HAAZINU: “Because you betrayed Me
in the midst of the children of Israel at the waters of Merivath Kadesh, [in]
the desert of Zin, [and] because you did not sanctify Me in the midst of the
children of Israel.” (Deuteronomy 32:51)
HAFTORAH: He gives great salvation
to His king, and He performs kindness to His anointed; to David and to his
seed, forevermore. (II Samuel 22:51)
PIRKEI AVOT QUALITY: Who Relates a
Statement in the Name of the One Who Said It
PROPHET: Chuldah[1]
LEVITICAL CITY:
Cheshbon
On week 51, week of selichot, in Haazinu, we
read about the reason why Moshe is sent by G-d to die on Mount Nebo: “Because
you betrayed Me… you did not sanctify Me in the midst of the children of
Israel.” Moshe’s death was a form of atonement for his past misdeed, however
minute. Moshe’s punishment serves as a reminder to us about just how careful we
need to be in being loyal to G-d and in sanctifying His name. This week is the
time to ask Hashem for forgiveness for our failures in these areas.
The Haftarah verse for this week is much
more positive in nature. It speaks of the great salvation and kindness that He
performs to His anointed one and their descendants forevermore. If we properly
repent and approach G-d correctly, He will show us kindness. The month of Elul
is about the King being in the field, and about “Ani Ledodi Vedodi
Li,” a reciprocal relationship of G-d’s love. When we show kindness
to G-d and serve him correctly as our king, G-d in turn shows us kindness and
shows salvation to the king he appointed for us.
The quality needed to acquire the Torah for this week
is “who relates a statement in the name of the one who said it.” During the
week of selichot, we are careful not to take credit for our actions and
the opportunity to do teshuvah. We pray in the merit of our patriarchs,
repeatedly mentioning the 13 attributes of mercy words spoken by G-d Himself,
and transmitted to us by Moses.
This week’s prophet is Chuldah. Incredibly, as
explained in Book 1, Chuldah, rat in Hebrew, is also the animal of week
51! Chuldah’s story contains many aspects of this quality, both regarding the
men that approach Chuldah in the name of Josiah the King, as well as Chuldah
herself. Both in Kings, Chapter 22, and Chronicles, Chapter 34. The story
repeats quite a few times that men (incidentally two of which are named Shaphan
(“rabbit) and Achbor (“mouse”)) asked Chuldah in the name of king. Chuldah
responds by speaking in the name of G-d.
Perhaps “beshem omroh,” which literally means saying
something in the name of the one who says it, means more than just
citing the source of the statement, but also means being true to the meaning of
the original message. Chuldah exemplifies this quality probably more than any
other prophet in the sense that King Josiah specifically sought out Chuldah
instead of Jeremiah because he thought that perhaps as a woman she would be
have more mercy than a man, and would be able to bring forth a more merciful
outcome. Chuldah, however, speaks as strongly as Jeremiah would have, inkeeping
with the quality of relating a statement “beshem omroh.” The sages even discuss
why Chuldah would prophesize publically at all being that Jeremiah was the main
prophet at the time – they explain that Jeremiah and Chuldah were actually relatives.
The levitical city of this week is Cheshbon, that
literally means accounting. It is during this time of year that we do
a Chesbon HaNefesh, a spiritual accounting and self-evaluation before
Rosh Hashanah.
[1] This week would is also
related to Rivkah and to Rebbetzin Rivkah, wife of the Rebbe Maharash, mother
of the the Rebbe Rashab and grandmother of the Frierdeker Rebbe. Rebbetzin
Rivkah also appears to represent the abovementioned quality: “Surviving her
husband by 33 years, for many years she was the esteemed matriarch of Lubavitch,
and chasidim frequented her home to listen to her accounts of the early years
of Lubavitch. She is the source of many of the stories recorded in the talks,
letters and memoirs of her grandson, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak (the sixth
Lubavitcher Rebbe).”
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