This week’s Torah reading is Parashat Ha’azinu (Deuteronomy 32:1-32:52). Read on Shabbat, October 4, 2025 / 12 Tishrei 5786. The following is a special devotional drawn from this week’s reading.
“Pay attention, heavens, and I will speak; listen, earth, to the words of my mouth. Let my teaching fall like rain and my word settle like dew, like gentle rain on new grass and showers on tender plants” (Deuteronomy 32:1-2).
In these opening lines Moses calls heaven and earth to bear witness to his words. His speech is not mere rhetoric; it is life giving truth. The imagery of rain and dew evokes gentleness and persistence. God’s instruction is not delivered in a rush or a shout but in steady, nourishing flow. Moses frames his message so that every listener knows this song is meant to sustain, convict, and renew.
Ha’azinu as a whole is a poetic testimony that recounts Israel’s unfaithfulness, God’s faithfulness, and the consequences of turning away. What is striking is how Moses portrays God both as just judge and compassionate redeemer. Even when warning of judgment, he never relinquishes hope. God will avenge, restore, and turn His people back. The song is a mirror held to the heart of Israel, to see both the brokenness and the promise.
In our lives today, we too need Moses’ song. We need to hear the balance of warning and hope, the call to repentance and the assurance of mercy. Perhaps there are moments when God’s voice seems distant or His covenant seems conditional. Yet Moses reminds us that our history is held in His hands, that our failures do not silence His promises, and that His words can fall gently, like rain, awakening life in our soul.
If you find yourself hardened by repeated failures or discouraged by unmet expectations, this week offers a fresh invitation: listen again. Let the words fall slowly. Let them wash over doubt. Let them seep into places that have grown dry. And if you are in a season of blessing, let this song keep you humble, reminding you of the fragility of faith and the constancy of God’s mercy.
This week, take time to listen. Choose a stanza of Ha’azinu to read slowly. Meditate on one phrase that unsettles or restores. Let the imagery of rain and dew speak to your heart. Then respond with confession, gratitude, or renewed commitment. Let God’s words shape your steps.
PRAYER
Lord, help me listen to Your words this week. Let them fall like gentle rain on my heart, convicting and restoring. May my life echo Your mercy and truth. Amen.
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