I had to re-read Ha'Azinu because, I thought to myself, surely it must be slightly more uplifting than reading it piecemeal over each day. But, candidly, it was not really - when the commentary describes G-d "comforting" Yisrael, the only comfort is that the retribution will end when when we become powerless, and the only reason why we are not blotted out of humanity's memory entirely is because then the other nations would try and take credit for the annihilation. And is it really comforting that G-d will never wipe us out entirely, and will eventually turn vengeful against those who sought to destroy us? Especially in this season of teshuvah - because, really, when is it not this season? - Ha'Azinu is really bereft of any outright signs of return after rebelling, and the reality it draws is quite stark.
It is with this tone in mind that I then turned to the last parasha of this cycle, V'zot Ha'Bracha - and these are the blessing(s) - perhaps translated more literally as "this is the blessing." And the one for Reuven - well, it falls in the same vein as Ha'Azinu - simply a prayer that Reuven lives, and does not die, and that he may be included in the count. Because, apparently, there is such a real fear that sometime very soon his population will not be included in the count.
But the one for Yehudah, while only slightly longer (and I guess I should say here that length cannot be and is not any indication of quality) - this one is fascinating (not to play favorites). This one says "Shema H' kol Yehudah v'el amo" - literally, "listen, G-d, Yehudah's voice, and to his people." There is, apparently, a missing preposition (it doesn't say, as one would expect, "listen to Yehuda's voice" although it does say, in Torah grammar "listen . . . to his people"). What is going on here?
Since the "to" is included for one but not the other, the difference must be meaningful. And I have recently begun reading the holy Bahir (wow!) and thus may be more attuned to a literal reading (just as some of the Chasidim did), without concern for punctuation, order, or logic. And thus: "And this to Yehudah, and he said, listen, H' - the voice of Yehudah! And to his people, bring it back, and his many hands - for him, a help, against his enemies you will be."
The voice of Yehudah is ever-present, speaking forth from the people - just as Yehudah did so bravely when standing up to who he thought was Pharaoh but was in actuality his brother - listen to that voice, H', just as we all should - and to his people, bring this voice back. The people, as we read, will certainly lose the voice, the courage, the strength, the sheer chutzpah - but the prayer is to return this voice, and once returned, give him many hands and H' will be a help against his enemies. But the return of the voice must come first. Now this perhaps is the most beautiful example of teshuvah in Torah - the voice as both a literal voice, speaking truth to power, and a figurative one as well - an identity, an authenticity, an ever-present soul.
Listen - you can still hear the voice of Yehudah, ringing forth from Sinai, and Seir, and Paran. And if and when it is lost - return it to the people, immediately, so that they may be helped against all the narrow places (the literal translation of "enemies") who seek to squeeze out the voice.
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