Teach the World to Sing

Does anyone remember the song "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" The first line goes something like I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony, I'd like to hold it in my arms and keep it company. It also speaks of apple trees and honey bees, and snow white turtle doves. On Rosh Hashana we eat apples dipped in honey and wear white as a sign of peace between HaShem and ourselves, we start the year with a clean slate. The "Song of Moshe" from this weeks Torah portion is actually two part harmony. Moshe is not only singing his song to the people standing before him, he is also singing his song to the two witnesses of the covenant renewal. The two witness are none other than the heavens and the earth.

Ha'azinu, "give your ear", heavens! I will speak! And you earth! Shema "listen and heed" the words of my mouth! Deuteronomy 32:1. Notice beloved the heavens give ear, but it is the earth, it is us that listens and obeys. There is a two part harmony running all through this song. The history of the Jews on the one hand and the history of the nations on the other, the story of our humanness on the one hand and the story of HaShem's plan of redemption on the other.

Just as breath is needed to blow the shofar that we will hear this Rosh Hashana we need the breath of HaShem, the very word that He speaks to repair the brokenness in our hearts. In Deuteronomy 32:2 it says,"May my teaching drop like rain, may my words flow down like the dew-like a downpour on the meadow, like a shower on the grass. Torah is our life giving water, it is HaShem's way of awakening the potential in each and every one of us. My prayer for all of us this New Year is that we all strive to reach the heavens, in doing so we sanctify G*D's name in the earth just as it is sanctified in the heavens. This year let us hold the world in our arms and teach it to to sing beloved, not our song, but HaShem's.

As we sit in shul this holyday among our brothers and sisters let HaShem's healing rain fall on us and let us be renewed once again. Enjoy this video about rain, patience and growth, and remember that each one of us has the power to make a difference.
enlarge for best effect.
http://www.aish.com/sp/pg/57973927.ht

L'Shanah Tovah, Betsy, Elizabeth, Elisheva Amaris, Bea
(all the names you all call me)