Ha'azinu: The ups and downs

This is the great epic poem. 

The song is introduced in the previous parsha :

וְ֠הָיָה כִּֽי־תִמְצֶ֨אןָ אֹת֜וֹ רָע֣וֹת רַבּוֹת֮ וְצָרוֹת֒ וְ֠עָנְתָה הַשִּׁירָ֨ה הַזֹּ֤את לְפָנָיו֙ לְעֵ֔ד כִּ֛י לֹ֥א תִשָּׁכַ֖ח מִפִּ֣י זַרְע֑וֹ כִּ֧י יָדַ֣עְתִּי אֶת־יִצְר֗וֹ אֲשֶׁ֨ר ה֤וּא עֹשֶׂה֙ הַיּ֔וֹם בְּטֶ֣רֶם אֲבִיאֶ֔נּוּ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבָּֽעְתִּי׃

and the many evils and troubles befall them—then this poem shall confront them as a witness, since it will never be lost from the mouth of their offspring. For I know what plans they are devising even now, before I bring them into the land that I promised on oath.

The poem is structured with an introduction, followed by the (undeserved) blessing, which generates no recognition of the donor. The abandonment of GD, the provider, leads to Gd's withdrawal. In the absence of a benevolent national deity, the nation is conquered, exiled, subjugated. The arrogance of the oppressor, their failure to see the hand of heaven in their conquest, leads to Gd's wrath  and the reinstatement of the covenant with Israel, the happy ending. Or the beginning of another cycle.

In the poem we can see an accurate description of the past. There is, nevertheless, room to doubt its predictions for the future. There is no clarity about the length of time for the periods of prosperity and persecution. We look to external signs of change. The poem attributes the falls to haughtiness. The equations are solvable only from the Divine perspective. We are trapped in a description that we understand only vaguely. 

In the poem, Gd expresses a sense of abandonment. The people have turned to non-gods. The true Gd lets them have what they have chosen and hides from them, allowing unrestrained physics and statistics to rule. This, eventually, devolves into tragedy. The tragedy  evokes Gd's pity and an examination of the arrogant persecutors. Israel is restored.  Until the next fall. 

Should I believe that the cycle will end? That it will end favorably? 

The coda is disturbing. Moshe is told that his turn will not end so well. He will not be allowed into the land, he must die after a view  from a mountain top.  The text tells us the reason for Moshe's disappointing  punishment: 

עַל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר מְעַלְתֶּ֜ם בִּ֗י בְּתוֹךְ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּמֵֽי־מְרִיבַ֥ת קָדֵ֖שׁ מִדְבַּר־צִ֑ן עַ֣ל אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־קִדַּשְׁתֶּם֙ אוֹתִ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Because you were unfaithful to Me amid Bnei Yisroel at the waters of argument at Kodeish in the Tzin wilderness; because of [the fact] that you did not sanctify Me amid Bnei Yisroel.

Moshe's transgression was the sin that  is at the heart  of the Ha'azinu poem: failure to credit Gd. The episode is described only vaguely, and in the context of Moshe: the liberator, the law giver, Gd's intimate, the sin seems small. But perhaps the poem reflects how large that sin was. Perhaps Moshe was accidently, only slightly carelessly, teaching the people this lack of gratitude, this belief in self. Then the sin was not so small. It is part of the heavy burden of leadership. 

Regardless, the punishment of Moshe demonstrates the standard to which a person is measured. It is impossible. We all deserve the downfall. We can only rely on Gds' grace and pity.  Fortunately, those are usually available. We are charged to appreciate them.