THE SONG

History is a fascinating subject, although I did not feel this way at first. At school I found history profoundly boring and I made sure to drop it as a matric subject as soon as I could. Later, I began to take an interest in Jewish history. The person whom I credit for my love of Jewish history is the late Rabbi Berel Wein, of blessed memory. Rabbi Wein was not a university-trained, academic historian. He was a lawyer by training and a rabbi by calling. His interest in history began as a hobby of sorts and from there, it grew and grew until he founded the Destiny Foundation. Under this brand, Rabbi Wein published numerous books and produced several documentaries, including his excellent Faith & Fate series on the Jewish people in the 20^th century and his award-winning animated biographies of the Rambam and Rashi. Rabbi Wein made history come alive with his sharp wit, incredible visuals and excellent grasp of human nature. I am privileged to have many of his books in my library, including two in which he writes of the Jewish community in South Africa with which he strongly identified, being the child of Lithuanian immigrants. In the last two years I have taken a particular interest in the growth of Orthodoxy in America in the twentieth century. I have some excellent books on this topic by leading Jewish academics including Professors Jonathan Sarna, Samuel Heilman, Marc Shapiro, Jack Wertheimer, Zev Eleff and Adam Ferziger. They tell the story of a Jewish denomination that came back to life after almost disappearing from the American scene. I am not sure what period or location I will concentrate on next, but I have Rabbi Wein to thank for my interest. I have consumed various media to quench my thirst for Jewish history. But I cannot say I have learned history from a song. Other than in this week’s parsha, Haazinu.

Another genre of Jewish learning that I enjoy is the field of Mussar. It is somewhat difficult to give an accurate definition of Mussar. It is an area of Torah that focuses on personal ethical development, spiritual growth, and character refinement. The ultimate goal is to become the most refined version of oneself, thereby revealing the inner holiness of the soul and fostering a greater connection to God. My study of Mussar began in yeshiva where I learned such classics as the Maharal’s Derech HaChaim commentary on Pirkei Avot and Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato’s magnum opus Messilat Yesharim, the Path of the Just. I have given numerous shiurim on the latter in which the group has completed the entire volume. I have also studied and taught Rabbeinu Yona’s masterpiece Shaarei Teshuva, on repentance, and more recently, Rabbi Eliezer Papo’s magnificent compilation, Peleh Yoetz, which covers many topics, following the order of the Hebrew alphabet. Mussar guides one in so many different facets of life: speech; thought; action; interpersonal relationships; emotional wellbeing; proper attitude to money and one’s relationship with the environment. It also contains a fair amount of tochecha, rebuke, or constructive criticism which is essential for growth. I have heard many Mussar shiurim and read many books on the topic. But I cannot say I have learned Mussar from a song. Other than in this week’s parsha, Haazinu.

A third area of Jewish learning in which I have the least amount of experience is eschatology, the study of the End of Days. This is a branch of Torah with a great amount of mystery and uncertainty. True, I have studied the prophecies of Ezekiel, Isaiah, Ovadia, Zechariah and others, all of whom make reference to the Messianic era. But their discussions are full of analogies, metaphors and oblique allusions. Take, for example, Isaiah’s prophecy (11:6-8), “Wolf will reside with sheep, and leopard will lie down with kid; calf, young lion, and fatling will be together, and a small lad will lead them. Cow and bear will graze, together their young will lie down; a lion, like the ox, will eat straw. A nursing child will play on the hole of a cobra, and on the lair of an adder the weaning will extend his hand.” It is unclear what the prophet is referring to.  Rambam (Hilchot Melachim 12:1) writes, “Do not presume that in the Messianic age any facet of the world’s nature will change or there will be innovations in the work of creation. Rather, the world will continue according to its pattern. Although Isaiah (11:6) states: ‘The wolf will dwell with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the young goat,’ these words are a metaphor and a parable. The interpretation of the prophecy is as follows: Israel will dwell securely together with the wicked gentiles who are likened to a wolf and a leopard, as in the prophecy (Jeremiah 5:6): ‘A wolf from the wilderness shall spoil them and a leopard will stalk their cities.’ They will all return to the true faith and no longer steal or destroy. Rather, they will eat permitted food at peace with Israel as Isaiah (11:7) states: ‘The lion will eat straw like an ox.’ Similarly, other Messianic prophecies of this nature are metaphors. In the Messianic era, everyone will realise which matters were implied by these metaphors and which allusions they contained.” The future is a hazy matter and it is hard to predict. Only with hindsight will we fully understand what the prophets meant. As with Jewish history and Mussar, I have attended shiurim on eschatology and I have read several books and pamphlets on the topic. But I cannot say I have learned about this from a song. Other than in this week’s parsha, Haazinu.

Haazinu, otherwise known as Moshe’s Song, is a poem of forty three verses that contains all the above three areas, and more. Perhaps the key verse is (Devarim 32:7), “Remember the days of yore; examine the ways of each generation. Ask your father, and he will tell you, your elders, and they will say to you.” Rashi sums up the content of the Song in his commentary to verse 12: “But I say that they (the statements of this chapter) are words of reproof which he (Moshe) said with the view of calling heaven and earth as witnesses against them, and also in order that this song (cf. Devarim 31:21) should be witness, because He knew (ibid 31:29) that they would in future prove faithless and would bear in mind neither the past deeds that He performed for them nor those that would come to pass, which at a future time He would do for them. For this reason it is necessary to make the text fit in with this and with that (the past and the future). Indeed, the whole section is to be connected with (verse 7), ‘Remember the days of old (i.e., the past), consider the years of generation after generation’ (the future) (cf. Rashi on that verse): Thus has He done for them and thus will He in the future do for them — all this they ought to bear in mind.” The Song speaks of how Hashem cared for the Israelites in the wilderness and how they faithfully went out into a harsh environment to serve Him. It speaks of how He will settle them in the land of Canaan. But it also speaks of their betrayals, both past and future, and how they will be exiled and oppressed. There is much rebuke and criticism but the Song ends with words of comfort, such as (verse 43), “He will avenge the blood of His servants, and He will return vengeance upon His adversaries, and He will atone for His land and His people.”

All of this is contained not in prose, not in a history book or a prophetic tract, but in a Song. I can think of several reasons for this. A song is easy to remember, mostly because the tune sticks in your mind after you have heard it several times. A song is relatively short, at least compared to a history, Mussar or prophetic text! A song appeals to all ages. A child can enjoy a symphony even though he possesses no knowledge of music, and a professor of music can enjoy the same composition. Hashem wanted to give the entire Jewish people a single text that would speak to all ages and all levels of learning. It is a very intricate composition, possessing a particular rhythm and containing verses composed of two parallel halves. A song is also much ‘softer’. Even though some of the subject matter of Haazinu is rather harsh, when it is read with the traditional trop (cantillation marks), it sounds like a pleasant tune. In some ways, Haazinu is our national anthem. It is a symphony in several parts, and what is speaks of is still unfolding in front of our eyes.  

Lee, Chani Merryl & Naomi join me in wishing you Shabbat Shalom.

Rabbi Liebenberg.

Rabbi’s YouTube message: https://youtu.be/3DawPvIVrrc?si=4QFQDv2EVce0gvRx

For Sukkot: https://youtu.be/8f1I-A-ShMU