Sermons & Stories

Shabbat Shalom! This week’s Torah portion is parshat Haazinu, which is made up almost entirely of Shirat Moshe – the Song of Moses. After writing it, the Torah says that Moses came, together with Hosea son of Nun, and recited all the words of this poem for the people. Afterwards, Moses tells them: Take to heart all the words with which I have warned you this day. Enjoin them upon your children, that they may observe faithfully all the terms of this Teaching. For this is not a trifling thing for you: it is your very life (Deut 32:44-47).

So it’s a pretty important poem, but what’s in it. The Song of Moses comes across as quite harsh at times. God is perfect, we are the dull, witless People who played God false. God found us in an empty howling waste and gave us everything. We grew fat and then sacrificed to no gods. God punished us and eventually takes us back. In the process, God will destroy our enemies – God’s arrows drunk with blood and God’s sword devouring flesh.

Remember – we need to teach this to our children… If we set aside the ancient language, the idea is that by reciting this poem – remembering our history and our relationship with God – we’ll be able to remember to follow God’s teaching and live a good life. The only problem is that even though we’re supposed to remember it and recite it, it’s not so catchy…

  הַאֲזִ֥ינוּ הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וַאֲדַבֵּ֑רָה וְתִשְׁמַ֥ע הָאָ֖רֶץ אִמְרֵי־פִֽי׃

 (Deu 32:1 WTT)

That just doesn’t stick in our heads as well it used to. But it’s a good idea. We do need reminders. And getting reminders from a song is a good idea!  A song that reminds us who we are and what our Torah tells us that God wants us to do… that’s the kind of reminder we could use.

So a couple of years ago I put together a kinder, gentler version of Haazinu, without the arrows drunk with blood. It’s to a beloved melody that has stood the test of time – Neil Diamond’s, “Sweet Caroline.” And after the heaviness of Yom Kippur, I know that I needed something on the lighter side. So here’s your sermon in song:

Ok, yes, it’s a little silly. But the message is straightforward. Follow the path that God and our tradition have put forth. Learn about the mitzvot, our sacred obligations, do those that speak to you and bring meaning and purpose into our lives – even if they are hard or inconvenient. And show appreciation. Don’t take our blessings for granted.

And if you go home and all weekend long you can’t get: “Do the mitzvot…And give thanks for God each day” out of your head – maybe that was the point.

Shabbat Shalom!