Every Torah portion is named after its first significant word, and every name conveys something important about the portion. Sometimes the name comes from the literal first word of the portion (like “B’reishit,” meaning “in a beginning”), and other times it’s a few words in. Often the word is a verb, sometimes an important noun, and occasionally, a Torah portion’s title is not just one word, but instead, an evocative phrase.
This week’s Torah portion is called “Ha’azinu” (“listen!”), and it contains Moses’ penultimate, poetic address (he’ll say goodbye to the Israelites in the next Torah portion, “V’Zot HaBracha,” which means, “and this is the blessing”). Even though the Torah is full of people speaking to each other and to God, “Ha’azinu” is the only Torah portion with a verb related to “listening” in its title.
In the text itself, “ha’azinu” is actually poetically addressed to the heavens (“listen, heavens, and I will speak; and the earth will hear the words of my mouth” (Deuteronomy 32:1). However we, the readers or listeners, can’t help but also hear “ha’azinu,” “listen,” as directed towards us.
So: what do we hear when we listen, or attend, to Moses’ words in this portion? The medieval commentator Rashi noted that in “Ha’azinu,” Moses uses a number of new names for God, and shares new ideas about God. It’s a fascinating point, because in “Ha’azinu,” Moses is at the end of his life. He has had many decades to share his ideas about God and the world, and he has done so (the Torah is full of his observations!). But he’s not done having new ideas, new offerings to share. He is still growing and changing.
Earlier this week (just yesterday!), we came together as a community to observe Yom Kippur. The idea that people can always grow and change, in community with each other, is the backbone of Yom Kippur – it’s the underlying assumption that makes repentance possible. On the heels of Yom Kippur, “Ha’azinu” reminds us of the value of working to be open to change and growth not just in ourselves, but in other people, too. Even when we think we’ve heard it all from someone (as, no doubt, some of the Ancient Israelites probably thought about Moses at this point in the Torah …), they can still surprise us. They are still growing and changing – as are we.
This Shabbat, let’s make space to hear each other, to be surprised by each other, and to continue to grow together.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Alexandra Stein
