Shabbos Parashas Haazinu - 5776

Shabbos Parashas Haazinu - 5776

Rabbi Hal Miller

Corruption is not His -- the blemish is His children's, a crooked and twisted

generation. [Devarim 32:5]

This is perhaps one of the most confusing verses in the Torah, as evidenced by the

fact that all the commentators come up with different understandings. As quoted here,

we are listening to Rashi. Ramban renders our verse: "Their blemish has corrupted

His non-children for Him, a crooked and twisted generation." This seems to only add

to our confusion. What is the Torah trying to tell us?

Rashi is explained by Onkelos. "Corruption is theirs, not His. The blemish is His

children's and not His blemish." This seems to state that the Jewish people are

corrupt, not G-d, which makes sense. Rashbam agrees, and says that the people

"introduced their own corruption." The people themselves are corrupt.

But Ramban says that the blemish has corrupted the people, in other words, the

people themselves were not corrupt until acted upon by an outside influence. The

blemish is corrupt, and the people are, if you will, victims.

Sforno combines them to some degree. He writes, "Their blemish is not due to

anything that G-d had done," thus the blemish is not G-d's, but it is at fault,

and somehow this due to the people.

Onkelos makes a subtle but interesting change. Where the verse has the words,

"Corruption is not His" (Rashi's reading) in the singular, Onkelos changes the word

corruption to the plural in order to apply it to the people. He applies this to Moshe's

criticism of the people for the golden calf and violation of the Ten Commandments.

The Talelei Oros brings the Chasam Sofer, who suggests that, "if you think my (Moshe's)

criticism is based on the fact that Israel is degenerate, in truth they are not, for in

comparison to every other nation, they are pure. Since they are considered the children

of G-d, however, I castigate them for their blemishes." According to Chasam Sofer, "this

verse should be seen as a compliment to Israel, for G-d judges them so harshly only

because of their potential, for they are very close to Him."

How do we pull this together? Perhaps the answer lies in an understanding of the rest of

the verse.

What is "non-children" in Ramban's reading of the verse? Does it mean adults? Animals?

Ramban explains that in a time of favor, the Torah refers to Jews as G-d's children,

therefore in a time lacking favor, the people are not considered His children. Ibn Ezra

writes that it refers to those who have dealt corruptly toward G-d. But aren't we told

repeatedly that we will always be His children?

Our two interpretations seem to agree on the last part, "a crooked and twisted

generation." Rashi says this refers to those "who bend all that is straight", which may

indicate that there are those who do not bend this, thus it is only a portion of the people

involved here, such as Korach and his rebellion. Ramban says, "twisted is the opposite

of righteous", and that the people have proven themselves opposite of G-d, Who is righteous.

Kli Yakar says that the fact that the sinner destroys himself through his actions is not

the culmination of the evil he perpetuates, because his sins cause destruction to his

children, who would then be G-d's non-children.

Our verse, then, means that those people who refuse to "side with G-d" as it were,

will be cut off, including their descendants, from His people. Those who steadfastly

strive for righteousness, even if they are not completely righteous, will still benefit from

His kindness and mercy, and remain His children.