ספר דברים - פרשת האזינו - לב:ז-יב - שני

The verse says: "Remember the days of old, reflect upon the years of other generations. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders and they will inform you." The Torah is telling us to look back at history, to remember what happened in previous generations, and to learn from it. We are told to ask our fathers and our elders, meaning to seek out those who have knowledge and experience, and to learn from them about the past. This is not just a general instruction to remember, but specifically to look at what happened to earlier generations, to see how Hashem dealt with those who came before us, and to take lessons for our own lives. The verse emphasizes the importance of tradition and learning from those who came before, both from our immediate ancestors and from the sages and leaders of previous generations.

Rashi explains the phrase "Remember the days of old" as referring to what Hashem did to the earlier generations who provoked Him to anger. In other words, we are being told to recall how Hashem dealt with those who sinned in the past. Rashi brings examples: the generation of Enosh, whom Hashem inundated with the waters of the ocean, and the generation of the flood, whom Hashem washed away. These are concrete examples of how Hashem responded to those who angered Him. Rashi then brings another explanation: if you have not set your attention to the past, then reflect upon the years of each generation in order to recognize the future. That is, realize that Hashem has the power to bestow good upon you and to give you the days of Moshiach and the World to Come. So, Rashi is teaching that the verse is not only about remembering the past, but also about understanding that Hashem controls the future and has the ability to reward and bring salvation.

Rashi further explains the phrase "reflect upon the years of other generations" with two interpretations. First, he says it refers to the generation of Enosh, whom Hashem inundated with the waters of the ocean, and the generation of the flood, whom Hashem washed away. These are examples of Hashem's judgment on earlier generations. The second explanation is that if you have not paid attention to what happened in the past, then reflect upon the years of each generation to recognize the future. In other words, realize that Hashem has the power to do good for you and to grant you the days of Moshiach and the World to Come. Rashi is teaching that by reflecting on the past, we can understand Hashem's ability to shape the future and to bring about redemption and reward for the Jewish people.

The verse says, "Ask your father"—Rashi explains that this refers to the prophets, who are called "fathers." For example, the verse regarding Elisha says, "Avi, Avi, rechav Yisroel"—"My father, my father, the chariot of Israel." So, when the Torah tells us to ask our father, it means to seek guidance from the prophets, who are considered the spiritual fathers of the Jewish people. They have the wisdom and insight to explain what happened in the past and to guide us in the present.

Rashi explains that "your elders" refers to the sages—the chachamim. These are the wise men of the generation, the leaders who have the knowledge and understanding to teach us about the past and to interpret the events that happened to earlier generations. The Torah is instructing us to turn to the chachamim for guidance and to learn from their wisdom.

Rashi explains the phrase "and they will inform you" as referring to the events of the former times. In other words, the sages will tell you about what happened in earlier generations, the lessons to be learned from their experiences, and how Hashem dealt with them. This is part of the process of learning from the past and applying those lessons to our own lives.

The verse says: "When the Most High gave nations their lot, when He separated the sons of man, He set up the boundaries of peoples according to the number of the children of Israel." This posuk is describing how Hashem distributed the nations and set up their boundaries. Rashi explains that when Hashem gave the nations their inheritance, He did so at the time when He separated mankind, such as at the Tower of Bavel. Hashem established the boundaries of the nations according to the number of the children of Israel. Rashi elaborates that Hashem let mankind remain in existence for the sake of the Jewish people, who would eventually descend from Shem. Specifically, for the sake of the seventy souls of the children of Israel who went down to Egypt, Hashem divided mankind into seventy nations with seventy languages. The whole arrangement of the nations and their boundaries was done with the future of the Jewish people in mind.

Rashi explains the phrase "when the Most High gave nations their lot" as referring to when Hashem gave His portion to those who provoked Him to anger. He flooded them and drowned them—that was their lot. In other words, when Hashem distributed the nations and their inheritance, He also punished those who rebelled against Him by flooding and destroying them. This is a reference to the earlier generations who sinned and were punished by Hashem, and it serves as a lesson for us to remember how Hashem deals with those who provoke Him.

When Rashi comments on BeHafrido Bnei Adam—when He separated the sons of man—he explains that this refers to when God scattered the generation of the Dispersion, meaning the generation that built the Tower of Babel. At that time, God had the power to remove them from the world entirely, to destroy them completely. But He did not do so. Instead, He established the boundaries of the nations—Yatzev Gevulos Amim—He allowed them to remain in existence and did not destroy them. So, the point is that even though God could have wiped out humanity after the Tower of Babel, He chose instead to let them continue as nations, each with their own boundaries.

Rashi explains on LeMispar Bnei Yisroel—according to the number of the children of Israel—that God let mankind remain in existence for the sake of the number of the children of Israel who were destined to descend from the children of Shem. Specifically, for the sake of the seventy souls of the children of Israel who went down to Egypt, God established the boundaries of the nations. In other words, He separated mankind into seventy nations with seventy languages, corresponding to the seventy souls of Israel. So, the existence and division of the nations was for the sake of the Jewish people who would come from Shem, and specifically for the seventy who went down to Egypt.

The verse says, 'Because the portion of Hashem is His people; Yaakov, the lot of His inheritance.' This means that Hashem's portion is His people, and Yaakov is the lot of His inheritance. The teacher elaborates that all of this effort—why did God go to such lengths to save mankind and preserve the nations?—was because the portion of Hashem was hidden among them, meaning among mankind, and was destined to emerge. And who is God's portion? It is His people. And who are His people? Yaakov, the lot of His inheritance. The teacher further explains that Yaakov is the third among the patriarchs, and he is endowed with a threefold merit: the merit of his grandfather, the merit of his father, and his own merit. Like a rope composed of three strands, which is stronger because it is twined together. Thus, it was only Yaakov and his sons who became God's inheritance—not Yishmael, the son of Avraham, and not Esav, the son of Yitzchok.

Rashi comments on Ki Chelek Hashem Amo—why did God do all of this?—because His portion was hidden among them and was destined to come out. And who is His portion? 'Amo'—His people. And who is His people? The answer is Yaakov and his descendants. So, the reason for all the effort to preserve mankind and the nations was because God's portion, the Jewish people, was among them and would eventually emerge from them.

On Yaakov Chevel Nachalaso, Rashi explains that Yaakov is the third among the patriarchs, and he is endowed with threefold merit: the merit of his grandfather (Avraham), the merit of his father (Yitzchok), and his own merit. Thus, there are three merits, like a rope made of three strands, which is stronger because it is twined together. And it was Yaakov and his sons who became God's inheritance—not Yishmael, the son of Avraham, and not Esav, the son of Yitzchok. Only Yaakov and his descendants were chosen as God's portion and inheritance.

The verse says, 'He found them in a desert land, and in a desolate, howling wasteland; He encompassed them, He bestowed understanding upon them, He protected them as the pupil of His eye.' The teacher explains that God found the children of Yaakov—meaning the Jewish people—faithful to Him in the desert. They accepted His Torah, His sovereignty, and His yoke upon themselves, something that Yishmael and Esav did not do. The teacher brings the verse, 'He shone forth from Seir to them, and appeared from Mount Paran,' and explains that the sages say God first offered the Torah to the children of Esav (Seir) and they refused, then to the children of Yishmael (Paran) and they also refused. Only Israel accepted it. Even in a desolate, howling wasteland—a place of drought and desolation, inhabited by wild animals—Israel followed their faith and did not complain to Moshe about going into the desert. As the verse in Yirmiyahu says, 'You followed Me in the desert.' God encompassed them—He surrounded them with protective clouds, with divisions in four directions, and even with the underside of Mount Sinai, which He suspended over them like a top. He bestowed understanding upon them—He gave them Torah and understanding. He protected them from snakes, serpents, scorpions, and hostile nations. 'As the pupil of His eye'—this refers to the black part of the eye, from which light is reflected outwards. Onkelos translates that God provided all their needs in the desert. The word 'found' here is similar to the usage in the verse about providing for the people. 'He encompassed them'—Onkelos says He made them encamp around His Divine Presence, with the Tent of Meeting in the middle and the four divisions of the camp surrounding it from all four directions.

Rashi comments on Yimtza'ehu BeEretz Midbar—He found them in a desert land—that God found the Jewish people faithful to Him in the desert. They accepted His Torah, His sovereignty, and His yoke upon themselves, something that Yishmael and Esav did not do. As it says, 'He shone forth from Seir to them, and appeared from Mount Paran.' The sages explain that God first went to the children of Esav in Seir and offered them the Torah, but they refused. Then He went to the children of Yishmael in Paran, and they also refused. Only Israel accepted the Torah in the desert.

On UveTohu Yelel Yeshimon—in a desolate, howling wasteland—Rashi explains that this refers to an arid, desolate land, a place of howling, inhabited by jackals and ostriches. Yet even there, Israel followed their faith and did not say to Moshe, 'How can we go out into the desert, a place of drought and desolation?' As it says in Yirmiyahu, 'You followed Me in the desert.' So, even in such harsh conditions, the Jewish people remained faithful and did not complain about entering the wilderness.

He encompassed them and surrounded them with clouds. He surrounded them with the divisions of the tribes, with banners to the four directions. He also surrounded them at the base of the mountain, meaning He overturned the mountain over them like a barrel. The teacher explains that in the desert, Hashem encompassed Israel with protective clouds, surrounding them in all four directions with the banners of the tribes, and even at Har Sinai, He surrounded them by suspending the mountain over them, as if to say, 'If you accept the Torah, good; if not, here will be your burial.' This is the meaning of Yisabevenu—He encompassed and protected them in all these ways.

He bestowed understanding upon them—this means that Hashem gave them the Torah and understanding. The teacher explains that in the desert, Hashem gave the Jewish people the Torah, which is the source of wisdom and understanding. This is the meaning of Yevonenehu—He gave them Torah and insight.

He protected them from snakes, serpents, and scorpions, and from hostile nations. The teacher elaborates that Hashem protected the Jewish people in the desert from all kinds of dangers, including wild animals and attacks from other nations. This is the meaning of Yitzrenu—He guarded them from all harm.

As the pupil of His eye—this refers to the black part of the eye, from which the light is reflected outwards. The teacher explains that this is the most sensitive and precious part of the eye, and Hashem guarded the Jewish people as one guards the pupil of their eye. Onkelos translates Yimtza'eihu as 'He provided all their needs in the desert.' The teacher brings examples from other verses, such as 'Will flock and cattle be slaughtered for them to provide them?' and 'The mountain is not enough, will it be found for us?'—all using the word yimtza in the sense of providing or sufficing. Thus, Hashem provided for all their needs in the desert, and protected them as the pupil of His eye.

He made them encamp round about His Divine Presence. The teacher explains that Onkelos renders Yisabevenu as 'He encamped them around His Shechinah.' The Tent of Meeting, where the Divine Presence rested, was in the middle of the camp, and the four divisions of the tribes surrounded it from all four directions. This arrangement showed that the Jewish people were always encamped around the Shechinah, with the Mishkan at the center and the tribes in their designated places around it.

As an eagle awakens its nest, hovering over its fledglings, it spreads its wings, takes them, and carries them on its pinions. The teacher explains that Hashem guided the Jewish people with mercy and compassion, like an eagle is merciful towards its young. The eagle does not enter its nest suddenly, but rather beats and flaps its wings above its young, between one tree and another, between one branch and another, in order to awaken its young and give them the strength to receive it. The eagle awakens its nest, meaning it awakens its fledglings. When hovering over its fledglings, the eagle does not impose its whole body upon them, but rather hovers above them, touching and not touching. So too, Hashem did not reveal Himself to the Jewish people from one direction, but from all four directions, as it says, 'Hashem came from Sinai, shone forth from Seir, appeared from Mount Paran, and came from Teiman.' When the eagle moves its young from place to place, it does not carry them with its feet like other birds, but with its wings, because it fears only the arrow, not other birds. It would rather be pierced itself than have its young harmed. Similarly, Hashem says, 'I carried you on eagle's wings.' When the Egyptians pursued the Jews and threw arrows and stones at them, the angel of Hashem and the pillar of cloud protected them. Thus, Hashem guided them alone, and no foreign god was with Him. The teacher also brings that the sages explain this verse as referring to the future, that Hashem will guide the Jewish people in the same way. But he says that these are words of reproof, that Moshe is warning the Jewish people to remember what Hashem did for them in the past and what He will do for them in the future. The whole passage is admonishing Israel to remember all this.

(11) As an eagle awakens its nest—He guided them with mercy and compassion, like an eagle is merciful to its young. The eagle does not enter its nest suddenly, but beats and flaps its wings above its young, between one tree and another, between one branch and another, in order to awaken its young and give them the strength to receive it. The teacher explains that Hashem's guidance of the Jewish people was gentle and compassionate, not abrupt or overwhelming, just as the eagle is careful and considerate with its fledglings.

He awakens its nest—this means the eagle awakens its young. The teacher explains that the phrase ya'ir kino refers to the eagle rousing its fledglings, preparing them to receive its care and protection. Similarly, Hashem awakened and prepared the Jewish people to receive His guidance and protection.

The verse describes how, just as an eagle hovers over its young, so too does Hashem act with compassion and care toward Israel. The eagle does not suddenly enter its nest; rather, it beats and flaps its wings above its young, moving between trees and branches, so that its fledglings will awaken and be ready to receive it. The eagle does not impose its whole body on them, but rather hovers above them, touching and not touching at the same time. Similarly, Hashem did not reveal Himself to the Jewish people from only one direction when He gave the Torah, but rather from all four directions. As the verse states: 'Hashem came from Sinai, and shone forth from Seir to them, appeared from Mount Paran, and came from the myriads of holy ones.' And as it says in Chavakuk, 'Elokah will come from Teiman'—that is the fourth direction. This shows that Hashem surrounded them from all sides, just as the eagle hovers protectively over its young.

Rashi explains the phrase 'He spreads His wings and takes them': When the eagle moves its young from place to place, it does not carry them with its feet like other birds do. Other birds are afraid of the eagle, which soars high above them, so they carry their young with their feet to protect them from the eagle above. But the eagle itself fears only the arrow, so it carries its young on its wings, saying, 'It is better that an arrow pierce me than pierce my children.' Likewise, Hashem says, 'I carried you on eagle's wings.' When the Egyptians pursued the Jewish people and overtook them at the sea, they threw arrows and catapulted stones at them. Immediately, the angel of Hashem moved behind them, and the pillar of cloud came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel, shielding the Jewish people from harm. This demonstrates Hashem's protective care, just as the eagle protects its young.

The verse states, 'Hashem guided them alone, and there was no foreign god with Him.' This means that Hashem alone led the Jewish people safely and securely in the desert, without the involvement or power of any other deity. No foreign god had the ability to display its strength or wage war against Israel. Hashem's guidance was exclusive and complete.

Rashi explains: 'Hashem guided them alone'—He led them in the desert with security and solitude, meaning that Hashem Himself was their guide, providing them with safety and protection without any intermediary or assistance from any other power.

On the phrase 'and there was no foreign god with Him,' Rashi explains that none of the deities of the nations had any power to show their might or to fight against Israel. Our rabbis, however, interpreted this verse as referring to the future, and so did Onkelos translate it. But Rashi says that these are words of rebuke: Moshe called upon heaven and earth as witnesses, and this song—meaning Parshas Haazinu—would also serve as a witness. Eventually, Israel would betray Hashem, and they would neither remember what Hashem did for them in previous generations nor consider what He was destined to do for them in the future. Therefore, the verse must be explained as referring both to the past and the future. The entire passage is connected to the earlier verse, 'Remember the days of old, reflect upon the years of other generations.' Just as Hashem did for them in the past, so will He do for them in the future. All of this was meant for Israel to remember.