Devarim (Deut.) 32:1-32:52
Parashah #53 Haazinu “Give Ear”
By: Rabbi Yehudah ben Shomeyr-
Deuteronomy 32:1-3 Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. Most everybody likes music, and most everybody likes songs. When we are happy sometimes we will sing a song and won’t even know it until someone asks us what we are singing. Music and songs are great, they helps us show our emotions, whether happy or sad, or even mad. Songs help us to worship G-d. Songs even tells stories. Songs can even help us remember our home work! In school you will most likely have to memorize President Abraham Lincoln’s speech called the Gettysburg Address, and if you go to a Bible school you will most likely have to memorize all the books of the Bible. I have heard students put these things to a melody or a rap beat and have memorized them for school. It is much easier and fun to learn though songs.
In our Torah Portion Moshe teaches the Children of Israel a song before he dies, and in it, it reminds Israel to always be faithful to G-d and keep His Torah. In the Haftarah David sings a song that Thanks G-d for saving himn from his enemies, and in the Brit Chadasha portion we read of a song we will sing when the Messiah returns and we will live with Him forever.
May the songs we sing remind us to thank G-d and keep His Torah.
-- Rabbi Yehudah