A Song From Moshe’s Heart

Rabbi Reuven Mann

The Song of HaAzinu: A Testament of Jewish Destiny

This week’s Parsha contains the special Shira (song) that Moshe composed to serve as a testament to all future generations of Jews. Their historical odyssey, its triumphs and tribulations, was based on their relationship with the Creator of the Universe. This was different from the Shira he had composed at the Yam Suf (Red Sea) after the great miracle of the drowning of the Egyptian expeditionary forces.

That Shira was focused entirely on proclaiming the greatness of Hashem in overpowering the mighty earthly forces of evil in order to save the innocent. The unspoken message of that song was that it was absurd to put one’s faith in humans, no matter how powerful they might appear to be. Rather mankind should realize that Hashem, Ish Milchama—‘G-d is the Man of War’ (Shemot 15:3) and they should always seek to align themselves with His Will.

Moshe’s Prophetic Vision: Faith, Failure, and Redemption

From that perspective, we can detect a certain commonality with the Song that appears in HaAzinu. This one depicts the special relationship between Hashem and the Jewish People. The basic themes are that Hashem has established the Jewish Nation and provided them with a bountiful land which will provide for all their material needs. Nevertheless, we must remain mindful that this relationship carries conditions and responsibilities.

We must adhere to the true belief in Hashem and eschew all forms of idol worship. Additionally, we must diligently study and perform all the commandments so that we may elevate ourselves to be a light unto the nations (Yeshayahu 42:6, 49:6). Therefore, as long as we are true to this mission and keep ourselves pure from any defilement of idolatry, the protection of Hashem will be with us, and we will persevere and prosper.

On the other hand, if we spurn the G-d of our fathers, violate the Mitzvot and reject His Torah, we will be subject to devastating—there is no other way of putting it—consequences. Moshe, in fact, accurately describes the historical trajectory of the Jews.

At the outset, they failed to clear out the idolatrous Canaanite nations from the land and ultimately succumbed to their primitive religious practices. As Jews, we must fully face the fact that our national spurning of Hashem and His Torah led to the lengthy exile, dispersion and horrible persecutions that have marked our past. All that we endured was punishment meted out, by the Hand of G-d. While drastic, it was not intended to destroy us, because the Covenant which binds us to Hashem is eternally unbreakable.

But the song of Moshe does not only foretell the degradation of the Jews. It states very clearly that in the end, Hashem will redeem His People and dispense payback against the evildoers who afflicted them. Moshe concludes,

“O nations—sing the praises of His People, for He will avenge the blood of His servants; He will bring retribution upon His foes, and He will appease His Land and His People.” (Devarim 32:43)

According to virtually all the Mefarshim (commentators), when Hashem effectuates great vengeance upon the godless criminals who gloried in the suffering they visited upon the Jewish People, neutral nations will witness it. They will recognize the uniqueness of the Jews and praise them greatly. Thus, in spite of the tragic events enumerated in this outline of Jewish History, in the “End of Days” the Jews will be redeemed and will fulfill their destiny of leading mankind to the true service of Hashem.

The eloquence which marks this composition came about as a result of the unmatched precision of Moshe’s prophetic level. He began his peroration with a heartfelt petition,

“Give ear, O heavens and I will speak; and may the earth hear the words of my mouth. May my teaching drop like the rain, may my utterance glow like the dew; like storm winds upon vegetation and like raindrops upon blades of grass. When I call out the Name of Hashem, ascribe greatness to our G-d.” (32:1-3)

Moshe preceded his Song with the fervent prayer that his words would produce the effect on the people that rain and dew have in cultivating the soil and making it fruitful.

From Reluctant Speaker to Inspired Orator: Moshe’s Transformation

In this regard it is interesting to note that while some great leaders of history have been formidable orators with exceptional communication skills, Moshe Rabbeinu does not seem to have been among them. In fact, in his protestations to Hashem, at the Burning Bush, about accepting the leadership role he mainly emphasized his woeful lack of speaking proficiency.

“Moshe replied to Hashem, ‘Please my Lord, I am not a man of words, not since yesterday, not since the day before yesterday, nor since you first spoke to Your servant, for I am heavy of mouth and heavy of speech.’” (Shemot 4:10)

The clear implication is that Moshe argued that a leadership mission of this dimension required someone who could communicate effectively, and that he was seriously deficient in this area. Yet in Parshat HaAzinu Moshe does not shy away from the task before him and confidently rises to the challenge of composing an eternal testament which will have a consequential impact on all generations of Jews who hear it. What happened to the person who had complained that he had difficulty in communicating himself effectively?

Some politicians and statesmen have attained a reputation of being great orators. In recent history, Winston Churchill was regarded as a master speaker who inspired his country to remain steadfast in their war against the Nazis by his masterful speeches. However, prior to the outbreak of war, many people dismissed the significance of his speech-making abilities.

Yes, he was good at the verbal pyrotechnics… Lloyd George said in 1936 that Churchill was ‘a rhetorician and not an orator’.… Lord Beaverbrook was one of those who helped propel him to power in 1940; but in 1936 he observed that ‘he lacks the proper note of sincerity for which the country listens’ (The Churchill Factor: How One Man Made History by Boris Johnson p.91).

However, all that changed with the outbreak of World War Two, in which Britain was fighting for its very life against a cruel and intractable foe. Churchill’s rhetoric then perfectly conformed to the danger and challenges of the moment, and,

“He found in the war the words to speak directly to people’s hearts—in a way that had perhaps eluded him in his previous career.” (Ibid p.96).

Without implying even the remotest comparison to Moshe Rabbeinu (our Teacher) Churchill’s example might shed some light on our subject. The essence of exalted communication is not the brilliant combination of words and phrases that is employed, but the message’s ability to penetrate listeners’ hearts. The great leader is the one who knows how to motivate the audience to undertake the difficult actions that are necessary to achieve a great objective.

The Moshe who composed the Shira had grown far beyond the man who resisted Hashem’s call at the Sneh (Burning Bush). This does not mean that whatever defects impeded his speech were miraculously cured. But because of his leadership role, he had carefully studied the nature of the Jewish people. He now understood their emotional makeup and how to motivate and inspire them. His ideas in the Shira are presented with clarity and great precision. Moshe does not seek to soften or distort the truth but addresses the people with unfailing accuracy.

His goal as he states in the opening phrases is not to produce exceptional oratory but to affect the hearts of the listeners as water and dew activate the soil to give forth its fruits. The very personality of Moshe contributes to the effectiveness of his words. The people can vividly sense that he believes wholeheartedly in every word he utters, and his sense of conviction and absolute dedication to the welfare of his People transform him into the most effective communicator.

Lessons from HaAzinu: Seeking Truth in Leadership

Parshat HaAzinu contains important lessons for us, especially in these challenging times. Most public figures seek to increase their popularity by polishing up their communication skills. People who are very gifted and smooth speakers have a distinct advantage because listeners tend to equate the message with the packaging. Much evil has been done by vile actors who could mesmerize their audiences with their provocative orations, which had the effect of shutting down their critical thinking abilities.

Many politicians in the United States and Israel are able to deceive their gullible listeners by the attractive, but very superficial packaging, of their ‘positions’. They never take a stance on an issue without first polling to assess its popularity. In effect, they only tell their constituents what they imagine they want to hear and lack the integrity to present unpopular but necessary truths. This stands in absolute contrast to the one proclaimed as ‘Moshe Emet VeTorato Emet’—Moshe is true, and his Torah is true (Baba Batra 74a).

Democratic societies suffer from the gullibility of their citizens. We must raise ourselves to a higher level and examine the statements of would-be leaders in a careful and intelligent manner. We must avoid being swept along with someone because of an attractive personality and glib speaking style. Likewise, we must demand intelligent and truthful leaders whose positions coincide with our best interests and who can be trusted to keep their word. We will never get another leader like Moshe Rabbeinu, but that is the standard we must learn to strive for.

May Hashem assist us in this vital endeavor.

Shabbat Shalom.