"Bigdei Kahuna" Parsha page by Rabbi Yehuda Katz

This Torah thought is being dedicated to my beloved father, Nachman Shimon ben Yehuda Meir Hakohan, Z"L.

HAAZINU

" Give ear, heavens, and I will speak; and may the earth hear the words of my mouth" (32:1)

Mosha is summoning the heavens and the earth to bear witness to the truth that he is now conveying to Israel at the last moments of his life. I would like to ,Bezrat Hashem, understand the significance behind the use of the heavens and earth as witnesses in a symbolic manner, and perhapes arrive at a very important lesson that might be of benefit to us all in our quest for "Ruchnious" (spirituality). This is an original Torah thought...................................... A person is comprised of 2 components, a soul and a body. The heavens represent mans soul, and the earth represents mans physical side. This can clearly be derived since the heavens are lofty, and the earth is comprised of dirt which is physical and mundane. When Mosha summoned the heavens and earth to bear witness, he was in actuality calling for man in his totality to bear witness (Soul and body). The soul and body must compliment one another, if Man is going to grow spiritualy. The body must be healthy and maintained so that the soul can have a vessel in which to reside, and the soul must be nurtured with Torah and Mitzvath in order for it to thrive spiritually.This is precisely the message Mosha wished to convey to the Jewish People, namely that body and soul are not contradictions; but in fact compliments of one another for a common purpose.Mosha ,therefore, symbolically summoned both body and soul (heaven and earth) to bear witness to the vital message (rebuke) found in "HAAZINU". Perhapes the first step in coming somewhat closer to Hashem, is realizing the relationship between body and soul. As a unified entity that makes up man, great spiritual heights can be accomplised. Perhapes this is the key........ Have a good Shabbos....................................................