Parashat Ha’azinu
Daf 286b (דַּף רפ״ו ע״ב)
“Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; and let the earth hear the words of my mouth” (Deuteronomy 32) (הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וַאֲדַבֵּרָה וְתִשְׁמַע הָאָרֶץ אִמְרֵי פִי). Rabbi Yehudah opened (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח), “I opened to my Beloved, but my Beloved had withdrawn, He was gone; I sought Him but I could not find Him; I called Him but He gave me no answer” (Song of Songs 5) (פָּתַחְתִּי אֲנִי לְדוֹדִי וְדוֹדִי חָמַק עָבָר וְגוֹ׳, בִּקַּשְׁתִּיהוּ וְלֹא מְצָאתִיהוּ קְרָאתִיו וְלָא עָנָנִי). What is written above (מַה כְּתִיב לְעֵילָּא)? “I was asleep, but my heart was awake” (Song of Songs 5) (אֲנִי יְשֵׁנָה וְלִבִּי עֵר וְגוֹ׳). “I was asleep,” said Knesset Yisrael (אֲנִי יְשֵׁנָה, אָמְרָה כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). “I was asleep” from the commandments of the Orayta, at the time when I went in the wilderness (אֲנִי יְשֵׁנָה, מִפִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, בְּזִמְנָא דַּאֲזִילְנָא בְּמַדְבְּרָא). “But my heart was awake,” to enter the land, to perform for them the statutes, for all the commandments of the Orayta are found in the land (וְלִבִּי עֵר, לְאַעֲלָא לְאַרְעָא, לְמֶעְבַּד לְהוּ נִימוּסִין, דְּהָא כָּל פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא בְּאַרְעָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחִין). “The voice of my Beloved knocking” (Song of Songs 5) (קוֹל דּוֹדִי דוֹפֵק), this is Moshe (דָּא מֹשֶׁה), who reproved Yisrael with many arguments and with many disputes (דְּאוֹכַח לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכַמָּה וִיכּוּחִין, בְּכַמָּה קְטָטִין). As it is written (דִּכְתִיב), “These are the words…” (Deuteronomy 1) (אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים וְגוֹ׳), “You have been rebellious…” (Deuteronomy 9) (מַמְרִים הֱיִיתֶם וְגוֹ׳), “And at Chorev you provoked” (Deuteronomy 9) (וּבְחוֹרֵב הִקְצַפְתֶּם וְגוֹ׳).
This is what is written, “knocking” (Song of Songs 5) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב דוֹפֵק). And with all this, that Moshe reproved Yisrael, all the words were with love (וְעִם כָּל דָּא דְּמֹשֶׁה אוֹכַח לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, בִּרְחִימוּתָא הֲווֹ כָּל מִלּוֹי). As it is written (דִּכְתִיב), “For you are a holy people to Hashem your God” (Deuteronomy 7) (כִּי עַם קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה לַי־יָ׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ), “And Hashem your God has chosen you to be a people for Him” (Deuteronomy 7) (וּבְךָ בָּחַר יי׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ לִהְיוֹת לוֹ לְעָם), “You are children to Hashem your Elohim” (Deuteronomy 14) (בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַי־יָ׳ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם), “And you who cleave to Hashem” (Deuteronomy 4) (וְאַתֶּם הַדְּבֵקִים בַּי־יָ׳). And therefore it is written (וְעַל דָּא), “And you shall hearken to the voice of Hashem your God” (Deuteronomy 27) (וְשָׁמַעְתָּ בְּקוֹל יי׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ), “Because Hashem loved you” (Deuteronomy 7) (כִּי מֵאַהֲבַת יי׳ אֶתְכֶם). This is what is written, “Open to Me, My sister, My companion” (Song of Songs 5) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב פִּתְחִי לִי אֲחוֹתִי רַעְיָתִי).
What is written (מַה כְּתִיב)? “I rose up to open to my Beloved” (Song of Songs 5) (קַמְתִּי אֲנִי לִפְתּוֹחַ לְדוֹדִי). Yisrael said (אָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל): while we were destined to enter the land and to receive the commandments of the Orayta through the hand of Moshe (בְּעוֹד דַּהֲוֵינָן זְמִינִין לְמֵיעַל לְאַרְעָא, וּלְקַבְּלָא אִינּוּן פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא עַל יְדוֹי דְּמֹשֶׁה). What is written (מַה כְּתִיב)? “But my Beloved had withdrawn, He was gone” (Song of Songs 5) (וְדוֹדִי חָמַק עָבָר), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב), “And Moshe, servant of Hashem, died there” (Deuteronomy 34) (וַיָּמָת שָׁם מֹשֶׁה עֶבֶד יי׳). “I sought Him but I could not find Him” (בִּקַּשְׁתִּיהוּ וְלֹא מְצָאתִיהוּ), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב), “And no prophet has risen again in Yisrael like Moshe” (Deuteronomy 34) (וְלֹא קָם נָבִיא עוֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּמֹשֶׁה). “I called Him but He gave me no answer” (קְרָאתִיו וְלֹא עָנָנִי), for there was no generation like the generation of Moshe (דְּלָא הֲוָה דָּרָא כְּדָרָא דְּמֹשֶׁה), when Kudsha Berikh Hu heard their voices and performed miracles and statutes for them, as He did through his hand (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שָׁמַע לְקַלֵיהוֹן, וְעָבַד לְהוּ נִסִּין וְנִימוּסִין, כְּמָה דְּעָבַד עַל יְדוֹי).
Rabbi Yitzchak said (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר), “I rose up to open to my Beloved” (Song of Songs 5) (קַמְתִּי אֲנִי לִפְתּוֹחַ לְדוֹדִי), this is Kudsha Berikh Hu in the days of Moshe (דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּיוֹמוֹי דְּמֹשֶׁה), for all his days He did not wish that an angel or messenger should speak with him (דְּכָל יוֹמוֹי לָא בָּעָא דְּמַלְאָכָא וּשְׁלִיחָא לְדַבְּרָא עִמֵּיהּ), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב), “If Your presence go not with me…” (Exodus 33) (אִם אֵין פָּנֶיךָ הוֹלְכִים וְגוֹ׳). Happy is the portion of Moshe, for Kudsha Berikh Hu agreed with his will (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּמֹשֶׁה, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִסְתְּכַם לִרְעוּתֵיהּ). “But my Beloved had withdrawn, He was gone” (Song of Songs 5) (וְדוֹדִי חָמַק עָבָר), in the days of Yehoshua (בְּיוֹמוֹי דִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב), “Nay, but I am captain of the host of Hashem” (Joshua 5) (לֹא כִּי אֲנִי שַׂר צְבָא יי׳).
Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), Moshe would hear the holy voice of the Supernal King and was not shaken (מֹשֶׁה הֲוָה שָׁמַע קָלָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה, וְלָא אִזְדַּעְזָע), and how much more an angel, that he did not want and did not receive (וְכָּל שֶׁכֵּן מַלְאָכָא, דְּלָא בָּעָא וְלָא קַבֵּילֵיהּ). After he died, what is written (בָּתַר דְּשָׁכִיב מַה כְּתִיב)? “And he said, Nay, but I am captain of the host of Hashem” (Joshua 5) (וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא כִּי אֲנִי שַׂר צְבָא יי׳). And it is written (וּכְתִיב), “And Yehoshua fell on his face to the earth” (Joshua 5) (וַיִּפּוֹל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אֶל פָּנָיו אַרְצָה). “Now I am come” (Joshua 5) (עַתָּה בָאתִי), in the days of Moshe your master I came, and he did not receive me (בְּיוֹמוֹי דְּמֹשֶׁה רַבָּךְ אֲתֵינָא, וְלָא קִבְּלָנִי). At that time Yisrael knew the praise of Moshe (בֵּיהּ שַׁעֲתָא, יָדְעוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁבָחָא דְּמֹשֶׁה). At that time Yisrael sought Kudsha Berikh Hu, but He was not prepared for them as in the days of Moshe (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא בָּעוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְלָא אִזְדְּמַן לְהוּ הָכִי כְּיוֹמוֹי דְּמֹשֶׁה). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), “I sought Him but I could not find Him…” (Song of Songs 5) (בִּקַּשְׁתִּיהוּ וְלֹא מְצָאתִיהוּ וְגוֹ׳). “Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak” (Deuteronomy 32) (הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וַאֲדַבֵּרָה), Rabbi Chiyya said (רִבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר), happy is the portion of Moshe, more than all the prophets of the world (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּמֹשֶׁה, יַתִּיר מִכָּל נְבִיאֵי עָלְמָא).
Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), it is written (כְּתִיב), “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for Hashem has spoken” (Isaiah 1) (שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמַיִם וְהַאֲזִינִי אֶרֶץ כִּי יי׳ דִּבֵּר). “Hear, O heavens” - Yeshayahu, who was more distant from the King, it is written “Hear” (שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמַיִם, יְשַׁעְיָה דְּהֲוָה יַתִּיר רְחִיקָא מִמַּלְכָּא, כְּתִיב שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמַיִם). Moshe, who was closer to the King, it is written “Give ear, O heavens” (מֹשֶׁה דְּהֲוָה יַתִּיר קָרִיב לְמַלְכָּא, כְּתִיב הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם).
It was taught (תָּאנָא), at that time when Yeshayahu said, “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth” (Isaiah 1) (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּאָמַר יְשַׁעְיָהוּ שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמַיִם וְהַאֲזִינִי אֶרֶץ), many fierce angels were prepared to break his head (כַּמָּה גַּרְדִּינֵי טְהִירִין אִזְדְּמָנוּ לְתַּבְרָא רֵישֵׁיהּ). A voice went out and said (נָפְקָא קָלָא וְאָמַר), who is this that desires to shake the worlds (מַאן הוּא דֵּין דְּבָעֵי לְאַרְעֲשָׁא עָלְמִין)? Until he opened and said (עַד דְּפָתַח וְאָמַר), not I, and not of myself, but “For Hashem has spoken,” and not I (לָאו אֲנָא, וְלָאו דִידִי, אֶלָּא כִּי יי׳ דִּבֵּר, וְלָא אֲנָא).
In Moshe, what is written (בְּמֹשֶׁה מַה כְּתִיב)? “Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak” (Deuteronomy 32) (הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וַאֲדַבֵּרָה) - I, and not another (אֲנָא וְלָא אַחֲרָא). “And I will speak” - without fear (וַאֲדַבֵּרָה בְּלָא דְּחִילוּ). “And let the earth hear the words of my mouth” - and not from another (וְתִשְׁמַע הָאָרֶץ אִמְרֵי פִי, וְלָא מֵאַחֲרָא). Happy is his portion (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ). Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא), in the engraved letters of Rabbi El'azar (בְּאַתְוָון גְּלִיפָן דְּרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר), “Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; and let the earth hear” (Deuteronomy 32) (הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וַאֲדַבֵּרָה וְתִשְׁמַע הָאָרֶץ) - here is hinted the Supernal Holy Name (הָכָא אִתְרְמִיז שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה).
Rabbi Yosi said (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר), furthermore, what is the difference between Moshe and Yeshayahu (תּוּ מַה בֵּין מֹשֶׁה לִישַׁעְיָהוּ)? Moshe said, “Give ear, O heavens” (Deuteronomy 32) (הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם), “the heavens” - the supernal heavens (הַשָּׁמַיִם, שָׁמַיִם עִלָּאִין), those that are made known and are called the Name of Kudsha Berikh Hu (אִינּוּן דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן, דְּאִקְרוּן שְׁמָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). “And let the earth hear” (Deuteronomy 32) (וְתִשְׁמַע הָאָרֶץ) - the supernal earth, that which is made known, and it is the Land of the Living (אֶרֶץ עִלָּאָה, הַהִיא דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא, וְאִיהִי אֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים).
But in Yeshayahu it is written (בִּישַׁעְיָה כְּתִיב), “Hear, O heavens” (Isaiah 1) (שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמַיִם), and not “the heavens” (וְלָא הַשָּׁמַיִם). “Give ear, O earth” (Isaiah 1) (הַאֲזִינִי אֶרֶץ), and not “the earth” (וְלָא הָאָרֶץ). And these are the lower heavens and earth (וְאִינּוּן שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ תַּתָּאִין). Yet with all this they sought to punish him, until he said, “For Hashem has spoken, and not I” (עַד דְּאָמַר כִּי יי׳ דִּבֵּר, וְלֹא אֲנָא). And Moshe said all this, as it is written, “Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; and let the earth hear the words of my mouth” (Deuteronomy 32) (וּמֹשֶׁה אָמַר כּוּלֵי הַאי, דִּכְתִיב הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וַאֲדַבֵּרָה וְתִשְׁמַע הָאָרֶץ אִמְרֵי פִי).
Rabbi Yitzchak opened (רִבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח), “As the apple among the trees of the forest…” (Song of Songs 2) (כְּתַפּוּחַ בַּעֲצֵי הַיַּעַר וְגוֹ׳). Happy is the portion of Yisrael more than all the nations, idol worshippers and astrologers (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מִכָּל עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת), for all the other nations were given over to great rulers and ministers, to have dominion over them (דְּהָא כָּל שְׁאַר עַמִּין אִתְיְהִיבוּ לְרַבְרְבָן מְמָנָן, בְּשֻׁלְטָנוּתָא עָלַיְיהוּ).
But Yisrael are holy (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל קַדִּישִׁין), happy is their portion in this world and in the World to Come (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), for Kudsha Berikh Hu did not give them to any angel or to any other ruler, but He holds them for His own portion (דְּלָא יָהַב לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא לְמַלְאָכָא, וְלָא לְשָׁלִיטָא אַחֲרָא, אֶלָּא הוּא אָחִיד לוֹן לְחוּלָקֵיהּ). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), “For Hashem’s portion is His people” (Deuteronomy 32) (כִּי חֵלֶק יי׳ עַמּוֹ). And it is written (וּכְתִיב), “For Hashem has chosen Ya'akov for Himself” (Psalms 135) (כִּי יַעֲקֹב בָּחַר לוֹ יָהּ). “As the apple among the trees of the forest” (Song of Songs 2) (כְּתַפּוּחַ בַּעֲצֵי הַיַּעַר) - what is the apple? Just as the apple is distinguished in its colors above all other trees of the field (מַה תַּפּוּחַ מִתְפָּרְשָׁא בִּגְוָונוֹי, עַל כָּל שְׁאַר אִילָנֵי חַקְלָא), so Kudsha Berikh Hu is distinguished and marked above all the hosts, supernal and lower (כַּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִתְפְּרַשׁ וְאִתְרְשִׁים עַל כָּל חֵילִין עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין). Therefore it is written (בְּגִין כָּךְ), “Hashem Tzeva’ot is His Name” (Isaiah 48) (יי׳ צְבָאוֹת שְׁמוֹ), a sign among all the hosts above (אוֹת הוּא בְּכָל חֵילָא דִּלְעֵילָּא).
Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), Kudsha Berikh Hu is as the apple, which has three colors in it (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּתַפּוּחַ, דְּאִית בֵּיהּ תְּלַת גַּוְונִין). Knesset Yisrael is as a rose (כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה). What is the rose (מַאן שׁוֹשַׁנָה)? Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא), a rose plain, a rose that is included in six petals (שׁוֹשַׁנָה סְתָם, שׁוֹשַׁנָה דְּאִתְכְּלִילַת בְּשִׁית טַרְפֵּי), a rose whose colors are white and red (שׁוֹשַׁנָה דָּא גְּוָונֵיהּ חִוָּור וְסוּמָק). And all is two colors - red and white (וְכֹלָּא הוּא תְּרֵין גְּוָונֵי, סוּמָק וְחִוָּור) - so too is Knesset Yisrael (הָכִי כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל).