Tafsiran yang Mengutip untuk Ulangan 31:14

“The time is drawing near for you to die” [31:14]. The day of your death is near. This verse teaches us that the Holy One decrees the time of how long the person should live and the Holy One makes the people approach the stated time for the person. Sometimes, the Holy One lengthens the time and he lives longer. Sometimes, the Holy one shortens his life. It is known that the Holy One has given everything into the power of the constellations in heaven to make someone rich and poor, as the Talmud says in [tractate Moed Katan], chapter three. The life of the person, children for the person, and food for the person, all these do not depend on the merit of good deeds, but depend on the constellations. Ravah and Rav Hisdah were both very righteous. One of them lived forty years and the other one lived sixty years. In the house of Ravah, his household did not have enough barley bread and at Rav Hisdah’s, the household did not want to eat fine flour bread, since there was so much of it in his house. Even though the Holy One placed these three things in the power of the constellations, but in any event the Holy One has power over them and can change them when the Holy One so desires, as we find concerning Hezekiah. He was supposed to die. The Holy One said: I will lengthen his stated years, so that he should live longer, another fifteen years. Sometimes, the Holy One shortens someone’s life, as we find concerning Ahaziah son of Ahab. He worshiped foreign gods and the Holy One shortened his life, as the verse says, “you shall not rise from the bed which you are lying on; but you shall die” [II Kings, 1:16]. This means, the prophet told him: you might have lived longer, but because you have worshiped foreign gods, therefore you must quickly die, before your time comes. The Holy One has power over the constellations to change them. The person can avert everything with his merits, even if the constellation points to an evil end, but the person has anguish in his heart and even if he does not pray, yet he averts the evil constellation with his anguish, as the verse says, “He fulfills the wishes of those who fear Him” [Psalms, 145:19]. This means, the Holy One does the will of the righteous, what they desire with their heart and in their prayers. However, three things are decided above, having children, having enough food, and living long. These, the person cannot abrogate the constellation, but he must pray, as the verse says, “He hears their cry and delivers them” [Psalms, 145:19]. He can abrogate the evil decree with prayer, and the Holy One gives him children, enough food, and long life. We find this regarding Rachel, who had no children, as the verse says, “God heeded her and opened her womb” [Genesis, 30:22]. This means, the Holy One heard the prayer of Rachel and gave her children. We also find this with regard to long life for Hezekiah, as the verse says, “I have heard your prayer … I hereby add fifteen years to your life” [Isaiah, 38:5]. This means, I have heard your prayer. I will lengthen your life by fifteen years. The food we find concerning Elijah and Elisha. God gave them food when there was famine. Therefore, our sages taught us that one could abrogate the constellation, to have children through prayer; similarly, with food and long life. The Midrash writes: Moses said, with the word “Mark … to the Lord your God” [Deuteronomy, 10:14]. I have praised you always and now You tell me with the word “Mark” that I will die. That is to say, You said, “Mark, the time is drawing near for you to die” [31:14]. The Holy One responded: with that which you praised Me, with that you will die. That is to say, death is a favor for you. You will also have more honor in the world to come. Our sages learn from here that the Holy One will bring the dead back to life. Therefore, it says, “you are soon to lie … and will arise” [31:16]. This means, though you will lie in the grave, you will rise again.⁵Bahya, Deuteronomy, 31:14.

According to Malbim, then, Ha’azinu wasn’t meant for actual everyday use, even if it had to be recited all the time. The Torah says as much, prefacing the command given to Moshe to write and teach this song by the prognosis that the Jews will reach such a nadir of moral corruption that they won’t even understand why punishments are coming to them (Devarim 31:14–18). It was at such a time that the song was meant to be employed.

ועתה כתבו, "And now write, etc." G'd says to Moses: "and now," although Moses could not delay by a single day seeing he was going to die on this day. G'd meant for Moses to write this down before he would command Joshua what is written in verse 23. Although the instruction to call Joshua and to give him certain instructions had preceded the command to record this song, G'd wanted the song to be recorded first.