wine, and an old [container] in which there is not even new [wine].
And how does this help us understand our vision?In times of difficulty, our vision narrows. We judge with the jaded view of the elder Isaiah, who knows only to rebuke as we are meant to do at the close of life (see Rashi in the first aliyah). Our instinct is fatalistic, deterministic - we think everything will take the path it always has. We consider everything in front of us as the sum of who we are - we look down from the mountain at the many sites of our mistakes.
It is at these times that we must look beyond the harsh, simple sum and have the vision to see what lies in front of us. Recognising that, unlike Moshe, we are not at the gates of death - there will be life beyond the Jordan. In the words of Rav Kook:
“We have begun to speak of great things, among ourselves and in the ears of the entire world, and we have not yet finished. We are still in the middle of our speech."