 | Ha'azinu |  |
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| | 32:1 |
First Reading
Listen heaven! I will speak! Earth! Hear the words of my mouth!
Ha'azinu hashamayim va'adaberah vetishma ha'arets imrey-fi. |
| 32:2 |
My lesson shall drop like rain, my saying shall flow down like the dew - like a downpour on the herb, like a shower on the grass.
Ya'arof kamatar likchi tizal katal imrati kis'irim aley-deshe vechirvivim aley-esev. |
| 32:3 |
When I proclaim God's name, praise God for His greatness.
Ki shem Adonay ekra havu godel le'Eloheynu. |
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Commentary:
heaven
Literally, (Ibn Ezra; Ramban). Or, 'angels in heaven' (Saadia); or, 'the soul' (Paaneach Razah; cf. Sanhedrin 91a).
| lesson
Lekach in Hebrew. Wise teaching (Ibn Janach), or, in particular, 'oral teaching' (cf. Radak, Sherashim). Some say from the root lakach, 'to take,' since it is taken from on high (Bachya), is taken up by the student (Hirsch), or brings the soul to good (Ralbag; Abarbanel).
| shall
Or, 'May my lesson drop as rain ...' (both in Chizzkuni).
| drop
(Ibn Ezra). Araf in Hebrew, possibly related to oref, the back of the neck, or araf, to decapitate (cf. Exodus 13:13). Variously translated as, 'flow down' (Saadia; Rashi; Radak, Sherashim; Ibn Janach); 'be pleasant' (Targum), 'be sought as' (Septuagint), 'be gathered' (Sifri), 'penetrate' (Hirsch); 'strike' (Targum Yonathan; Sifri; Taanith 7a; Malbim); 'strike its target' (Midrash HaGadol); or, 'strike from behind' (Sifri; Chizzkuni).
| downpour
Or, 'rainstorm' (Targum; Rashi; Bachya). Or, 'mist' (Ibn Ezra; Ibn Janach; Radak, Sherashim). Se'irimin Hebrew.
| shower
(Rashi). Revivim in Hebrew. Or, 'heavy rains' (Ibn Ezra; Ibn Janach; Radak, Sherashim); 'late rains' (Targum; cf. Deuteronomy 11:14); or, 'snow' (Septuagint).
| God's name
Or, 'God's teaching' (HaKethav VeHaKabbalah; cf. Berakhhoth 21a).
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