Glossary of Terms Used in the Haazinu Weekly Torah Portion

A Stiff-Necked People

We have Panim (anterior) and Achoraim (posterior) sides. The Achoraim of the degree are the hardest, most egotistical desires to receive and not give. “Stiff-necked” means great difficulty; these are the biggest desires, the toughest ones, and indeed they are found in Israel and not elsewhere.

Although we see that cruelty exists in everyone, it is far more so in Israel because when we come to these great corrections, we connect and scrutinize the worst Kelim (vessels) and become a stiff-necked people. It is impossible to avoid this.

An ordinary person is not considered stiff-necked. Rather, only those who walk on the path of corrections become stiffer, increasingly discovering the evil inclination, as it is written, “He who is greater than his friend, his inclination is greater than him” (Babylonian Talmud, Masechet Sukkah, Chapter 5, 52a).

Guidance of the Creator

The guidance of the Creator means that there is none else but Him. Along the way, we only need to bring the catalyst between our actions and His—the demand that it will happen. Without our demand it will not happen, but in truth the Creator begins and ends every situation, and we only ask in-between.

It is not just a request. We need to know what we are asking for and how He executes. This is how He knows we come to know the whole system, as well as Him.

Punishment

A “punishment” is the inability to bestow because there is nothing worse than being denied that; it is similar to the way we consider reception to be the most important thing.

Mount Nevo

This is the place of Bina, Moses’ place, where this force is found until it achieves complete redemption, and then it appears.

Gazing Over the Land

This is the correction of seeing, called “gazing.” Histaklut (looking) of Eynaim in the AHP is what Moses does. This is how he performs corrections over the land of Israel, so the people of Israel can enter the land with his blessing, his force, and can continue the corrections. Joshua is already leading them with the force of Moses.

Idol Worship

When we turn to ourselves or to any other force in the world but the one, giving Force, which is hidden among us and must be revealed, this is called “idol worship.” We must turn to it and ask it to be revealed, and this will comprise the correction.