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HAAZINU
SHABBAT SHUVAH
Deuteronomy 32:1-52
Hosea 14:2-10
Micah 7:18-20
Joel 2:11-27
This Shabbat is
Shabbat Shuvah. It precedes the most sacred of all Shabbats, Yom Kippur,
which is called the Sabbath of Sabbaths.
Last
weekend we came together to honor our G-d, Who was King, Who is King and
will be King forevermore. He
reigns not only as King of Israel but of all nations.
On Rosh Hashanah we declared G-d’s sovereignty and heard the Shofar
sound to awaken us from our sleep. We
need to be ready to meet Him.
Our
forefathers, at the foot of Har Sinai (Mt. Sinai) received His Torah and
were forgiven for their idol worship regarding the Golden Calf.
They had declared a foreign god (the calf) to be over them instead
of the Mighty One of Israel, who redeemed them from their slavery.
Here,
on Shabbat Shuvah, the word of G-d speaks through Moshe exhorting us in
Deuteronomy chapter 32, to give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; and may
the earth fear the words of my mouth.
May my teaching drop like the rain, may my utterance flow like the
dew; like storm winds upon vegetation and like raindrops upon blades of
grass. Moshe, writing what
G-d had spoken, had hoped that the words of the Torah, would penetrate the
nation as rain and dew penetrate the earth.
G-d’s
word tells us that this song (Deuteronomy 31:19-30) was given so His
children would learn to love and obey Him after receiving the revelation
of G-d’s greatness and love. Instead
of taking in His love and encouragement to live for Him, (Deuteronomy
32:15) they became fat, they became thick, they became corpulent (body
fat, obesity). They deserted
G-d their maker. They became
contemptuous towards the Rock of their salvation.
Moshe
wrote this portion mainly as a warning to G-d’s people.
They were prone to forget what He did for them and turn to other
gods. We know, through
hindsight, that they did not heed this song of warning and eventually were
removed from G-d’s presence in the land that He gave them.
Today,
we have God’s word, all His songs of strength, encouragement and
salvation. Often, we do not
take this song to heart. Haazinu,
pay attention to what G-d is saying.
Do not look at the concerns of this life and forget the promises of
G-d.
When
the holidays are over and we revert to dealing with the cares of this
world, let us remember that He is King.
L’Shanah
Tova
Have
a good fast this coming Sabbath of Sabbaths.
Shalom U’Bracha
Rabbi Z
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