When I was in T.A.G. Elementary school, we were asked to learn Haazinu by heart. And we did. Until last week, I didn’t understand what was so important about Haazinu that it had to be memorized. The answer is in last week’s Parshah/torah portion, Deuteronomy 31:16, After Moses’ death, the Jews will sin, and anger G-d, and G-d will hide His presence from the Jews. 31:19: So now, write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the children of Israel, place it in their mouth, so that this song shall be for Me a witness against the Children of Israel…It shall be that when many evils and distresses come upon it, then this song shall speak up before it as a witness, for it shall not be forgotten from the mouth of its offspring, for I know its inclination, what it does today, before I bring them to the land that I have sworn.”
When evil befalls Israel, they will sing this song. It is counterintuitive to sing when evil befalls a person, yet virtually all the Psalms that King David wrote as songs, were written when his life was on the line, in the throes of distress.
What lesson is this for us, now that we have started a new year. We have just cleared our sins, we ask G-d for a new year filled only with goodness and blessings. Yet, there isn’t a person alive today, or even Moses himself, who is alive and will not sin. Inevitably, something that looks like evil will occur to us, yet we have to continue to sing G-d’s praises, that is when we are being tested. Do we trust that even when something looks bad, it is goodness from G-d, can we bless the bad as we bless what seems good.
That is the core and essence of faith, seeing everything as G-d’s goodness.
As we have passed the somber holidays turning to G-d, now G-d turns to us and protects us in our shabby sukkahs, a further affirmation of the trust we place in G-d’s hands, and the love and adoration He shows us.
Our commandment on Sukkoth “vahayitah ach sameach/you shall be uniquely joyous.”
My hopes and blessings for you and all of us this holiday, and the entire year.
Good Shabbos. Chag Sameach.
-Suri