10-Ha-azinu -- Mneumonics, friends and foes

See the corresponding song-sheet (if your browser can view PDFs)

Dueteronomy Chapter 32

מג הַרְנִינוּ גוֹיִם עַמּוֹ, כִּי דַם-עֲבָדָיו יִקּוֹם; וְנָקָם יָשִׁיב לְצָרָיו, וְכִפֶּר אַדְמָתוֹ עַמּוֹ

43 Sing aloud, O ye nations, of His people; for He doth avenge the blood of His servants, and doth render vengeance to His adversaries, and doth make expiation for the land of His people

In last week's reading, G!d says in verse 31:21 that the Ha-azinu song will be a witness that would presumably provide some background, or even some message of 'I told you so', when the people sin and dire straits develop. The claim in 31:21 that the song is unforgettable is interesting. The language of the song is poetical and the vocabulary is unusual -- it is not the most easy text to read or understand. However, once learned thoroughly (e.g., in order to recite on Shabbat from the scroll), the distinctive language and imagery may actually help to keep the song in memory. Perhaps unusual phrases and obscure meanings linger longer in memory, because their uniqueness or difficulty prevents them from being confused with, or mneumonically dulled by, any similar but different phrases.

One area of obscurity seems to be the last few verses of the song, e.g., verses 36-43. Earlier in the song G!d had been talking about conquering, almost-destroying, and scattering the Israelites, via the agency of other nations. For most of the song, Israel would seem to be 'the enemy', or at least the target of punishment. In verse 43, however, there seems to be a contrast between the servants, whose blood is avenged, and the adversaries, who receive vengeance. This suggests to me that Israelites are the servants and that those nations by whose agency Israel has been punished are now the adversaries. It could be that some of the preceding verses assume a similar stance toward Israel and the nations. I find them unclear, but I believe that a shift toward siding with the Israelites and holding the 'enemy nations' in disfavor might occur as early as verse 36.

There might be a lesson in the above ambiguity, about the fluidity of the roles of 'servant', 'enemy' or even 'His people'. When we act well, we are the people, the servants. When we don't act well (and others do act well), then we may be 'enemies', or at the very least, our conquerors may not be G!d's enemies. Nowadays we are open to an inclusive alternative where Israel along with other nations all 'act well', and so all of us can be 'the good guys', and there are no longer any 'enemies of G!d'. May it be so!