Daily Aliya for Haazinu, Shvii (7th Aliya)

Aliya Summary: Moshe and Joshua teach this song to the Israelites. Moshe implores the people: "Pay close attention to this: it isn't an empty teaching; it is our life, and with it we will long endure on our land." G‑d then tells Moshe to climb up Mount Nevo, from where he will view the land of Israel from afar before he passes away.

Only if we make the Torah our life will we be worthy of occupying the land which G-d gave us. It's not a right, it's a privilege we need to constantly earn.

Daily Aliya for Haazinu, Shishi (6th Aliya)

Aliya Summary: Then G‑d will turn His wrath against Israel's oppressors. "I will make My arrows drunk with their blood, My sword will consume their flesh." At that time, when G‑d will avenge the blood of His servants, the nations of the world will sing the praises of Israel. With this, the song of Ha'azinu concludes.

The Parsha until this point is written (in a Torah scroll) in an unusual manner. This is a Tradition passed down through the generations from scribe to scribe. The only other portion of the Torah to be written differently from the rest of the Torah (and different from Haazinu as well) is the Song of the Sea in B'shalach.

Daily Aliya for Haazinu, Chamishi (5th Aliya)

Aliya Summary: If the nations were wise they would have understood that no nation could experience such utter devastation unless G‑d had completely abandoned them and delivered them to their enemies. Otherwise, "How can one enemy pursue a thousand of Israel and two put ten thousand to flight?" Rather, the Israelites' misery came as a result of their actions, which resembled those of Sodom and Gomorrah, actions which G‑d chronicled from the start. However, the time will then come when G‑d will have a change of heart regarding His people. At that point He will ask them to note that all the gods which they had patronized were unable to help them when He unleashed His punishments against them, for only G‑d has the ability to injure or heal, cause death or bring life.

Our challenge is to contemplate the above and understand the many lessons contained in G-d's (and Moshe's) words. The bottom line is that although Israel strays from the proper path, G-d will not abandon us, and He will rally to our side in the face of our enemies, if we would only realize this and appreciate the awesome power of G-d.

Daily Aliya for Haazinu, Revii (4th Aliya)

Aliya Summary: G‑d became incensed by His children's behavior. He decided to hide His face from them, and to send upon them invading armies, wild beasts, plagues, demons, and famine. If not for the obtuse nations who would have foolishly taken credit for Israel's demise, G‑d would've utterly destroyed the Jewish nation.

The Gemara, in a play on words, tells us that the concept of Hester Panim (hiding G-d's face) is personified in Esther (Hester/Esther), who lived in exile and at a time that G-d chose not to reveal himself in open ways and generally operates through nature.

Daily Aliya for Haazinu, Shlishi (3rd Aliya)

Aliya Summary: Moshe then speaks of the Israelites' future. G‑d settled them in the Land of Israel, the "peak of the earth." He provided them with their every need, the choicest produce, fruit and cattle. But Israel "became fat and rebelled," and abandoned the G‑d that made them and provided them with all their wealth and fortune. Instead they strayed after idols and abominable activities.

Even from this poetic - essentially non-halachic context, we learn things of a halachic nature. Because the Torah uses the expression: To suckle honey from a rock, we are taught that honey has the status in halacha of a liquid. Because of its unique physical proper ties, honey might have been considered as a solid food rather than a drink.

Daily Aliya for Haazinu, Sheni (2nd Aliya)

Aliya Summary: Moshe beseeches the Israelites to contemplate their history, starting with the generation of the Tower of Babylon. When that generation sinned, G‑d could have destroyed humanity, but instead chose to spare them, only because of Israel -- G‑d's portion -- which was destined to arise from those people. In the desert, in a "desolate, howling wasteland," G‑d enveloped and protected the Israelites with clouds, caring for His nation as an eagle tenderly cares for his offspring, treating them like the pupil of His eye. "G‑d alone guided them, and no other god was able to disturb them."

Rashi mentions several ways that eagles be have towards their offspring for their benefit. Apparently, eagles are extremely protective, and they do many things meant to prepare their fledglings for their adult lives, as well. The Torah's analogy is thus very appropriate.

Daily Aliya for Haazinu, Rishon (1st Aliya)

General Overview: The bulk of this week's Torah reading, Ha'azinu, consists of a poetic song delivered by Moses and Joshua. The song is a prophecy of what will transpire to the Jews – the good and the bad – until the end of times. The portion concludes with G‑d commanding Moshe to climb Mount Nevo, from where he would see the Promised Land before his passing.

Aliya Summary: The heavens and earth, permanent fixtures of this world, are called upon to be witnesses to the words which Moshe will now say. The Torah, Moshe declares, is life to this world, much as rain and dew are to vegetation. G‑d is righteous and just, and all corruption stems from His children, who are thankless and lack the wisdom to recognize the source of all their blessing.

Daily Aliya for Vayelech, Shvii (7th Aliya)

Aliya Summary: Moshe took the freshly concluded Torah scroll and gave it to the Levites. He instructed them to place it beside the Ark which contained the Tablets. Moshe then gathered the entire nation to hear the song, wherein he would call upon the heavens and earth to be witnesses that the Israelites were forewarned regarding their fate.

Moshe tells of the prophecy-prediction of the rebelliousness of the People. Moshe speaks the words of the Song - here probably referring to Haazinu - to all the people, in its entirety.

Daily Aliya for Vayelech, Shishi (6th Aliya)

Aliya Summary: When G‑d's wrath will find the Israelites as a consequence of their evil actions, they will claim that the misfortunes are befalling them because G‑d has abandoned them. At that time, the song which Moshe and Joshua wrote will bear testimony that these events are in fact punishment for their sinful behavior.

Rambam says that Moshe wrote 13 Torahs - one for each tribe and one in the care of the Kohanim/Leviim) and taught it to the People. G-d "commanded" Yehoshua to be strong and courageous in his new role as leader. Moshe completed the writing of the Torah. Some say that Moshe even wrote the final 8 p'sukim of the Torah, which discuss his death. Some say Yehoshua wrote them.

Daily Aliya for Vayelech, Chamishi (5th Aliya)

Aliya Summary: G‑d commanded Moshe to enter the Tabernacle together with Joshua. G‑d appeared to them both and informed them that a time will come when the Israelites will abandon G‑d and stray after alien gods. At that time, G‑d will hide His countenance from the nation, and they will be subjected to much evils and troubles. Therefore, G‑d says, "Write for yourselves this song, and teach it to the Children of Israel. Place it into their mouths, in order that this song will be for Me as a witness..." This 'song' is narrated in next week's Torah reading.

This prophecy of Bnei Yisrael turning from G-d need never have happened. We always have the ability to not let a negative prophecy come true. Even if G-d tells Moshe that this was going to happen, every generation can behave properly and, in effect say, We won't let it happen to us. Unfortunately, it did come to pass, more than once. But it doesn't have to, and it is our challenge to not let it happen.

Daily Aliya for Vayelech, Revii (4th Aliya)

Aliya Summary: Moshe gives the commandment of Hakhel (assembly), whereby every seven years, during the holiday of Sukkot which follows the Sabbatical year, all men, women, and children assemble and the king publicly reads sections of the Torah.

The Sefer HaChinuch explains that since the Torah is the essence of our existence as Jews, it is fitting that every once in a while there be a major "event" that revolves around the Torah to reinforce the concept of the Torah's centrality. It is most fitting that the king be the one to read from the Torah and that it take place in the Beit HaMikdash courtyard, and that it take place during a joyous festival.

Daily Aliya for Vayelech, Shlishi (3rd Aliya)

Aliya Summary: Moshe summoned Joshua and told him to be strong and courageous, for G‑d will be going before him and will not forsake him. Moshe then wrote the entire Torah and gave it to the Kohnaim (priests) and the Israelite elders.

When Moshe finished writing the Torah, he gave it over to the Kohanim, "the carriers of the Ark".

Daily Aliya for Vayelech, Sheni (2nd Aliya)

Aliya Summary: Moshe continued his talk: G‑d will vanquish the inhabitants of Canaan as He did the Emorites and Bashanites. Moshe enjoined the Israelites to be strong and not fear their enemies.

"For G-d, your G-d, He will go before you..." Why YOUR G-d? Why not Elokeinu - OUR G-d? One commentator suggests that this is a poignant reminder that Moshe Rabeinu will not be entering the Land of Israel, as will all the people to whom he is speaking. The Talmud states that he who dwells outside of Israel, is like one who has no G-d. Moshe, alas, will remain in Chutz LaAretz.

Daily Aliya for Vayelech, Rishon (1st Aliya)

General Overview: This week's Parsha, Vayelech, recounts the events of the final day of Moshe's terrestrial life. Moshe transferred leadership to Joshua and wrote a Torah scroll which he handed over to the Levites. Moshe commanded the Israelites to gather following every Sabbatical year, and informed them of the suffering which will be their lot when they will abandon the laws of the Torah.

Aliya Summary: Moshe addressed the people, saying that he is 120 years of age on that day, and he is not permitted to cross the Jordan River together with them. Instead, Joshua will lead them, and G‑d will go before them and destroy their enemies.

Daily Aliya for Nitzavim, Shvii (7th Aliya)

Aliya Summary: Moshe tells the Jewish people that they have been given free choice to choose between good and evil, life and death. Their choice will determine whether they are the beneficiaries of G‑d's blessings or curses. Moshe implores the Israelites to choose life.

The concept of Free Will is beautifully expressed in the concluding portion of Nitzavim. It marks the difference between human beings and all other creations. The sun and the moon "fulfill" G-d's commands without conscious decisions. A bee doesn't think things out and decide to pollinate a flower. Nor does a lion attacking a weak zebra evaluate the morality of his act. Only humans have the choice to do good or evil. G-d recommends and pleads with us to choose Life and Good, but He leaves the choice to us. That is why we are accountable for our actions; and that is why we stand before G-d in judgment on Rosh HaShana - animals do not. The choice is offered, but not only does G-d "command" us to choose Life, He warns us again of the devastating results of the wrong choice. Heavens and Earth are called upon to witness this most significant fact of human existence. It is the Land of Israel that is the "prize" for choosing wisely, as G-d had promised Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. G-d reconfirms His covenant and promises to us.

Daily Aliya for Nitzavim, Shishi (6th Aliya)

Aliya Summary: Moshe enjoins the people to follow the mitzvot, informing them that "it is not beyond you nor is it remote from you. It is not in heaven... It is not across the sea.... Rather, it is very close to you, in your mouth, in your heart, that you may do it."

But how can we hope to keep our part of the agreement? Is not the Torah so exalted and remote that a mere mortal has no chance of attaining spiritual heights? The answer is eloquently stated in the famous words of the Torah - For this mitzva is not in the heavens nor is it across the ocean. It is so very close and attainable that every Jew can feel confident in taking up its challenges. It is up to us to make the commitment, feel it in our hearts, and ACT upon it.

Daily Aliya for Nitzavim, Chamishi (5th Aliya)

Aliya Summary: When G‑d gathers His people's exiles, the curses which accompanied them throughout their sojourn in foreign lands will be placed upon their enemies who persecuted them. The Israelites will once again serve G‑d, and will be blessed with abundance in the work of their hands, the fruit of their wombs, the fruit of their land, and the fruit of their livestock.

If (when) we return to G-d, then G-d will rain the curses upon our enemies. We have only to be faithful to HaShem and keep His mitzvot, and all His blessings will be showered upon us. Again a "pitch" is made for T'shuva. And again. And the T'shuva should be completely sincere.

Daily Aliya for Nitzavim, Revii (4th Aliya)

Aliya Summary: Moshe informed the Israelites what will occur after they are exiled from their land due to their sins. Eventually they will wholeheartedly return to G‑d, and G‑d will gather them from the furthest reaches of the heavens and return them to the land of their forefathers. At that point, Moshe says, "G‑d will 'circumcise' your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you may love the L-rd your G‑d with all your heart and with all your soul."

From the perspective of absolute justice, if we break the terms of our agreement with G-d, punishment should be swift and complete. But we could not survive such an existence. This portion of Nitzavim tells us that if (when) we break the covenant and are dispersed among the nations of the world as punishment, all hope is not lost. We have the golden opportunity to return to G-d - and He will help the process along. This too becomes part of the agreement with G-d. The concepts of return in a physical and spiritual sense are intermingled in this Torah portion.

The wayward Jew turning back towards HaShem and the Torah, and the exiled Jew to a distant land coming back to Israel are presented simultaneously. This represents the dual nature of T'shuva. What a wonderful opportunity beckons each Jew - and the Jewish People as a whole - in being given a second chance to live a true Torah life.

Daily Aliya for Nitzavim, Shlishi (3rd Aliya)

Aliya Summary: Moshe warned the Israelites not to be tempted by the idolatrous lifestyles of the Egyptians and the other sundry nations through which they had passed in the course of their travels. Moshe warned of the dire consequences which will befall the individual, family, or tribe, which would forsake their covenant with G‑d. This section concludes with the concept of communal responsibility for not appropriately punishing individual sinners.

The phrase describing what we would today refer to as a "rotten apple" is "Shoresh Poreh Rosh V'laana", literally a poisonous root of gall and wormwood. The initial letters of this phrase rearrange to spell SHOFAR, the antidote to this negative facet of Jewish life. The Shofar must awaken the one who stray and start him on the road of T'shuva.

Daily Aliya for Nitzavim, Sheni (2nd Aliya)

Aliya Summary: This covenant established the Israelites as G‑d's exclusive nation. The covenant, Moshe explained, was not limited to those who were physically present on that day, rather it included all future generations of Jews, as well.

OU: The second three-pasuk set proclaim that it is not just the entire People of Israel who were alive at the time, who are making this covenant with G-d, it is also our ancestors to whom G-d made His special promises, and to the generations of Jews in the past AND the future, whose spirit (souls) we represent at this covenant. Perhaps this is the meaning of the prophecy to Avraham that his descendants will be as countless as the stars of the heavens. Take the millions of Jews alive today, add the millions who have preceded us, add the - how many more? - future generations, and we can truly be called "without number". Nations that have come to an end, can be numbered. An eternal people cannot ever be counted.

Daily Aliya for Nitzavim, Rishon (1st Aliya)

General Overview: In this week's Parsha, Nitzavim, Moshe gathers the Israelites on the day of his passing to enter them into a covenant with G‑d. He warns of the exile and desolation of the Land that will result when Israel abandons G‑d's laws, but assures them that they will eventually repent, and G‑d will then return His people to the Holy Land. This Aliya also talks about freedom of choice and the mitzvah of teshuvah (repentance).

Aliya Summary: On the final day of his earthly life, Moshe gathered all the Israelites -- men, women, and children -- to enter them into a covenant with G‑d.

Daily Aliya for Ki Tavo, Shvii (7th Aliya)

Aliya Summary: Moshe reminds the Jews of all the miracles which have been their lot from when G‑d took them out of Egypt until that very day. He concludes by saying that it is therefore incumbent upon them to follow G‑d's covenant.

Daily Aliya for Ki Tavo, Shishi (6th Aliya)

Aliya Summary: This Aliya continues with the aforementioned blessings, and then launches a lengthy description of all the maledictions and suffering which will befall the Jews when they neglect the mitzvot.

"But, if we don't listen to G-d..." Thus begins the "Tochacha". The admonition against disobedience of Torah. There is a custom of reading this part in a low voice because of how devastating it is to realize that G-d needs to warn us in such graphic terms, what will happen if the Jewish People do not remain faithful to Him. Regrettably, we need these harsh words of reproach. Unfortunately, they have turned out to be prophetic more than once. The Tochacha is contained within one Aliya (resulting in the longest Aliya in the Torah) so as not to prolong the discomfort in hearing it.

Daily Aliya for Ki Tavo, Chamishi (5th Aliya)

Aliya Summary: The Jewish people are instructed to proclaim blessings and curses on Mts. Grizzim and Ebal. The elders of the Levite Tribe together with the Holy Ark stood between the two mountains, and six tribes were stationed atop each mountain. The Leviim and priests faced each mountain alternately, and stated the blessing and curses. At the end of the Aliya, we are told of the bountiful blessings which will shower us if we hearken to G‑d's commandments.

The setup for this entire exercise is curious: The fact that mountains represent blessings and curses is strange enough, but to have the tribes stand on one of the mountains is even stranger. If the mountains represent distinct and mutually exclusive choices we make in our lives, then why have (seemingly) random tribes stand on each of them? This requires much more research, but what strikes me in all of this is the similarity to many motivational speakers who make you visualize and verbalize your dreams and goals. It's one thing to study, talk and imagine something, and quite another to be actively involved in it, probably why schools use this method to teach children about important concepts. Standing on these mountains makes it more real and mandates participation. This might explain the importance of Shul, regardless of actual participation in the davening (service), much like the tribes standing on the mountain and answering "Amen", their attendance (and ours in Shul) does more than we may know or realize.

Daily Aliya for Ki Tavo, Revii (4th Aliya)

Aliya Summary: The Jews are instructed to gather large stones when they cross the Jordan River. These stones were to be plastered, and the entire Torah was to be engraved upon them. Another set of stones was also to be inscribed with the entire Torah, and be set on Mt. Ebal.

Moshe, the kohanim and Leviim, say to all the people, "on this very day you have become G-d's nation". Rashi says that the Torah emphasized "this very day" to teach us that our commitment to Torah and mitzvot should be as if we have entered into a covenant with G-d on this very day - everyday. We are challenged to refreshen our Judaism constantly.

Daily Aliya for Ki Tavo, Shlishi (3rd Aliya)

Aliya Summary: Moshe admonishes the Jews to observe G‑d's commandments; reminding them that they have selected Him to be their god, and He, in turn, has chosen them to be His holy and treasured nation.

To follow in G-d's footsteps means to develop and practice various traits that are attributed to G-d. As He is called merciful, so too shall we be merciful. As He is called holy, so too must we behave in ways that lead to our becoming holy. From general traits, we can also use specific examples - as G-d clothes the naked, visits the sick, buries the dead, comforts the grieving... so too must we do those kinds of things.

Daily Aliya for Ki Tavo Sheni (2nd Aliya)

Aliya Summary: During Temple times, Jewish farmers were required to separate from their produce several different tithes. These were distributed to the priests, the Levites, the poor, and one tithe which was eaten by its owners in Jerusalem. The different tithes were not all given each year, rather there was a three-year cycle. In this Aliya, the Torah gives the procedure to be followed on the day before Passover during those years which followed the conclusion of a cycle. The farmer was to declare that he has performed all his tithing duties and then beseeches G‑d to bless His people and the Land.

The Passuk says: "I have not transgressed Your mitzvot, and I have not forgotten..." Says the Sfat Emet - I have not forgotten that You are the One Who has commanded me to do the mitzvot. Furthermore, the statement implies that the individual did only that which he was required to do, and did not (often) go beyond the call of duty. Or perhaps we did a mitzva sort of like it is supposed to be done, but maybe without full intent (i.e. prayers). This is an important message as we approach Rosh HaShana, when we have to answer for what - and how - we do mitzvot.

Daily Aliya for Ki Tavo, Rishon (1st Aliya)

General Overview: The Israelites are commanded to bring the first of their fruit to the Temple, and to deliver all tithes to their proper recipients. Moshe explains how the blessings and curses are to be proclaimed on Mts. Grizzim and Ebal when the Jewish nation enters into Israel. He then details the blessings they will receive for following the commandments of the Torah, and the calamities which will result from disregarding them.

Aliya Summary: This Aliya introduces us to the mitzvah of bikurim, the requirement to bring one's first fruits to the Holy Temple. This mitzvah applies to fruits and produce grown in the land of Israel, and only those for which the land of Israel is praised: wheat, barley, dates, figs, grapes, pomegranates and olives. When in the Temple, the owner of the fruits recites a brief thanksgiving prayer to G‑d and presents the produce to the priests.