8 October 2022 - Shabbat Haazinu (Listen)

 

Shabbat Shalom!

HA’AZINU (Listen!)
Deuteronomy 32:1–52; 2 Samuel 22:1–22:51; Romans 11:1–36

“Give ear [Ha’Azinu], Oh heavens, and I will speak …” (Deuteronomy 32:1) 

(vii) 44 Moshe came and proclaimed all the words of this song in the hearing of the people and of Hoshea the son of Nun.

45 When he had finished speaking all these words to all Isra’el, 46 he said to them, “Take to heart all the words of my testimony against you today, so that you can use them in charging your children to be careful to obey all the words of this Torah. 47 For this is not a trivial matter for you; on the contrary, it is your life! Through it you will live long in the land you are crossing the Yarden to possess.”

(Maftir) 48 That same day Adonai said to Moshe, 49 “Go up into the ‘Avarim Range, to Mount N’vo, in the land of Mo’av across from Yericho; and look out over the land of Kena‘an, which I am giving the people of Isra’el as a possession. 50 On the mountain you are ascending you will die and be gathered to your people, just as Aharon your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people. 51 The reason for this is that both of you broke faith with me there among the people of Isra’el at the M’rivat-Kadesh Spring, in the Tzin Desert; you failed to demonstrate my holiness there among the people of Isra’el. 52 So you will see the land from a distance, but you will not enter the land I am giving to the people of Isra’el.”

Haftarah Ha’azinu: Sh’mu’el Bet (2 Samuel) 22:1–51

1 David said the words of this song to Adonai on the day Adonai delivered him from the power of all his enemies and from the power of Sha’ul. ² He said:

“Adonai is my Rock, my fortress and deliverer,
³ the God who is my Rock, in whom I find shelter,
my shield, the power that saves me,
my stronghold and my refuge.
My savior, you have saved me from violence.
⁴ I call on Adonai, who is worthy of praise;
and I am saved from my enemies.

⁵ “For death’s breakers were closing over me,
the floods of B’liya‘al terrified me,
⁶ the ropes of Sh’ol were wrapped around me,
the snares of death lay there before me.
⁷ In my distress I called to Adonai;
yes, I called to my God.
Out of his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry entered his ears.

⁸ “Then the earth quaked and shook,
the foundations of heaven trembled.
They were shaken because he was angry.
⁹ Smoke arose in his nostrils;
and from his mouth, devouring fire,
with coals blazing from it.
¹⁰ He lowered heaven and came down
with thick darkness under his feet.
¹¹ He rode on a keruv and flew,
he was seen on the wings of the wind.
¹² He made darkness his canopy around him,
thick clouds in the skies dense with water.
¹³ From the brightness before him,
fiery coals flamed out.

¹⁴ “Adonai thundered from heaven,
Ha‘Elyon sounded his voice.
¹⁵ He sent out arrows and scattered them;
with lightning he routed them.
¹⁶ The channels of the sea appeared,
the foundations of the world were exposed
at Adonai’s rebuke,
at the blast of breath from his nostrils.

¹⁷ “He sent from on high, he took me
and pulled me out of deep water;
¹⁸ he rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from those who hated me, for they were stronger than I.
¹⁹ They came against me on my day of calamity,
but Adonai was my support.

²⁰ “He brought me out to an open place;
he rescued me, because he took pleasure in me.
²¹ Adonai rewarded me for my uprightness,
he repaid me because my hands were clean.

²² “For I have kept the ways of Adonai,
I have not done evil by leaving my God;
²³ for all his rulings were before me,
I did not depart from his regulations.
²⁴ I was pure-hearted toward him
and kept myself from my sin.

²⁵ “Hence Adonai repaid me for my uprightness,
according to my purity in his view.
²⁶ With the merciful, you are merciful;
with the champion of purity, you are pure;
²⁷ with the honest, you are honest;
but with the crooked you are cunning.
²⁸ People afflicted, you save;
but when your eyes are on the haughty, you humble them.

²⁹ “For you, Adonai, are my lamp;
Adonai lights up my darkness.
³⁰ With you I can run through a whole troop of men,
with my God I can leap a wall.

³¹ “As for God, his way is perfect,
the word of Adonai has been tested by fire;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
³² For who is God but Adonai,
and who is a Rock but our God?

³³ “God is my strength and protection;
he makes my way go straight.
³⁴ He makes me swift and sure-footed as a deer
and enables me to stand on my high places.
³⁵ He trains my hands for war
until my arms can bend a bow of bronze;
³⁶ You give me your shield, which is salvation;
your answers make me great.
³⁷ You lengthen the steps I can take,
yet my ankles do not turn.

³⁸ “I pursued my enemies and wiped them out,
without turning back until they were destroyed.
³⁹ I destroyed them, crushed them; they can’t get up;
they have fallen under my feet.

⁴⁰ “For you braced me with strength for the battle
and bent down my adversaries beneath me.
⁴¹ You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,
so that I could destroy those who hate me.

⁴² “They looked, but there was no one to help,
even to Adonai, but he didn’t answer.
⁴³ I pulverized them like dust on the ground,
pounded and stamped on them like mud in the streets.

⁴⁴ “You also freed me from the quarrels of my people.
You kept me to be the head of the nations;
a people I did not know now serve me.
⁴⁵ Foreigners come cringing to me;
the moment they hear of me, they obey me.
⁴⁶ Foreigners lose heart as they stagger from their fortresses.

⁴⁷ “Adonai is alive! Blessed is my Rock!
Exalted be God, the Rock of my salvation,
⁴⁸ the God who gives me vengeance
and makes peoples submit to me.
⁴⁹ He brings me out from my enemies.
You raise me over those who rebel against me,
you rescue me from violent men.

⁵⁰ “So I give thanks to you, Adonai, among the nations;
I sing praises to your name.
⁵¹ He is a tower of salvation for his king;
he displays grace to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever.”

B’rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah Ha’azinu: 

Romans 10:14 –21;

¹¹ For the passage quoted says that everyone who rests his trust on him will not be humiliated.^{[c] 12} That means that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile — Adonai is the same for everyone, rich toward everyone who calls on him, ¹³ since everyone who calls on the name of Adonai will be delivered.^[d] 

¹⁴ But how can they call on someone if they haven’t trusted in him? And how can they trust in someone if they haven’t heard about him? And how can they hear about someone if no one is proclaiming him? ¹⁵ And how can people proclaim him unless God sends them? — as the Tanakh puts it, “How beautiful are the feet of those announcing good news about good things!”^[e]

 

Romans 11:1–36; 

 

Romans 12:14–21; 

12 I exhort you, therefore, brothers, in view of God’s mercies, to offer yourselves as a sacrifice, living and set apart for God. This will please him; it is the logical “Temple worship” for you. ² In other words, do not let yourselves be conformed to the standards of the ‘olam hazeh. Instead, keep letting yourselves be transformed by the renewing of your minds; so that you will know what God wants and will agree that what he wants is good, satisfying and able to succeed. ³ For I am telling every single one of you, through the grace that has been given to me, not to have exaggerated ideas about your own importance. Instead, develop a sober estimate of yourself based on the standard which God has given to each of you, namely, trust. ⁴ For just as there are many parts that compose one body, but the parts don’t all have the same function; ⁵ so there are many of us, and in union with the Messiah we comprise one body, with each of us belonging to the others. ⁶ But we have gifts that differ and which are meant to be used according to the grace that has been given to us. If your gift is prophecy, use it to the extent of your trust; ⁷ if it is serving, use it to serve; if you are a teacher, use your gift in teaching; ⁸ if you are a counselor, use your gift to comfort and exhort; if you are someone who gives, do it simply and generously; if you are in a position of leadership, lead with diligence and zeal; if you are one who does acts of mercy, do them cheerfully.

⁹ Don’t let love be a mere outward show. Recoil from what is evil, and cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Love each other devotedly and with brotherly love; and set examples for each other in showing respect. ¹¹ Don’t be lazy when hard work is needed, but serve the Lord with spiritual fervor. ¹² Rejoice in your hope, be patient in your troubles, and continue steadfastly in prayer. ¹³ Share what you have with God’s people, and practice hospitality.

 14 Bless those who persecute you — bless them, don’t curse them! 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be sensitive to each other’s needs — don’t think yourselves better than others, but make humble people your friends. Don’t be conceited. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but try to do what everyone regards as good. 18 If possible, and to the extent that it depends on you, live in peace with all people. 19 Never seek revenge, my friends; instead, leave that to God’s anger; for in the Tanakh it is written,
“Adonai says, ‘Vengeance is my responsibility; I will repay.’”[u]
20 On the contrary,
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
For by doing this, you will heap
fiery coals [of shame] on his head.”[v]
21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

 

Messianic Jews (Hebrews) 12:28–39

28 Therefore, since we have received an unshakeable Kingdom, let us have grace, through which we may offer service that will please God, with reverence and fear. 29 For indeed,
“Our God is a consuming fire!”[a]