Parshat Ha’azinu & Sukkot: Strength from Former Hostages

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The poetic parsha of Ha’azinu, which we will read just before Sukkot, reminds us of the blessings God has bestowed upon the people of Israel throughout history. By recalling both our failures and our faith, Ha’azinu becomes a verbal act of hakarat hatov, gratitude for all the good God has granted us.

The Midrash Sifrei teaches that this song encompasses the past, present, and future of the Jewish people. Ramban adds that it is both our testimony about God’s benevolence to us and God’s testimony about Israel—that even when we stray, God will forgive and return to us.

The mitzvah of sitting in the sukkah carries a similar message. The Torah commands us to dwell in sukkot “so that future generations will know that I caused the Israelites to dwell in booths” after the Exodus (Vayikra 23). Yet the Torah never describes these sukkot explicitly, leading to a rabbinic debate about whether they were physical booths, or the ananei hakavod—the Clouds of Glory—symbolizing divine protection. Whether they were actual shelters or the miraculous clouds, the sukkah teaches that it is precisely in moments of fragility and uncertainty that we are reminded to rely on God’s care.

We have also learned this lesson from many former hostages—may the remaining ones come home soon. In his book, Eli Sharabi describes how, at his most vulnerable, in the dark, cramped, airless tunnels of Gaza, he drew strength from the words of Kiddush and Shema. Ha’azinu and the sukkah together remind us that as we emerge from this month of chagim, when we feel most attuned to God’s presence, we can strive to hold on to these reminders of faith and protection throughout the year ahead. Shabbat Shalom -Karen Miller Jackson

Parshat Ha’azinu and Sukkot: Rain Down on Me!

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In his parting words in parshat Ha’azinu, Moshe urges Bnei Yisrael to appreciate God’s Torah through a poetic metaphor: “May my discourse come down as the rain (מטר), My speech distill as the dew, Like showers on young growth, Like droplets on the grass.” What is the symbolism of the Torah being likened to rainwater? 

The midrash Sifre interprets: “Just as rain is life for the world, so too, words of Torah.” This refers to matar, good rain, also known as “rains of bracha.” Rain, like Torah, connects the earthly and the heavenly, the physical and the spiritual. It comes down from the heavens and provides sustenance, life and growth on earth. Rashi adds another dimension to this idea in his interpretation of Bereshit. God did not bring down rain until there was someone to be “makir tov,” to appreciate and pray for rain. Rain reminds us to be cognizant of good things and to express appreciation for them. So too, Moshe wants the Jewish people to appreciate the Torah. 

Rainwater and hakarat ha-tov are central themes during Sukkot as well. While dwelling in a temporary sukkah, we are reminded to be cognizant of what we have. Also, the mishna (Rosh Hashanah) teaches: “On the chag (sukkot) we are judged regarding the water.” Our actions and prayers directly influence the amount of rain received each year. In Temple times there were water libations (ניסוך המים) on Sukkot in prayer that the world “be blessed with water.” Just after sukkot we begin saying the tefilla for matar and “rains of bracha.”

By taking time on Sukkot to recognize the goodness of rain, Torah and other things, we hope and pray that this year brachot rain down on us and the world. Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach! -Karen Miller Jackson