- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Ha'azinu
לימוד השיעור מוקדש לעילוי נשמת
יעקב בן בכורה
Parashat Ha'azinu
I Shall Seek Your Face, Hashem
Some congregations have the custom not to conduct marriages between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. Technical reasons, such as the inability to make sheva brachot on Yom Kippur, may be responsible for the custom, but we can find philosophical support for the custom, as well. During these days it is customary to recite Tehillim 27, "L’dovid Hashem ori v’yishi." In it, David expresses his desire to seek Hashem’s "face" and asks Hashem not to hide from him. Panim (face) is used in three different forms. Moshe invokes the same metaphor in his prayer to Hashem after the sin of the Golden Calf (cheit ha’egel) (Shemot 33:13-16), as well as the desire that he find favor in Hashem’s eyes (motze chen). The concept of being face to face with Hashem is in essence the same as finding favor in His eyes. Another parallel between these sections of Tanach, is that both Moshe and David ask Hashem to show them "His ways" (darkecha).
Moshe’s prayer after cheit ha’egel came at a time when Bnei Yisrael’s relationship to Hashem can be compared to that of a bride and groom when the groom cancels the wedding. The midrash compares the breaking of the tablets to the tearing of a marriage contract in order to protect the bride who was unfaithful from being judged as a married woman (Shmot Rabba 43). The aim of Moshe’s subsequent prayer was to try to renew the marriage between Hashem and Bnei Yisrael. On Yom Kippur, Hashem declared, "salachti" (I forgive you), signifying the return to the status of bride and groom. Both the story of Moshe and Tehillim 27 speak of being encased in sukka. In Tanach, this can refer to entering under the marriage canopy (as is implied in Yeshaya 4:5-6). Indeed, the days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are sanctified as days to prepare and return to Hashem in order to renew Bnei Yisrael’s marriage to the Holy One Blessed be He.
According to this, we can understand why it could be deemed inappropriate to be busy preparing for a personal, marriage ceremony between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. This time is sanctified as a time to work on our connection with Hashem and our "communal canopy" and not a time to worry about our personal, wedding arrangements. Along these lines, we can show an added significance in reading the last perek of Hoshea on Shabbat Shuva. This perek uses terminology that is uniquely reminiscent of Shir Hashirim ("I shall be like the dew to Israel, it will blossom like a rose and strike its roots like the (forest of) Lebanon. Its tender branches will spread... Tranquil will be those who sit in its shade, they will refresh themselves like grain and blossom like the grapevine ..." (Hoshea 14:,6-8). Indeed both describe Hashem’s relationship with Bnei Yisrael as that of a young couple in love. These psukim are read on Shabbat Shuva to remind us to focus on Israel’s relationship with her Beloved.
Let us pray that during this time we too will find favor in Hashem’s eyes, and will merit returning to the status of being face to face with Hashem.
Moshe’s prayer after cheit ha’egel came at a time when Bnei Yisrael’s relationship to Hashem can be compared to that of a bride and groom when the groom cancels the wedding. The midrash compares the breaking of the tablets to the tearing of a marriage contract in order to protect the bride who was unfaithful from being judged as a married woman (Shmot Rabba 43). The aim of Moshe’s subsequent prayer was to try to renew the marriage between Hashem and Bnei Yisrael. On Yom Kippur, Hashem declared, "salachti" (I forgive you), signifying the return to the status of bride and groom. Both the story of Moshe and Tehillim 27 speak of being encased in sukka. In Tanach, this can refer to entering under the marriage canopy (as is implied in Yeshaya 4:5-6). Indeed, the days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are sanctified as days to prepare and return to Hashem in order to renew Bnei Yisrael’s marriage to the Holy One Blessed be He.
According to this, we can understand why it could be deemed inappropriate to be busy preparing for a personal, marriage ceremony between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. This time is sanctified as a time to work on our connection with Hashem and our "communal canopy" and not a time to worry about our personal, wedding arrangements. Along these lines, we can show an added significance in reading the last perek of Hoshea on Shabbat Shuva. This perek uses terminology that is uniquely reminiscent of Shir Hashirim ("I shall be like the dew to Israel, it will blossom like a rose and strike its roots like the (forest of) Lebanon. Its tender branches will spread... Tranquil will be those who sit in its shade, they will refresh themselves like grain and blossom like the grapevine ..." (Hoshea 14:,6-8). Indeed both describe Hashem’s relationship with Bnei Yisrael as that of a young couple in love. These psukim are read on Shabbat Shuva to remind us to focus on Israel’s relationship with her Beloved.
Let us pray that during this time we too will find favor in Hashem’s eyes, and will merit returning to the status of being face to face with Hashem.

A Leader’s Call to Responsibility
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks | Tishrei 11 5782
Haazinu - Shuvah
Rabbi Berel Wein | 5771

How Do We Serve God?
Rabbi Chanan Morrison | 5770
Haazinu
Rabbi Berel Wein | 5773

Rabbi Yossef Carmel
Head of "Eretz Hemda" Dayanut Kollel

The Danger of the Fear of High Places
Parashat Vayetze
5764

The Nazir’s Sacrifice
Parashat Naso
Sivan 5763

Where Did the Troubles Start?
Parashat Vayeshev
5764

Seeing the Bow
5772

A Shemittah Glossary
Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff | 5775

Milk Spoon in a Meat Sink or Dishwasher
Kashrut in a Nutshell
Rabbi David Sperling

The Spirit of Hashem in Them
Various Rabbis | 2 Tevet 5770

Chalav Yisrael and Powdered Milk
Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff | 5772
Daily Mishna - Shabbat 23-3-4
Rabbi Moshe Leib Halberstadt | Tevet 5783

Car Accident – part I
Based on ruling 82016 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
Beit Din Eretz Hemda - Gazit | Tevet 5783

Only Jews Who Acknowledge Israel Can Belong To It
Tevet 5 5783
