The fourth, “ו” – “ִנְאָץ, מִכַּעַס בָּנָיו וּבְנוֹתָיו וַיַּרְא ה’ וַיִּנְאָץ”. The fifth, “ל” – “לוּ חָכְמוּ יַשְׂכִּילוּ זֹאת”. And the final, “ך” – “כִּי אֶשָּׂא אֶל שָׁמַיִם יָדִי”. Thus, throughout the cycle, each Shabbat one portion was sung, until the entirety of Ha’azinu was completed in the Beit Hamikdash. Rav Perlmutter writes:
I, the youngest among Israel, have sung this song – Shirat Ha’azinu – for within it is explained the whole Torah. And why did I search here for all 613 Mitzvot? Because I walked in the path of the Gaon, the true prince, the Aderet Eliyahu of Vilna, who said that all 613 Mitzvot are here in Ha’azinu. For the Parsha contains 614 words – one representing Torah itself, and 613 representing the Mitzvot. Thus, I set my foundation upon his words: how in Shirat Ha’azinu there are 613 words, and within them all the Mitzvot are included, as it is written: “And this song shall answer before them as a witness.”
And then Rav Perlmutter begins to explain, and here we find something very beautiful. I will not read through all of them, but at least let us see a taste.
What is the very first Mitzvah in the Torah? פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ – be fruitful and multiply. And what year are we now in? 5786, corresponding to תשפ"ו. And so, he says: this should be the year of פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ! May it be Hashem’s will that in this year, everyone should find their zivug, everyone should get married, and everyone should be blessed with children! May all the wedding halls be so full that from the day after Simchat Torah until the end of the year, they will need double shifts of weddings every night!
Indeed, the very first Mitzvah in the Torah is פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ, and how does Ha’azinu begin? Rav Perlmutter explains that the word הַאֲזִינוּ is an acronym for הַ 'מִּ ין אֱ 'נ וֹ שִׁ י זָ 'כָ ר י 'וֹלִיד נְ 'קֵ בָה וְ 'זֵכֶר – the human race will give birth to males and females.
Next, what is the second Mitzvah in the Torah? Brit Milah. And the second word in Ha’azinu? הַשָּׁמַיִם, alluding to Brit Milah: הַ 'זָּכָר שֶׁ 'נּוֹלַד מִ 'שְׁמוֹנָה יָ 'מִים מִ 'יוֹם הִיָּלְדוֹ שֶׁ 'הּ מֵצַיֶּרֶ חֶם יִמּוֹל – for the male, at eight days from leaving the womb, is commanded to be circumcised.
The third Mitzvah in the Torah is the prohibition of Gid HaNasheh: עַל כֵּן לֹא יֹאכְלוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת גִּיד הַנָּשֶׁה. And what is the third word in Ha’azinu? וַאֲדַבֵּרָה, which hints at the gid (sinew) attached to the thigh which is forbidden for us to eat: וְ 'הַגִּיד אֲ 'שֶׁ ר דָּ 'בוּק בְּ 'רָ יָרֵ ך'ת וּשׁ הָ 'אֲכִילָה.
Let’s go further. In Parshat Bo, we encounter many Mitzvot. In fact, twenty mitzvot appear there – nine positive and eleven negative. And what is the very first Mitzvah given to Am Yisrael as a nation? הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם רֹאשׁ חֳדָשִׁים. And what is the fourth word of Ha’azinu? וְתִשְׁמַע. This alludes to Kiddush HaChodesh, as וְתִשְׁמַע = וְ 'ָרֵ חַ תְּהַ י'קַדֵּשְׁנָה שְׁ 'לוֹשָׁה מַ 'וֹת עֵרְ אִ י'דִ ים – the moon shall be sanctified by three witnesses. Kiddush HaChodesh requires a Beit Din of three to accept the testimony of witnesses.
The next words of הָאָרֶץ and אִמְרֵי correspond to the Mitzvah of Korban Pesach, and the word פִּי also relates to Pesach: פֶּסַח יְצוּלָהּ, פֶּלֶג יִשָּׁמֵר, פֶּן יְבֻשַּׁל, פֶּסַח יִמְנֶה – the Korban Pesach shall be roasted, its portion guarded, not cooked in water, and it shall be counted upon households. The next several words are also tied to Pesach and the Mitzvot of Parshat Bo, and in this way, word by word, Rav Perlmutter maps each Mitzvah of the Torah onto the words of Shirat Ha’azinu – showing how all 613 Mitzvot are hidden here within the Parsha.
Rabbotai, our time is already up! In any case, these are the words we were able to share today, B’siyata Dishmaya, around this great subject. What does this Parsha teach us – a Parsha filled entirely with secrets, as the Vilna says? If it is all secrets, surely, we must try to understand at least what is before us. But one thing is certain: we cannot walk away without opening our hearts, even a little.
