Nach Daily

Zayin represents the spiritual force that drives the so called war of existence. Many words that start with Zayin represent a movement of some sort in general, and specifically one that allows the world to continue and survive.

For example: Zachar, man, who is needed in the perpetuation of creation. Zerah, seed, which allows a child to be born and plant life and vegetation to grow. Zikaron, memory, which connotes mental life and movement. Za’azuach, to tremble or shake. Zanav, tail, as on an animal. Zechila, drip or flow. Zan, to sustain.

Zayin looks like a seed, pointing towards the letter’s power of creative potential, movement and flow needed to sustain the world.

The first time that Zayin appears at the beginning of a word in the Torah is when Hashem is creating the world. The seeds were “mazreah zerah, to sprout forth.” The potential of the plant life and vegetation was hidden under the ground and was going to sprout forth at a later time.

Similarly, the Radvaz explains that the secret of Zayin was expressed when Hashem appeared to Moshe for the first time at the burning bush. Moshe asked for signs to show that he would be successful in his mission to redeem Am Yisrael from slavery. The passuk in Shemos 3:12 says, “v’Zeh l’cha ha’os, and this will be for you a sign,” referring to the Zayin.

The deeper understanding of this is that Hashem revealed to Moshe the power of the letter contained in the letter Zayin. Precisely through the force of movement needed for spiritual survival contained in the Zayin, you will win your war and Am Yisrael will be free.

The shape of the Zayin actually looks like a sword. The head looks like a handle, while its long leg resembles a blade. Zayin also resembles a hammer. The top of the letter is the like the head, while the leg is the handle. Zayin is like a weapon used to win wars to move the world forward towards the redemption process.

Kabbalistically, this is why the numerical value of Zayin is 7, corresponding to the seventh sefira of Netzach, endurance and eternity. Zayin represents the spiritual weapons of war to be minatze’ach, victorious over our enemies.

Rebbe Nachman explains that the main kli Zayin, weapon, of a Jew is his power of Tefilah. In reference to Yaakov, we read that he used bichrebi ubakashti, my sword and arrows. The world for arrows, bakashti, also means bakasha, request. Yaakov used his power of prayer to request all his needs from God! Our main battles can be fought through the world of Tefilah!

Zayin, 7, represents the spiritual world in contrast to the number 6. The world was created in 6 days. On the 7th day, Shabbos, Hashem rested, infusing the world with Divinity. 6 represents the total perfection of this world, like the 6 sides of a cube or the directions of north, west, east, south, up and down. The 7th day, Shabbos, is the Divine element which is necessary for the sustaining and movement of this world. It is therefore a mitzva to remember, Zachor, which starts with a Zayin, the Shabbos day.

As the crown on top of Zayin is called Zayanin, Zayin also means crown. Specifically on Shabbos, the 7th day, we crown Hashem as the King who is Zon, sustains, the world.

May we merit the 7th millennium represented by the Zayin, of which the navi Yeshaya said in perek 2:4, when Mashiach will come He will “judge between the nations, they will turn their swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks. Lo yisa goy el goy cherev v’lo yilmadu od milchama, nations will no longer lift sword towards each other and the art of war will no longer be practiced.

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter Vav

Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. In today’s NachDaily we’ll discuss perek 119, concentrating on the letter Vav.

The letter Vav means connection, joining, and union.

The first time that it is used as the first letter of a word, and not just as a prefix, is in the description of the different parts of the Mishkan. The passuk in Shemos 26:37 says, “Vaveyhem zahav, the hooks shall be gold.” These hooks were used at the top of the pillars of the Mishkan as a way to join together and connect its different parts.

The Zohar in Pekudey says that the hooks were in the shape of a Vav. The letter Vav is straight with its head bent, which actually makes it look like a hook!

This is why the Vav is always referred to as the “os hachibur, letter of connection.” As a prefix in the beginning of a word, the Vav means “and,” as in the passuk, “es hashamayim V’es ha’arets, the heavens and the earth.”

All of the 22 letters of the Aleph-Beis use the letter Vav in some form except for the letter yud. For example, an aleph is a combination of a Vav and two yuds. A chuf is comprised of three Vavs. A mem is made up of a chuf and Vav, and so on.

[It should be noted that the reason why the yud is the exception to the rule is because the Vav is really just an expansion of the light which emanates from the yud. We’ll explain that more when we get to the letter yud.]

Vav is the only letter that doubles to spell itself: Vav Vav. As the Vav is used for joining, it’s combined with itself even in its own spelling!

The numerical value of Vav is 6. This represents the 6 sides of the physical world, north, west, east, south, up and down. It is precisely the union of these forces which make up the world, which was created in 6 days, represented by the Vav.

On a more spiritual level, there are 6 books of the Mishna. The Mishna is considered Torah she’b’al Peh, the Oral Torah, which wasn’t meant to be written down. The 6 books of the Mishna represent the union and merging of Torah she’b’al Peh and Torah she’bichsav, the oral and written Torahs, into one.

The number 6 in Hebrew is shesh, which is spelled with two shins. Again we see how Vav is the os hachibur, connection, as the letter shin is composed of 3 vertical Vavs. The word shesh, with two shins, gives us 6 Vavs, each with the numerical value of 6!

Kabbalistically, Vav represents the lower 6 sefiros. The upper 3 are Chochma, Bina and Daas (known as Chabad). The lower 6 sefiros are Chessed, Gevurah, Tiferes, Netzach, Hod and Yesod (also known by its acronym Chagas Nehy). The last sefira is Malchus, which contains no light of its own and is merely a reflection of the upper 9.

The 6 middle sefiros of Chagas Nehy are considered the connection between the higher sefiros of Chabad and Malchus. The middle sefiros of Chagas Nehy are like a pipeline to bring Hashem’s light into the lowest sefira of Malchus. The 6 sefiros represented by Vav, therefore, are in essence used for joining, connection and union, which is what the letter represents.

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter Hey

Today’s NachDaily continues in Chapter 119 with the letter “Hey.”

Hey represents/is the force in the world that allows something to move from “ko’ach to po’el, from potential energy to kinetic energy,” and the ability for something to be born and sustained.

The world was created with the letter Hey. The passuk says, “Elah toldos hashamayim v’ha’aretz b’hibarom, these are the products of the heavens and the earth when they were created...”

The word b’hibarom can be read as “b’Hey barom, with the letter Hey the world was created.” The physical world was created with the letter Hey of Hashem's name YKVK.

In fact, the Zohar in Raya Mehemna explains that the entire physical world is sustained through the letter Hey. If the light of the Hey would stop shining for even a moment, the entire world would cease to exist! We can safely say that the letter Hey is what allows the world to be sustained from potential to kinetic energy.

While the letter Beis represents the transition from form to formless, the creation starting to take form from Hashem's infinite light, Hey represents a creation which already has form, but can’t be seen, coming to fruition and being seen. This can be understood by the reality of a baby in a mother's womb. It can't be seen until it is born into the airspace of the world.

Similarly, in the word b’Hibarom, and it was created, the Hey is written in a small font. Kabbalistcally, the reason for this is to differentiate it from the letter beis, which represents Hashem’s light faintly starting to take form but still not showing up as anything physical. Beis is the letter of the briah, creation, which is why it begins the Torah.

However, the small Hey in this passuk represents the world of Asiya, accomplishment, the most physical of the four worlds of Atzilute, B’riya, Y’tsira and Asiya. In each one of these 4 worlds it's as if Hashem’s Ain Sof, Infinite Light, went through a filtration system until it became the physical world that we see today.

The smallness of the Hey in this context corresponds to the physical creation of the world of Asiya. It is specifically not referring to the world of B’riah which refers to the creation in a more abstract manner, when Hashem’s light was still taking form.

Kabbalistically, this would correspond to the last Hey in God’s name of YKVK.

The pronunciation of the letter Hey is effortless, merely requiring a soundless breath of air. Just as this letter is effortless to say, the creation of the world was effortless for God.

The letter Hey is a composite of a daled and a yud. As we mentioned in the previous class, the daled represents the 4 directions and finiteness of the world. The yud represents the Godliness which is found in the world. In looking closely, it will be seen that the yud is upside down. This teaches us that the physical world is so strong that it's hard to see past the illusion to the ruchniyus, spirituality, behind the scenes. The world is really the opposite of what we think it looks like. The essence of this world, its spirituality, is hidden by its physical veneer.

Hey has the numerical value of 5. The daled represents the 4 directions of this limited world while the yud represents the ability to find divinity and God in it. Within the 4 sides of a square, God is the center Point and united Force behind the world.

The yud on the bottom/belly of the Hey is upside down, which gives it the appearance of a fetus inside a womb. In this context, it can be said that Hashem's light impregnates the world with divinity.

The Zohar in many places calls the Hey the letter of parnassa, because it points towards being fruitful. Hidden bounty becomes revealed.

Indeed, the Zohar points out that a person should be careful to pronounce the Hey in the brocha of Hamotsey lechem min Ha’arets as a segulah for parnassa...

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter Daled

Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time.

Today’s NachDaily is Tehilim Chapter 119.

Today’s class will discuss the letter Daled.

Daled represents the ability or force that allows something to go beyond itself by moving in a different direction. “Dalosi v’li yehoshea, I was lowered and Hashem saved me.” Or, “Aromimcha Hashem ki Dilisani, I will exalt You Hashem, for You have drawn me up.” These pessukim demonstrate how Daled is the force that allows a person to move in either direction, whether being lowered or raised.

In a deeper sense, Daled represents free choice. We can move in any direction we please. Aleph represents Echad, the one God behind creation. Beis shows barah, the duality expressed in creation itself. Gimmel, Hashem gives His divine flow to the creation. Daled shows man's ability to change his mazel, utilizing his free choice to direct himself upwards to be a tzaddik, or downwards to be a lowly person.

The first time that Daled appears in the Torah is in the words “taD’she ha’aretz Deshe, let the land sprout vegetation.” Desha means vegetation that grows quickly. If given water, it sprouts rapidly. The inverse is also true. Without water, it will quickly dry out. You can raise yourself quickly like the desha, or chas v’shalom point yourself downwards to destruction.

It should be noted that a D’li, a bucket used in a well of water, can also be either lowered or raised.

Similarly, a door is called a Daled because it allows us to leave or enter our comfort zones.

The shape of the Daled looks like an open door. I wish I had a visual here to describe this. On opening a door, the top part is like the top bar of the Daled while the side is like the leg which connects to it.

The Daled is weak. Its leg faces away from the gimmel as if embarrassed by receiving tzedaka from it.

We can learn a lesson about tzedaka and chessed from these letters. It can be said that poor people don't know how to ask for themselves. The gimmel, therefore, looks as if it's running after the daled to be gommel, do good to him, even before the poor person asks! Sparing the poorer person’s feelings is true chessed!

The Daled has the numerical value of 4. The world is encompassed by 4 directions: north, south, east and west. The physical aspect of this world is finite, seemingly bound and limited to these 4 directions, while its spiritual aspect can't be seen and is hidden away.

Interestingly, 4 lines make a square which is closed on all sides. It can be said that it is man’s test to see beyond the limitations of this world. We can use our free will to see beyond the 4 directions of nature.

The Daled, the last letter of the last word in the Shema Yisrael declaration of faith, is enlarged to emphasize that Hashem is One in all 4 directions.

Last but not least, kabbalistically the letter Daled represents both the 4 sefiros, emanations, of Chessed, Kindness, and the last sefirah of Malchus, Kingship. This last sefirah has no light of its own, but only reflects the light of the other sefiros. It can therefore be said that Malchus is considered poor, or Dal.

On the other hand, Daled represents the fourth sefirah of Chessed. When we have no light of our own, but only represent the light of God, we are truly able to influence others. The ultimate chessed is shining God's amazing, awesome divine Light onto someone else.

Once again, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Stay tuned for the letter ‘Hey’ in the next shiur.

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter Gimmel

Hello everybody, In today’s NachDaily will be discussing the letter Gimmel. I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time.

Lets jump write in.

The word Gimmel actually means “Gomel to give, to bestow or wean off of ”. Like the passuk says by Ahrons staff “vayigmal shkedim and it grew almonds.” We also find when Sorah finished nursing Yitzchak it says “vayigdal haleled vayigamal the boy grew up and he was weaned. Meaning he finished nursing.

Because it's through the letter gimmel Hashem is gommel to us and sustains us from on high. This is no small feet. Thats why the first time the letter gimmel appears in the Torah is in the passuk “vayas Elokim es shnei hamiros haGedolim Hashem made two BIG luminaries in the sky.” this is referring to the sun and moon.

So we see the letter first time the letter gimmel appears in the in the word gedolim big. Because it's a big deal that Hashem is constantly nourishing the world.

The Gemerah in Shabbos 104A explains the reason why gimmel is placed next to the letter daled is because one is supposed to be gomel to dalim give to poor impoverished people

The shape of the letter gimmel looks like a person with two legs. The lower left leg is pointing forward as if its giving to the daled. The daled only has one leg to stand which again represents its weakness and its need for chessed from the gimmel.

In the sequence of letters beis, gimmel, daled. The bais is the bayis house. Its as if the gimmel is leaving the doors of the house and running towards to daled to do chessed. In other words aleph, beis, gimmel and daled meaning aleph/Hashem created the world to be a bais/house for the gimmel to give to the daled. For people or Hashem Himself to bestow kindness on the poor impoverished people/creation.

Similarly, the medrish osiyos D’Rebbe Akiva explains the word Gimmel; gimmel, yud, mem, lamed is a acronym for Gemalti Yachad Michassodim ldaleim I give chessed to the poor impoverished world.

Alternatively, the reason why the letter gimmel looks like its a person running is to teach us, It's not enough to sit in your house, the will of Hashem is for person to run to do chessed.

Certainly a person who’s able to give chessed is true gibbur has strength. Because the gimmel points towards a persons high levels. Which is also why its shaped like a person standing. Because true gevurah comes from spiritual greatness rooted in God.

This is what we say in shmoneh esrei, gommel chassadim. The word chessed is a compound word of chas-daled to have mercy on the poor. To teach true greatness is to be gomel chessed to the daled. Again we see how the letter gimmel gives to the daled.

Another example of gimmel pointing towards elevation. Is in the word gag roof. Which is spelled gimmel gimmel. It should be noted any time in hebrew when a word is doubled it means the same process is happening again and again. As in the word galgal wheal because first it rolls than it rolls again. Because the letter gimmel points to giving in a high elevated way the word gag roof is gimmel gimmel.

Gimmel has the numerical value of 3. If aleph 1 represents God, beis 2 represent duality and multiplicity, the number 3 represents the ability to join together two seemingly opposite forces into one cohesive bundle/unit. As the pasuk says a “chut hameshulosh lo bimhera yinatek a 3 stranded string won't easily unwind.” Again the number 3 has a unifying capability.

Just end to kabbalisticly, 3 represents the 3rd sefira of Bina intuition. The first two are Keter and chochma. So in the process of keter, chochma and bina. The bina is what helps in a sense bring together the keter and chochma to help pass it along in the next set of sefiras. So we see again the number 3 has the ability unify opposing forces to create harmony and peace...

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter Beis

Hello everybody, in today’s NachDaily we’ll be discussing the letter beis. I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Lets jump write in.

The letter Beis has the numerical value of two. Being the letter Aleph stands for Hashem who’s the singular force behind creation. The letter Beis stands increase, multiplicity, dissention and many. Because Hashem is one. When you introduce two there’s the possibility for divisibility.

That’s also one of the reasons why the Torah starts with letter Beis in the word Bereishis. To teach at the exact moment when Hashem created the world and the Torah there’s now a seemingly individuation, increase and many.

Interestingly, scientifically, Because Bies represents dissention and it was used in the creation of the word, that’s why even in the physical word, we are learning, you can always break down the smallest part down to be even smaller. For example: it used to be thought an atom was the smallest form, than a partical, now its thought of as energy, quarks and vibrations are even smaller. This all comes for the power of the Beis.

Another reason why the Torah starts with the letter Beis is, If you spell out the letter Beis you get the word Bayis - Beis, yud, suf which means house. Because Hashem created this world to house and contain His Divine Presence. So this world can be dira b’tachtonim house in the lower worlds for Hashem.

It also should be noted although the Torah opens with the letter Beis in Bereishis. The letter Beis in the word is really not part of the world itself. It just a prefix. The true first time the letter Beis is used as an actual part of a word is the second word in the Torah, Bara created. Kabbalistically the letter Beis corresponds to the second highest of the four worlds which is the world of Briya creation. After Hashem was hi’tzil refracted His light, only than did a briya creation begin.

The letter Beis has the numerical value of two. In Hebrew all the numbers are written in the singular form accept for the number two which is written in the plural form. As follows; 1 is Achas, 3 is shalosh, 4 is arba, 5 is chamisha, All in the singular form. However, the number 2 is shtayim in the plural! Again, we see how the essence of the Beis is duality and multiplicity.

On a deeper level, the whole world is created in equal opposite pares; male and female, night and day, body and soul, heaven and earth, and spiritual and physical. This again all comes from the power of the Beis.

The Medrish osiyos d’rebbi Akiva asks: Why is the opening of Beis facing the Gimel? To teach its doors are wide open for all who want to enter. Therefore, the letter Beis is the letter which always represents internal hidden pnemiyus.. Because its precisely in the Bayis house one lives a private life.

Similarly, the Bayis House of a person is their body, which happens starts with B, because the body is the sanctuary for the soul.

If we take a closer look at the letter Beis we will see its shaped like a house. It has a roof on top, a wall on the side and floor on the bottom. And it has an opening a door way for people to enter.

Kabblistly if you take an even closer look at the letter Beis it has a point on top and a point on the bottom known as the uketz shel malah and uketz shel matah. These two points look like thorns sticking out. As if the letter Beis’s was to be saying “even though I look like house and I made stand on my own. I am reaching towards the heavens and towards the earth to God who created me.” Once again, we see how the Bies includes creation in its entirety. While simultaneously pointing towards Hashem, who is the Aleph, behind the scenes making the house run. ...

Tehilim Perek 119: Letter Aleph .

Aleph is the first letter of the Aleph Beis. Its numerical value is 1, which represents Hashem, Who is Echad, yachid u’meychud. Always was, is and will be One. Just as Aleph is the head of all the letters, so too is Hashem the Head of the world. As Aleph is synonymous with Hashem, it contains all of creation in it. All that was, is and will be can be found within the letter Aleph itself!

Mathematically, Aleph is the only letter whose numerical value equals itself. If you spell the letter Aleph out as a word: aleph, lamed, fay, it equals one hundred eleven (111), to remind us that Hashem is One.

Furthermore, the word eleph means one thousand (1,000). If you take the gematria of aleph which is 111, and add an additional 1 for the eleph, you get one thousand one hundred and eleven. These 4 ones (1’s) in the number 1111 represent all the kochos, forces, in the 4 worlds which all emanate from one divine source and are unified by God, who is One.

It should also be mentioned that they correspond to the four letters of Hashem’s name of HVYK, meaning there is one Force behind all of existence including the world we see, and the hidden world we don’t see.

The letter formation of the letter Aleph is comprised of a vav and two yud’s. which is the numerical value of 26. This also corresponds to Hashem’s Name of YKVK, whose gematria is 26.

If you look closer at the letter aleph, you will see a yud above with a vav in the middle, and a yud below. The yuds above and below represent the heavens and earth, while the vav in the middle represents the connection/joining of heaven and earth, spiritual and physical, which again are unified by God’s singular Presence.

The literal meaning of the letter Aleph comes from the world l’aleph to learn or to teach. The passuk in Iyov 33:3 says, “v’a’aleph’cha chochma, I will teach you wisdom.” The modern Hebrew word ulpan, classes that teach people Hebrew, comes from this. Hashem is always teaching, in a sense schooling the world, by His Divine providence offering lessons for our everyday lives.

The letter Aleph is one of the only two letters in Hebrew which can be used as a silent letter. This hints to the idea that Hashem is hidden in the world, often silent at times and cannot be seen.

If you rearrange the letter aleph you get the word pellah which means a wonder! God is the Pellah Elyon, highest wonder of the world. In a certain way you can say that mankind is ultimately left wondering about God because He can’t be seen.

One of the reasons that the letter Aleph appears at the beginning of the Aleph-Beis is to teach us the important of learning, and specifically Torah study. We are not to do miztvos by rote, but always learn and take our understanding to a higher level.

As the Aleph represents Hashem, it contains no hard-consonant sounds. This represents the nature of the Divine, which cannot be seen and in a certain way is fluid. Hashem’s name is ineffable, meaning too great to be expressed or described in words.

Hashem created the world “Yesh Mi’ayin, something from nothing.” Prior to this, Hashem’s light was “Ain Sof, unending.” He refracted His light and constricted His Divine Presence in order for the creation process to take place. The letter Aleph represents the way that Hashem created the world. Elokus, Ohr, and Ain Sof all begin with an aleph.

Therefore, the Ramak and others learn that the Aleph corresponds to the highest level of all the sefiros, Divine emanations, as well as being the first to be formed at the creation of the world, which is the world of Keter, Crown.

Last but not least, according to the ba’alei mussar, the word adom, meaning man, is really a hybrid word. Dom means blood. Without our neshamos we’re just sinews and blood. Attaching the aleph of Hashem to it results in the human race, which can strive for the Divine.

Tehilim Perek 119

Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Today’s NachDaily is Tehilim Chapter 119.

This is the longest chapter in Tehilim, containing 176 pessukim, 8 for each letter of the Aleph-Beis. This teaches that a person who learns Torah can be taken beyond the natural order of this world, which is represented by the number 7. 

We will use the next bunch of shiurim to delve into the letters of the Aleph-Beis. I wanted to take this opportunity to teach about the “secrets of the letters”. For the next bunch of classes, I’m going to give a short class on each one of the letters in Aleph-Beis. Then we’ll be moving forward in the Tehilim.

I just felt this is such a good chance to teach about the letters to the world! And I didn’t want it to go to waste. I hope you all enjoy these classes.

Before we begin, it’s important to mention that the holy letters contain the secrets of the Torah. The letters, gematrias, shapes, pronunciation and placement of the letters within the Aleph-Beis all have deep significant meaning.

The passuk says, “B’dvar Hashem hashemayim nassu, the world was created by the word of God.” The letters of the Hebrew alphabet were used in the creating of the world. Although the word d’var- daled, vav, reish – means word, it also denotes davar, object. Because all things in this world are created with the word of God, we see that the letters of the Aleph-Beis contain the secrets of this world.

We also know that Hashem looked into the Torah and created the world, another indication that the letters of the Torah were used for its formation.

This is precisely why the Hebrew language is called Lashon Hakodesh, the Holy Language or the Holy Tongue. Speaking Hebrew illuminates our mouths with the Divine light contained in the letters.

The Zohar in Achrei mos 73:2 says: Come and see that the first thing we teach a child before learning Torah is the Aleph-Beis. The sod ha’osiyos, secrets of the letters, is beyond human comprehension. Even melachim elyonim, heavenly angels, don’t understand how the letters contain the secrets of God’s Names.

There are hundreds of thousands of worlds that are solely dependent on the kotso shel yud, the apex of the letter yud which is contained in the letter aleph. The Zohar explains that these letters sustain the heavens and earth. The Torah is written in Hebrew because it also sustains the heavens and earth. Through learning Torah, therefore, one is actually giving life to the heavens and earth which were created with the 22 letters of the Aleph-Beis.

As much of the Kabbalah, including Sefer Yetzirah, is written about the letters, it goes without saying that these classes won’t even scratch the surface.

Im yirtza Hashem, we will begin with the letter aleph in the next shiur.

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.

הודו ליהוה כי־טוב כי לעולם חסדו

Praise the LORD, for He is good, His steadfast love is eternal.

יאמר־נא ישראל כי לעולם חסדו

Let Israel declare, “His steadfast love is eternal.”

יאמרו־נא בית־אהרן כי לעולם חסדו

Let the house of Aaron declare, “His steadfast love is eternal.”

יאמרו־נא יראי יהוה כי לעולם חסדו

Let those who fear the LORD declare, “His steadfast love is eternal.”

מן־המצר קראתי יה ענני במרחב יה

In distress I called on the LORD; the Lord answered me and brought me relief.

יהוה לי לא אירא מה־יעשה לי אדם

The LORD is on my side, I have no fear; what can man do to me?

יהוה לי בעזרי ואני אראה בשנאי

With the LORD on my side as my helper, I will see the downfall of my foes.

טוב לחסות ביהוה מבטח באדם

It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in mortals;

טוב לחסות ביהוה מבטח בנדיבים

it is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in the great.

כל־גוים סבבוני בשם יהוה כי אמילם

All nations have beset me; by the name of the LORD I will surely cut them down.

סבוני גם־סבבוני בשם יהוה כי אמילם

They beset me, they surround me; by the name of the LORD I will surely cut them down.

סבוני כדבורים דעכו כאש קוצים בשם יהוה כי אמילם

They have beset me like bees; they shall be extinguished like burning thorns; by the name of the LORD I will surely cut them down.

דחה דחיתני לנפל ויהוה עזרני

You pressed me hard, I nearly fell; but the LORD helped me.

עזי וזמרת יה ויהי־לי לישועה

The LORD is my strength and might; He has become my deliverance.

קול רנה וישועה באהלי צדיקים ימין יהוה עשה חיל

The tents of the victorious resound with joyous shouts of deliverance, “The right hand of the LORD is triumphant!

ימין יהוה רוממה ימין יהוה עשה חיל

The right hand of the LORD is exalted! The right hand of the LORD is triumphant!”

לא אמות כי־אחיה ואספר מעשי יה

I shall not die but live and proclaim the works of the LORD.

יסר יסרני יה ולמות לא נתנני

The LORD punished me severely, but did not hand me over to death.

פתחו־לי שערי־צדק אבא־בם אודה יה

Open the gates of victory for me that I may enter them and praise the LORD.

זה־השער ליהוה צדיקים יבאו בו

This is the gateway to the LORD— the victorious shall enter through it.

אודך כי עניתני ותהי־לי לישועה

I praise You, for You have answered me, and have become my deliverance.

אבן מאסו הבונים היתה לראש פנה

The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.

מאת יהוה היתה זאת היא נפלאת בעינינו

This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our sight.

זה־היום עשה יהוה נגילה ונשמחה בו

This is the day that the LORD has made— let us exult and rejoice on it.

אנא יהוה הושיעה נא אנא יהוה הצליחה נא

O LORD, deliver us! O LORD, let us prosper!

ברוך הבא בשם יהוה ברכנוכם מבית יהוה

May he who enters be blessed in the name of the LORD; we bless you from the House of the LORD.

אל יהוה ויאר לנו אסרו־חג בעבתים עד־קרנות המזבח

The LORD is God; He has given us light; bind the festal offering to the horns of the altar with cords.

אלי אתה ואודך אלהי ארוממך

You are my God and I will praise You; You are my God and I will extol You.

הודו ליהוה כי־טוב כי לעולם חסדו

Praise the LORD for He is good, His steadfast love is eternal.

הַֽלְל֣וּ אֶת־יְ֭הוָה כָּל־גּוֹיִ֑ם שַׁ֝בְּח֗וּהוּ כָּל־הָאֻמִּֽים׃

Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol Him, all you peoples,

כִּ֥י גָ֘בַ֤ר עָלֵ֨ינוּ ׀ חַסְדּ֗וֹ וֶֽאֱמֶת־יְהוָ֥ה לְעוֹלָ֗ם הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃

for great is His steadfast love toward us; the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Hallelujah.