Tehilim Perek 133

Hello everybody, today’s NachDaily will discuss Tehilim chapter 132 in the Shir Hama’alos chapters. One of the more well known perakim, it contains only 3 pessukim.

Two “brothers” sitting together is compared to fine oil being poured on the beard of Aharon, who is mentioned instead of Dovid because Aharon was anointed at the erecting of the Mishkan many years before Dovid was born. In addition, Aharon was anointed in public while Dovid was anointed privately.

The last verse in the perek continues to describe the profound beauty of “brothers” who sit together. It’s like the dew that initially descends on Mount Chermon, then spreads out to the rest of Eretz Yisrael.

The perek opens with the famous verse of

שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּעֲל֗וֹת לְדָ֫וִ֥ד הִנֵּ֣ה מַה־טּ֭וֹב וּמַה־נָּעִ֑ים שֶׁ֖בֶת אַחִ֣ים גַּם־יָֽחַד׃

A Song of Ascents of David. How good and how pleasant are brothers that dwell in unity.

Who are these “brothers”?

Different commentaries interpret this in various ways. It’s interesting to see how many different ways this, like anything in Torah, can be learnt.

The Metsudos explains that the brothers are all of Am Yisrael. How wonderful it is when there’s unity amongst our nation!

Rashi says that it means all of Am Yisrael together with God at the Beis Hamikdash. How wonderful it will be when all Jews reunite with God at the Beis Hamikdash.

Seforno interprets the brothers to be none other than Moshe and Aharon.

The Malbim believes that this is referring to Yissaschar and Zevulin, who formed a partnership. Zevulin would support Yissaschar in learning.

The Radak explains that the “brothers” refers to the times of Mashiach, to his unity with the Kohen Gadol. They will rule together as a unit.

Lastly, the Ramad Walli says that the “brothers” are referring to the times of Mashiach, when there will be an increase of God’s divine light. God’s upper, elevated lights will be revealed and unify with this world. The moon will be the same as the sun. The world will be as it was at the beginning of creation. Two kings will be able to share one crown. The process of the merging of the kingships of the sun and the moon is called “brothers.”

May we merit the final day of redemption, when the moon will be restored to its original light, when all of Am Yisrael will be united as one at the Beis Hamikdash with Mashiach, the Kohen Gadol, Moshe, Aharon and all the Tzaddikim all serving and experiencing God in unison.

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.

Tehilim Perek 132

Hello everybody, in today’s NachDaily we’ll be discussing Tehilim chapter 132 in the Shir Hama’alos chapters.

The perek corresponds to what happened with Dovid at the end of Sefer Shmuel. In order to stop a plague, Gad Hanavi instructed Dovid to purchase Har Hamoriyah from a man named Aravna Hayivusi. After the purchase, Dovid built an altar and brought korbonos, sacrifices, to Hashem. The plague stopped, and the people were saved.

Although not mentioned at the end of Sefer Shmuel, in Divrei Hayomim Aleph perek 21, it says that on buying the land Dovid explicitly stated that this is the house of God and the Mizbayach, Altar, for the Jewish nation. Up until that very moment the exact spot of the Beis Hamkidash had not been known.

Although Dovid didn’t build the Beis Hamikdash, he wanted Hashem to consider his thoughts as if they were his actions

The perek opens with Dovid’s intense desire to find a home for God to rest in. While growing up in Ephrat, Dovid had heard from the elders that God would one day choose a home for Himself where mankind would be able to serve Him.

The chapter moves on to quote several pessukim that overlap from Divrei Hayomim Beis, perek 6. At the inauguration of the Beis Hamikdash, Shlomo invited Hashem to enter His place of rest, inviting the Kohanim to rejoice in front of the Ahron, holy Ark.

The author reiterates that Hashem swore to Dovid that the kingship will stay in his family and move to his son Shlomo.

The last part of the perek affirms that Hashem chose Tzion, the spot that Dovid bought from Aravna Hayivusi, for His resting place. Mashiach will come from the house of Dovid forever and ever.

Verse 13 says:

כִּֽי־בָחַ֣ר יְהוָ֣ה בְּצִיּ֑וֹן אִ֝וָּ֗הּ לְמוֹשָׁ֥ב לֽוֹ׃

For God has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His home.

It’s important to speak about this, as I feel that there is no end to how much we need to connect to Eretz Yisrael.

Reb Nosson once asked Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, “When you speak about Eretz Yisrael, to what part of it are you referring?”

“The rocks!” Rebbe Nachman replied. We have to believe that even the physical rocks of Eretz Yisrael are somehow different than the rocks in the rest of the world.

This is why Avraham Avinu spent his entire life searching for Hamakom, the Place where the Divine intersects with this world. This was the same place that Dovid most deeply desired to find.

As the Ramachal in his sefer Mishkeny Elyon explains, the Makom Hamikdash, the place that Dovid bought from Aravna, is the umbilical cord of creation. The entire world receives its sustenance from the Makom Hamikdash. It’s like a super highway between this world and the next.

This is why the world was created from this spot, which contains the “Even Shesiyah, the Foundation Stone.” All Divinity continues to enter into our world from there.

May we merit making our lives a mini Beis Hamikdash for Hashem, for us to feel His closeness. May we never give up the search to find that Place inside of ourselves!

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.

Tehilim Perek 131

Hello everybody, today’s NachDaily will discuss Tehilim chapter 131 in the Shir Ha’amalos chapters. This is the second to shortest chapter with only 3 pessukim.

The previous perek related that Hashem listens to one who is humble and sincere, who calls out from the depths. Here, Dovid reflects upon his own personality. Always humble, he relied on God with great sincerity, like a child who is solely dependent on his mother. Even in adulthood, he relied on God with the innocence of a child.

The chapter ends with Dovid affirming his faith in God’s ability to save us, not only in the present moment, but for all of eternity.

The perek begins with the words,

שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּֽעֲל֗וֹת לְדָ֫וִ֥ד יְהוָ֤ה ׀ לֹא־גָבַ֣הּ לִ֭בִּי וְלֹא־רָמ֣וּ עֵינַ֑י וְלֹֽא־הִלַּ֓כְתִּי ׀ בִּגְדֹל֖וֹת וּבְנִפְלָא֣וֹת מִמֶּֽנִּי׃

A Song of Ascents, Of David. God, my heart was not proud nor were my eyes haughty; I didn’t aspire to great things or to what is beyond me;

Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch explains that Dovid summed up his soul in 3 short verses.

“Lo gava libi, My heart wasn’t haughty.” He had no gayva, haughtiness, or ego, as he always felt awe knowing that he was in God’s Presence. As he didn’t think of himself as particularly great, he didn’t try to attain that which wasn’t his by asserting himself over his nation.

“Eem lo shavisi nafshi, I swear that I silenced my soul.” He accepted everything calmly, with complete reliance on Hashem.

He relied on God as a nursing child depends on his mother’s milk. He only desired to experience God in his life.

The last passuk says, “Yachel Yisrael el Hashem, Let the Jewish nation rely on God.” Dovid had no personal desires; his only concern was for the welfare of the Jewish nation.

I would like to add that I love learning about Dovid’s life. We see in this chapter how Dovid corresponded to the midda of Malchus, Kingship, and truly was worthy of being the King of Yisrael.

The trait of Malchus, Kingship, can be compared to the moon. The moon has no light of its own, but only reflects the light of the sun. So too the trait of a true Jewish King is only reflecting the light of Hashem.

His relationship with Hashem was the same as with Am Yisrael, as it says, “Ein Melech b’lo am, There is no King without a nation.” A king is only as strong as the people behind him. The king’s job, therefore, is not only to reflect the light of God down to the people, but also to embody the all-inclusive light of the Jewish nation as an ambassador to God for the people.

As we see in our perek, Dovid truly had no personal agenda. He both reflected Hashem’s light to the nation and represented the nation to Hashem. This is the midda of Malchus, Kingship.

May we merit attaining the humility of Dovid Hamelech, seeking only to reflect the light of God in our lives.

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day

Tehilim Perek 130

Hello everybody, in today’s NachDaily we’ll continue in the Shir Hama’alos chapters with Tehilim chapter 130, considered to be among the more famous perakim.

These chapters were written to give us hope, to understand that God hasn’t abandoned us despite what we may have done in our lives. He listens to each and every single one of our prayers. Ultimately, God will redeem, and indeed has already begun to redeem, our nation from exile.

It is appropriate here to mention the last of the Ani ma’amin declarations.

“Ani ma’amin b’emunah shelaima b’viyas haMashiach, v’aph alpi sheyismamei’a, im kol zech achakeh lo, b’chol yom sheyavo. I believe with perfect faith in the coming of Mashiach. Even though it may take so long, every day I await his arrival.”

We must never give up hope in the final redemption, but have deep faith in the coming of Mashiach and the redemption process.

The author speaks of calling out to God from the depths of his heart, for God to hear his voice and pain. Thankfully God forgives us for our sins and we can wipe the slate clean by doing Teshuvah. Therefore I have deep hope in God and patiently wait.

The author ends with encouraging Am Yisrael to have firm belief in the final redemption. Hashem will certainly forgive us, overlook our misdeeds, and ultimately redeem His nation.

Verses 4 and 5 say:

כִּֽי־עִמְּךָ֥ הַסְּלִיחָ֑ה לְ֝מַ֗עַן תִּוָּרֵֽא׃ קִוִּ֣יתִי יְ֭הוָה קִוְּתָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֑י וְֽלִדְבָר֥וֹ הוֹחָֽלְתִּי׃

For with You is forgiveness, that You may be feared. I put my confidence in Hashem, my soul put confidence, and I hoped for His word.

In Lekutey Halachos, Hilchos Pessach, Halacha 5, Reb Nosson urges: Do not forget Who forgives us. The fact that God is the one doing the forgiving should give us strength.

God is not like man. When you don’t listen to people, they might want to get back at you, but God isn’t out to harm us. God is good! Knowing this allows us to trust in Him!

This brings us to “Kivisi Hashem, kivsa nafshi, I have hope in God, my soul hopes in God. As Rashi explains, this is a double hope. We can have an infinite amount of Emunah, longing and hoping for God’s salvation, placing all our trust in Him.

My we merit truly believing that God is good, as well as the events that surround us and our nation. May we have increased Emunah in God, and not give up on the final redemption.

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.

Tehilim Perek 129

Hello everybody, in today’s NachDaily we’ll continue in the Shir Ha’amalos with Tehilim chapter 129.

This psalm can be read on both a national level, speaking about Am Yisrael, and on individual level, speaking about our personal pain. As most Meforshim learn that it is referring to Am Yisrael as a whole, we will continue in that vein.

The perek relates that God has protected the Jewish people throughout our history. Indeed, the Radak adds that this is a song of thanksgiving for the many times that Hashem has spared us.

Not only has He protected us “in our youth,” when we initially became a nation, but continues to do so throughout our long exile. Despite our enemies seeing this, they continue to persecute us. The author asks that they “wither like grass,” and the whole world should recognize the direct connection that God has with the Jewish people.

Verse 4 says:

יְהוָ֥ה צַדִּ֑יק קִ֝צֵּ֗ץ עֲב֣וֹת רְשָׁעִֽים׃

God is righteous. He cuts the cords of the wicked.

This is still seen in our times. Our enemies are aware that God protects us, yet they continue to try to harm us. Thousands of missiles have been shot into Eretz Yisrael, but Hashem in His kindness sees to it that they either get shot down, or land in places that generally don’t harm anyone. This is considered statistically impossible, an open miracle, and shows the direct hand of God.

The Ramad Walli adds that just as Hashem saved us in the times of Mitzrayim, Egypt, so too He’ll save us now. Hashem will cut the cords of the nations of the world who hold back the Jewish nation from fulfilling its destiny.

The Alshich Hakodesh says that this means that Hashem will cut down the cords of the Reshaim, wicked, and answers that this refers to the “Sarim shel M’aalah, Heavenly Generals.”

Hashem is going to cut the rope from all the impeding spiritual negative forces that attach themselves to Am Yisrael in an attempt to take us down. This will cause us to experience real spiritual freedom, to be able to express our true deeper, Godly nature. Nothing will hold our nation back anymore because the cords of the negative forces will be sundered, setting us free.

Nat we merit seeing that God’s hand is constantly protecting us on a daily basis.

Stay tuned for perek 130. There will only be 20 more chapters until we finish Sefer Tehilim!

Tehilim Perek 128

Hello everybody, in today’s NachDaily we’ll be continuing the Shir Hama’alos chapters with Tehilim, Chapter 128.

The Malbim explains that there are essentially two parts to this chapter. The first speaks about the individual benefits a person with “yiras Shamayim, fear of God,” will receive. The second part is about the national blessings and benefits our nation will receive when we have proper yiras Shamayim.

The perek tells us that those with yiras Shamayim are happy, and will enjoy the fruit of their labor. Obviously, the pleasure of earning something on your own is much greater than that of a free hand-out.

Other benefits are increased marital harmony and fine children.

The benefits which Am Yisrael will receive include returning to Eretz Yisrael and seeing the good fortune of Yerushalayim. Additionally, Am Yisrael will merit raising generations living in Eretz Yisrael, and ultimately our nation will be b’shalom.

Verse 2 says:

יְגִ֣יעַ כַּ֭פֶּיךָ כִּ֣י תֹאכֵ֑ל אַ֝שְׁרֶ֗יךָ וְט֣וֹב לָֽךְ׃

When you eat the labor of your hands, you are praiseworthy, and it is well with you.

A well known Mishna in Pirkei Avos, perek 4 Mishna 1, asks, based on our passuk, “Eizeh hu ashir? HaSameach b’chelko, Who is considered rich? Whoever is happy with his/her lot in life. “Ashrecha b’olam hazeh v’tov lach l’olam habbah, You’ll be praise worthy in this world and it will be good for you in the next world.”

We often fall into the trap of looking outside of ourselves and becoming dissatisfied with our lot in life. We can be unhappy with our marital situation, possessions, finances, or we might look at other people and envy their looks or personalities.

But truth be told, the key to being happy is to understand that everything we have in life is exactly what we need. This allows us to appreciate and feel content with our material possessions and emotional make-up. We take so many things for granted. We need to reflect, and search for all the good things we have in our lives.

We actually live very comfortable lives. Do you think Shlomo Hamalech had shock absorbers on his horse and chariot? How about indoor plumbing, refrigeration, heat and air-conditioning? The wonderful things we have are to be appreciated, not overlooked.

The word ashir, rich, shows us what we need to appreciate.

It’s spelt Ayin, Shin, Yud, Reish. Ayin means our eyes. We have eyes! Shin, our shinayim, teeth. Yud is our yadayim, hands, Reish is our rosh, head, and raglayim our legs.

Our vital organs. Our health. True riches.

Eizeh who ashir? Hasameach bechelko. We need to be happy with our very own chelek, portion, of health!

May we merit true happiness, seeing that we have all that we need to make it through life. Then it will be good for us in this world and the next.

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.

Tehilim Perek 127

Hello everybody, in today’s NachDaily we’re discussing Tehilim chapter 127, a short perek in the Shir Ha’amalos.

Dovid had a deep desire to build the Beis Hamikdash, but Nosson Hanavi told him that his son, Shlomo, was destined to do it. Although Dovid didn’t build the Beis Hamikdash, he gives advice in this chapter as to how to go about it.

The Radak adds that Dovid foresaw that his son would marry the daughter of Paroh on the same day as the inauguration. The perek was also written as a warning to Shlomo.

The chapter relates that although we actually physically build the Beis Hamkdash, without Hashem’s help the entire process would be futile

The perek ends by relating the joy of having proper children, who are likened to “arrows in the hands of the warrior.” The youthful parent has the energy and strength to guide his children properly, and they will ultimately give him pleasure and pride in their accomplishments.

What is the connection between these two parts of the perek? The first part talks about the building of the Beis Hamikdash while the second talks about raising children.

Both the building of the Beis Hamikdash and the building of a family [raising children] take a tremendous amount of effort. Dovid warns us not to attribute our achievements to the amount of energy we put in. Both our success in building the Beis Hamikdash and raising our children are from God.

Dovid warned Shlomo not to be haughty for building God’s house, as without His help it could not have been built.

I often see, as a social worker, that people take a great deal of pride in their children. They should. But at the same we must recognize that if our children came out “good,” it’s because Hashem wanted it that way! Don’t be judgmental or look down at others.

When parents begin to understand that it’s not completely up to them to make everything happen for their children, they can relax somewhat and enjoy them more. Many parents feel a tremendous amount of pressure in raising their kids because they think that everything is in their hands.

Dovid tells us that it’s not really up to us how they turn out. It’s up to Hashem. To an extent, we can loosen up and enjoy our children because Hashem’s in the picture.

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.

Tehilim Perek 126

Hello everybody, in today’s NachDaily we’ll be discussing Tehilim Chapter 126, a short chapter with only 6 pessukim.

This is the famous psalm said before benching on Shabbos. The theme is about the happiness we’ll feel during the final redemption.

When we return to Eretz Yisrael, we will be like dreamers. Our mouths will be filled with laughter. Everyone will be cognizant of the fact that Hashem has done great things for His people, which will add to the feelings of happiness which will be dominant at that time.

The perek ends with a prayer for the ingathering of the exiles. Am Yisrael will flow back to Eretz Yisrael like streams in the deserts. Those who kept Hashem’s mitzvos with great difficulty will reap their reward.

Obviously, with 6 and a half million Jews back in Eretz Yisrael, we can see that this process is well underway.

שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת בְּשׁ֣וּב יְ֭הוָה אֶת־שִׁיבַ֣ת צִיּ֑וֹן הָ֝יִ֗ינוּ כְּחֹלְמִֽים׃

A song of ascents. When God returns the captivity of Tzion, we will be like dreamers.

What does that mean?

The Meforshim explain that, when the Jewish nation returns from exile, we will be so joyous that all of the suffering of exile will feel like a dream.

The Ramad Walli explains that mankind will go from a low level of consciousness to a higher level, one of great awareness of Hashem.

While a person is dreaming, the feelings and experiences within the dream seem real. When you wake up from a dream, however, you become aware of its illusionary quality.

Just as people have nightmares, in galus it can be said that we also experience “daymares.” We fail to see through the illusion of our everyday experiences, and are constantly fooled by them. We mistakenly perceive the world and events around us as reality.

When Moshaich comes, it’ll feel like waking up from a really bad dream that is finally over! We will all be lifted up to a new level of consciousness, awakened to a completely new reality.

May we merit seeing through the thick illusion of our daily experiences, to truly wake up from our giant “daymare,” when the world will be filled with the knowledge of God like the waters that cover the earth.

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.

Tehilim Perek 125

Hello everybody, in today’s NachDaily we’ll be discussing Tehilim chapter 123, a short chapter in the Shir Hama’alos with only 5 pessukim.

The author equates a person who has Emunah, faith, to Har Tzion. Both Yerushlayim and a person with faith will endure forever. We should not give up on the final redemption, because as Hashem protects a person with Emunah, so too does He protect Har Tzion. Despite the controversy taking place on the Temple Mount, Hashem promises that He won’t let the “rod of the wicked” prevail. At the later stages of the final redemption, Hashem will show the truth to the world. Har Habayis will be universally accepted as belonging to the Jewish people.

The author ends with a prayer for peace, for God to provide good for those who serve Him with a sincere heart and distance those who harbor malice.

The chapter opens with the words:

שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת הַבֹּטְחִ֥ים בַּיהוָ֑ה כְּֽהַר־צִיּ֥וֹן לֹא־יִ֝מּ֗וֹט לְעוֹלָ֥ם יֵשֵֽׁב׃

A song of ascents. Those who trust in God are like Mount Zion that cannot be moved, enduring forever.

How can we trust that the events in our lives are good, if they really don’t seem that way? Are we really capable of having such strong trust in God?

The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains that Tzion in our passuk is referring to the inner Tzion, the Neshama. The soul is intrinsically connected with God. Accessing the Neshama gives a person strength and Emunah.

The less we cultivate our Neshama, the more we become like a valley, displaying no trust in Hashem. The more we believe in the deep power of our souls, the more our Emunah becomes as strong and unwavering as a mountain.

Therefore, you can read our passuk as declaring that those who have unwavering faith in the Neshama, which is called Tzion, “lo yamutu la’olam, will not be moved forever. “

Our souls contain unbound measures of connection to God, and are indestructible. Our inner resilience comes from our core, where we are all healthy and connected to God, the Source of life itself.

Many people feel that they are damaged, and thus have an unhealthy core, but this is the furthest thing from the truth. No matter how you feel, or what you’ve been through in your life, your soul remains completely pristine, intact and connected with God. It’s indestructible.

You have a healthy core because your essence is bound up in the Creator Himself.

The deep power of our souls’ unlimited capabilities is always present, whether or not we realize it!

May we merit the awareness of our infinite connection to God.

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.

Tehilim Perek 124

Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Today we’ll be discussing Tehilim chapter 124, continuing the Shir Hama’alos chapters.

This chapter is on time for Chanukah. It’s so nice when what we’re learning lines up with the events of the day.

The Shai Lemora says that this perek implies that that we will be saved because we trust that Hashem will save us. And Hashem will actually save us.

In other words, we’ll be saved through emes and emunah, truth and faith. Emunah in the final redemption, and the truth of the very fact that we will be saved.

On a different note, the Alshich explains that this perek corresponds to the 4th galus. Verse 1 refers to the Babylonian exile and verses 2 through 4 to the Persian exile. Verses 5 through 7 refer to the Greek exile which was during the times of Chanukah, and verse 8 is our present exile of Edom.

In this chapter, the author recalls God’s protection throughout our long exile. As the smallest of all the nations, logically we should have been long gone, swept away by the ever-changing tides of life, like waves coming to engulf our national soul.

If not for God, we would have been trapped like a bird in a cage. Thank You, Hashem, for allowing us to escape. Our help only comes through You.

Verse 7 says:

נַפְשֵׁ֗נוּ כְּצִפּ֥וֹר נִמְלְטָה֮ מִפַּ֪ח י֫וֹקְשִׁ֥ים הַפַּ֥ח נִשְׁבָּ֗ר וַאֲנַ֥חְנוּ נִמְלָֽטְנוּ׃

Our soul escaped like a bird from the fowler’s trap; the trap broke and we escaped.

The Alshich explains this as referring to Chanukah. The Greeks didn’t want to destroy us physically, but spiritually, by contaminating our souls.

The trapped bird in our passuk is referring to our souls at the time of Chanukah. Hashem sent us a miracle and saved us.

The Kedushas Levi says that over the eight days of Chanukah we light 44 candles including the shamash. When we light the Chanukah licht here below, Hashem kindles the menorah lights Above. Our lighting combined with His equals 88 lights in all.

The word for trap in our passuk is Pach, Pei Ches, which equals 88. Our passuk would therefore read, Hashem broke the Pach, trap, which is the kingdom of Greece and Antiochus. This led to the Pach Shemen, 88 lights of Chanukah.

Additionally, it should be noted that the custom of the Arizal was to make the bracha L’hadlik Ner Chanuka without the word Shel. The first letters of L’hadlik Ner Chanukah, Lamed, Ches, Nun, equal 88.

May we merit Hashem saving us now, during Galus Edom, as He did during the Galus Yavan.

“Ohr chodesh al Tzion tair, a new light will shine on Tzion,” with the revelation of Mashiach ben Dovid, which will be higher even than the 88 lights of Chanukah,.

Stay tuned to our next episode of Nach Daily

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.