Shabbat Shalom!.
Haazinu
The deeds of the Mighty One are perfect, for all his ways are just (Deuteronomy 32:4).
Parashat Ha’azinu, brings us to the end of Moses’ life. Ha’azinu takes the form of a poem or a song. The song is a prophecy of what will transpire to the Jews – the good and the bad – in its long journey through history. It recounts the triumph we experienced as we left slavery and began our freedom as G-d’s chosen people . Moses shares his vision of Jewish experiences for centuries to come, the weaknesses and follies that Israel exhibits and the ensuing problems and calamities that follow. But the song ends on a note of hope. G-d will not forsake the Jewish people or the Land of Israel. The Jewish people itself, will as a nation recognize its uniqueness and uphold its end of the covenant with which we entered into with Hashem at Sinai.
“Take to heart all the words of my testimony against you today, so that you can use them in charging your children to be careful to obey all the words of this Torah. For this is not a trivial matter for you; on the contrary, it is your life!” (32:46-47)
The word haazinu means more than hearing; it means to pay attention and listen intently. In Jewish tradition, many children commit this parsha to memory at a very early age, for the song contains the entire Jewish story. We need to understand that all of the things which G-d causes to happen in this world are with perfect justification. Being a great teacher, Moses uses different strategies to impress the people with the importance of their covenantal obligations. Some have a difficult time listening to this parsha, the prediction of trouble and Moshe’s concern (rightfully so) that the spiritual well being of the jewish people would eventially suffer.
Interesting that it has been these very troubles and adversity that the Jewish people have faced that have strengthened us, renewed our faith, spurred our creative genius and enabled us to have such an enormous and disproportionate influence in world affairs and civilization.
The portion concludes when Hashem says to Moshe,
”Go up to the mountain…Ascend these heights.. you shall die on the mountain that you are about to ascend, and shall be gathered in to your kin.” (deut 32:48-51)”
Imagine, after leading his people for forty long years of suffering through the desert, Moshe is denied the opportunity to enter the land he had yearned for, he is only permitted to ascend the mountain top and gaze upon the fertile land of Israel. This is a fundamental lesson which Hashem has intended us to learn from Moshe. This is true of almost everyone who feels that he has not realized his highest goal, or has not achieved
that which he had set out to do. Does this mean that ones life is a failure? of course not! We need to continue to focus on our lifes goals. In Jacob's famous dream, God shows him a vision of a ladder reaching toward heaven. Growth, like climbing a ladder, must be one step at a time -- in small, incremental goals.
We need to continue to strive to reach a higher level on the ladder, to do better, make life more meaningful for ourselves and our families and communities. This is the essential message of Ha’azinu “Jewish practice is life itself”. Take it to heart, teach it to your children, and live your life accordingly. As long as we remember the song, G-d guarantees our survival and ultimate redemption.
Shabbat Shalom,
Miriam
With Yom Kippur just behind us, our thoughts turn now to the festival of Sukkot (sometimes known as the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles). Jewish tradition tells us that we should begin building our sukkah (booth) at the first available moment after Yom Kippur; the traditional thinking is that we're rushing to the very next opportunity to complete a commandment, while at the same time closing the door on Yom Kippur, and hence, God's chance to reconsider which book we were inscribed in on Yom Kippur.
I know that many of you are reading this after yom kippur, so here are some great fall type recipes which can be served in your succah! What better dish than warm macaroni and cheese as an alternative to noodle kugel.Seems i always have noodle kugel left over but this macaroni and cheese, well its gone!
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni 1/2 cup evaporated milk 2 eggs
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream 1 teaspoon seasoning salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon butter Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al
dente; drain and rinse with cold water.In a bowl mix milk, eggs, sour cream, seasoning salt, and pepper. Layer macaroni, cheddar cheese, and milk mixture until pan is full. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and pour melted butter on top. Bake in a preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until milk mixture is done.
A great way to use up some frozen ripe bananas I had in the freezer.
Banana Bread
2 sticks butter(margarine)
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
3 tbs milk(non-dairy)
4 large bananas
3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
Optional additions (any one of the following can be added
for variety)
2 tbs poppyseed
1 cup roughly chopped nuts
1 cup Post's Banana Nut Crunch
1 cup butterscotch/chocolate/peanut butter chips
Preheat the oven at 350F. Cream the butter and sugar until pale before beating in the eggs one at a time. Mash the bananas with the milk to form a paste then stir into the butter mixture. Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda into the batter and combine well. Bake50-60 min.
Shabbat Shalom!.
