The next perek of ืคืกืืงื ืืืืืจื is based on the pasuk from ืืฉืจื:
ืจืฆืื ืืจืืื ืืขืฉื; ืืืช ืฉืืขืชื ืืฉืืข ืืืืฉืืขื. But it doesnโt seem to be about ืืจืืื; it seems to be about the universe and how it praises ืืณ. It starts with ืืืื ืืช ืืณ ืื ืืฉืืื and turns at ืคืกืืง ื to ืืืื ืืช ืืณ ืื ืืืจืฅ, then summarizes in ืคืกืืง ืื with ืืืื ืขื ืืจืฅ ืืฉืืื. Itโs not until the last pasuk that we get, somehow, to ืืืจื ืงืจื ืืขืื ืชืืื ืืื ืืกืืืื. We need to see how that all fits together.
The bulk of the perek is very symmetric between the ืฉืืื and ืืจืฅ:
ื ืืืื ืืช ืืณ ืื ืืืจืฅ
ืชื ืื ืื ืืื ืชืืืืชื
ื ืืฉ ืืืจื ืฉืื ืืงืืืืจ;
ืจืื ืกืขืจื ืขืฉื ืืืจืื
ื ืืืจืื ืืื ืืืขืืช;
ืขืฅ ืคืจื ืืื ืืจืืืื
ื ืืืื ืืื ืืืื;
ืจืืฉ ืืฆืคืืจ ืื ืฃื
ืื ืืืื ืืจืฅ ืืื ืืืืื;
ืฉืจืื ืืื ืฉืคืื ืืจืฅื
ืื ืืืืจืื ืืื ืืชืืืืช;
ืืงื ืื ืขื ื ืขืจืืื
ืื ืืืืื ืืช ืฉื ืืณ
ืื ื ืฉืื ืฉืื ืืืื;
ืืืื ืขื ืืจืฅ ืืฉืืืื
ื ืืืืืื;
ืืืื ืืช ืืณ ืื ืืฉืืื;
ืืืืืื ืืืจืืืืื
ื ืืืืืื ืื ืืืืืื;
ืืืืืื ืื ืฆืืืื
ื ืืืืืื ืฉืืฉ ืืืจื;
ืืืืืื ืื ืืืืื ืืืจื
ื ืืืืืื ืฉืื ืืฉืืื;
ืืืืื ืืฉืจ ืืขื ืืฉืืืื
ื ืืืืื ืืช ืฉื ืืณ;
ืื ืืื ืฆืื ืื ืืจืืื
ื ืืืขืืืื ืืขื ืืขืืื; ืืง ื ืชื ืืื ืืขืืืจื
As Rabbi Baumol points out, laying out the perek like this to illustrate the parallelism actually highlights the asymmetry.
Symmetry is often used to convey harmonyโฆSometimes, however, one point of contention in the midst of the symmetry โin a sense, an asymmetryโcatalyzes a deeper understanding of the issue and reflects the major differences between two seemingly simlar ideas.
One obvious difference is that the ืืจืฅ half is longer. The ืฉืืื half mixes the โspiritualโ heavens (ืืืืืื,โ ืฉืื ืืฉืืื) and the โphysicalโ heavens (ืฉืืฉ ืืืจื,โ ืืืืื ืืืจ). The ืืจืฅ half mixes the physics of the earth (ืชืืืืช,โ ืืฉ ืืืจื,โ ืืจืื) with the biology (ืขืฅ ืคืจื,โ ืืืื). That much is parallel. Then it turns to human beings, who do not have any parallel in either the spiritual or physical heavens.
ืืืื ืืจืฅ ืืื ืืืืื
ืฉืจืื ืืื ืฉืคืื ืืจืฅื
The last letters spell out ืฆืืื, ืฆืืื, โMy image, My imageโ.
ื ืขืฉื ืืื ืืฆืืื ื: ืืฆืื ืืืืืงื ืืื ืืืืืจื, ืืื ืืืข ืืืจืื, ืจืง ืืจืฆืื ืืฉืื ืืคืฉืโฆืื ื ืืืืขืื ืฉืืืืืจื ืืืืคืฉืืช ืืื ืืฆืืฆืื ืืืืืงืืช, ืฉืืฉืืดืช ืื ืื ืืงืื ืืืจืืืื ืืขืฉืืช ืืคื ืื ืฉืืืืจื.
ืืืื ืืืขืืืง ืืช ืืืจืชื ืืฆืื ืืืืงืื ืฉืื, ืืจื ืืื ืืขืืืง ืืืจื ืืืืื ืืช ืงืืืช ืขืื ืืืืืช ืฉืืื ืฉืื. ืืืจื ืกืืืืช ืืืืืจื ืืื ืืื ืืฆืื ืืืืงืื ืฉืืืื. ืืืื ืื ืืืืจืชื ืฉื ืื ืกืืืืช ืืืืืจื ืืจืืื ืืโฆ
That marks the difference between the ืืืื ืืช ืืณ of both ืฉืืื and the rest of ืืจืฅ. The created universe โsingsโ the praises of ืืณ simply by existing. We do that as well; our bodies are miracles of creation that declare ืืณ's greatness. But we are capable of more.
ื ืืฉืืื ืืกืคืจืื ืืืื ืึพื; ืืืขืฉื ืืืื ืืืื ืืจืงืืขื
โฆื ืืื ืืืจ ืืืื ืืืจืื; ืืื ื ืฉืืข ืงืืืื
ืืืจื ืจืืืชืื ื ืืดื (ืืืงืื ืฉืืขืื ื, ืกืืฃ ืชืืืื) ืขื ืืื ืืืื ืขืดื, ืืฉืขื ืฉืกืืื ืกืคืจ ืชืืืื ืืื ืืขืชื ืขืืื. ืืืจ ืืคื ื ืืงืืืฉ ืืจืื ืืื: ืืฉ ืืจืืื ืฉืืจืืช ืืขืืืื ืฉืืืืจืช ืฉืืจืืช ืืชืฉืืืืช ืืืชืจ ืืื ื? ืืืืชื ืฉืขื ื ืืืื ื ืื ืฆืคืจืืข ืืืช ืืืืจื ืื: ืืื! ืื ืชืืื ืืขืชื ืขืืื, ืฉืื ื ืืืืจืช ืฉืืจืืช ืืชืฉืืืืช ืืืชืจ ืืื. ืืื ืขืื, ืืื ืื ืฉืืจื ืฉืื ื ืืืืจืช ืืืฉืืช ืขืืื ืฉืืฉืช ืืืคืื ืืฉื ืฉื ืืืจ (ืืืืื ื ื:ืื-ืื) ืึทืึฐืึทืึตึผืจ ืฉึฐืืึนืฉึถืืช ืึฒืึธืคึดืื ืึธืฉึธืื ืึทืึฐืึดื ืฉึดืืืจืึน ืึฒืึดืฉึธึผืื ืึธืึธืึถืฃ.[ืึทืึฐืึทืึตึผืจ ืขึทื ืึธืขึตืฆึดืื ืึดื ืึธืึถืจึถื ืึฒืฉึถืืจ ืึทึผืึฐึผืึธื ืึนื ืึฐืขึทื ืึธืึตืืึนื ืึฒืฉึถืืจ ืึนืฆึตื ืึทึผืงึดึผืืจ ืึทืึฐืึทืึตึผืจ ืขึทื ืึทืึฐึผืึตืึธื ืึฐืขึทื ืึธืขืึนืฃ ืึฐืขึทื ืึธืจึถืึถืฉื ืึฐืขึทื ืึทืึธึผืึดืื]. ืืื ืขืื ืืื ืฉืื ื ืขืืกืงืช ืืืฆืื ืืืืื, ืืื ืืื ืืืฆืื ืฉืื ื ืขืืกืงืช ืืโืืฉ ืืฉืคืช ืืื ืืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืคืจื ืกืชื ืื ืื ืื ืืืื ืืืฉืขื ืฉืืื ืจืขื ื ืืืื ื ืืืืืื ื ืืงืืื ืื ืฉื ืืืจ (ืืฉืื ืื:ืื-ืื) ืึดื ืจึธืขึตื ืฉืึนื ึทืึฒืึธ ืึทืึฒืึดืึตืืึผ ืึธืึถื; ืึฐืึดื ืฆึธืึตื ืึทืฉืึฐืงึตืืึผ ืึธืึดืโฆืึทืืณ ืึฐืฉืึทืึผึถื ืึธืึฐ; ืื ืชืงืจื ืืฉืื ืื ืืื ืืฉืืืืื ืื.
ืฆืคืจืืข ืืืืจืช: ืืจืื ืฉื ืืืื ืืืืืชื ืืขืืื ืืขื.
Rabbi Natan Slifkin translates ืฆืคืจืืข ืืืืจืช (and similar terms in ืคืจืง ืฉืืจื) not as โthe frog saysโ, but as โthe frog is sayingโ.
Do frogs actually compose songs like men? The very concept is beyond our comprehension, yet the song of the frog is that which is sung by the heavenly angels! Indeed, frogs have no need to compose music and lyrics as we understand them. The most wonderful song a frog can sing is being itself.
ืืงืฆื ืืฉืืื ืืืฆืื ืืชืงืืคืชื ืขื ืงืฆืืชื; ืืืื ื ืกืชืจ ืืืืชืื
For the sun, ืืื ื ืกืชืจ ืืืืชื, there is nothing hidden from it being the sun, from fulfilling its duty. It by definition obeys the laws of nature; it has no free will.
The most wonderful service the frog can render is to faithfully live out its life, playing its role in the biological cycle, helping maintain the harmonious order of the world. When all parts of creation merge together in perfect order, this is itself the most impressive song of praise, extolling the magnificence of G-dโs handiwork.
So the conclusion of the ืฉืืื part is ืืืืื ืืช ืฉื ืืณ; ืื ืืื ืฆืื ืื ืืจืืื ืืืขืืืื ืืขื ืืขืืื; ืืง ื ืชื ืืื ืืขืืืจ: The ืฉืืื (and the first half of ืืจืฅ) follow immutable laws. Rav Hirsch points out that the punctuation of ืืง ื ืชื is ืืืงึพื ึธึืชึทึื, a single phrase. Read it not as โHe gave the lawโ, but as โa given lawโ that cannot be violated.
So itโs very depressing. We can never be as good a human being as a frog can be a frog. We can never praise ืืณ as well as frogs can croak (in both senses of the word!). This is part of the symbolism of the spiritual ืฉืืื; the expressions ืฉืื ืืฉืืื and ืืืื ืืฉืจ ืืขื ืืฉืืื donโt appear anywhere else in ืชืืืืื.
ื ืืืืืจ ืืืงืื ืืื ืจืงืืข ืืชืื ืืืื ืืืื ืืืืื ืืื ืืื ืืืืื
ื ืืืขืฉ ืืืงืื ืืช ืืจืงืืข ืืืืื ืืื ืืืื ืืฉืจ ืืชืืช ืืจืงืืข ืืืื ืืืื ืืฉืจ ืืขื ืืจืงืืข; ืืืื ืืื
This really upset ืฉืืขืื ืื ืืืื, a Tanna:
ืืืขืฉ ืืืงืื ืืช ืืจืงืืข: ืื ืืื ืื ืืืงืจืืืช ืฉืืจืขืืฉ ืื ืืืื ืืช ืืขืืื, โืืืขืฉโ ืืชืืื? ืืืืื ืืืืืจ ืื, ืืื (ืชืืืื ืื:ื): ืึดึผืึฐืึทืจ ืืณ ืฉึธืืึทืึดื ื ึทืขึฒืฉืืึผ ืึผืึฐืจืึผืึท ืคึดึผืื ืึธึผื ืฆึฐืึธืึธื!
ืืขืฉื ืืจืณ ืืืืฉืข ืฉืืื ืืืื ืืืกืชืจืื ืืืื ืื ืืืื ืื ืื ืืื. ืืืืข ืืฆืื ืืื ื ืชื ืื ืฉืืื. ืืืจ ืื: ืืืื ืืืื ืื ืืืื? ืืืจ ืื: ืฆืืคื ืืืืชื ืืืขืฉื ืืจืืฉืืช ืืืื ืืื ืืื ืืขืืืื ืื ืืืื ืืชืืชืื ืื ืืคืืื ืืคื, ืฉื ืืืจ: โืืจืื ืืืงืื ืืจืืคืช ืขื ืคื ื ืืืืโ, ืืืืืจ: โืื ืฉืจ ืืขืืจ ืงื ื ืขื ืืืืืื ืืจืืฃโโืื ื ืฉืจ ืื ืืก ืขื ืงื ื ื ืืืข ืืืื ื ื ืืืข, ืื ืืื ืืื ืืื ืืขืืืื ืื ืืืื ืืชืืชืื ืื ืืคืืื ืืคื. ืืืจ ืืื ืจืณ ืืืืฉืข ืืชืืืืืื: ืืืจ ืื ืืืื ืืืืืฅ. ืื ืืื ืืืื ืืืขืืื, ืขื ืฉื ืกืชืืง ืื ืืืื.
ื ืืจืืขื ื ืื ืกื ืืคืจืืก: ืื ืขืืื ืืื ืืืื ืืืจ ืืจืณ ืขืงืืืโฆืื ืขืืื ืืฆืืฅ ืืืชโฆืื ืืืื ืืฆืืฅ ืื ืคืืขโฆืืืืฉืข ืืฆืืฅ ืืงืืฆืฅ ืื ืืืขืืชโฆ
ื ืจืณ ืขืงืืื ืขืื ืืฉืืื ืืืจื ืืฉืืืโฆ
ืโฆืืขืื ืึธืฉืึฐืืึผ ืืฉื: ืืื ืืืืจ ืืืื? ืืืืกืชืจืื ืืขืืืจืช ืืื ืฉื ื ืืจืืื: ืืื ืฉื ืืึผืจ ืืืื ืฉื ืฉืื. ืืืื ืึฐืึธืโื ืืื ืึผึธืืึผืจ. ืืืื ืืืโื ืืื ืืฉืื. ืื ืขืืื ืขื ืืื? ืืืื ืืืืฆืข, ืืืืื ืฉืื ืืื ื ืืื ืื ืึฐืึธื ืืื ืึฐืึธื.
ืื ืืืื, contemplating ืืขืฉื ืืจืืฉืืช, identifies the ืืื ืืขืืืื ืื with ืจืื ืืืงืื that hovers over the ืืื ืืชืืชืื ืื, separated by the ืจืงืืข that is only a handsbreadth thick. The ืจืื ืืืงืื, which everywhere else in ืชื ืดื means โdivine inspirationโ, what we call ืจืื ืืงืืืฉ, is so close he could touch it. But he canโt reach it, and it drives him mad.
The ืืืื ืืฉืจ ืืขื ืืฉืืื reminds us of our spiritual limitations.
So now what? David would still have all of usโyoung and old, male and femaleโpraise ืืณ. Whatโs the point? David concludes: ืืืืื ืืช ืฉื ืืณ ืื ื ืฉืื ืฉืื ืืืื. I would read that as โEven though G-d is uniquely exaltedโ and ืืืื ืขื ืืจืฅ ืืฉืืืโthe heavens and earth reflect His glory. ืืณ apparently has no need for our ืืืืืื. But ืืณ still wants us to praise Him. Thatโs all ืืณ wants from us; that is exactly what ืืณ wants from us. Rabbi Baumol cites the ืคืืื from ืืื ืืืคืืจ:
ืึฒืฉึถืืจ ืึตืืึธืชึถืึธ
ืึฐึผืึถืจึฐืึถืึตึผื ืึนืึถื ืึฐึผืึทืึดึผืืจึตื ืึนืึถืฅ
ืึดึผืึฐืืึผืึตื ืงึถืจึทื ืึดึผืึฐืืึผืึตื ืงึถืึทื
ืึผืืึนืจึธืึฒืึธ ืขึฒืึตืืึถื.ืึฐืึธืึดืืชึธ ืชึฐืึดืึธึผื
ืึดืึฐึผืืึผืึตื ืืึผืฉื ืึดืึธึผืจึตื ืึทืึฐื
ืึดืึฐึผืืึผืึตื ืคึนืขึทื ืึดืึทึผืึตึผื ืึทืขึทืฉื
ืึฐืึดืื ืชึฐืึดืึธึผืชึถืึธ.
[B]ecause of our free will, our capacity to yield to our desire and our capacity to rise above our frailty, we are rewarded by G-d, Who desires to hear our praise, the praise of lowly humans.
Why? If our goal is to praise ืืณ for ืคืจื ืกื, why canโt we do it froggy-style, and just be? Because if thatโs the way we relate to ืืงืืดื, then we are missing the whole point of creation, and none of ืืฉืืื ืืกืคืจืื ืืืื ืึพื matters.
ืื ืืืจ ืืณ ืื ืื ืืจืืชื ืืืื ืืืืื ืืงืืช ืฉืืื ืืืจืฅ ืื ืฉืืชืื
ืืืืืจ ืจืื ืืืขืืจ: ืืืืืื ืชืืจื ืื ื ืชืงืืืื ืฉืืื ืืืจืฅ, ืฉื ืืืจ: โืื ืื ืืจืืชื ืืืื ืืืืื ืืงืืช ืฉืืื ืืืจืฅ ืื ืฉืืชืโ.
Now, Rashi doesnโt think this fits the ืคืฉื:
ืื ืื ืืจืืชื ืืืืณ: ืื ืืคืฉืจ ืฉืื ืืชืงืืื ืืืจืืช ืฉืืจืชื ืืืื ืืืืื ืืืืืช ืืขืชื ืืื ืืคืฉืจ ืืืืงืืช ืฉืืื ืืืจืฅ ืืืืื ืืืื ืื ืฉืืชืืโฆืืจืืืชืื ื ืืจืฉืืื ืืขื ืื ืืจืืช ืืชืืจื, ืืืืื ืืืื ืฉืืฉืืื ืืชืืจื ื ืืจืื ืฉืืื ืืืจืฅ. ืื ืืื ืืืืจืฉ ืืืืฉื ืขื ืกืืจ ืืืงืจืืืช.
But a few psukim before, Yirmiyahu makes exactly the same point, with very similar language:
ืื ืืืจ ืืณ ืื ืชืคืจื ืืช ืืจืืชื ืืืื ืืืช ืืจืืชื ืืืืื; ืืืืืชื ืืืืช ืืืื ืืืืื ืืขืชืื
So I think that is the message of the last pasuk:
ืืืจื ืงืจื ืืขืื ืชืืื ืืื ืืกืืืื
ืืื ื ืืฉืจืื ืขื ืงืจืื;
ืืืืืืื
ืื ื ืืฉืจืื became ืขื ืงืจืื when ืงืจืื ื ืืคื ื ืืจ ืกืื ื, and so bring ืชืืื ืืื ืืกืืืื, the ability to praise ืืณ to all the righteous.
ืฉืืจืื ืงืจื ืืขืื, ืฉืืฉืจืื ืืชืจืืืื ืื ืืขืืื ืืฉืคื ืืขืืืช ืืืจ ืืณ ืืื ืขืื ืืืจ ืืงืืฉ ืื ืจืืฉ ืืกืืื ืื ืืฉื ืื ืืณ, ืืืื ืชืืื ืืื ืืกืืืื, ืฉืืืกืืืื ืฉืื ืืชืงืจืื ืืขืืืชื ืืืขืืืช ืขื ืืณ ืืืืืโฆืขื ืฉืชืืืช ืืืกืืืื ืชืขืื ืขื ืืชืืื ืืจืืฉืื ื ืฉืคืชื ืื ืืืืืื ืืืจืืืื, ืื ืื ืื ืืขืื ืืืจืื ืืื ืขื ืงืจืืื.
The symphony of the universe is meaningless without our chorus of ืชืืจื, ืขืืืื, ืืืืืืืช ืืืกืืื.