Torah: (Devarim) Deuteronomy 32:1 – 32:52; Haftarah: Hosea 14:2-10; Joel 2:15-27;
Shabbat Shuvah
The Shabbat between Rosh haShanah and Yom Kippurim is called Shabbat Shuvah - The Shabbat of Return, named as such from the first word of the Haftarah: Shuvah Yisrael ad YHVH Eloheicha… “Return, o Israel, to YHVH your God for you have stumbled in your iniquity. Take with you words and return to YHVH; say to Him: ‘Forgive all our iniquity and receive us graciously; and let us offer like bulls the words of our lips.’" Hosea 14:2,3 (1,2)
Therefore, Shuvah means to return to God and to live a life for Him. As we approach Yom Kippurim, The Day of Atonements, we need to understand the true meaning of this word, shuvah. But why the ancient Israelites needed to return to God, to repent? Why do we need to repent? How are we doing with our walk with God? These ten days between Rosh haShanah and Yom Kippurim are days appropriate for introspection. How are we doing with the talents that God gave us? Do we need God’s gentle calling, Shuvah, My beloved? Our eternal life is secure in His loving hands but maybe there is an area from this plentiful and comfortable world that we live in that we need to turn away from and turn to God. Confess it to the Lord and He will open His arms to receive us. "’Yet even now,’ says YHVH, ‘turn to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.’ Tear your heart, and not your garments, and turn to YHVH, your God; for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, and relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind Him...’“ Joel 2:13,14
The Second Song of Moshe
Ha’azinu ha’shamayim... "Give ear, O you heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. My teaching shall drop as the rain, my speech shall flow as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass. Because I will proclaim the name of YHVH; ascribe greatness to our God. He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice; a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He.” Devarim 32:1-4
This is the second "song" of Moshe. In it he calls heaven and earth to bear witness to the calamities that will befall Israel if it sins, and the ultimate joy that will come with the final redemption. "And Moshe came and spoke all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he, and Hoshea (Joshua) the son of Nun. And Moshe finished speaking all these words to all Israel. And he said to them, 'Set your hearts to all the words which I testify among you this day, which you shall instruct your children to be careful to perform all the words of this Torah. For it is not an empty thing for you; because it is your life; and through this matter you shall prolong your days in the Land, where you go over the Jordan to possess it.'" Devarim 32:44-47
The climax of Moshe's life and the legacy that he will leave behind is to charge the people to instruct their children in the Torah, for it is not a purposeless thing but it is their life. Indeed, instructing the children in the ways of God must be a priority, that would be our legacy. “These words, which I command you this day, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Devarim 6:6,7 But Torah is a tutor for us too because we cannot give that which we do not possess. Have you crossed the spiritual Jordan yet to possess it? Have you come to possess the wisdom, the joy, the hope, and the life that the teachings of the Torah give and be ready to share it when you sit in your house, or when you travel on this world, when you go to sleep, or when you wake up wherever you are? Our children are watching us and they are learning by our example. The world is watching us and they judge our faith, this biblical faith, the Torah true Judaism, by our deeds.
The rabbis comment that in the Torah's definition of a “song” is a profound and unusual spiritual phenomenon. In the normal course of events, we fail to perceive the hand of God at work and often wonder how most of the daily, seemingly unrelated, events surrounding us could be part of a Divine coherent plan. We see suffering and evil and we wonder how can they be the work of a Merciful God. Rarely, however, there is a flash of insight that makes people realize how all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. At such times we can understand how every note, instrument, and participant in God's symphony of Creation plays its role. The result is a song, for the Torah's concept of a song is the condition in which all the apparently unrelated and contradictory events do indeed meld into a coherent, merciful, and comprehensible whole.
And yet there is another song in the Tanakh; it is called the Song of David. David had just been delivered from his enemies and he pours his heart to God: "And David spoke to YHVH the words of this song in the day that YHVH delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. And he said, 'YHVH is my Rock, and my Fortress, and my Deliverer. God, my Rock, in Him I will trust; He is my Shield, and the Horn of my Salvation, my Stronghold, and my Refuge, my Savior." Shmuel Bet (2 Samuel) 22:1-3
This is one of the few passages that are repeated in Scripture. David repeats it in Psalm 18, not as a song of victory, though, but as a fervent prayer who seeks to pour out his anguished soul in private communion with God. David’s song reveals the most intimate attributes of God: Rock, Fortress, Deliverer, trustworthy, Shield, Horn of Salvation, Refuge, Savior. David understood in that moment that in everything that happened to him was for him to discover these characteristics about God and rely only on Him for every aspect of his life. A worthy song to sing indeed.
But I believe that this parting song of Moshe compliments his first song, the victory song sang after the exodus from Egypt, and, as one complete song who reveals God’s character and purpose for choosing the nation of Israel to be His messengers, it will be heard again in heaven together with a new song, the song of the Lamb: "And they sang the Song of Moshe, the bond-servant of YHVH, and the Song of the Lamb, saying, 'Great and marvelous are Your works, YHVH Adonai the Almighty, righteous and true are Your ways, You are Melech kol haGoyim (King of all the Nations).' Adonai, who would not fear You and ascribe glory to Your Name? Because You alone are Kadosh (Holy), for all the Nations will come and worship before You because Your righteous acts have been made known.” Revelation 15:3-4
But, what is the Song of the Lamb and what are the Lamb's righteous acts? "You are worthy... for You were slain and with Your blood You paid the price for the redemption and purchased ones for YHVH from every family and tongue and people and nation, and made them for Eloheinu a kingdom and priests, and they will reign on ha'aretz (the earth)." Revelation 5:9-10
Indeed, this is a song who expresses a profound spiritual truth in which Tanakh prophecies melt into a coherent, merciful, comprehensive whole. God sent His beloved Son to satisfy His requirement for holiness announced in the Torah. Our sins cannot be forgiven unless atonement is done for them. Yeshua came to cover our sins with His shed blood once and for all. He is our Kapparah, the perfect sinless sacrifice required to cleanse us from the filth of our sins. He made atonement for us so we can live. Believe in Him. Indeed, He is worthy for our praises and songs.
Let us rejoice that the Lamb of God, Yeshua, came on this earth as a lowly Sukkah and tabernacled among us and taught us this New Song. This is the Good News, and that should be indeed a reason to rejoice at this High Holy Days season, sing praises and a New Song for Him.
L'Shanah Tovah Tikatevu!
Have a Blessed New Year 5785
Shabbat joy, peace, and blessings! Shabbat Shalom!