HA’AZINU
Shmuel II 22:1–51
All-Inclusive Songs of Praise

This week’s Haftarah records Dovid Hamelech’s life-song that he composed at the end of his days. In truth, Hashem’s countless blessings and favors spanned every facet of Dovid’s life, and beyond. He merited marrying king Shaul’s daughter; was granted the exclusive status of kingship; was prophetically informed of the future Temple site and of his son’s constructing it; and was a top Torah authority of his generation. Yet, when reading his song, we note that it is devoted exclusively to his salvation from his enemies. Our discussion below provides insight into this matter and shares how Dovid’s devotion to Hashem was of Patriarch nature.

Singular Focus on Salvation from Enemies

As stated, when reading our Haftarah, we note that almost every verse relates to Hashem’s providential and miraculous assistance He provided Dovid saving him from his adversaries. In fact, he introduced his song by saying, “Dovid spoke to Hashem these words of song and praise, the day He saved him from the hand of all his enemies…” He then proclaimed, “Hashem is my rock, my fortress and my savior.
Hashem…in whom I take shelter, my shield…my refuge, my salvation, He saves me from abduction.” He continued and sang, “Hashem is praised [when] I call Him, and I will be spared from my enemies.” (22:1-4) Rashi explains these last words to mean that from the moment Dovid calls out to Hashem, he praises Him for His forthcoming assistance, totally trusting in Hashem’s salvation. (Rashi) These introductory phrases and the subsequent forty-seven verses of song and praise give us a sense of Dovid’s true security, Hashem. Rashi explains that when Dovid proclaimed that Hashem is his refuge, he meant that he would often flee into Hashem’s Presence for assistance. In addition to turning to Hashem in supplication, Dovid would present himself to Hashem to encircle him with His Divine Presence to protect him from
his enemies. (Rashi to 22:3)

Prototype of the Final Redemption

Suddenly, Dovid shifted his song from his personal salvation to the collective Jewish people’s experiences. Then, after select verses of praising Hashem for the people’s miraculous salvation, Dovid returned to praising Him for his personal salvation.

Afterwards, he again shifted and, according to Chazal, briefly focused on the Jewish people’s salvation and then returned and concluded by praising Hashem for his personal salvation. (Midrash Tehillim 18:44) Chazal explain this constant shifting, with Dovid’s own words in Tehillim, “I was an indicator for the masses, and You are my shelter of strength.” (71:7) Chazal interpret them to mean that Dovid’s salvation served as the prototype of the Jewish people’s salvation. Chazal cite, for example, that in the same manner Dovid did not sing his all-encompassing song of praise until his final victory over the mighty giant and his four warriors, the Jewish people will likewise not sing their all-encompassing song of praise until Mashiach’s final victory over mighty Edom and its four accompanying nations (Midrash Tehillim 18:1) Let us probe the similarity between Dovid’s salvation and the Jewish people’s future one and gain insight into Dovid’s singular focus on his salvation from his enemies. Chazal teach us that the crown of kingship is restricted to Dovid and his descendants until and throughout the era of Mashiach. They express this with the words, he merited and ‘took’ his crown of kingship, indicating an action or attitude of Dovid’s that earned him the kingship (Yoma 72b)

Personifying Hashem’s Sovereignty

Shaarei Orah explains that Dovid cleaved to Hashem’s attribute of sovereignty and accordingly inherited the exclusive rights of kingship over Israel. He was constantly involved in displaying Hashem’s mastery over Eretz Yisroel, particularly through Hashem’s protecting His people there from their neighboring enemies and from pockets of hostile earlier inhabitants that remained in the land. (Shaarei Orah 1) One could insert that since Hashem initially displayed His mastery over His land by miraculously splitting the Jordan River in the face of the sacred ark that housed His Divine Presence to open its gates for the Master of His land, Dovid therefore directed his efforts to furthering Hashem’s mastery over His land. Shaarei Orah continues that because Dovid’s selfless interest to defeat his enemies was to display Hashem’s mastery, he therefore sang with confidence, “I chase my enemies and destroy them, and I don’t return until I finish them off.” (Tehillim 22:38) It stands to reason then that one who devoted his life to increasing Hashem’s display of mastery and kingship, deserves to inherit the kingship over the Jewish people to reflect Hashem’s mastery over his personal rulership, as well. (Shaarei Orah ibid.)

To Display Hashem’s Mastery

Rabbeinu Yonah sensitizes us to this point and quotes Dovid’s plea to Hashem, “Return to me the gladness of Your salvation and with your generous spirit continue to support me.” (Tehillim 51:14) He explains that Dovid entreated Hashem for His miraculous salvation to continue accompanying him. Although Dovid sincerely repented for a potentially sinful act, he feared that Hashem would no longer be pleased with him. To that end, he beseeched Hashem to restore His victorious relationship with him. We see from this that Dovid gauged his closeness to Hashem solely through his success in battle, his self-appointed mission. (Shaarei Teshuvah 1:15) We now understand why Dovid Hamelech’s salvation served as the prototype for the Jewish people’s salvation during their final redemption. We recently read in the Haftarah to Parshas Shoftim, “Hashem is revealing His sacred arm…and the entire world will see our Hashem’s salvation.” (Yeshaya 52:10). Malbim explains there that because the Jewish people’s future salvation will not follow any natural pattern, it will be self-evident that only Hashem, Master of all, produced it. In effect, the Jewish people will merit to serve as the exclusive vehicle for Hashem to display His mastery over world nations.
Conceivably, this will result from nearly two thousand years of their anticipating and daily entreating Hashem during their Amidah service and Aleinu prayer to display His mastery over everyone.

Glaring Salvation Beyond Absorption

Dovid Hamelech concluded his song and proclaimed that Hashem is, “The One who increases His king’s salvation, and does kindness to His anointed one, to Dovid and his offspring, forever.” (22:51) This is the literal translation of the verse, yet Chazal relate from tradition that the reading of the words translates into, “The one who is ‘the tower of’ His king’s salvation.” Mahari Kra explains the “reading” of this verse and says that Dovid said to Hashem “In the same manner that one runs to a towering structure and is spared from their enemies, I likewise ran to You, my tower of salvation and was spared from my enemies.” (Mahari Kra ad loc) But Chazal explain the written form of these words and reveal that although Hashem was to Dovid and will be to the Jewish people their tower of salvation, the people’s ultimate redemption will differ from Dovid’s salvation through its gradual process of development. They explain this through the analogy of one who is present immediately before dawn, the darkest point of night. If, at that point, Hashem would shine His glaring sun, it would blind anyone present because of the drastic change from utter darkness to glaring brightness. They explain accordingly that the magnitude of Hashem’s revelations
during Mashiach’s times will be so great that if Hashem would suddenly reveal through his children His mastery over the world, His children would not endure their experience.

Therefore, the final redemption process will come gradually so that Hashem’s children will slowly absorb its revelations.

Hashem’s Song of Salvation

We read our Haftarah in conjunction with Parshas Ha’azinu, one that contains Hashem’s all-encompassing song about the Jewish people’s experiences from its inception until its redemption. Yet the content of this song differs greatly from Dovid’s song of praise. Although the Torah refers to it as a song of praise, it is difficult to ascertain why. The song begins with Hashem’s ways being just and fair and follows with
Hashem’s disclaimer that He is not at fault for the Jewish people’s sinful ways and their consequential, catastrophic results. It continues with the Jewish Nation’s Providential development since the earliest days of their Patriarch Avraham and it mentions Hashem’s kindliness to His people during their prime when they camped at Mount Sinai and while travelling in the desert enroute to their Promised Land. It then predicts their peaceful and abundantly prosperous times during Shlomo Hamelech’s reign. But then it takes a sharp turn and devotes most of its verses to the atrocities and blasphemy of the Jewish people after that time and projects Hashem’s severe retribution and deliverance of His people into the hands of numerous world nations, who will pride themselves with their unprecedented victories. It even mentions that Hashem would consider bringing massive catastrophe to His people, if their enemies would not credit their deities for their power and control. Then, it suddenly states that when world nations’ control over His people will threaten their existence, Hashem will miraculously deliver
His children from their enemies and avenge His people for all the persecution, suffering and murders that they did to His people. After reading all this, one truly wonders what Hashem’s collective message is and why the Torah defines these collective verses as Hashem’s all-encompassing song of praise. To resolve this issue let us study the closing words of Hashem’s song, “I will saturate My arrows with blood and My sword will eat the flesh [of the enemies]…from their earliest breach. World nations, sing the praise of His people for He will avenge the blood of His servants, and He will bring retribution to His enemies and will console His people.” (Devarim 32:42-43) Rashi explains that Hashem will avenge His people for all of world nations’ bloodshed and abduction to His people and will bring retribution for all their theft
and forced possession. The process will be so complete that it will include all world nations’ harmful acts since the Jewish people’s inception. (Rashi ad loc) In addition, the song concludes that afterwards, the remaining members of world nations will sing Hashem’s praise over His revenge and retribution. Ohr Hachaim explains here that once Hashem avenges His people for their enemies’ persecutions and
will display the elevated level of His Chosen People, world nations will praise and laud Hashem’s children and express “Praiseworthy is the nation that Hashem is their Master and Provider.” Rashi adds that world nations will exclaim, “Look how praiseworthy this nation is, who cleaved to Hashem throughout all their misfortunes. Indeed, they never forsook Him because they were always aware of His enduring goodness and praise.” (Rashi ibid)

World Nations Will Sing Our Praise

These concluding verses define the collective message of Hashem’s song, namely, His sovereignty over everyone. At the time of redemption, Hashem’s mastery will be so glaring, that even world nations will sing the praises of His people for cleaving to Hashem throughout their years of suffering. In this manner, even world powers’ previous control over Hashem’s people will contribute to His mastery, as reflected through His
faithful people. Indeed, their salvation will mirror that of Dovid Hamelech, as each trying experience will retroactively reflect Hashem’s sovereignty. Understandably, this total reversal will be too great for them to absorb, and Hashem will therefore gradually display
His mastery over all nations and His honor and glory that He was always preparing to display through His children, since their inception as His beloved nation. May we merit to witness this in our lifetime.