Last Friday night, my son and I walked to shul. While
he claimed that he didn’t want to go, within 10 steps of our leaving the house,
he had sidled up next to me and we began talking. I asked how his week went and
he looked up at me and unsure what the question meant and what I wanted to
hear. “Let me rephrase the question. How was school this week?” Before I could get the words out, he looked up
at me and said “Boring. School is boring.” Granted this is his standard answer.
Mine used be “nothing” as a response to what I did in school. I laughed and tried another approach. “Really,”
I asked. “Is it really boring or you just don’t feel like telling me about school?”
He smiled and nodded and then as suggested that he tell me anyway. For the rest of our walk, we discussed all of
his subjects: Hebrew, math, Parsha, spelling,
Jewish studies, and science. He
didn’t just provide the standard type of information. We talked, and he was so
enthusiastic about what he was learning. His enthusiasm wasn’t limited to one
particular subject. He sounded enthusiastic about everything.
This Shabbat, the Shabbat after Yom Kippur, we read
from Parshat Ha’Azinu. The Parsha is
poetry, a song that God had commanded Moshe to compose in the previous Parsha,
VaYeleich. Composing this song was the final deed that God commanded Moshe. The
song is the final prophecy that God told Moshe in the previous Parsha,
VaYeilech. As a song, it is not contain
the most pleasant of lyrics, and it is not particular uplifting or inspiration.
The song does not offer such an optimistic future. Rather, Moshe invokes Heaven and Earth to offer
testimony to God’s prophecy and future punishment against his people. Throughout Sefer Devarim, Deuteronomy, Moshe has taught the law, and inspired Bnai
Yisroel to choose fidelity to God and God’s Torah. Choosing to follow would result in a reward.
Choosing not to follow would result in a punishment. Now, during the final
moments of Moshe Rabeinu’s life, the song
suggests neither choice nor the results of that choice. Instead we are
told that we will choose badly and that we will be punished. There is nothing explicit within the song that suggests or even offers
a means by which we are able to do Tshuva (repent) and ultimately return to
God. While intellectually, Moshe has taught that concept to Bnai Yisroel; here
in the song that possibility is not explicit.
However when the song is complete, Moshe speaks his word
to Bnai Yisroel. His words offer a sense of hope, a sense of inspiration. He
reminds Bnai Yisroel that even when they have grown distant from God, even
though the resulting punishment will be brutal; there is still a measure of
hope, hope for the next generation. SImu Levavchem L’Chol Hadvarim Asher Anochi
Mei’id Bachem Hayom, Asher T’Tzavoom
et Bnaichem Lishmor La’Asot et Kol Divrei HaTorah Ha’Zot - Apply
your hearts to all the words that I Testify against you today, with which you
are to instruct your children, to be careful to perform all the words of this
Torah. Ki Lo Davar Reik Hu Mikem Ki Hu Chayeichem Uvadavar HaZeh Ta’Arichu
Yamim – for it is not an empty thing
for you , for it is your life, and through this matter shall you prolong your
days on the Land to which you cross the Jordan to possess it. In Moshe’s
final moments, he reminds us that the key to our survival is to teach Torah to
our children. Yes, according to the song, we will grow distant from God, yes we
will engage in idolatry. Yes we will be punishment. However there will always
be hope for the next generation if they are educated in such a manner that when
it comes time for them to make a choice; they choose wisely, they choose God’s
Torah. Moshe reminds his people that
the Torah is not empty. Rashi reminds us
that if we find Torah to be empty and unsatisfying then the fault lies with us,
Mikem.
As we walked home from shul, my son continued telling
me about school. When we were about to
walking in the house I asked him if he realized how much he had been telling me
about school. In typical eight year old fashion he responded, “Well maybe it
wasn’t so boring after all.” I nodded and smiled. Boring or emptiness is merely a product of
the effort and time spent learning.
Maybe my son will figure that out so that next time I ask how skill is,
he won’t initially respond with “boring”.
Gmar Chatima Tova – May we all be
sealed in the Book of Life,
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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