In the opening words of the Torah portion, Moses conveys a message to the Israelites: Learn from how the heavens and the earth diligently and consistently fulfill the will of the Creator.

Moses said: “Listen, the heavens” (Deuteronomy 32:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Tell Israel: Look to the heavens that I created to serve you; have they altered their conduct at all? Or perhaps, did the orb of the sun ever say: I am not rising in the east and illuminating for the entire world?… Not only does it perform its task, but it is happy to perform My will for Me….

Moses continued: “And the earth will hear the sayings of my mouth” (32:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Tell Israel: Look to the earth that I created to serve you; has it altered its conduct at all? Have you sown in it and it did not grow plants? Have you sown wheat and it produced barley? Or did a cow ever say: I am not threshing or I am not plowing today? Or did a donkey ever say: I am not bearing a burden and I will not walk?…

Can these matters not be inferred a fortiori: If these that were made not for reward and not for loss, i.e., if they perform a good deed they do not receive reward and if they sin they do not receive a punishment, and they do not need to have compassion for their sons and daughters, nevertheless did not alter their conduct from what is expected of them, you, who if you perform a good deed you receive a reward and if you sin you receive a punishment, and you must have compassion for your sons and your daughters, all the more so that you must not alter your conduct from what is expected of you. (Sifrei Devarim, Haazinu 506)