THE SONG OF THE MULE
The mule sings of the justness of all Hashem’s mitzvos.
[Song 64] Mule (Ch. 5)
פֶּרֶד אוֹמֵר. יוֹדוּךָ יְיָ כָּל מַלְכֵי אָרֶץ כִּי שָׁמְעוּ אִמְרֵי פִיךָ: (תהילים קלח ד)
The Mule is saying, “All the kings of the earth shall acknowledge you, Hashem, for they have heard the sayings of your mouth.”
Commentary
A mule is the byproduct of a horse and a donkey. Hashem forbids such unnatural
mixtures. The Midrash teaches that when non-Jewish kings heard that Hashem
commanded us to respect parents like Himself, they acknowledged the utter
correctness of all Hashem’s mitzvos, unlike the selfish decrees of human kings
which are often unreasonable. The mule is a stark example of this, since its breeder
has not only perverted the Creator’s chosen design of His creatures, he has also
created a clearly defective product, since mules are barren. The mule is therefore
a living song of the kings’ acknowledgment.
The Torah is the indispensable manual for life. It has stood the test of time
throughout ever-changing world history, despite relentless assault from opposing
theologies, and has emerged unchanged. At times, new philosophies confuse the
masses to believe that another lifestyle is superior. This may be so in one or two
aspects – like the mule. But it eventually falls on the roadside of history and does
not bear fruits of true success – like the mule. By living according to the Torah in
its purest form, our every confident step resonates to the song of the mule.
LIVING WITH THE SONG
The Torah is the indispensable instruction manual for life. It has stood through the test of time, throughout millennia
of the everchanging world’s history. Despite almost relentless assault from opposing theologies, as well as from various
internal movements of reform, it remains unchanged, unadulterated, undefeated.
At times, new philosophies enter and confuse the masses to think that perhaps this form of lifestyle is better. Perhaps
in one or two aspects it is indeed superior – like the mule. But, as time quickly tells, it slowly falls on the roadside of
history and does not bear fruit of true succes – like the mule.
Only by living according to the Torah in its purest form, guided by the unerring vision of the “eyes of the nation” – its
Torah scholars, will our nation reach it destiny. As we do so, with every confident step of the way, we resonate the
timeless song of the mule.
Inspirational commentary By Shmuel Ben-Tzion Kraines author of
The Song of Existence.