אור החיים הקדוש · האזינו · רִאשׁוֹן

Give ear, heavens, and I will speak, etc. First, we must examine why Moshe said, "and I will speak" (וַאֲדַבֵּרָה), rather than phrasing it as, "Give ear, heavens, to my words."

Second, why did he not group them together and say, "Give ear, heavens and earth," or, "Hear, heavens and earth"?

Third, why does Moshe use haazanah, "giving ear," when he addresses the heavens, but shemiah, "hearing," when he addresses the earth? What accounts for the change in wording?

Fourth, why did he address the heavens with a direct command, "Give ear" (הַאֲזִינוּ), while addressing the earth in the third person, "and let the earth hear" (וְתִשְׁמַע), when he should have said, "and hear, O earth" (וְשִׁמְעִי הָאָרֶץ)?

Fifth, why did he use the term "and I will speak" (וַאֲדַבֵּרָה) for the heavens, which denotes harsh speech (דִּבּוּר קָשֶׁה), while using "the words of my mouth" (אִמְרֵי פִי) for the earth, which denotes soft, gentle expression (אֲמִירָה רַכָּה)?

Sixth, why was he precise to say "the words of my mouth" (אִמְרֵי פִי) rather than simply saying "my words" (אֲמָרַי)?

I have seen that Chazal in the Sifrei said: Because Moshe was close to heaven, he said, "Give ear, heavens," whereas Yeshayahu, who was far from heaven, said, "Hear, O heavens" (Yeshayahu 1:2). According to their words, some of these questions about the wording are resolved, but not all of them.

The Ohr HaChaim now offers another approach. First, we need to understand the word haazinu, "give ear." It can describe two different situations. It can mean "bend your ear toward me," or it can address an ear already close to the speaker.

According to the first interpretation, it indicates that the listener is far away and must bend his ear in order to hear, for without bending his ear, he would be unable to hear.

In the second reading, the listener is already so close to the speaker that he can be addressed directly with "give ear." This is the reading Chazal chose when they described Moshe as close to heaven.

The word also allows the first reading, however, and the wording does not force us to choose between them. The Ohr HaChaim therefore develops the first reading, in which the listener must lean in from a distance. He will use it to answer all the questions raised at the beginning.

Although the earlier Sages chose another interpretation, the Torah has seventy faces, as the Ohr HaChaim has already explained (Bamidbar Rabbah 13:16). In Aggadah, the Torah's non-halachic teachings, another interpretation may differ from theirs, provided the disagreement is not in a matter of halachah. Here there is an additional reason to offer another reading: as he will soon explain, both readings can fit the same pasuk.

Now, the path by which we resolve all the questions about the wording is as follows: Since the heavens are physically high above, in accordance with the plain meaning of the matter, Moshe called upon them to bend their ear, saying to them, "Give ear" (הַאֲזִינוּ), meaning: bend your ear to hear my words.

But to the earth, he said, "and let the earth hear" (וְתִשְׁמַע), meaning it will hear on its own without bending an ear. This is because the earth stands directly before him, and is close enough to hear the very articulation of the speech coming out of his mouth. This is why he said, "the words of my mouth" (אִמְרֵי פִי), because the earth is so close to him.

Through this approach, we gain a resolution to all the questions about the wording. Since one listener is far and the other is near, Moshe divided his call to each one in the manner appropriate for them.

To the distant one (the heavens), he called to bend its ear, and undertook upon himself to call out in a loud voice, which is the meaning of "and I will speak" (וַאֲדַבֵּרָה, implying strong, loud speech). To the near one (the earth), he called out in the manner appropriate for it, indicating that he would speak to it as well, but it does not require a loud shout; rather, it will hear on its own, even without a loud voice, simply by hearing the articulation of the letters directly from his mouth.

Through this path, we can also resolve the words of Yeshayahu, who said, "Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth" (Yeshayahu 1:2). He attributed "hearing" to the heavens, even though they were far from him, and "giving ear" (bending the ear) to the earth, even though it was close.

The reason for this is as Yeshayahu himself concluded: "for Hashem has spoken." This means the reason he ordered them in this way is because it is Hashem Who spoke. Relative to the Speaker, Who is Hashem, the heavens are closer, as it is written, "The heavens are heavens for Hashem" (Psalms 115:16), and it is written, "The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool" (Yeshayahu 66:1). Therefore, Yeshayahu said, "Hear, O heavens" to what Hashem spoke, because they do not need to bend their ear; but "give ear, O earth," because being far from Him, the earth must bend its ear to hear.

Perhaps both interpretations of the word "Give ear" (הַאֲזִינוּ) are correct, in the following manner: Relative to the physical mouth of Moshe that articulates the letters, the meaning is as we have explained (that the heavens are far and must bend their ear).

But relative to his soul, which is spiritual, the meaning is in accordance with the words of Chazal. The text itself supports this, for it was regarding Moshe's soul that Chazal said (Sifrei Ha'azinu 1) that he was close to heaven. His physical self, however, spoke on the earth, and one cannot deny physical reality.

Furthermore, Moshe intended to speak to the two components from which man is constructed: one is the spiritual part, which is referred to by the name "heavens," and the other is the physical part, which is referred to by the name "earth." This is similar to what Chazal alluded to (Sanhedrin 91b) on the verse, "He calls to the heavens from above, etc." (Psalms 50:4).

When he spoke to the spiritual aspect within man, he called to it and said, "Give ear, heavens." This means the heavenly parts of man, which are hidden in secret, are called upon to bend their ear. To this aspect, he spoke with strong words (דִּבּוּר קָשֶׁה), because the soul can bear the authority of the Creator's demands, as it recognizes its spiritual obligation.

But to the body, which is revealed, he said, "and let the earth hear," meaning the earthly parts of man. To this physical aspect, he spoke "the words of my mouth," because the body, by its physical nature, is far from intellectual and spiritual concepts, and therefore requires gentle words (אֲמִירָה רַכָּה) to be receptive to hearing.

Moshe also intended to speak to the different groups within Yisrael: first, their leaders and great figures; second, the masses of the people who do not hold prominent titles.

He referred to the leaders by the name "heavens," because they are on a high spiritual level. He addressed them first with the command, "Give ear, heavens." After that, he said, "and let the earth hear," meaning that the masses, who are compared to the "earth," will hear on their own when they see their leaders walking on the proper path. This is as the Sages of blessed memory said in the Zohar (Part II, 36a): "If the head of the nation is corrected, the whole nation is corrected."

There is another hint here. By giving ear to Torah, people themselves can become worthy of the name "heavens." On this reading, haazinu means: listen, and through that listening you become like the heavens.

This follows the idea of "I said, you are elohim" (Tehillim 82:6), a description of human spiritual stature. The Ohr HaChaim refers to his longer explanation in Bereishis: through righteous deeds, even physical matter can be transformed into spiritual form; through wicked deeds, spiritual form can be reduced to mere matter. For clarity, "matter" and "form" here contrast the physical side of a person with the spiritual character that shapes it. His point is that our deeds can raise the physical toward the spiritual, or pull the spiritual downward.

We have already established that spiritual form is referred to by the name "heavens," and physical matter is referred to by the name "earth." When Moshe said, "and I will speak" (וַאֲדַבֵּרָה, implying harsh speech), he meant: do not only listen during times of goodness, but even when I speak harshly in rebuke for sin, you must still give ear.

And when he said, "and let the earth hear the words of my mouth," he meant that even after the soul departs from the body, leaving only the physical element of the "earth," even then, this earth will hear the words of my mouth.

He explains this through a passage in the Zohar Chadash, Bereishis, on "Let there be lights." It describes a future heavenly voice calling at every grave marker: "Go out and see. Come out from beneath the worn covering of dust, and awaken from your sleep, daughters of Tzion." The passage connects Tzion with a tziyun, a grave marker, as in "What is this marker?" (II Melachim 23:17). For clarity, this wordplay identifies the sleepers being summoned as those lying in the graves. This concludes the cited passage.

This is the promise that Hashem makes to the righteous: that their physical bodies will hear His call even after they have returned to the earth, which is the meaning of "and let the earth hear the words of my mouth." From the inverse of this statement, you learn that one who does not give ear to the word of Hashem in life, his body resting in the earth will not hear that calling voice, and his dust will not be awakened at the resurrection.

"May my teaching fall like rain." The Ohr HaChaim begins with the teaching in Pirkei Avos 3:17, "If there is no flour, there is no Torah." Flour stands for the livelihood that enables a person to learn.

Just as Hashem sends rain to feed and sustain us, we are called upon to learn Torah. Moshe's comparison asks that Torah flow from our mouths in response to the rain Hashem provides. The pasuk can thus be read: let My teaching fall, just as I cause the rain to fall. The comparison is between the drops of rain Hashem sends and the words of Torah we speak.

The Ohr HaChaim explains that Hashem first prepares a person's livelihood and then asks him to learn Torah. Material support makes that learning possible.

Consequently, you learn from this matter that if they do not drop words of Torah from their mouths, Hashem has no desire to give rain.

This also explains the Ohr HaChaim's reading of "If there is no flour, there is no Torah" (Pirkei Avos 3:17). He reads it as a conclusion one can draw: when the flour is missing, the Torah is missing. In this reading, a lack of sustenance points back to a lack of Torah learning.

The reason the verse refers to the study of Torah with the term "ya'arof" (shall drop) is to compare it to the action of rain, which drops down.

Alternatively, the verse hints that just as the withholding of rain causes death to man, so too the withholding of Torah will break him (from the root "arof," to break the neck). He connects this warning to Yeshayahu 1:19 to 20, which contrasts willingness to obey with refusal, and warns that refusal leads to the sword.

The verse repeats itself using different terms, "likchi" (My teaching) and "imrati" (My speech), corresponding to the two Torahs: the Written Torah and the Oral Torah.

Likchi, "My teaching," refers to the Written Torah, which Hashem handed to Moshe, written with the finger of Elokim. Although the direct gift was the Aseres HaDibros, the Ten Commandments, everything written in the Torah is included within them. The Ohr HaChaim cites the Zohar, volume 2, 93b, for this point.

And corresponding to the Oral Torah, it says "imrati" (My speech), which refers to matters that were transmitted by word of mouth, from mouth to mouth.

The verse compares the Written Torah to rain and the Oral Torah to dew. This is because the Written Torah is the primary foundation and root of everything, whereas the Oral Torah consists of the applications and fine details that are not explicitly stated in the Written Torah but are only hinted at. This is the concept the verse employs in its metaphor, comparing the Written Torah to rain, which is the foundation and primary source of everything, and the Oral Torah to dew, which sustains and preserves what the rain has produced, just as the Oral Torah does for the Written Torah.

He offers another reading based on the teaching of the masters of the Torah's inner wisdom, cited in Be'er Heitev, Orach Chaim 238, in the name of the Arizal. In this teaching, the time for learning the Written Torah is the day, rather than the night.

Similarly, Chazal taught in a Beraita (Midrash Shocher Tov 19:7) that during those forty days Moshe was with Hashem, he was able to distinguish between day and night by the subject matter Hashem was teaching him. When Hashem taught him the Written Torah, he knew it was day. When Hashem taught him Mishnah, Moshe knew it was night. The Ohr HaChaim adds that there is a deeper reason for this teaching about not learning Scripture at night, but does not develop that reason here.

For this reason, the verse compares the Written Torah to rain, which does not fall constantly but only during the rainy season, and not during the summer. Go and learn from what happened to Rava (Taanis 24b) when he troubled Heaven to bring down rain out of its proper season.

In the same way, Scripture is meant specifically for its designated time, which is the day and not the night.

And the verse compares the Oral Torah to dew. Just as dew never ceases, falling in summer and winter, day and night, so too the Oral Torah has no time that is not its proper time.

The sun's drying up the dew does not disprove the comparison. That disappearance comes from the sun acting upon it, not from the dew itself having an appointed time when it must stop.

As the small rain upon the tender grass, and so on. This can be explained in light of what Chazal taught in a Beraita (Midrash Mishlei, Chapter 10): Rabbi Yishmael said: When a person is brought to judgment, if he possesses knowledge of Scripture, they ask him, "Why did you not study Mishnah?" If he possesses knowledge of Mishnah, they ask him, "Why did you not study Talmud?" and so on in this manner.

Notice what this teaching implies. Someone who has learned Scripture is not immediately asked why he has not learned Maaseh Merkavah, the deepest teachings about Hashem's heavenly chariot. He is asked about the next level he could have reached. The demand is to put in the effort for one stage beyond what he has already achieved, according to his ability.

This is what the verse means by "as the small rain upon the tender grass, and as the showers upon the herb." That is, just as Hashem sends small drops of rain upon the tender grass which is small, and heavy showers of rain upon the mature herb which is large and can withstand it, The same comparison applies to the demands of Torah: each person is addressed according to what he has the strength and ability to attain.

There is both a leniency and a stringency in this principle: a leniency for one who is unable to achieve more, as he is not held accountable for what is beyond him; and a stringency for one who is highly capable, as they demand everything from him, even the deepest secrets of the Divine Chariot.

For I will proclaim the name of Hashem. The meaning is that the ultimate focus and intent of Moshe's words in this song is the name of Hashem. This is in line with the teaching of Chazal in the Zohar (Volume 3, 98b) that the entire Torah is comprised of the holy names of Hashem. It is regarding this Torah, which is His blessed name, that Moshe says in the previous verse, "May my teaching drop as the rain." The word "ekra" (translated here as "I will proclaim") can also be understood as related to the word "yekar," meaning preciousness and glory, indicating that Moshe is declaring the preciousness of Hashem's name.

Moshe also hinted that although he previously compared the study of Torah to rain and dew, which sustain physical life, a person's primary intention in learning should not be for physical benefits. Rather, the purpose must be to read the book of Hashem's Torah, which is His very name, in order to "ascribe greatness to our God." This is what is called learning Torah for its own sake (Torah lishmah), to magnify and glorify His honored name.

When Moshe says "I will proclaim" (ekra) in the singular, he refers to what each and every individual of Israel does when they study. Alternatively, this can be understood in light of the teaching of Chazal in Tikkunei Zohar (Tikkun 69, page 112a) that the souls of all those who occupy themselves with Torah study are sparks of Moshe Rabbeinu. This is true not only for the generation of the wilderness, but in every generation until the end of time; anyone who studies Torah is bound up with Moshe. For this reason, Moshe attributes the Torah study of all Israel to himself, saying "I will proclaim."

Another explanation is that the phrase "For I will proclaim the name of Hashem" provides the reason for the instruction that follows: "Ascribe greatness to our God." This is based on what Chazal taught in Midrash Shocher Tov (29:12) regarding the verse, "Enthroned upon the praises of Israel" (Psalms 22:4). The Midrash explains that Hashem did not assume His throne of praise until the heavenly hosts declared, "Blessed is Hashem, the God of Israel." He did not find the same satisfaction when they called Him "the God of heaven and earth" or "the God of the angels."

Therefore, Moshe speaks his good words here and says: Ascribe greatness and supreme value to this unique relationship, for Hashem desires to be called specifically "our God." This is achieved through our proclamation, "For I will proclaim the name of Hashem," by reading the Torah which is His name. When Israel is actively engaged in Torah, the praise of the angels calling Him "the God of Israel" is a true praise and magnification.

However, if Israel is not occupied with Torah, and yet the angels call Him "the God of Israel," this praise would be deeply deficient and inappropriate, for they would be associating His divinity with a people who are not connected to His Torah, through which He chose to associate His name with us. Our Rabbis in the Sifrei have offered many other interpretations of this verse, in the manner of a hammer that shatters a rock into many sparks.

"The Rock, His work is perfect." Moshe has just connected learning Torah with dew and rain. That raises a difficulty. A person may learn Torah yet struggle to earn a living and have no bread. He may also see someone who rejects Torah and despises its learners enjoy plenty of food, satisfaction and abundance, the very blessings promised to those who learn. What he sees appears to be the reverse of what he was told.

The Ohr HaChaim warns that this must not lead a person to rebel or, Heaven forbid, fall into heresy. Instead, he should accept the justice of Hashem's judgment and say that Hashem is true and His judgment is true. HaTzur, "the Rock," expresses strength and firmness. Here it describes Hashem's powerful hand governing a person, even when that person experiences hardship.

Even then, a person must affirm, "His work is perfect." This answers the first difficulty: someone whose conduct seems to call for a generous measure of good has instead received very little. The person's limited view does not make Hashem's work defective.

"For all His ways are justice" includes the opposite case too: someone whose conduct seems to call for little good receives a great deal. Both cases fall under Hashem's justice. The Ohr HaChaim explains that suffering does not come upon a righteous person unless he has become liable for it, and good does not come to the wicked unless their deeds have earned it.

The verse continues, "A God of faithfulness and without iniquity" (El emunah v'ein avel). Our Sages in the Sifrei explained: "A God of faithfulness" means He pays the righteous the reward for their righteousness in the World to Come; "and without iniquity" means He pays the wicked the reward for their good deeds in this world.

The deeper meaning of this teaching is based on what the Sages said in Midrash Tehillim on the verse, "You have put gladness in my heart, from the time that their corn and their wine increased" (Psalms 4:8). Dovid said that from the moment he saw the tranquility of the wicked, he drew a logical conclusion from the lesser case to the stronger case: If those who transgress His will receive such goodness, how much more so will those who perform His will! This is the meaning of "A God of faithfulness." The righteous person will find his faith in his reward from Hashem confirmed when he witnesses the attribute of "and without iniquity", which is the reward paid to the wicked in this world for their few merits.

The verse concludes, "Just and right is He" (tzaddik v'yashar hu). This means that the Master, Hashem of Hosts, created the world with strict justice, as it is written, "By justice a king establishes the land" (Proverbs 29:4). Our Sages of blessed memory also taught in Midrash Tanchuma that Hashem swore the world would stand on strict justice. However, we find that He possesses the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, which are entirely mercy. If He swore to establish the world on strict justice, what room is there for mercy?

Indeed, the order of divine conduct is as follows: Initially, when Hashem sits in judgment, He establishes the strict law on its foundation. But when it comes to executing the sentence, He is appeased with mercy and reconciled through supplication. This is in line with the verse, "Hashem is righteous in all His ways, and pious in all His deeds" (Psalms 145:17). This means that when He comes to direct a matter, He directs it according to the line of strict justice; but in His actual deeds, meaning at the moment of execution, when a person comes and supplicates, He is a merciful and gracious God Who will show him mercy.

This explains the two descriptions, tzaddik and yashar. Tzaddik, "just," means acting according to the requirements of justice. The Ohr HaChaim supports this through Rashi's explanation of the discussion in Avodah Zarah 6a. The Gemara asks whether Noach might have been a treifah, a person with a fatal physical condition. The answer points to the word tamim, "whole" or "perfect." The Ohr HaChaim then cites the question whether Noach was "righteous in his ways and perfect in his deeds." Rashi explains "righteous in his ways" as acting according to the law. That is the meaning of tzaddik here. It describes the initial judgment. Afterward comes yashar, acting beyond the strict requirement of the law. The Ohr HaChaim connects this with Chazal's explanation in Bava Metzia 108b of "Do what is right and good" (Devarim 6:18, and Rashi there).

The Ohr HaChaim reads "He has corrupted for himself; not His children" as describing the harm people do to themselves when they corrupt their conduct. What do they lose? The standing of being called Hashem's children. He cites Chazal in Bava Basra 10a: when Yisrael follows Hashem's way, they are called children; when they do not, they are called servants. On this reading, "not His children" names the loss caused by their own corruption.

The word mumam means "their blemish." One might ask whether a blemish in the children also reflects a blemish in their Father, Heaven forbid. The pasuk answers that it is their own blemish. Hashem created a person upright; the corruption did not come from Him. The Ohr HaChaim cites Yeshayahu's vineyard image (5:1 to 2): the vineyard was carefully prepared, cleared of stones and planted with a choice vine, with the expectation that it would produce grapes. The image places the failure in what grew, rather than in the care given to it. That is the force of "their blemish."

The concept of "blemish" can be understood in light of Chazal's teaching in Sotah 3a: "A person does not commit a transgression unless a spirit of folly enters him." This spirit of folly is a harmful spiritual force, and it is called a "blemish," based on the esoteric meaning of the phrase in Deuteronomy 15:21, "a bad blemish." The drawing of this harmful spiritual force upon oneself is entirely due to the person's own actions.

Regarding "A generation crooked and perverse": If they were merely crooked, the words of the Torah would make the crooked paths straight. What caused them to become corrupted? It was because they are "crooked and perverse", meaning they stubbornly reinforce their own crookedness. The Ohr HaChaim says he sees this in his own generation with various types of heretics who follow a crooked path; when someone tries to straighten their crookedness, they stubbornly strengthen themselves in their difficult, crooked ways. This stubbornness is what brings about the destruction of their spiritual heritage.

"Is this how you repay Hashem?" Moshe speaks of repayment to make the contrast clear. Hashem has done good for them, so their response should be good in return. Instead, they are returning evil for the good He has given them.

Moshe calls them "a base people, and unwise." The Ohr HaChaim points out that "wise" is not the opposite of "base." These are two different failings. Even someone with a naturally base or ungrateful character would avoid treating Hashem this way if he had wisdom. He would recognize that withholding what is right only brings him loss, and that recognition would stop him from acting so badly.

This is why the verse concludes by saying, "Is He not your Father Who acquired you?" and so on. Moshe lists four distinct aspects of Hashem's relationship with us. First, He created man, and corresponding to this, the verse says, "Is He not your Father?" Second, He acquired us as servants by taking us out of the hand of Pharaoh, sustaining us in the wilderness, and bringing us to a land full of all good things; corresponding to this, the verse says, "Who acquired you" (kanecha).

Third, He refined us with an exalted and lofty refinement by placing His Divine Presence among us and granting us prophecy. This is a great refinement, making us a vessel fit to receive prophecy. Corresponding to this, the verse says, "He made you" (asecha), meaning a new making beyond the initial creation alluded to in the term "your Father."

Fourth, He established us with an eternal preparation to merit the life of the World to Come, which is the ultimate purpose. Corresponding to this, the verse says, "and established you" (vayechonenecha). The point of all this is that even an ungrateful person would not act ungratefully toward such a benefactor unless he were completely devoid of intellect. This is why the verse describes them as "foolish and unwise."