Tehilim Perek 137

Hello everybody. Today’s NachDaily will discuss Tehilim perek 137, a very famous chapter.

The Gemarah in Gittin 57B explains that Hashem gave Dovid Divine insight to foresee the destruction of the first Temple when Am Yisrael was at the rivers of Bavel, and the second, when Edom tried to uproot the earth of the Beis Hamikdash.

This chapter is the lament and dirge of the Leviim after they were exiled.

The author recalls sitting by the rivers of Babylon, weeping and remembering Tzion. The exiled musicians hid their instruments so that they wouldn’t be taken away by their enemies. They would be spoken to mockingly: “Shiru lanu, m’shir Tzion - Sing us a song from Eretz Yisrael.” This caused us great emotional anguish. How can we sing Hashem’s songs on foreign soil?

The author now speaks even more emotionally: “Im eshkachech Yerushalayim, tishkach yemini, If I forget Yerushalayim, let my right hand forget what it’s supposed to do.”

The perek ends with an attempt to evoke Hashem’s kindness on Yerushalayim, to remember the day of its destruction and punish those who destroyed it.

The perek opens with the famous words of:

אעַ֥ל נַהֲר֨וֹת ׀ בָּבֶ֗ל שָׁ֣ם יָ֭שַׁבְנוּ גַּם־בָּכִ֑ינוּ בְּ֝זָכְרֵ֗נוּ אֶת־צִיּֽוֹן׃

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat, and also wept, as we thought of Zion.

There’s an amazing Ramad Walli on this, a real gem.

He explains that the connection between this perek and the previous one of “ki l’olam chasdo” is that this chapter is also about the final redemption. We mention our suffering because Hashem swore to us that the redemption process won’t ever revert to a time when we’ll suffer again. Just as we never need to be afraid that a mabul, flood, will destroy the world, we’re no longer going to fear another exile!

Looking back at our previous exiles will be cause for us to celebrate, knowing that Hashem has permanently redeemed us! Our suffering will now become cause for joy!

The Ramad Walli continues, saying that although we sat in Bavel and all the other stops our nation has made throughout our long journey, the dove, a/k/a our nation, has never found a true resting place other than Eretz Yisrael.

May our entire nation merit living in Eretz Yisrael, seeing the full Redemption taking place with the Beis Hamikdash before our very own eyes!

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.