BEMIDBAR 32:1-32:52
Imagine that you are on your deathbed and your children are gathered around you. There are so many ideas you could convey to them, and you begin to sing. This is precisely what Moshe Rabbenu a”h does. He sings a song so that the Children of Israel will not forget it. He wanted to impress them with a song of strong rebuke and exhortation.
Many times, human beings seek refuge in Dio during difficult moments. After passing Yom HaKippurim, having opened our hearts toward the Heavens, we are convinced that we can conquer the world. As the month advances, we begin to feel complacency in our self-righteousness, and soon we forget all the resolutions and metaphysical goals that we sought to carry out at the head of Rosh HaShanáh. As our habits gain strength, we begin to weaken and give up. At that moment, we begin to feel abandoned by our Dio. All motivation is lost, and once again we come crashing down. What happened? The vision was lost, and the discipline failed.
Songs activate memories. In the prayers of shahrith and arbith, we recall yessi’ath missrayim no fewer than 10 times. On Shabbath and Rosh Ḥodesh we are accustomed to singing Az Yashir Moshe. In our perasháh, Moshe Rabbenu sings so that we may remember that there will be ups and downs in our individual lives and as a Nation. The same Dio who gives death is the same who gives life. The same Dio who revealed Himself in greatness and splendor at Sinai is the same Dio who hides Himself at certain moments in our history. There is no point in trying to figure out why He acts in that way. We are His servants, and we have a responsibility toward Him and toward humanity. When we are confronted with racism, discrimination, or with the task of doing what is right, it is incumbent upon us as Jews to defend the values of the Toráh. It is not enough to not be the oppressor; we must sympathize and empathize with the oppressed and give a voice to the one who lacks it. Hakham DeSola Pool, a”h, the late minister of Shearith Israel, declared:
“Judaism has always clung to the vision of man’s unlimited potential for good. It has never abandoned the faith of the Psalmist (8:6) that man may be little less than divine, and crowned with glory and majesty. Because of this optimistic teaching of human potential, I wish to remain a Jew.” (Why I Am a Jew, p. 65)
The will of HaGeburáh for the Jewish people and for humanity is that we find a humanitarian cause and do something about it. Make a song about that very cause. Sing it every day, all day long, and never forget it!
May our songs be filled with melody and harmony, so that others will be compelled to join in.