Parshat Haazinu :: October 4, 2025

Two weeks ago Joram asked me if I was willing to do this dvar, believing that I could whip one up quickly. I let it be known, I can’t! and he added “no pressure, not to worry, Rabbi is the default.”

While connecting to Haazinu, I looked back at Nitzavim and Vayeilech. They all seem to address different aspects of how to respond during times of transition. Within each parsha, I discovered important life lessons: Nitzavim regarding the future, Vayeilech, the present, and Haazinu, the past. 

Let’s start with Haazinu, today’s parsha. Haazinu means listen. Written as a poem, as conveyed to Moshe from God, it is his departing message to b’nei Yisroel, pretty much Moshe’s swan song.

Being mindful of the past is a central theme of this week’s portion.

Remember the days of yore, understand the years of generation after generation, ask your father and he will relate it to you, and your elders and they will tell you.

—Haazinu, v 7

Eliciting and learning from the memories of parents, grandparents and the generations that preceded us is imperative in order to understand one’s history, both personally and as a people. Though there is a limit to the memories that we can create in one lifetime, there are a lifetime of memories that can be transmitted from generation to generation.

Shared memories enrich, direct and give meaning to our lives. Through listening and understanding the collective memories of the past we gain perspective into the present and can more easily move into the future.

Listening differs from hearing. Hearing is passive. Listening  takes focus and attention, patience and a willingness to be present with someone else’s narrative. How often are we all guilty of preparing our rebuttal before whomever we are talking with finishes what they are saying?

In prepping, I learned that the word listen is an anagram of silent. That conveys the wisdom of the word. To listen, often entails being silent. To focus not merely on the words one hears as well as the body language and the emotions conveyed. I often wonder if we’ve forgotten how to listen to others, or that we only listen to what we care to hear. Only tuning into what reinforces our preconceived ideas; without a willingness to dig deeper or challenge ourselves. To truly listen demands an openness to another perspective, a willingness to step outside one’s own viewpoint and conviction and entertain the idea that other possibilities exist, that I may not know what I thought I knew. 

To listen is demanding and simultaneously, scary and potentially threatening as it might lead to a change, one that I may not be prepared for. And as Hanna pointed out on Rosh HaShanah, sometimes just listening is sufficient. 

The word ozen, the root of Haazinu, means ear…the locus of our equilibrium; and moznayim, from the same root is the Hebrew word for balance. Perhaps we need to learn to be better listeners to attain a balanced perspective in our understanding of others and the world in which we live. In listening to other perspectives, we increase our ability to understand others and ourselves; a skill we desperately need during these challenging times.

Haazinu teaches us that the past matters. Verse 1 tells us, Haasinu, to listen. Verse 7 tells us, Zechor, to remember. Verse 46 tells us, simu levavchem, to take your hearts and absorb the teachings of the Torah.

If you do these things, you will come to a better understanding. May we never underestimate the power of learning from the past and the experiences of our ancestors. And may we become better listeners to each other to enhance our understanding of others. 

Vayeilech, last week’s parsha instructs us regarding the present. It is especially significant when the present fills one with doubt, fear, anxiety and/or sadness, emotions we all can relate to over the past two years, emotions relevant during times of transition as was true in parshat Vayelilech. Moshe is leaving the mantle of leadership to Joshua. 

The unknown, while it can be exciting, can be distressing. Uncertainty is scary. We crave guarantees. We want to know the outcome before committing to a decision, an unrealistic desire with which many are familiar. Vayeilech provides a clue as to how to endure difficult times. In verses 6-8, and 2 more times, we read chazak v’amatz, be strong and courageous, followed by the concept of knowing that God will be with you and not leave you. “Hashem - it is He who goes before you, He will be with you…do not be afraid.” 

Clearly easier said than done. Having faith and being strong and courageous when faced with challenging times can sustain one during difficult moments, transitions and unexpected realities.

Kol haolam kulo gesher tzar me’od, vehaikar lo lefached klal. 

The whole world is a very narrow bridge, and the main thing is not to fear at all.

—Attributed to Rabbi Nachman of Breslov 

I learned that the teaching uses the Hebrew word  l'hitpached, the reflexive form, to cause oneself to be afraid. Nachman is teaching that courage doesn’t mean denying fear. But rather, to choose not to exacerbate the fear we are already experiencing. Life can be very scary at times, fear unavoidable, but having courage means moving forward despite our fear. We engage in many activities that exacerbate our fears. Perhaps we need to lessen them, to “not feed the dragons” and go down so many rabbit holes as my husband would advise. Set limits to diminish your fears. 

Earlier this week, I listened to the heart wrenching stories of four of the October 7th survivors. It gave me much Chizuk, much strength, as they spoke of the courage they had to get up everyday and face the next day; one wondering whether he would ever be released from captivity, having been held for 484 days, will he see his wife and family again? Another, waking up daily and having the strength and courage to get out of bed to the reality that her son was brutally murdered leaving behind a wife and two children. 

I think the reason the Jewish people are known for our resilience and courage is because we have had and continue to have so much practice. To be chazak v’ amatz, to be strong and have ometz lev, a courageous heart, means doing what is right even in the face of experiencing demanding and difficult emotions. During and following difficult times it isn’t uncommon to feel defeated, to be tempted to abandon faith, to stray and even engage in self-destructive actions. If we turn to Nitzavim, our future-focused parsha, we read about our freedom to choose.

God permits us freewill, maybe not at all times and not with everything, but we can choose our path. Freewill is inherent to being human. It differentiates us from other life forms. It is a gift from God.

I have placed life and death before you, blessing and curse, and you shall choose life, so that you will live …to love Hashem, your God, to listen to his voice and to cleave to him.

—Nitzavim verses 15-20 

You might recall the tochacha that we read less than a month ago, describing the horrific and unimaginable outcomes of making the wrong choice. It doesn't sound like we have much of a choice, it feels a bit coercive. Do good to avoid punishment. If you don’t heed [heed what? A warning? advice?], you know what awful things will occur. What kind of choice is that?

Yes, there are consequences to our choices. And while we pass the buck and avoid personal responsibility for our actions, we often become the victims of our own poor decisions. Fear of punishment is a strong motivator for engaging in good behavior, but I believe that God wishes for us to recognize the intrinsic benefits of living a moral, ethical and righteous life. Our future depends on the choices we make. When one makes the right choices, she is ultimately better off.

I would tell my patients when you do the right thing you can’t go wrong. As Rabbi Davis taught us a couple weeks ago, lo bashamayim he it is not in the heavens. There are plenty of things right here that we can do right now. 

In my personal preparation for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, I listened to a podcast. The teacher made a point that resonated with me. It resonated because I often think that people go through the motions of the season’s messaging as opposed to absorbing the intended impact of the season throughout the year. She said, Perhaps we ought to pay greater attention to the days between Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah than the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Think about that; absorb this most important perspective. While you may feel like Yom Kippur and the Yamim Noraim are behind us, don't forget: the work is ongoing.

When a new year begins, secular or the Jewish new year, I encourage my clients to choose a word to carry with them throughout the year. Here’s my challenge to you now, from this Yom Kippur to next Rosh Hashanah: Pick one word, one attribute. Some word suggestions: Balance, choice, respect, patience, intention, open-minded, fair, self-control, generosity, perspective discipline, humility, acceptance…  something you choose to proactively work on throughout the year for self-improvement, in working to become the person you want to be, to live up to your ideal self in becoming the best version of you. Keep your word front and center in your mind and in your heart.  

If you can’t think of a word, think of today’s dvar. Remember these lessons, these words from our last three torah portions: listen, be strong and courageous, do the right thing.

As we pivot from the Yamim Noraim, and ready ourselves to welcome Sukkot, z’man simchatenu, a time of joy and shortly thereafter, simchat Torah when we return to bereishit, to the beginning; let us be blessed with remembering the past and continue to become better listeners, develop greater strength, courage and faith, so as to diminish our fears and most importantly to choose wisely; 

I suggest that if you do these things….then V’zot Haberacha, this will be our blessing as we welcome 5786. 

Shabbat shalom.