Layout of HaAzinu in the Sefer Torah:
Most Sifrei Torah are written with columns of 42 lines each “page”. The “page” containing Parsha HaAzinu has the last 6 lines of VaYelech, starting with the word V’AIDA ואעידה. Then a line is left blank.
The remaining 35 lines are the first “half” of the “song” of HaAzinu, with each line written in two parts with a space between them (more later on this aspect).
The remaining 35 lines of the second half of the “song,” begin the next “page”, again with the pattern of two parts with a space between them. This is followed by another blank line and then 6 “regular” lines of Torah text. Parshas HaAzinu (with approximately 14 lines of “regular” text) concludes on the next page.
Structure of Shiras (“Song”) of HaAzinu:
The first part of each verse is written on the right side and a large space is left in the middle. The next part of each verse is then written on the left side. Usually 2-5 words in each section. Some verses are written in two parts, others in four parts. This leaves two columns of writing encasing a blank middle. This configuration is called "אריח על גבי אריח ולבינה על גבי לבינה" (a half-brick upon a half-brick of writing and a full brick upon a full brick of blank space).
The 43 verses of the Shirah comprise the first six of the seven weekly “aliyos laTorah.” Also, the Gemara (Rosh HaShana 31a) says that the chant of the Leviim for the Shabbos Musaf was the Shiras HaAzinu. Rabbi Chonon bar Rovo in the name of Rav says the Shira was divided into six sections. The acronym for the first words of these six sections is הזי"ו ל"ך. And, also, this same concept applies to the synagogue (Rashi explains the same six sections are read in the synagogue on Shabbos).
The division of הזי"ו ל"ך has six major opinions:
- כי אשא (43-40 ) לו חכמו (39-29) וירא (28-19) ירכיבהו (18-13) זכור (12-7 ) האזינו (6-1 ) בה"ג רמב"ם
- כי ידין (43-36 ) לו חכמו וישמן (15- ) ירכיבהו זכור האזינו מסכת סופרים
- כי ידין לולי (27- ) וירא ירכיבהו זכור האזינו רש"י תוס'
- כי ידין לו חכמו וירא ירכיבהו זכור האזינו ר"ח ערוך
- כי אשא לולי וישמן ימצאהו (10- ) זכור האזינו רה"ג
- כי אשא לולי וירא ירכיבהו זכור האזינו ריב"ן
Five people called up to read the Torah on Rosh HaShana ה –
Seven people called up to the Torah when Rosh HaShana occurs on Shabbos ז -
Ten days of Teshuvah י -
Six people called to read the Torah on Yom HaKipur ו -
Thirty notes in the basic requirement of Shofar on Rosh HaShana ל -
Twenty days of fast from Rosh Chodesh Elul until Yom HaKipur כ -
Six “Pages” in the Sefer Torah have a first word set by tradition: בי"ה שמ"ו
ב – Bereshis (first word of Torah)
י - Yehuda (Parshas VaYechi)
ה – HaBa’im (Parshas B’Shalach)
ש – Shmor Lecha (Parshas Ki Sisa)
מ – Mah Tovu (Parshas Balak)
ו – V’aida (Parshas VaYelech)
Examples of half-brick upon half-brick:
Shiras HaAzinu; Shiras Yehoshua - Defeat of the 31 kings; 10 sons of Haman
A second configuration is 2 half-bricks with space in between & the next line a word, space, one long brick, space, word. Examples: Shiras ha'Yam, Shiras Devorah, Shiras Dovid
הזי"ו ל"ך גמטריא ע"ח
This mnemonic is for the 78 Tzadikim at that time that were involved in creation of the Shira HaAzinu (מחזור ויטרי)
CHIDUSH
The Gemara (Kidushin 31a) states that the Torah has 5,888 verses. However, according to our Mesorah the Torah has 5,845 verses. How do we reconcile these counts?
The Torah journal Pri Eitz T'morim, Tishrei 5743 issue, #221 explains the discrepancy of 43 verses as follows:
We have 43 verses in the song of Haazinu. Each verse has a gap of space in the middle of the verse after the cantillation "ESNACHTO," which is normally a mid-sentence stop, similar to a comma. Since we have a combination of both an ESNACHTO and a gap of space, these two divisions combined render each of the 43 verses as if they were two verses. This would bring the total number of verses in the Torah to 5,888, the original text in the Gemara.
DEEPER INSIGHTS
The Gemara (Rosh Hashana 31a) tells us that the Shiras HaAzinu was said in six parts by the Leviim while the Shabbos Musafim were being offered. So it was done in the reading in the synagogue (with the seventh reading being the balance of the Parsha). The commentators bring an insight that the six (seven) parts are connected to the special Psalms (שיר של יום) said each day by the Leviim in the Mikdash (and in our morning prayers).
Further, these six (seven) parts are connected to the days of Creation. (טור, לבוש, לקוטי שיחות חלק כד)
Shira versus Z’miros
Based on P.G. Waxman
When the pasuk references the mitzvah of kesivas Sefer Torah, the commandment that each individual writes a Sefer Torah, the Torah is termed “this Shira – this Song.”
The Gemara relates that because Dovid Hamelech erred by calling divrei Torah zemiros (also defined as song), he stumbled and forgot the pasuk, "bakasef yisa’u,” which directs that the Aron Hakodesh be hand-carried with poles on the shoulder when the Aron is moved during travel or war. Instead, Dovid transported the Aron on a wagon and Uzza died.
Two questions arise:
- What was the middah k'neged middah, the quid-pro-quo? Why did HaShem cause Dovid to stumble specifically regarding the commandment "bakasef yisa’u,” that they carry the Aron on their shoulders, as a consequence for classifying divrei Torah as zemiros?
- Dovid was reproached for calling Torah zemiros, yet the pasuk, and Chazal as well, identify Torah as shira. What differentiates zemiros from shira?
A possible explanation is that the word zemiros is dissimilar to the term shira, in that each term reflects a different type of learning.
Zemiros, in the context of study, connotes learning something superficially, in an easy manner with limited exertion and effort. When one would mistakenly say something incorrect, Chazal would refer to the misstatement as a "zim’rosa" – comparable to the term "a zemeral" in Yiddish, and akin to the English colloquial "for a song," which means for a petty amount.
The term shira denotes the opposite: hard work, toil and in-depth learning. This connotation is seen from the Gemara where Rebbi Yochanon derives that a korban requires shira, singing by the Levi’im, from the words of the pasuk: “la’avod avodas avodah,” that the avodah of korban mandates a secondary avodah of shira. Shira is quantified as an avodah, and Torah should be studied in that manner – as an avodah that is all-encompassing, comprehensive and intense.
This is in contrast to learning Torah in the routine of zemiros – where the learning is casual, superficial, and with less toil. The same Gemara brings an additional drashah to derive that shira is mandated when a korban is sacrificed. The Tanna derives this from the pasuk, "bakasef yisa’u," which literally translates that the Aron must be carried on the shoulder, but is additionally interpreted to mean that avodas shira is required when a korban is brought.
Perhaps, the reason Dovid Hamelech forgot the pasuk "bakasef yisa’u" was because the deeper meaning of these exact words teach that shira is an avodah. He called divrei Torah zemiros, easy and superficial learning, instead of calling it shira – which is studying in a manner of avodah as derived from the words “bakasef yisa’u.” Middah k’neged middah, he stumbled and forgot the literal directive of “bakasef yisa’u, and the Aron was mistakenly transported by wagon and not hand-carried on the shoulder. Furthermore, incorrectly transporting the Aron by wagon is the easy and relaxed way of moving it, as compared to the proper and mandated avodah of hand- carrying the Aron.
Devarim 31:19
Shita Mekubetzes Nedarim 38a; Kli Chemdah
Sotah 35a
Or misapplied: see Maharsha and Meromei Sadeh
Bamidbar 7:9
Sotah 8b
See Sanhedrin 21a
Avodah Zara 3b; Tosafos Megillah 3a
See Gra Tehillim 27:6; Chasam Sofer Gittin 60a; Pachad Yitzchok Shavuos 18
See Ya’aros Devash 1:6; Avi Ezri Hakdamah to Sefer Hafla’ah
See Sanhedrin 101a; Rabbeinu Chananel Avodah Zara 24a
Shabbos 106b et al.
Erachin 11a
