HAAZINU: For their rock
is not like our [Mighty] Rock. Nevertheless, our enemies sit in judgment. (Deuteronomy 32:31)
HAFTORAH: [He is] the G-d Whose way is perfect; The
word of the Lord is tried; He is a shield unto all them that trust (take
refuge) in him. (II Samuel 22:31)
QUALITY FOR ACQUIRING THE TORAH: Beloved (Ahuv)
PROPHET: Yoel
LEVITICAL CITY: Kishion
The thirty-first week of the year is
the week of Rosh Chodesh Iyar, as
well as Yom Ha’Atzma’ut, Israel’s
Independence Day. Iyar represents the
Tribe of Issachar, who was known for its complete dedication to the study of
Torah. In the verse of Haazinu, Moshe
exclaims that there is no “rock” as our “Rock”, Tzur, another term for G-d. The best description of this term is
probably the way King David describes G-d in the Haftorah verse for this week: a shield in which to take
refuge. The verses are also a perfect description of G-d’s protection during
Israel’s difficult struggle for independence, one in which Israel faced
overwhelming odds, and in which the rest of the world simply sat in judgment.
This hypocritical “judgment” continues until this day.
The quality of this week is “beloved”
(Ahuv). This term is also used by
Rabbi Meir in the description of those that study Tora h for its own sake (Lishmah), as the Tribe of Issachar did.
The victory celebrated on Yom Ha’Atzma’ut
is also a sign of how beloved we are by G-d. This feeling of being beloved came
shortly after the Holocaust, when so many of the Jewish people felt so
abandoned.
This week’s prophet is Yoel. His
prophecy parallels the destruction followed by the modern miracles and
victories that took place during this time.[1]
It describes the plague of the locusts that completely devastated the Land of
Israel. After the Jews repent, they are promised much grain, wine, and oil. (2:18‑19)
The
levitical city for this week is Kishion, which comes from the word kasheh, which means difficult, tough.
These are characteristics of Issachar (a strong-boned donkey), as well as
characteristics shown by the Jews in fighting and winning Israel’s War of
Independence.
