Ha'azinu is the penultimate portion in the Torah. It is a poem and is written as a poem in the Torah scroll.

The poem begins with Moses invoking heaven and earth as his eternal witnesses to the final charge he will now share with the Jewish people. Moses reviews the past wilderness history, how God has been good to Israel despite the people's lapses of faith.

Themes in the poem include:

• God is metaphorically referred to as a Rock: The Rock, God's work is perfect and God's ways are just... These words form the beginning of a later prayer known as Tzidduk Hadin, a burial prayer recited at the cemetery. Describing God as a Rock enables the mourner, even at a difficult emotional stage, to take comfort in God's overseeing an orderly world. In the old Simon and Garfunkel song “I Am a Rock,” the rock described is a human who can feel no pain. In the Torah and throughout our liturgy, Rock refers to the Sovereign, who will remain a constant in our lives: Enabling us to reaffirm our belief during life's most challenging stages.

• God becomes “frustrated” over the faithlessness of Israel. Nevertheless, God will continue to protect Israel as a nation which constantly battles against idol worshipping nations that represent the unethical practices of Sodom and Gomorrah.

• In verse eleven, God is referred to as an eagle: Hovering over her young, spreads her wings and takes them... In this metaphor, God is compared to a loving, nurturing bird that watches over the young and flies overhead to ensure that no one brings harm.

Moses concludes by saying to the people: “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.”

To Consider:

• If Moses were to write a similar poem today, what would he say to us?

• Moses is about to pass on the leadership to Joshua. What must be going through Moses' mind at this time? Do you think he considered himself to be a success? Were he able to speak with us, would he regret any aspects of his leadership?

Haftorah Reading: 2 Samuel 22: 1-51 (pages 1197-1201)

King David offers his own poem to God; in appreciation for David's success in overcoming enemy nations and in overcoming the jealousy of King Saul.