Making sense of the sedra: Ha’azinu
A year of hope
The date 7 October will forever be etched into our personal and historical consciousness. It is a day when our protective walls were breached, our sense of security was rocked and left us doubting many of our perceived friendships – on both a personal and national level.
We have spent the past year glued to our screens, fixated on news updates about the state of the hostages, praying for their safe return as well as the success of our precious and heroic soldiers. Rivers of tears have flowed as we have felt like there is a gaping hole in the heart of the national collective, while we have mourned all too many times along with the immediate families of those who have departed this world too soon.
To say that this has been the hardest year in recent memory for Am Yisrael is an understatement.
However, this year has also been a transformative year of hope for Am Yisrael. The bravery exhibited by the soldiers of the IDF to help return and protect our people is of Biblical proportions. The ingenuity of our intelligence infrastructure is mind-boggling. The valiant resilience of the citizens of Israel – some still displaced from their homes to this very day – is inspiring. The camaraderie, generosity and unwavering acts of kindness exhibited by world Jewry is legendary.
Our nation is a nation of lions, a phoenix reborn from the ashes.
This week’s parsha, Ha’azinu, reflects a debate in the Gemara (Sanhedrin 97b) regarding the coming of Moshiach. One opinion holds that Moshiach will only come if Am Yisrael do teshuva, while the other opines that the arrival of Moshiach is independent of whether or not Am Yisrael do teshuva. The Rambam (Hilchot Teshuva 7:5) holds that “the Jewish people will only be redeemed if they do teshuva.”
This leads to a tremendous question.
If the coming of Moshiach is dependent on Am Yisrael’s prior teshuva, as the Rambam writes, how can we say: “I believe with complete faith in the coming of Moshiach, and even though he may delay, nevertheless I await his arrival everyday”? How can the Rambam count the coming of Moshiach as one of his 13 Principles of Faith if it is possible that the redemption won’t arrive due to our non-teshuva? If Moshiach is contingent on a prior event, then surely his arrival is at best a matter of doubt rather than of certainty?
Rav Soloveitchik suggests a most phenomenal insight. He explains that the Rambam is emphasising that belief in Moshiach is first and foremost contingent and predicated upon a belief in Am Yisrael! If one does not believe in the power of Am Yisrael and our ability to implement positive change then they cannot truly believe in the coming of Moshiach.
Hence when we make the declaration that we believe in the coming of Moshiach – the denial of which is considered heretical (Hilchot Teshuva 3:6) – we are affirming our faith in Am Yisrael.
Beyachad Nenatzeach – together we will prevail.
Am Yisrael Chai!
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