Tehilim Perek 134

Hello everybody, in today’s NachDaily we’ll be discussing Tehilim chapter 134, the last of the 15 Shir Hama’alos chapters.

These chapters were sung on each step as the Kohanim ascended the 15 steps of the women’s section to enter into the Beis Hamkidash. This perek corresponds to the last of the steps.

The Kohanim ascended the steps near the end of the night and awaited the “alos hashachar, the first morning rays,” when the sun begins to illuminate the ground. At this moment the Kohanim would begin their avoda, holy work. They and the general populace would raise their hands in Tefila, and bless Hashem.

The 3 pessukim in this perek are things that the Kohanim and nation would do at the beginning of the day at the first sight of the alos hashachar. They are:

Bar’chu es Hashem - bless God.” The people waiting at night should bless Hashem at the sight of the morning rays.

S’oo yedechem Kodesh, lift your hands in the holy Place

Yivarechecha Hashem Mitzion – May Hashem bless you from Tziyon.

Verse two says:

שְׂאֽוּ־יְדֵכֶ֥ם קֹ֑דֶשׁ וּ֝בָרֲכוּ אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃

Lift your hands toward the sanctuary and bless God

The simple meaning is that we should raise our hands in prayer towards Hashem.

The Meforshim also explain that the reason we wash our hands in the morning is because they need to be “yidechem kodesh, holy hands,” clean and pure.

The Sefer Chassidus explains that the washing of the hands in the morning represents the washing away of our emotions and starting over again. As we go through life, we feel things with our emotions in the way that our hands physically touch something. Indeed, our emotions are called feelings.

Every day, therefore, we need to wash ourselves clean of yesterday’s perceptions and negative feelings, and turn to Hashem fresh, clean and pure. No matter where we’re holding in life, every day we need to wash away our negative feelings, saying, I will serve God anew, from today.

May we merit beginning over again, many times each day, serving God with enthusiasm. If we look only at today, we can accomplish daily what we need to do.

The next episode of Nach Daily will begin the final 15 Hallelukah chapters. Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.