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The Ha’azinu is one of only two songs in the Torah attributed to Moses, the other being Shirat ha-yam (the Song of the Sea) in Exodus 15. Unlike the earlier song of praise to the LORD for the great miracle of redemption, this song functions as a “witness” to testify against the Israelites, and is intended to prophetically teach the people about the dire consequences of apostasy from the LORD.
Moses begins his song by calling upon the heavens and the earth to be witnesses to his warnings. He then contrasts the LORD’s faithfulness with the corrupt ways of His chosen nation. If the children of Israel would simply inquire of the older generation, they would understand how the LORD had chosen them from among all the nations to be His own special witnesses in all the earth. But "Jeshurun grew fat, forsook the God who made him, and spurned the Rock of his salvation." Therefore, the LORD hid His face from Israel and declared:
They have made me jealous with what is no god; they have provoked me to anger with their idols. So I will make them jealous with those who are no people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation. (Deuteronomy 31:21)
Moreover, on account of their disobedience, the LORD would drive them into galut (exile) by sword and persecution. Both young and old will be ravaged by disease and the cruelty of many enemies. In fact, were it not for the LORD’s concern for His reputation among the nations, He would have finally destroyed the Jews from the face of the earth. Israel should, therefore, realize that it only through the LORD’s gracious providence that they are sustained as a people to this very day.
Despite the calamities and misfortunes the Jews would suffer in their long exile, the song ends with the promise that the LORD would avenge the blood of His servants and be finally reconciled with his chosen people and land.
The parashah ends with the Moses ascending Mt. Nebo so that he could see the Promised Land before he died.
Note: In v32:44 we read that Moses and Joshua taught the ha’azinu to Israel, though the text reads Hoshia bin Nun instead of Yehoshua in this verse. According to Rashi, the Torah calls Joshua by his former name (i.e., the name before it was changed to Yehoshua just before the Sin of the Spies) to reveal his great humility. This interpretation agrees with the significance of the Yod that was appended to his name. When Moses finished reciting the song, he told the people to take his warnings to heart and to admonish their children, for their very life at stake (Deut. 32:45-47).
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