<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><span style="font-size: 20px;" class="">He is the Rock, his work is perfect; for all his ways are justice; a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. (Deut 32:1-4)<br class=""><br class="">Of all the ways of describing God, Moses refers to God as a "Rock." The Term, of course, signifies the power of God.<br class="">But when we recall that the downfall of Moses took place when attempting to extract water from a rock,<br class="">it is all the more surprising that this particular appellation is used. This understanding may be found in the Zohar:<br class=""><br class="">Rabbi Simeon said: "Moses in his Song first said The rock, perfect is His work, referring to the occasion when water issued from the rock..." (Zohar S'hmot 64b)<br class=""><br class="">In his song which is sung immediately preceding his death, Moses completely accepts Divine justice: He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice; <br class="">a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He.<br class="">Instead of avoiding this painful topic, Moses addresses it head-on, displaying absolute acceptance of God and His will. This is yet another indication of the spiritual level which Moses achieves.<br class=""></span><br class=""><b class="">Excerpted from Rabbi Ari Kahn</b><br class=""><br class=""><br class=""><span style="font-size: 21px;" class=""><br class="">I also see it as saying “The Rock,” perfect is His work. As perfect as God is, if one misuses or abuses God’s blessings (striking the rock instead of speaking to it), <br class="">then all His ways are Justice—Moshe had to pay for his imperfections toward the Rock. <br class="">May we strive to be kind and gentle and speak to the Rock instead of our usual impulsive and undisciplined behavior causing us to strike </span>it.</body></html>