Perashat Ha'azinu 5777

Perashat Ha'azinu 5777

Friday, October 14, 2016 Author: Rabbi Daniel Greenwald

In this week’s perasha, Ha’azinu, Moshe Rabbenu prophecizes that sometime in the future, after his death, the Jewish people will stray from the path of serving Hashem, and sin.  In this prophecy, Moshe refers to the nation as “Yeshurun.”  R. Bruckheimer, in ‘Al HaRishonim, records the opinions of several of the commentaries who discuss the root and the significance of this name.  

Rabbenu Bahya b. Asher says that the word “Yeshurun”  stems from “ashurenu”, meaning, “to see.”  Accordingly, Rabbenu Bahya is saying that Moshe was rebuking the Jewish people for sinning, despite having merited to “see” Hashem during the “Revelation” at Sinai.

Ribbi Abraham Ibn Ezra, states that “Yeshurun” comes from the word “Yashar”, to be “straight,” “upright” or “righteous.”  This notion derives from the fact that sinning is conduct unbecoming of the Jewish people, who are descended from the Patriarachs; Abraham, Yishak and Ya’akob, who were known as the “Yesharim,” the righteous ones.  

We just completed Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which involved much soul-searching on our behalf.  If we truly analyze our personal experiences, we will conclude that much of our sinning comes as a result of low self-esteem.  If we only understood how special and unique we are - both as individuals and as a nation, we would certainly stay, at all times, on the proper path.  The Torah refers to us as, “Banim atem Lahashem Elokeikhem” - we are in reality, the children of Hashem.  If we would only remember that we are wards of the King of Kings, we would always act in a dignified manner due to our station, and would never sin.  

The initial step of the Teshuba process as listed by Rabbenu Yonah in his magnum opus Sha’arei Teshuba, is that of haratah, or regret.  More poignantly, the sage describes this step as one of self-disappointment in having sinned.  Once we realize how much beneath us the sin was, we will not only avoid committing this sin again in the future, but we will also hold ourselves back from committing other sins as well.  If we are always cognizant of our noble lineage, we will be able to keep ourselves from sinning.  Something to think about as we begin the year anew with a clean slate following Kippur.