Dear Friends,
Our Torah reading for this Shabbat, Ha’azinu, includes Moses’ final poetic oration, his final ethical will to the people of Israel. It includes forthright teachings on life, which Moses left as his valedictory. Among the poem’s verses is this:
“Like an eagle who rouses its nestlings, gliding down to its young; So did [God} spread wings and take them, bear them along on pinions.” (Deut. 32:11)
The 17th/18th century Jewish writer, Gluckel of Hameln, who wrote her own final ethical will to her children, perhaps borrowing from this verse, wrote the following, as cited in The Five Books of Miriam, by Ellen Frankel:
A bird once set out to cross the windy sea with its three fledglings. The sea was so wide and the wind so strong, the father bird was forced to carry his young, one by one, in his strong claws. When he was halfway across with the first fledgling, the wind turned to a gale, and he said, ‘My child, look how I am struggling and risking my life on your behalf. When you are grown up, will you do as much for me and provide for my old age?’ the fledgling replied, ‘Only bring me to safety, and when you are old I shall do everything you ask of me.’ Wherat the father bird dropped his child into the sea and it drowned, and he said, ‘So shall be done to such a liar as you.’ Then the father returned to shore, set forth with his second fledgling, asked the same question, and, receiving the same answer, drowned the second child, wit the cry, ‘You too are a liar.” Finally, he set out with the third fledgling, and when he asked the same question, the third and last fledgling replied, ‘My dear father, it is true you are struggling mightily and risking your life in my behalf, and I shall be wrong not to repay you when you are old, but I cannot bind myself. This, enough, I can promise: when I am grown and have children of y own, I shall do as much for them as you have done for me.’ Whereupon the father bird said, “Well spoken, my child, and wisely; your life I will spare and carry you to shore in safety.’”
As the Torah is about to conclude, and Moses’ life come to its end, and the New Year is just commencing, it wi wise of us to ask, “What will we leave to those who follow after us?’ And, more, “What ought we ask of those who follow after us?”
Let’s go ponder!
Shabbat Shalom, and L’shanah Tovah Tichateimu – May you be inscribed in the Book of Life for blessings!
Rabbi Douglas Kohn
Our Torah reading for this Shabbat, Ha’azinu, includes Moses’ final poetic oration, his final ethical will to the people of Israel. It includes forthright teachings on life, which Moses left as his valedictory. Among the poem’s verses is this:
“Like an eagle who rouses its nestlings, gliding down to its young; So did [God} spread wings and take them, bear them along on pinions.” (Deut. 32:11)
The 17th/18th century Jewish writer, Gluckel of Hameln, who wrote her own final ethical will to her children, perhaps borrowing from this verse, wrote the following, as cited in The Five Books of Miriam, by Ellen Frankel:
A bird once set out to cross the windy sea with its three fledglings. The sea was so wide and the wind so strong, the father bird was forced to carry his young, one by one, in his strong claws. When he was halfway across with the first fledgling, the wind turned to a gale, and he said, ‘My child, look how I am struggling and risking my life on your behalf. When you are grown up, will you do as much for me and provide for my old age?’ the fledgling replied, ‘Only bring me to safety, and when you are old I shall do everything you ask of me.’ Wherat the father bird dropped his child into the sea and it drowned, and he said, ‘So shall be done to such a liar as you.’ Then the father returned to shore, set forth with his second fledgling, asked the same question, and, receiving the same answer, drowned the second child, wit the cry, ‘You too are a liar.” Finally, he set out with the third fledgling, and when he asked the same question, the third and last fledgling replied, ‘My dear father, it is true you are struggling mightily and risking your life in my behalf, and I shall be wrong not to repay you when you are old, but I cannot bind myself. This, enough, I can promise: when I am grown and have children of y own, I shall do as much for them as you have done for me.’ Whereupon the father bird said, “Well spoken, my child, and wisely; your life I will spare and carry you to shore in safety.’”
As the Torah is about to conclude, and Moses’ life come to its end, and the New Year is just commencing, it wi wise of us to ask, “What will we leave to those who follow after us?’ And, more, “What ought we ask of those who follow after us?”
Let’s go ponder!
Shabbat Shalom, and L’shanah Tovah Tichateimu – May you be inscribed in the Book of Life for blessings!
Rabbi Douglas Kohn
