Return To The Forgotten Path – Details, episodes & analysis

In this Torah portion, Moses gives the tribes of Israel a final blessing and dies at the age of 120. The Children of Israel mourn and begin to follow Joshua, their new leader.

TORAH 

• Deuteronomy 33:1 - 34:12

HAFTARAH

• Joshua 1:1 - 1:18

Brit Chadasha

• Rev 22:1-5

Happy New Year! The word Ha'azinu (הַאֲזִינוּ‎) literally means "give ear," an expression meaning "Listen to this." It is also the name of the fifty-third and second-to-last reading from the Torah. It is the first word of the Song of Moses, which begins with the words "Give ear (Ha'azinu), O heavens, and let me speak" (Deuteronomy 32:1). This Torah portion is only a single chapter long, and the majority of it consists of the Song of Moses. The Song of Moses is a prophetic oracle warning Israel about apostasy to come and the resulting wrath of God. The song looks far into the future, even envisioning the Messianic advent amid rich and frightening apocalyptic imagery. After the conclusion of the song, Moses is told to ascend Mount Nebo and overlook the Promised Land before dying.

TORAH

• Deuteronomy 31:30 | The Song of Moses
• Deuteronomy 32:48 | Moses' Death Foretold

PROPHETS

• 2 Samuel 22:1 | David's Song of Thanksgiving

GOSPEL

• John 6:26-35 , Rom 10:14-11:12

Devarim Words — דְּבָרִים TORAH: DEUTERONOMY 1:1-3:22 HAFTARAH: ISAIAH 1:1-27 GOSPEL: MATTHEW 24:1-22

42nd and 43rd reading to conclude the book of Numbers

Pinchas Phinehas — פִּינְחָס TORAH: NUMBERS 25:10-30:1 * HAFTARAH: 1 KINGS 18:46-19:21 GOSPEL: JOHN 2:13-22

Balak Balak — בָּלָק TORAH: NUMBERS 22:2-25:9 HAFTARAH: MICAH 5:6-6:8 * GOSPEL: MATTHEW 21:1-11

Chukat Statute — חֻקַּת TORAH: NUMBERS 19:1-22:1 HAFTARAH: JUDGES 11:1-33 GOSPEL: JOHN 19:38-42

Korach Korah — קוֹרַח TORAH: NUMBERS 16:1-18:32 HAFTARAH: 1 SAMUEL 11:14-12:22 GOSPEL: JOHN 19:1-17

The thirty-seventh reading from the Torah is called Shelach, an imperative verb that means "send out." The portion is so named from the first few words of the second verse: "Send out for yourself men so that they may spy out the land of Canaan" (Numbers 13:2). The Torah reading tells the tragic story of how the spies returned with a bad report about the Land of Promise and influenced the congregation of Israel to rebel against the LORD. Thus God consigned the generation of Moses to wander in the wilderness for forty years.

Portion Outline

• TORAH
  • Numbers 13:1 | Spies Sent into Canaan
  • Numbers 13:25 | The Report of the Spies
  • Numbers 14:1 | The People Rebel
  • Numbers 14:13 | Moses Intercedes for the People
  • Numbers 14:26 | An Attempted Invasion is Repulsed
  • Numbers 15:1 | Various Offerings
  • Numbers 15:32 | Penalty for Violating the Sabbath
  • Numbers 15:37 | Fringes on Garments
• PROPHETS
  • Joshua 2:1 | Spies Sent to Jericho

The third reading from the book of Numbers and the thirty-sixth reading from the Torah is called Beha'alotcha, a word that literally means "When you ascend." It comes from the first verse of the portion, which could literally be translated as "When you ascend the lamps" (Numbers 8:2), a reference to the fact that the priest had to step up to clean and light the lamps of the menorah. This portion is jam-packed, telling the story of the consecration of the Levites, the first Passover in the wilderness, the silver trumpets, the cloud of glory, the departure from Sinai, the grumbling in the wilderness, the first Sanhedrin and the punishment of Miriam.

Portion Outline

• TORAH
  • Numbers 8:1 | The Seven Lamps
  • Numbers 8:5 | Consecration and Service of the Levites
  • Numbers 9:1 | The Passover at Sinai
  • Numbers 9:15 | The Cloud and the Fire
  • Numbers 10:1 | The Silver Trumpets
  • Numbers 10:11 | Departure from Sinai
  • Numbers 11:1 | Complaining in the Desert
  • Numbers 11:16 | The Seventy Elders
  • Numbers 11:31 | The Quails
  • Numbers 12:1 | Aaron and Miriam Jealous of Moses
• PROPHETS
  • Zec 2:6 Interlude: | An Appeal to the Exiles
  • Zec 3:1 Fourth Vision: | Joshua and Satan
  • Zec 4:1 Fifth Vision: | The Lampstand and Olive Trees