In Psalm 136, the psalmist speaks of the mercies of Hashem, whose kindness endures forever, and directs us to praise Him. We are to give thanks "To Him Who alone performs great wonders (v. 4)." The verse may be understood to mean that only G-D performs great deeds; no other wonders equal His. G-D’s power is peerless. The verse may also allude to the fact that G-D requires no partner in the performance of His miracles; He alone brings the extraordinary to life. The Sages add yet another explanation. There are times when we simply fail to recognize the wonders that Hashem performs on our behalf. We are blind to the miraculous in our midst. In those instances, G-D alone is aware of the wonders that He has wrought. By acknowledging the unseen Divine miracles in our midst, we begin the journey toward recognition of G-D’s merciful and generous presence in our lives.
Rav Hirsch interprets Psalm 75 as Assaf’s plea to Hashem for help: "To Him Who grants victory, "Let not destruction come." A Psalm, a Song of Assaf (v. 1)." Assaf senses the imminent danger of the world’s destruction. It will fall to the degenerate forces of corruption and moral bankruptcy unless and until G-D intervenes. Assaf therefore begins this psalm with a heartfelt plea for G-D’s intervention. He asks that Hashem not permit the destruction to come. But once he has expressed his concern and aired his anxiety, he moves to song. With the "song of Assaf" comes a restoration of his confidence, a return of his belief in Hashem’s ability to act forcefully on our behalf. That confidence comes from the contemplation of Hashem’s past miracles. Assaf grows ever more certain that Hashem has established the moral foundation of the earth. G-D will see to the punishment of the wicked and grant the righteous their rightful place. We, who live in turbulent times, must remember the miracles that Hashem has performed for us throughout history and take heart, knowing that He shall redeem us once more.
"For there is a cup [kos] in the hand of the Lord; the wine has ceased to ferment but it is full of mixture when He pours out from it. All the lawless of the earth shall drain and drink only the dregs thereof (Psalm 75:9)." In Rav Hirsch’s translation and explanation, this verse speaks not only of the wicked, but of all mankind. Hashem holds the measuring cup of human fate. The word "kos" derives from the word "keses"- a vessel of specific content in which a person’s portion is meted out to him. Hashem holds in His hand a cup in which the wine is fully fermented. Whatever man receives from that cup is given with mature deliberation, "full of mixture"- mixed precisely in such proportions that he warrants. In order for human beings to move toward moral and spiritual perfection, they must experience a mixture of joy and grief. Each human being requires his own particular mixture to progress. Hashem therefore pours each of us our customized cocktail. But for the lawless, the wicked who have not worked on their own moral betterment, their drink will consist of the dregs of the cup, containing only sorrow and empty of joy.
After having expressed his request that Hashem intervene to save mankind from destruction and articulated his conviction that Hashem apportions to each man according to his needs, Assaf speaks of his own obligation. "But as for me, I shall declare it forever, I will sing praises to the G-D of Jacob. I shall cut down all the horns of the lawless, so that the horn of the righteous may rise up (Psalm 75:10-11)." Rav Hirsch comments that Assaf wishes to proclaim those universal truths that have been revealed to the children of Jacob. Whenever we feel that we are the descendants of Jacob, in exile and oppressed, we must recall the "G-D of Jacob" and sing praises to Him. For the G-D of Jacob has brought us forth from exile and performed wonders on our behalf. Therefore, Assaf commits to singing of Him. His song celebrates the downfall of the wicked and the ascent of the righteous. Assaf reminds us to take the long-term view and trust that Hashem will lead us from exile, just as He redeemed our forefather Jacob.
"Indeed, I will set a time, I will judge uprightly (Psalm 75:3)." Of whom is the psalmist speaking? The Da’at Mikra explains that this verse is linked to the previous one that speaks of Hashem’s wondrous works. The psalmist is speaking in the first person as the words of Hashem. Hashem will set a time in the future for accountability, for a day of judgment. The Da’at Mikra further comments that these words were probably part of an ancient prophecy. The intention of the psalmist was to praise G-D for having fulfilled His promise. Not only will there be a reckoning, but G-D states that He will judge uprightly, ensuring that the good will be rewarded and the wicked punished.
3rd of Cheshvan, November 1, 2008
Continuing to speak in the first person as the voice of Hashem, the psalmist says: "I say to the arrogant: Do not act arrogantly. And to the wicked: Do not lift up the horn. Do not lift your horn on high. Do not speak arrogance with your neck upstretched (Psalm 75:5-6]." After having stated that He will judge uprightly, Hashem directly addresses the wicked. He cautions them not to "lift up their horn"; do not oppress and cause damage like the ox that harms with its horns. G-D further cautions the wicked not to be arrogant, to not be prideful to man or G-D. The words- "do not lift your horn on high"- allude to the behavior of horned animals. When happy, they raise their horns and when distressed, they lower them. Do not in your prideful and arrogant state lift your horn and do not speak with your neck held high in disdain of others.
"We give thanks to you. O G-D. We give thanks, for Your name is
near. Men tell of Your wondrous works (Psalm 75:2)."
We thank Hashem for a multitude of gifts, for the daily blessings He
showers upon us. In this verse, the psalmist thanks Hashem whose
name is close. In Biblical poetry, Hashem’s name is often used in
place of G-D Himself. Therefore, Assaf is acknowledging and
celebrating the very nearness of G-D, reiterating the closing thought of Psalm
73, "And as for me, the nearness of G-D is good (v. 28)." Alternatively, the verse may
be understood as linking two statements of thanksgiving: "We give thanks to You,
and Your name is near to us." This parallels the verse in
Devarim: "For what nation is so great, that has G-D so near to
them, as the Lord our G-D is in all things
for which we call upon Him (4:7)." It is because of
the very closeness and accessibility of our G-D that men tell of His wondrous
works.
"You guided me with Your counsel, and You led me after Your
glory (Psalm 73:24)." The psalmist
acknowledges that he has been the continual recipient of Hashem’s guidance. Even when he has struggled with his faith,
Hashem has given him good advice for the result of his doubts has been the
strengthening of his beliefs. The
psalmist affirms his conviction that after his life-humbling experiences, Hashem
will grant him glory.
The psalmist says of Hashem, "You open Your hand, and satisfy the desire of every living thing." We can readily understand this verse as speaking of Hashem’s extension of Himself in serving the needs of all His creations. Why, however, the use of the expression- "open hand"? Rabbi Weiman explains that a closed hand gives the impression of uniformity; all fingers appear to be the same length and size. With an open hand, however, individual differences are highlighted. The verse therefore teaches that Hashem differentially attends to all of His creations, acknowledging and meeting each one’s particular needs and desires.
The psalmist says of Hashem, "You set all the borders of the earth. You made summer and winter (Psalm 74:17)." Time and space are two of the central organizing principles of the universe. Our lives are shaped by our geographical location; the seasons define our tasks and activities. But time and space are not of our own choosing. It is G-D who sets all the borders of the earth. Hashem sets the borders of all the different parts of the earth, separating land and water, valleys and mountains, arable and arid land. Furthermore, Hashem controls time, changing the seasons over the course of the year. G-D makes the hot season, summer, and follows it with its opposite season, winter. Our times and spaces are in Hashem’s hands. What is in our hands is the ability to perceive G-D’s control and the willingness to invest our times and spaces with holiness.
"Let not the oppressed turn back in shame, let the poor and destitute praise
Your name (Psalm 74:21)." The experience of the oppressed has
taught him to anticipate rejection, to retreat before being shamed.
The poor, the destitute and the oppressed are particularly vulnerable in
the face of their superiors, expecting dismissive treatment. The
psalmist, knowing of Hashem’s exceeding grandeur and graciousness, requests that
Hashem preserve the dignity of the oppressed. Since Hashem
determines who is oppressed and who is elevated, no shame attaches.
All of Hashem’s creations, poor and rich alike, praise His name.
It is in our common humanity that we serve Hashem best and honor Him
most.
6th of Tishrei, October 25, 2008
Assaf describes himself as a senseless individual: "and I was senseless and
knowing nothing, like a [mindless] beast was I with You; still, I was always
loyal to You, You grasped my right hand (Psalm 73:22-23)." Man
must know the limits of his own intellect; his cognitive ability is not the sole
arbiter of truth. No matter man’s capacity, his intellectual
gifts pale in comparison to G-D’s omniscience. Therefore, it is
man’s job to use his gifts and abilities in the service of G-D. In
the absence of that recognition, man comes to worship himself, viewing himself
as the ultimate decider and definer of truth. The believing,
thinking individual is perennially loyal to Hashem. In return, G-D
takes him by the hand and supports him on his journey through life.
Psalm 73 grapples with the eternal dilemma of the wicked prospering while the righteous suffer. The psalmist highlights the privileged lives of the wicked, "Among the toil of lowly men they are not, and they are not smitten by pain like other men (v. 5)." The wicked are a class apart, spared hard labor and free of pain. Their special status results in their hubris. "Therefore pride is the ornament around their necks; their form enwraps itself in violence (v. 6)." Pain is an important teacher; it focuses our attention and tempers our self-absorption. The working individual makes the connection between effort expended and the attendant result. He learns to earn his keep. The wicked individual, who neither toils nor suffers, is impervious to the concerns of others. He is proud, arrogant and assured of his uniqueness. He answers to no one, neither G-D nor his fellow man. Consequently, he "enwraps himself" in violence; he takes what he wants at his will. It is only when the psalmist looks to their end, when he sees what their actions have wrought that he makes peace with their apparently untroubled lives. "And when I reflected to understand this, it was iniquity in my eyes, until I came to the sanctuaries of G-D, and contemplated their end. Only on slippery places do You set them, You cast them down into destruction. How they have become desolate in an instant! They came to an end, they were consumed through bewildering terrors (v. 16-19)." It is only when one sees clear to the end of their story that one realizes that they are indeed punished.
How is it that we seal our covenant with Hashem and His Torah? "Moshe took half the blood and placed it in basins, and half the blood he threw upon the altar. He took the Book of the Covenant and read it in earshot of the people and they said, "Everything that Hashem has said, we will do and we will obey!" Moshe took the blood and threw it upon the people, and he said, "Behold the blood of the covenant that Hashem sealed with you concerning all these matters (Exodus 24:6-8)." Rashi comments that the covenant was sealed with a sacrificial offering. The psalmist makes reference to this: "Gather unto Me My devout ones, sealers of My covenant through sacrifice (Psalm 50:3)." Now, in the absence of the Beit HaMikdash, we are the sacrifices that seal our commitment to Hashem. Through the exiles, Jews have sacrificed their lives and the lives of their families rather than deny Hashem and His Torah. It is our willingness to sacrifice all that is precious to us that invests our lives with holiness and purpose.
23rd of Tishrei, October 22, 2008
In Psalm 74, the psalmist teaches us how the contemplation of our exile and the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash can strengthen us. The very fact of our "hitting rock bottom" imbues Assaf with the hope and conviction that the crisis will pass and the redemption come into being. Assaf therefore addresses Hashem, demanding that He consider the enemies’ actions and statements. "Remember this! The enemy has insulted the Lord, and a people of amoral men has blasphemed Your Name (v. 18)." Rav Hirsch explains that it is not that the enemy curses G-D in general, but that he attacks the G-D of the Jews in particular. "He blasphemes G-D as Judaism conceives Him to be, the Leader and Guide of human history, Who brings about man’s future and his eventual salvation before which all violence, wrong and immorality must vanish." Assaf asks Hashem to consider the impact of allowing such amoral individuals to triumph. Will not Hashem’s own cause be weakened when we who are His nation are defeated?
"Your enemies roared in the midst of Your meeting place. They set up their signs for signs. Let it be known how they swung their axes upward in a thicket of
trees (Psalm 74:4-5)." What is it that
Assaf wants known? The Da’at Mikra
explains that this is a prayer: "Please Hashem, let the actions of Your enemies
be known, seen and noted by You. This is
the enemy that destroyed Your sanctuary, swinging their axes like
woodcutters." Assaf wants Hashem to be
ever mindful of the contempt evinced by His enemies who treat His holy place
with disdain. Alternatively, Assaf may
be alluding to the cry of the enemies expressed in the previous verse. These enemies have boldly proclaimed their
actions, loudly stating that they have wielded their axes and destroyed G-D’s
meeting place. Assaf requests that
Hashem redeem His honor, and punish His enemies accordingly.
"The day is Yours, the night also is Yours. You
established the light and the sun (Psalm 74:16)." How is it that
two opposite states can be the work of one creator? The psalmist
affirms that the day and the night are both G-D’s
creation. Hashem transcends all human limitations, capable of
creating light and darkness. By emphasizing Hashem’s creation of
light and darkness, we affirm the singularity of our Creator who is omnipotent
and limitless. The psalmist goes on to state that G-D has
established the lights and the sun. This is a reference to the
fourth day of creation: "And G-D made the two great lights, the greater light to
rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night (Bereishit
1:16)." We too are Hashem’s creations, and like the sun and moon shall
endure.
In Psalm 73, Assaf gives expression to the doubts and insecurity we
experience as we travel through life."But as for me, my feet had
almost turned away; but little and my steps [ashury] would have been [shufcha] poured out (v. 2)."Rav Hirsch
explains that Assaf is saying that he too had to overcome his doubts before he
could understand the truth of the goodness that is G-D.The word
"ashury" refers to the firm
stride that reflects resolve and determination.Its opposite is
the word "shufcha", meaning-
"poured out like water".Water’s movement is determined by the
terrain over which it flows.Assaf is therefore stating that his
strides had lost their resoluteness and were guided by matters outside his
control; he was passively swept along by trivial considerations.When one has inner steadiness and innate steadfastness, one will not
deviate from G-D’s path.
12th of Tishrei, October 11, 2008
After expressing his near loss of conviction in G-D’s
goodness, Assaf explains how he arrived at that spiritual crisis."For I envied those that seemed resplendent.I saw the unclouded peace of the lawless (Psalm 73:3)."Assaf envied the seeming prosperity and
peace of the lawless; theirs was a life of ease and comfort.He saw men without a spiritual center and
moral compass living a life of tranquility and splendor.And he began to doubt if the energy he
invested in living a spiritual life was truly worthwhile.It is only when he considers the end of
days, the legacy left by the spiritually bereft, that he is able to comprehend
who has true peace and prosperity."For
behold, they that are far removed from You shall perish; You leave to make rigid
all those that turn from You in faithlessness.But as for me, G-D’s nearness is my good; I have put my trust in my
Master, the Lord, Who proves His mercy in justice, that I may tell of Your works
(v. 27-28)."
The psalmist says of Hashem’s Throne: "Your Throne stands
firm as of old; you exist eternally (Psalm 93:2)."Hashem’s throne is firmly entrenched. No
temporal thing attaches to it.The
Midrash teaches that Jacob’s image was engraved on Hashem’s Throne.Why his image, and not that of Abraham or
Isaac?Rav Soloveitchik explains that
Jacob, more than Abraham or Isaac, represents the Jewish nation.The Jewish people are in fact identified as
his; we are the Bnei Yisrael- the
children of Israel (Jacob’s name after he had fought with the angel). Therefore,
Jacob’s image engraved on G-D’s Throne demonstrates the permanency of the
brit, the covenant, between
Hashem and the children of Israel.It is
not a covenant that terminates with our exile nor is it suspended by our
sins.It is an eternal covenant, which
ensures our continued survival as the Jewish people.
The Talmud (Megillah 18a) quotes the following verse from the
Psalms: "Who can express the mighty acts of Hashem?Who can declare all His praise (Psalm
106:2)?" From this verse, the Talmud concludes that only the individual who can
"declare all His praise" is permitted to
praise Hashem.How then do we, with our
human limitations, have the temerity to praise G-D in our prayers?The answer resides with King David.As humans, we rely on the precedent that
David has established with his composition of the Psalms.David is described in II Samuel 23:1 as "the
sweet singer of Israel".Rashi comments
that this description means that all songs and praises in Israel have their
origin with him.It was with Divine
inspiration that David wrote the book of Psalms, he alone being chosen to commit
his words of praise to paper.We, his
loyal subjects, are then allowed to use his words to praise Hashem.
In Psalm 115, the psalmist contrasts the nations of the world
with the children of Israel.The world places its trust in gods of
its own making, chief among them money."Their idols are silver
and gold, the work of human hands (v. 4)."But those that worship
money worship folly, for fortunes can change in an instant.Where
must Israel place its trust?"O Israel, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their
shield.O House of Aaron, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their
shield.O you who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their
shield (v. 9-11)."The children of Israel are directed to place
their faith only in G-D; He is their shield against their enemies from
without.Moreover, Hashem is their helper who assists them in
fulfilling their mission.Rav Hirsch explains that this assistance
is the reason for the three terms noted in these
verses: Israel, House
of Aaron, and you who fear the
Lord.The term "Israel"
alludes to the nation that is charged with bringing the awareness of the Divine
to the world.Within Israel we have the "House of Aaron" whose
mission it is to bring the Divine to the Jewish nation
itself.Thirdly, we have the "G-D fearing" individual who seeks to
fulfill his Divine mission by living his life in accordance with the laws of the
Torah.If we fulfill our purpose as ambassadors of the Divine; if
the House of Aaron fulfills its Divine mandate; and if each of us individually
lives and acts with fear and awe of G-D, we are assured of Hashem’s aid and
protection.
16th of Tishrei, October 15th,
2008
As the children of Israel, we are truly blessed.The psalmist affirms this, "Blessed are you
for the Lord, the Maker of heaven and
earth (Psalm 115:15)."Note that the
psalmist does not say "Blessed are you from the Lord" which seems the more likely.Certainly we are given any number of
blessings from G-D, beginning with the gift of life.Our Divine gifts, our skills and talents, are
a blessing for G-D; used
productively, our gifts benefit and support the work that G-D wants mankind to
do on this earth.G-D
is the Maker of heaven and
earth.Not only has He created the
world, but He daily shapes and guides the ongoing development of His creation
wherein heaven and earth work together toward His goal.When we use our Divinely given skills and
talents in doing G-D’s work on earth, we are both a blessing
from and for Hashem.
Our experience of G-D is rooted in our history.We do not know Hashem as a mere abstraction,
or through philosophical ruminations.Jewish history is the narrative of Hashem’s presence in our lives."And You, O G-D, were my king of old, who
performed acts of salvation in the midst of the earth (Psalm 74:12)."Hashem is the "king of old", with whom we
are intimately familiar.His salvations
are "in the midst of the earth", in fall view of the earth’s inhabitants.Our challenge is to be able to view these
salvations, to see the glory of G-D in the natural world.The psalmist assists us by listing the great
acts of salvation performed by Hashem at the time of the exodus from Egypt.When we recall the redemption of Egypt, we
are encouraged to persevere in our faith.Just as He redeemed us then, so too shall Hashem redeem us now.
In Psalm 74, the psalmist makes a puzzling request: "Do not deliver the life
of Your turtledove to the wild beast. Do not forget the life of
Your poor (v. 19)." To whom is the psalmist referring?
The Da’at Mikra explains that the "turtledove" is a reference to the
children of Israel, while the "wild beast" alludes to their enemies.
The psalmist asks that Hashem not allow the wild beast to destroy the
turtledove, that the wicked not be permitted to eliminate the Jewish
nation. The psalmist elaborates further by asking that G-D not
forget the life of His poor. The poor of Hashem are the children
of Israel, who are afflicted. We need Hashem to attend to our
lives, to the minutiae that constitute our daily struggle. With
Hashem’s attention and sustenance, we can and will survive.
19th of Tishrei, October 18, 2008
When in distress, we are comforted by the fact that G-D has
promised that He will sustain us through the ages and redeem us. In fact, we frequently remind Hashem of the
covenant that He has made with us: "Look upon Your covenant, for the dark places
of the earth are filled with habitations of violence (v. 20)." The very fact of worldwide violence and
widespread corruption necessitates Hashem’s active intervention. When the earth is replete with evil, only
G-D can effectively intervene. Humans
are limited by the sheer scope and prevalence of wickedness. The psalmist therefore appeals to G-D asking
that He review His covenant, remembering that which He has promised to His
nation. In addition, he requests that
Hashem look upon the members of the covenant, seeing us as individuals in need
of His assistance. At this time, we too
address G-D; we seek the fulfillment of His covenant and the realization of our
redemption.
Important Numbers
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