Parshat Haazinu; Deuteronomy 32:1-32:52: By Rabbi Denise L. Eger
This week’s Torah portion, Haazinu, is the second to last in the regular cycle of reading in the Torah is read this week. This Shabbat is also known as Shabbat Teshuvah—the Sabbath of Repentance. The name taken in part from its place during the Ten Days of Awe as well as the Haftarah portion from the prophet Hosea which begins with the phrase Shuva Yisrael –Return Israel to Adonai your God because you have fallen because of your sin. (Hosea 14:2). Hosea’s timely message of repentance echoes the many prayers and piyyutim that we have encountered during Rosh Hashanah and will certainly be the central theme of Yom Kippur—our Day of Atonement.
Our Torah portion is a Moses’ grand poem, a final statement to the people Israel before his death on Mt. Nebo. Moses tries to remind the people that even though they have at times broken their covenant, that the people of Israel must be reminded of God’s enduring love and hope in them. Even when they fail, God the Rock is just. Even when the Children of Israel forget and go astray, God will remember. God’s majesty and grandeur are to be guarded and sanctified by the People Israel.
The timely message of Haazinu resounds during this season of Repentance. The Shofar service of Rosh Hashanah focused on celebrating the grandeur of God’s creation and God’s majesty. The sovereignty of God –Malchuyot was one of the sections of the Shofar service. The second section of the shofar service Zichronot—remembrances can be heard in Haazinu as well. Moses tells the Children of Israel to “Remember the days of old” (32:7). This generation that will enter the Promised Land is not the generation that left Egypt. They must recall the ancient stories and the promise of the covenant just as we in our day must recall and link ourselves to that same essential history.
This Torah portion also reminds us to turn away from the idolatry that surrounds us and tempts us. It reminds us to go back to the basics of our way of life which includes at its core upholding our covenant with God. Indeed this is the central message of this High Holy Day Season. We must shed the sin and error that has pulled us away from our covenant and alienated us from our people. Ultimately God will accept in love our offerings and as it says in verse 36, For Adonai will vindicate the people! God will defend us and take us back in love.
During these 10 Days of Repentance when we are in touch with the parts of ourselves that brought us shame and guilt. It is good to know that God will with open arms take us back when our repentance is sincere. God will take us back in love and compassion if we glorify God’s holy Name and assert God’s sovereignty over us. We willingly and lovingly pledge ourselves to be part of this grand covenant. Thus as the gates of Heaven close at the end of Yom Kippur we indeed can be healed, forgiven and cleansed to a new year of life with our people and our God!
Posted by Lee at September 25, 2006 02:48 PM
