Shoftim 5

0:00Welcome to the Torah Tiemachanachiyomi with the OU Women's Initiative. My name is Chana Leyra, a report and today we will be learning Safer Shilftom Perakay, chapter 5. This Perak is made up fully of Shira's Devora, the song of Devora, which is one of the only ten songs in the Torah and Tanakh referred to as a Shira. Meaning we have lots of times that people sing and praise and thank, but there are ten specific times in Tanakh that we call it a Shira, a song. Nine of them we've already had through our history. We are waiting for the last one, which is going to be called the Shirhadash, the last of the songs, which will happen when Mashiach comes. A person sings Shira, a song when you see the beginning and the end, when you see how it all came together. So for example, when the Jews left Maitreya and when they left Egypt, they didn't sing a Shira because they knew that the Egyptians could still come and get them.

1:02But they did sing the Shira by the Yam after they crossed Yam, so if after they crossed the Red Sea, because then they knew there was no more threat. We saw the beginning, we saw the end and it's over. And here after this war, which we just had with Sysra, where Yael killed Sysra and Barak together with Devora Hanavia have gotten rid of Yavin and the whole threat of the Kananim are over, here they will sing a song, a Shira. It just gives us an indication how monumental this victory was. Paschic Bays verse 2. Before Opera, Osprey, Srel, Bees, Nadev, Ba-Huhashem. When breaches are made in Israel, now it's unclear whether it means whether when we have breaches in our observance of the Torah or when we make breaches in other nations, but either way, clearly the only way out is Bees, Nadev, when people come and sacrifice themselves to serve Hashem,

2:04spiritually by trusting him and going to battle. And when we do win, the result has to be Ba-Huhashem. We have the thank Hashem, we have to recognize that it all comes from him. Devora is going to be talking to the entire world. Shimo Malachem, Hazzinut, Raznim. Listen to me kings, listen to me noble men. I am to Hashem, I am for Hashem, I will sing the song, Azam ala Hashem ala Ke Israel. This is a Zema, this is a song going to Hashem, the God of Israel. The nations, the kings, Klai Israel and us, every single one of us, every single creation for man-plants are created to serve Hashem. Every nation, every person, every mountain, every river has its job in the system of the leadership of Hakotashbahu. Everybody listen to me, and Paschak Dalat. Hashem, Beceschamiseir, Hashem when you came from Harsseir,

3:07Beceschamiseir and Edom. And you took your steps from the fields of Edom. You came where? You came to Harsenei, and when you came to Harsenei, Eritra Asha, Ghamsh-a Maim Nathafu, and she's describing what it looked like when Hashem gave the Torah. The whole earth was shaking, the water was dropping, the sky was dropping, Gham-aim Nathafu Maim, even the clouds were dropping water. Harim Naslu Mifnashem, and that the mountains they melted before Hashem, Zessinei, Mifnashem ala Ke Israel. This is Sinei. The Shira begins by making a direct connection between Matan Torah and the condition of the situation of the Jews at that time, at her time. She says, why was everything shaking? Why were mountains dissolving? Why was the sky dripping? Everything was shaking because there was a real fear gripping the world. If the Jews were to accept the Torah, there would be a world. And if not, the world which had existed on Kheset for the last

4:092448 years would cease to exist. Because Hashem said that I've created a world for and I created the world with the intention that I would have a Jewish nation who's going to learn the Torah. If there is no Jewish nation accepting the Torah, there's no world, there's no reason for a world. The beginning of Shira's divar is an answer to what we spoke about yesterday that Sysra wasn't just the physical threat, he was also a spiritual threat. He mocked and blasphemized the Jewish nation and the weakness of the Jewish nation. And he's answering with the strength of a Kodashbah who listened to me. There's a world, there's a purpose and every person has a place to play in this purpose. And now she's going to state the problem in Paschic V of verse 6. Bimei Shamgar bin Anas, he was a chauffeur that we mentioned briefly. We have one Paschic about him at the end of chapter 3, but in the times of Shamgar bin Anas and Bimei Ya'el

5:09and in the times of Ya'el who is our heroine from the last chapter, Khadlu Arachot, the highway travel, the travel on the roads seized. Mahal Khain Naseevot and those who had to travel on paths, Ya Khud Arachot Akal Kalat, they weren't able to go straight, they had to go on circuitous roads. They stopped living in unwalled cities in Perazon, it says in Paschic V, verse 7, they couldn't because it was too unsafe and then she says, until something changed, what changed? A Chakanti Devora, Chakanti in B Israel, until I Devora stood up, that I stood up as an aim, B Israel, as a mother of Israel. So she's describing the weak physical state of the Jews and she understands that the solution is going to be, as we're going to see, the spreading of Torah. Because the whole problem here of the Shostom is that there's not enough Torah learning.

6:11We have a lot of safety guards today in our exile. We have a lot of problems and a lot of difficulties, but so much has expanded in Torah learning. We have the Takanus and the Gzerus that Khazal made. We have the Torah Shabalpe that has been written down, that we have today to protect us. It all wasn't them and there's this terrible, terrible weakness without the Torah, what will keep this nation strong? As we'll see, the Tami-de-chaham weren't going out. They were waiting for people to come to them. This is the terrible cycle of the Shostom that we keep on coming up to, not enough leadership, not enough consistent Torah learning. And this is what she wants to change. She calls herself and in essence, what she really is, an Am-Bi-Gisrael, a mother. Mitsu-Dastava compares Dvorah's capacity to inspire positive change with a mother's ability, to admonish and to shape her children in a way that encourages rather than discourages.

7:12The Malbim comments that like a mother, Dvorah in effect gives birth, in this case to a nation that will emerge with a completely new sense of self. As we spoke about last class, we see examples of how Dvorah used her ability to inspire, not to go out and inspire a whole nation at the beginning, but first to inspire herself, her husband. Very often it's the small changes that we make in ourselves and in our families, which really change the world. There's a famous story of Ravisrael Salanta where he said, I started off wanting to change the world and I tried and nobody listened to me, so I said, okay fine, then I'll just change my city. He said, and I tried and nobody listened, so I said, I'll change my neighborhood. And nobody listened, then he said, so I'll change my family. And they didn't listen either, so he said, I guess I'll just change myself. And then he said, and I looked around and I saw a behold, I had changed the whole world. Dvorah makes the small changes sending her husband,

8:14as we spoke about Lapidos with his little wicks to the Michigan, and we see how she has the ability to lift people up. However, there is a little bit of a problem with what she says, there's a little bit of guy, but a little bit of haughtiness here, until I stood up and changed things. And we'll see that her nivua is actually going to disappear. We'll see in a few psilken from now, she's going to have to call it back, she's going to have to say, please, please come back my nivua, because nivua represents the closest level of connection to Hashem there is, which means that they're in the bonding with Hikotashbah, who there cannot be any machita, there cannot be any barrier. And Gaiwa, haughtiness, in the minute sense that we see it here in Dvorah, is going to act as a barrier between herself and the ability to get nivua. Pasqtess, in verse 9, she comes up with her solution. What is the solution to this problem, to this weakness that I see? My heart is for the ones who pass the laws in Israel,

9:22let them go out again, those who devote themselves to the nation, Bahu Hashem, and Bles Hashem. In Pasqtess, you're in verse 10. We talk about all the different kinds of people who walk on the road. Now we could understand this on a very literal level, Raghvea Sonot Chorot. We have those who are riding on white donkeys. These are the wealthy people, Yashvea Amidin, those who discuss different laws. These are the learned people, the Hulchael, Darachan, those who just walk on the road, because they can't afford the donkeys. In any case, Sikhu, go out. You can go out now. It's safe to go out now. Chazal say that this is a reference to the Tami de Khum, and those who are on A Sonot Chorot are Tami de Khum, Yashve Amidin. These are Dhanimdin MS. These are the Shoftim. Repave these roads in the right way. Have the wise people go out and spread Torah. Don't sit at home and wait, and then, then it will be safe to go out.

10:23Really, the Shira can end here, but there are a few side issues that have to be taken care of. So in Pasqtess, in Basin, verse 12, Uri Uri Dvara, Uri Uri Dvara, Share Wake Up Dvara. Go and sing a song. Either she's strengthening herself, strengthen your song, because there's more to say, or like we said, because she had praised herself. She had lost her navel, and she had to wake herself up again, so that she could sing a song. The next part of the Shira talks about how some of the Shwatim came to fight, and some did not. And she praises those who came to fight. Afraim, Bin Yaman, Mahir was part of Manash, as Wulani Sakhir Naftali, thank you for fighting. And then there were those who didn't come to fight. Ruvain and God, who stayed behind the Ardan, done, who stayed by his ships, and Usher, who stayed by the Seashore, Lama Yashafta, Bain Hamish Batayim. How is it possible that you sat by the borders,

11:24and you didn't come, Lashma Shrikas Adaram? You heard the cries, you heard the flocks screaming, and yet you sat back. And she said, and you missed out, because there were so many great miracles that happened. Like we mentioned last class, the victory was not a physical victory. Yes, they did have to fight a physical fight, but as it says in Pasoqaf, in verse 20, Shammayim Nilchammu, the skies helped fight. Hakohabimim Silasam Nilchammuim Sysra, the stars in their pathways and their trajectories, they came to fight in Sysra. Like we said, they heated up the chariot, so they were unusable. Specific attention is given in Pasoqaf Gimul, in verse 23, to Meirotz, Oru Meirotz, cursed, be Meirotz, Amar Malakhashem, Oru Arar Yosfah. Now, it's unclear whether Meirotz is a person, or it's a city,

12:25but Kilo Ba'ul Ezwa Sashem, Ezwa Sashem Bikibaram. You have to come and help. You can't sit back. The Ramam says, a person who is purish, Medaqeat Sibor, even a person who separates himself from what the Sibor is going through, Afel Picchelaw of Araveros, even if he hasn't transgress any sins, but he separates himself from Adasti Surah and he doesn't do what they're doing, then he says it very strongly, In Nochele Khla'ul Amhaba. He has Nochele Khla'ul Amhaba. Everybody has to contribute. In whichever way they do contribute, but you have to be part of the Sibor. The Sibor is going through something. You need to. And you, Meirotz, you didn't come. We are an important person. And had you come, other people would have come too. And in contrast, look at the one woman who wasn't necessarily even part of the Jewish nation. She came from the family of Yisra, unclear what her

13:28knit nationhood was, what her nationality was. But Ya'al, she with tremendous tremendous sacrifice is the person who killed Sifra. Sifra, Pasuch Khufdal, at verse 24, Tevorach, Meishem Ya'al, Isha Srevarhakaini. Blessed by woman from all woman Is Ya'al, Isha Srevarhakaini, Meishem, Ba'a'al Tevorach. She is more blessed than the woman in the tent. Why? Because what would have been the point of the Imah is having all their children and all the generations and without Ya'al, say them a portion, the Ilma'leg Ya'al, without Ya'al, Hayya, Rasha, Zabat, Umah, I've done. This Russia would have come and destroyed them. And again, it just gives us an understanding of how difficult this battle was, how crucial it was. Lastly, we're given a glimpse as to what's going on in Sifra's palace. Again, Sifra is the terrible, terrifying,

14:31general of the army. And his mother is waiting for her son to come back, as he always does. Pazak Khafres, verse 28, Bi'ad, Ha'halon, Nishkefa, she's looking out of her window, Vati'abib, Im, Sifra, and she is crying, Pa'adashnav, she's looking out on the window, so, Maduaboshesh, Raghfa Lava. Where is he? Why is his chariot coming so late? And the woman they are trying to encourage her, Pazak Lava, 30, Ha'halonium to Uyghal Kushalon. You know what he's doing? He's separating the spoils. He's giving out the spoils, and then a terrible image. Ragham, Ragham Asayim, Loro Shkever. Each one of the soldiers is raping one or two girls. They're having fun. Don't worry about him. He's coming. Yosef Elbow describing the difference between Navua and astrology, he says that in astrology there is power, and they were able to see Sysra, and they were able to see

15:31Shlal Tsva'im. They were able to see an abundance of colors there, and they didn't know what it meant. They built their own explanation. They said that there's colorful scarves and embroidery, and there's two women. They couldn't imagine that the Shlal Tsva'im, that the abundance of colors that they saw was the blood of Sysra, and of course the two women for the head of the Gever was were the two women, Yael and Devara, who were responsible for killing Sysra and for vanquishing him. And yet, interestingly, we're told that the mother of Sysra cried 100 tears, and because of her 100 tears, we counteract it by blowing 100 times in Rosh Hashana, which is incredible. We have no better role model. We have no better person to take this from. We have no better person to be thinking about on Rosh Hashana, but it tells us that the power of a mother's tears, and we should never forget that even the mother of Sysra

16:32cried tears, and being comforted by hearing that, no, don't worry, Sysra is busy with his men, and they're doing terrible acts, but she cried, and we should never underestimate the power of our tears, if the power of Sysra's mother's tears means that for thousands of years after that, we're all listening to 100 blows of the chauffeur to counteract her tears. And then, we end with Pasochlamid Alef, with the Tvila that we continue to ask, we continue to say the same Tvila, because we're not in such a great place yet, Pasochlamid Alef, 31. King Yovduk, Ovech Hashem, Hashem, the same way you took care of Sysra and you took care of Yovin. May you take care of all of your enemies Hashem, the Ahabav, and those who love him, us, we who love Hashem, we should, we should be Kitzace Hashem, I should be Kvula Say, this, the strength of the Sun, as it goes out in its strength,

17:33that should be us. Those like Sysra and his ilk should be destroyed and devastated, and then the paraka ends with Vatishkota, Arat, Arba Imshana, and we have 40 years of peace. Thank you for learning in memory of our dear grandmother's Mary Imshankar, Rahul Friedman, Theresa Shriver, and Billet Openheimer, Alayem Ashallam, the Shlotrayam, who lived with the Amnus commitment to Torah about the Angomelis Khassadim, despite the physical and spiritual challenges they face living in the United States, Israel or Europe. May their example continue to inspire families and the family of Khlai Israel. Nina and Hayem Shankar.