RR Ha’azinu Deuteronomy 32 By Jeffery Freeman

Shabbat Shalom,
 
Our Parshah this week is Deuteronomy 32, Ha’azinu – “Give Ear.” This comes from Deuteronomy 32:1 Give ear (ha’azinu), O heavens, and I will speak. Let the earth hear the words of my mouth.
 
Most of this reading is The Song of Moses. In this song or poem, Moses warns of Israel’s future unfaithfulness, and the justice ADONAI will perform when Israel is disobedient, compares Torah to the blessings of rain, that ADONAI has nurtured Israel, and warns of pursuing worthless gods. He also states that even while being disciplined, ADONAI will not abandon His people forever and there is encouragement to hear the message in this prophesy and to share the message with future generations. Moses is commanded to ascent Mount Nebo to see but not enter the land and then he will die on the mountain.
 
We are in the middle of the High Holy Days. These are ADONAI’s commanded times, yet other than our Jewish friends, other Messianic congregations and a handful of others, God’s feasts and festivals are largely ignored. This reading gives us a very good reason why God gave us these festivals.
 
Deuteronomy 32:7 Remember the days of antiquity, understand the years across generations. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders and they will say to you. (other translations – they will inform you, explain to you, tell you, teach you.)
 
The command to remember the past is a recurring theme in the Bible. We are consistently reminded that a nation that forgets their past will not survive for long. In His infinite wisdom, ADONAI gave us His Holy convocations as reminders of His provision, love, forgiveness, and yes, discipline when needed. Celebrating God’s festivals builds a cohesiveness across the communities of His worshipers and reminds us of His past miracles and future promises. Indeed, without the continued celebration of ADONAI’s festivals, the Jewish people would not have survived the persistent persecution they endured across millennia.
 
Exodus 12:26-27 (Passover) Now when it happens that your children ask you, “What does this ceremony mean to you?” You are to say, “It is the sacrifice of ADONAI’s Passover, because He passed over the houses of Bnei-Yisrael in Egypt when He struck down the Egyptians but spared our households.
 
Even before the exodus began, ADONAI was reminding the Israelites to remember and to teach the next generations.
 
The Shema also reminds us to teach our children in Deuteronomy 6:6-7 These words are to be on your heart. You are to teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk, when you lie down, and when you rise up. Which I would understand to mean that we should be teaching our children and others at all points during our days.
 
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not turn from it.
 
Unfortunately, this is something not well remembered in our “modern” society. Part of growing up is learning that failure is always a possibility.
 
Now, I am not meaning that in the whole-life sense. But when playing a game, someone must lose. When taking an exam, some will do better than others. When running a race, someone will win the rest will not. Today, in many schools there are no winners or losers, just participants. Everyone gets the same participation award.
 
Failure and disappointment may not be fun, but they are good teachers. In my years as a Navy leader, I looked at failure (as long as it was not on purpose and no one was seriously injured) as a learning opportunity. We learned and improved through our mistakes.
 
Romans 5:3-5 We also boast in suffering – knowing that suffering produces perseverance, and perseverance character, and character hope. And hope does not disappoint.
 
We also find teaching as a key part of discipleship.
 
Matthew 28:19-20 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, immersing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Ruach ha-Kodesh, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
 
So, what are we told to teach new disciples to observe?
 
John 10:30 (Yeshua speaking) I and the Father are one. If Yeshua and ADONAI are one, then perhaps we just might find what we should teach new disciples to observe in Torah.
 
If we don’t teach our young ones and new believers correctly, who will teach them and what will they learn?
 
Let’s give Paul the last word.
 
2Timothty 2:1-2 Therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace of Messiah Yeshua. And what you have heard from me among many witnesses, entrust to faithful people who will be capable to teach others also.
 
Shabbat Shalom

Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sat      19 Sep 2026             8th of Tishrei, 5787
Parashat Ha’Azinu Shabbat Shuva
De 32:40-52              Hos 14:1-9[2-10], Joel 2:15-27     Heb 12:1-17