As we said last time ืคืกืืงื ืืืืจื is about ืืณโs ืคืจื ืกื, supporting the world. It is the ืืื not of what we would call โmiraclesโ, but of everyday existence. The very fact that the universe exists is a miracle, and we acknowlege that by both declaring that fact to the world, and by praying to ืืงืืดื for that ืคืจื ืกื. So ืคืจืง ืงืื starts with David talking to himself, convincing himself that he needs to pray. As we quoted the ื ืคืฉ ืืจื, prayer needs a ืืชืืจ, needs permission.
ื ืืืืืื;
ืืืื ื ืคืฉื ืืช ืืณื
ื ืืืืื ืืณ ืืืื; ืืืืจื ืืืืงื ืืขืืืื
He is going to sing to ืืณ with his ื ืคืฉ, his ืืืื and his โืขืืโ.โ ื ืคืฉ is his โselfโ, what makes him human; thatโs what does the singing, and Malbim says that ืืื and ืขืืื donโt mean โwhile I am aliveโ, but โfor my lifeโ, which has two aspects.
ืืืืื ืืณ ืืืื: ืืืืื ืืื ืขื ืืืืื, ืืืืืจื ืืืืงื ืืขืืื: ืืขืื ืืืืจ ืขื ืืดืขืื" ืืืืชืจืื ืฉื ืชื ืื ืืืฅ ืื ืืืืื.
ืืืื is common to everyone, but every human being is unique. What makes me different is ืืดืขืื" ืืืืชืจืื ืฉื ืชื ืื, and that is why I need to praise ืืณ. You canโt do that for me, because you are not me.
This is a personal gift which forges a private bond between every mortal and his Maker.
ื ืื ืชืืืื ืื ืืืืื ืืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืื ืชืฉืืขืื
ื ืชืฆื ืจืืื ืืฉื ืืืืืชื; ืืืื ืืืื ืืืื ืขืฉืชื ืชืืื
Now David addresses his audience. Everyone needs ืคืจื ืกื, and no human being can provide it. Even the most generous, well-meaningโthe ื ืืืืืโare finite and mortal.
ืขืฉืชื ืชืื is usually translated โplansโ but I think it would be better defined as โattentionโ. You may have the richest, most powerful and most generous patron, but inevitably that attention will be lost.
ืืืงืจื ืืืื ืจื ืืืื ืืืืืจ ืื ืื ืื ื ืจืื; ืงืื ืงืจื ืื ืืืงืื ืืืื ืืชืขืฉืช ืืืืงืื ืื ื ืืื ื ืืืื
So who can we rely on for support?
ืืฉืจื ืฉืึพื ืืขืงื ืืขืืจื; ืฉืืืจื ืขื ืืณ ืืืงืืื
That pasuk is an allusion to the pasuk from ืืฉืจื:
ืขืื ื ืื ืืืื ืืฉืืืจื; ืืืชื ื ืืชื ืืื ืืช ืืืื ืืขืชืื
Itโs interesting that ืืณ is described as ืึพื ืืขืงื, when the perek says nothing about ืืณ as specifically the G-d of Israel:
ืขืฉื ืฉืืื ืืืจืฅ ืืช ืืื ืืืช ืื ืืฉืจ ืื;
ืืฉืืจ ืืืช ืืขืืืื
I think what David is implying here is that ืืณ is in fact the ืขืฉื ืฉืืื ืืืจืฅ, but only a tiny subset of humanity acknowledges that. It is how Rashi understands the Shema:
ืฉืืข ืืฉืจืื; ืืณ ืืืงืื ื ืืณโโืืืื
ืืณ ืืืงืื ื ืืณ ืืื: ืืณ ืฉืืื ืืืงืื ื ืขืชื, ืืื ืืืงื ืืืืืช, ืืื ืขืชืื ืืืืืช ืืณ ืืื, ืฉื ืืืจ (ืฆืคื ืื ื:ื) ืึผึดื ืึธื ืึถืึฐืคึผึนืึฐ ืึถื ืขึทืึผึดืื ืฉืึธืคึธื ืึฐืจืึผืจึธื ืึดืงึฐืจึนื ืึปืึผึธื ืึผึฐืฉืึตื ืืณ, ืื ืืืจ (ืืืจืื ืื:ื) [ืึฐืึธืึธื ืืณ ืึฐืึถืึถืึฐ ืขึทื ืึผืื ืึธืึธืจึถืฅ] ืึผึทืึผืึนื ืึทืืึผื ืึดืึฐืึถื ืืณ ืึถืึธื ืึผืฉืึฐืืึน ืึถืึธื.
We are saying that it is our G-d who sustains the entire world, but He is only ours in the sense that we serve him. As it says in ืืฉืจื:
ื ืื ืื ืืจืืื ืืณ; ืืจื ืืคืื ืืืื ืืกืื
ื ืืื ืืณ ืืื; ืืจืืืื ืขื ืื ืืขืฉืืื
And so the way we praise Him in the perek corresponds to the pasuk in ืืฉืจื,โ ืฆืืืง ืืณ ืืื ืืจืืื; ืืืกืื ืืื ืืขืฉืื.
ื ืขืฉื ืืฉืคื ืืขืฉืืงืื ื ืชื ืืื ืืจืขืืื; ืืณ ืืชืืจ ืืกืืจืืื
ื ืืณ ืคืงื ืขืืจืื ืืณ ืืงืฃ ืืคืืคืื; ืืณ ืืื ืฆืืืงืืื
ื ืืณ ืฉืืจ ืืช ืืจืื ืืชืื ืืืืื ื ืืขืืื; ืืืจื ืจืฉืขืื ืืขืืชื
ืืชืื ืืืืื ื ืืขืืื is generally translated as โHe supports the widow and the orphanโ, but I think there is a hint to the beginning of the perek, ืืืืจื ืืืืงื ืืขืืื. The ืขืื of a human being is the fact that they are unique, and part of ืืฉืคื is to recognize that even the most downtrodden of society are human, with their own unique human dignity. ืืณ gives them their ืขืื:โ ืืชืื ืืืืื ื ืืขืืื.
And after we declare the praise of ืืณ as weโve described, we return to the theme that was hinted with ืึพื ืืขืงื.
ืืืื ืืณ ืืขืืื ืืืงืื ืฆืืื ืืืจ ืืืจ;
ืืืืืืื
ืืณ is ืืืงื ืฆืืื specifically. Rav Schwab (in Rav Schwab on Prayer, p. 436) points out that ืฆืืื here does not mean โJerusalemโ , but rather ืื ืกืช ืืฉืจืื.
ืึธืึธืฉืึดื ืึผึฐืึธืจึทื ืึผึฐืคึดืืึธ ืึผืึฐืฆึตื ืึธืึดื ืึผึดืกึผึดืืชึดืืึธ ;ืึดื ึฐืึนืขึท ืฉืึธืึทืึดื ืึฐืึดืืกึนื ืึธืจึถืฅ ืึฐืึตืืึนืจ ืึฐืฆึดืึผืึนื ืขึทืึผึดื ืึธืชึผึธืื
ืืดืจ ืื ืื ื ืืจ ืคืคื: ืืืืจื ื ืขื ืื ืืืงืจื ืืื ืืฆืื ื ืืงืื ืฉื ืงืจืื ืืฉืจืื ืฆืืื. ืืืื ืืฆืื ื ืื? ืึฐืึตืืึนืจ ืึฐืฆึดืึผืึนื ืขึทืึผึดื ืึธืชึผึธื.
The perek in ืืฉืขืืื is talking about the ืืืจืืช ืืืืื, when the whole world will acknowledge ืืืืืช ืืณ, but it is Israel that will lead the way. A ืฆืืื is a signpost:
ืึทืฆึผึดืืึดื ืึธืึฐ ืฆึดืึผึปื ึดืื ืฉืึดืึดื ืึธืึฐ ืชึผึทืึฐืจืึผืจึดืื ืฉืึดืชึดื ืึดืึผึตืึฐ ืึทืึฐืกึดืึผึธื ืึผึถืจึถืึฐ ืึธืึธืึฐืชึผึฐ; ืฉืืึผืึดื ืึผึฐืชืึผืึทืช ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตื ืฉืึปืึดื ืึถื ืขึธืจึทืึดืึฐ ืึตืึผึถืื
Israel is ืฆืืื if it is a signpost, a way for others to come closer to ืืงืืดื. And that is the way the ืคืกืืงืชื ืืจื ืืื ื interprets that pasuk from ืืฉืขืืื:
ืจืณ ืืืืฉืข ืืกืื ืื ืืฉื ืจืณ ืืื: ืึธืึธืฉืึดื ืึผึฐืึธืจึทื ืึผึฐืคึดืืึธ, ืืืื ืืืจื ืชืืจื. ืึผืึฐืฆึตื ืึธืึดื ืึผึดืกึผึดืืชึดืืึธ, ืื ืืืืืืช ืืกืืื.
[W]e yearn for the time when the whole world will recognize HaKadosh Baruch Hu as ืืืงืื ืฆืืืโbecause it was the Jewish nationโTziyonโwhich taught the world about the existence of HaKadosh Baruch Hu and of His relationship with his creatures. Yerushalayim will be the capital of the united world, and the Beis HaMikdash will become the (ืืฉืขืืื ื ื:ื)โ ืืืช ืชืคืืโฆืืื ืืขืืื.
At that time, the Jewish people will finally have achieved its goal, that of becoming the (ืฉืืืช ืื:ื)โ ืืืืืช ืืื ืื ืืืื ืงืืืฉ, the role model for the rest of the world, the light to the nations, ืืืจ ืืืืื, which was its mission throughout history.
And thatโs what weโve said that ืืื means. Not just to praise ืืณ, but to sing those praises to the entire world.
Thatโs a wonderfully universal vision, of ืืณ as ื ืชื ืืื ืืจืขืืื. The next perek is surprisingly much more parochial: ืืื ื ืืจืืฉืื ืืณโฆืืืื ืืืจื ืืืขืงืโฆืื ืขืฉื ืื ืืื ืืื. It corresponds to the next pasuk of ืืฉืจื, โ ืงืจืื ืืณ ืืื ืงืจืืื ืืื ืืฉืจ ืืงืจืืื ืืืืช. Itโs surprising because we tend to think of the process in the reverse order, as Rashi put it: ืืณ ืฉืืื ืืืงืื ื ืขืชื, ืืื ืืืงื ืืืืืช, ืืื ืขืชืื ืืืืืช ืืณ ืืื.
ืืืืืื;
ืื ืืื ืืืจื ืืืงืื ื ืื ื ืขืื ื ืืื ืชืืืื
The previous perek was first person singular, ืืืืื ืืณ. This is plural: ืืืจื ืืืงืื ื. And I think that is the message of this perek: not that we are so special because ืืณ loves us more than the rest of the world, but that we, as a community, as ืื ืกืช ืืฉืจืื, have a particular responsibility to say ืชืืื. We are going from a ืืชืืจ, permission to pray, to a statement that ืืณ wants our prayers. We see that in ืคืกืืง ืื:โ ืจืืฆื ืืณ ืืช ืืจืืื ืืช ืืืืืืื ืืืกืื.
ืืดืจ ืืฆืืง: ืืคื ื ืื ืืื ืืืืชืื ื ืขืงืืจืื? ืืคื ื ืฉืืงืืดื ืืชืืื ืืชืคืืชื ืฉื ืฆืืืงืื.
The ืืจืื after most foods is ืึผืึนืจึตื ื ึฐืคึธืฉืืึนืช ืจึทืึผืึนืช ืึฐืึถืกึฐืจืึนื ึธื. We praise ืืณ for creating us with all of our needs, because ืืณ wants us to ask for what we need, to be ืืืืืื ืืืกืื. Itโs a hard concept to understand, but one way of looking at it is that it is part of ืืณ's ืืกืืฅ It actually makes us partners with ืืณ in creation; we have to do something. At ืืชื ืชืืจื,โ ืืณ made it clear that ืคืจื ืกืช ืืขืืื was now our responsibility as well.
ืืืจ ืจืืฉ ืืงืืฉ, ืืื ืืืชืื (ืืจืืฉืืช ื:ืื): ืึทืึฐืึดื ืขึถืจึถื ืึทืึฐืึดื ืึนืงึถืจ ืืึนื ืึทืฉืึผึดืฉืึผึดื, ืืณ ืืชืืจื ืืื ืื?โืืืื ืฉืืชื ื ืืงืืืฉ ืืจืื ืืื ืขื ืืขืฉื ืืจืืฉืืช ืืืืจ ืืื: ืื ืืฉืจืื ืืงืืืื ืืชืืจืโืืชื ืืชืงืืืืื, ืืื ืืืโืื ื ืืืืืจ ืืชืื ืืชืืื ืืืืื.
Rav Hutner points out that it is a much greater ืืกื to allow the recipient of your gift to earn it:
ืขื ืืื ืืชื ืชืืจื ื ืชืจืืชื ืื ืชืืืื ืคืขืืืชื ืฉื ืืืช ืืืกื, ืขื ืืื ื ืชืื ืช ืืงืื ืืงืืื ืืขืืืืืช ืืชืืจ ืชืฉืืื ืฉืืจ, ืืขืื ืฉืืืืชื ืืืดื ืืืจืืช ืฉืืคื ื ืืชื ืชืืจื ืืื ืงืืื ืืขืืืืืช ืื ืืชืืจ ืืชื ืช ืื ืโฆืืื ืืงืืืจ ืฉืืืชื ืืขืฉืจืื ืืฉืฉื ืืืจืืช ื ืชืงืืืื ืืืกืื ืฉื ืืงืื, ืืืื ื ืืืืืช ืืคืจื ืกื, ืฉืืคืจื ืกืื ืืช ืืืื ืืืขืชื ืืืฉืขืช ืืืืื ืืืื ืกืืื ืขื ืฉืืื ืขืฆืื.
Weโre going to see that aspect of the ืชืืื later. In this pasuk itself, the expression โfor ื ืืื ืชืืื is pleasantโ is ambiguous, since the word ื ืืื is ambiguous:
ืขืื ืืืืจืช ืื ืืืื ืื ืืืฉืืขื; ืื ืึพืื ืืื ืืื ืืืงื ืืื ืืืจืืื ืืื
ืืื ืืื: ืื ืงืืืก ืชืจืื ืืฉืื ื ึธืึถื, (ืืฉืขืืื ืื:ื) ื ึธืึถื ืฉืึทืึฒื ึธืโฆืืืจ ืืืจโืืื ืืื ืืฉืื ื ืึนื, ืืกืคืจ ื ืืื ืืฉืืื ืืืื ืขืืื.
ื ืืื ืชืืื means both โbeautiful praiseโ and โthe Temple of praiseโ, as David continues:
ืืื ื ืืจืืฉืื ืืณ; ื ืืื ืืฉืจืื ืืื ืกื
Jerusalem, with the ืืืช ืืืงืืฉ, is the place where ืืืจื ืืืงืื ื originates.
ืึธืึทืจ ืจึทืึผึดื ืฉืึฐืืึผืึตื ืึผึทืจ ื ึทืึฐืึธื ึดื, ืึธืกึนืจึถืช ืึทืึผึธืึธื ืึดืื, ืฉืึถืึตืื ืึฐืจืึผืฉืึธืึทืึดื ื ึดืึฐื ึตืืช ืขึทื ืฉืึถืึผึดืชึฐืึผึทื ึผึฐืกืึผ ืึทืึผึธืึปืึผืึนืช. ืึฐืึดื ืึนืืึทืจ ืึฐืึธ ืึธืึธื, ืฉืึถืึผึฐืึธืจ ื ึดืชึฐืงึทืึผึฐืฆืึผ ืึทืึผึธืึปืึผืึนืช ืึฐืึนื ื ึดืึฐื ึตืืช ืึฐืจืึผืฉืึธืึทืึดื, ืึทื ืชึผึทืึฒืึดืื. ืึธืึผึธื, ืฉืึถืึผึธืึฐ ืึผึฐืชึดืื: ืึผืึนื ึตื ืึฐืจืึผืฉืึธืึทืึดื ืืณ, ืึฐืึทืึทืจ ืึผึธืึฐ ื ึดืึฐืึตื ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตื ืึฐืึทื ึผึตืก.
The Tanchuma is telling us we are reading the pasuk wrong: itโs not that ืืณ will build Jerusalem, and then gather the exiles; itโs that the definition of a build Jerusalem is the people that are in it.
ื ืืจืืฉืื ืืื ืืื ืืขืืจ ืฉืืืจื ืื ืืืืื
ื ืฉืฉื ืขืื ืฉืืืื ืฉืืื ืึพื ืขืืืช ืืืฉืจืื; ืืืืืช ืืฉื ืืณื
David wants to build the ืืืช ืืืงืืฉ so that it can become a ืืืช ืชืคืื as we said above.
The actual praise we offer in this perek is not about ืืณ's providence in providing physical sustenance, but about psychological โsustenanceโ.
ื ืืจืคื ืืฉืืืจื ืื; ืืืืืฉ ืืขืฆืืืชืื
ื ืืื ื ืืกืคืจ ืืืืืืื; ืืืื ืฉืืืช ืืงืจืื
ื ืืืื ืืืื ืื ื ืืจื ืื; ืืชืืื ืชื ืืื ืืกืคืจื
ื ืืขืืื ืขื ืืื ืืณ; ืืฉืคืื ืจืฉืขืื ืขืื ืืจืฅื
Rabbi Simcha Bunim of Pโshisโcha makes a fascinating observation: since the Psalmist praised G-d as the Healer of broken hearts, G-d evidently does not want His servants to have broken hearts. Yet, other verses in the Book of Psalms indicate that a broken, contrite heart is desirable: [(ืชืืืืื ืื:ืื) ืงึธืจืึนื ืืณ ืึฐื ึดืฉืึฐืึผึฐืจึตื ืึตื; ืึฐืึถืช ืึผึทืึผึฐืึตื ืจืึผืึท ืืึนืฉืึดืืขึท and (ืชืืืืื ื ื:ืื) ืึดืึฐืึตื ืึฑืึนืงึดืื ืจืึผืึท ื ึดืฉืึฐืึผึธืจึธื; ืึตื ื ึดืฉืึฐืึผึธืจ ืึฐื ึดืึฐืึผึถื ืึฑืึนืงึดืื ืึนื ืชึดืึฐืึถื].
Rabbi Simcha Bunim explains that the truly humble person does not belittle his own values. Rather, he recognizes his special talents and worth, but credits G-d for all the gifts he enjoysโฆThus the Psalmist declares that G-d cures the broken-hearted when He โbinds up their sorrowsโ, i.e., G-d protects them from improper humility and despair.
The ืจืคืืื here is parallel to ืืชืื ืืืืื ื ืืขืืื in the previous perek, and the ืืขืืื ืขื ืืื ืืณ of ืคืกืืง ื.โ ืืณ lets each of us know that we are important, that we matter to the existence of the universe.
Similarly, ืืื ื ืืกืคืจ ืืืืืืื isnโt really about stars; itโs about us:
ืืืื ืฉืืืช ืืงืจื: ืืคืืจืืฉื ืื ืืึพื ืืชืืจื ืืจืื ืืืื ืืืกืคืจ ืืืืข ืืฆืื ืืืื ืืื ืืื ืงืจื ืฉื ืื ืืืช ืื ืืคื ืืืืจ ืืฉืจ ืืขืืืจื ื ืืจื ืืกืืืช ืืืชื ืืืืจ ืื ืืกืืืช ืขืฆืื.
ืืืื ืฉืืืช ืื ื ืืฉืจืื: ืืฃ ืขื ืคื ืฉืื ืื ืืืืืื ืืฉืืืชื, ืืืจ ืืื ืื ืืืืชืชื, ืืืืืืข ืืืชื ืฉื ืืฉืื ืืืืืืื, ืฉืืืฆืืื ืืืื ืืกื ืืืกืคืจ ืืืฉืืืชื, ืฉื ืืืจ (ืืฉืขืืื ื:ืื) ืึทืึผืึนืฆึดืื ืึฐืึดืกึฐืคึธึผืจ ืฆึฐืึธืึธื ืึฐืึปืึธึผื ืึฐึผืฉึตืื ืึดืงึฐืจึธื.
Rashi cites ืืฉืขืืื, not ืชืืืืื, because Yeshaya makes the metaphor explicit:
ืื ืึฐืึถื ืึดื ืชึฐืึทืึผึฐืืึผื ึดื ืึฐืึถืฉืึฐืึถื ืึนืืึทืจ ืงึธืืึนืฉืื ืื ืฉืึฐืืึผ ืึธืจืึนื ืขึตืื ึตืืึถื ืึผืจึฐืืึผ ืึดื ืึธืจึธื ืึตืึผึถื ืึทืึผืึนืฆึดืื ืึฐืึดืกึฐืคึผึธืจ ืฆึฐืึธืึธื; ืึฐืึปืึผึธื ืึผึฐืฉืึตื ืึดืงึฐืจึธื ืึตืจึนื ืืึนื ึดืื ืึฐืึทืึผึดืืฅ ืึผึนืึท ืึดืืฉื ืึนื ื ึถืขึฐืึผึธืจื
โฆืื ืึธืึผึธื ืชึนืืึทืจ ืึทืขึฒืงึนื ืึผืชึฐืึทืึผึตืจ ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตื; ื ึดืกึฐืชึผึฐืจึธื ืึทืจึฐืึผึดื ืึตืืณ ืึผืึตืึฑืึนืงึทื ืึดืฉืึฐืคึผึธืึดื ืึทืขึฒืืึนืจื ืื ืึฒืืึนื ืึธืึทืขึฐืชึผึธ ืึดื ืึนื ืฉืึธืึทืขึฐืชึผึธ ืึฑืึนืงึตื ืขืึนืึธื ืืณ ืึผืึนืจึตื ืงึฐืฆืึนืช ืึธืึธืจึถืฅ ืึนื ืึดืืขึทืฃ ืึฐืึนื ืึดืืึธืข; ืึตืื ืึตืงึถืจ ืึดืชึฐืืึผื ึธืชืึนืโฆืื ืึฐืงืึนืึต ืืณ ืึทืึฒืึดืืคืึผ ืึนืึท ืึทืขึฒืืึผ ืึตืึถืจ ืึผึทื ึผึฐืฉืึธืจึดืื; ืึธืจืึผืฆืึผ ืึฐืึนื ืึดืืึธืขืึผ ืึตืึฐืืึผ ืึฐืึนื ืึดืืขึธืคืึผื
ื ืืืจ (ืฉืืืช ืื:ื-ื) ืึดืึฐืึดืืชึถื ืึดื ืกึฐืึปืึผึธื ืึดืึผืื ืึธืขึทืึผึดืืโฆืึฐืึทืชึผึถื ืชึผึดืึฐืืึผ ืึดื ืึทืึฐืึถืึถืช ืึผึนืึฒื ึดืื ืึฐืืึนื ืงึธืืึนืฉื; ืืืืจ ืฉืื ืืื ืืื ืืืื ืื ืืฉืืืืช ืืคื ื ืขืฆืื ืืืื ืืืื ืืืขืื ืฉื ืืืจ (ืชืืืื ืคื:ื) ืึผืึฐืฆึดืึผืึนื ืึตืึธืึทืจ ืึดืืฉื ืึฐืึดืืฉื ืึปืึผึทื ืึผึธืึผ; ืึฐืืึผื ืึฐืืึนื ึฐื ึถืึธ ืขึถืึฐืืึนื. ืืืคื ืืืช ืืกืืื ื ืืืจ ืืดื ืืืืืืื (ืืฉืขืืื ื:ืื) ืึฐืึปืึธึผื ืึฐึผืฉึตืื ืึดืงึฐืจึธืโฆืึดืืฉื ืึนื ื ึถืขึฐืึผึธืจ. ืืืืจ ืฉืืืฆืืชื ืืืชื ืขื ืืืกืคืจ ืืืืฉืื, ืืืจื ืื ืืจืื ืืื ื ืืขืืฆื ืืื ืืจืื ืืชืืื ื ืืฉืืืืืช ืฉืืืฉ ืืื ืื ื ืขืืจ ืืขื ืืขืืืโฆืื ืืืืช ืืื ืืชืืจื ื ืืืขืช ืืื ืืื ืืื ืืขืโฆืืื ืฉืืืืืจ ืืืชืื ืืื ืืื ืืืื ืืฉืื ืืืืกื ืืฉืื ืืืฉืคื ืืจืืฉืื ืื ืืื ืฉืืื ืืืขืื ืืืขืืช ืื ืืื ื ืคืจืืช ืืืขืืช ืืืจื ืืื ืืืืืืช ืฉืื ื ืคืจืืื ืืืืืืชื ืืฉืืื ืืืขืืชื ืืื ืืื ืจืืื ืืืื ืืช ืืคื ื ืขืฆืืโฆ
And so we come back to our theme: weโthe ones who have a relationship with ืืงืืดืโshould praise ืืณ for His feeding the world:
ื ืขื ื ืืืณ ืืชืืื; ืืืจื ืืืืงืื ื ืืื ืืจื
ื ืืืืกื ืฉืืื ืืขืืื ืืืืื ืืืจืฅ ืืืจ;
ืืืฆืืื ืืจืื ืืฆืืจื
ื ื ืืชื ืืืืื ืืืื; ืืื ื ืขืจื ืืฉืจ ืืงืจืืื
The reason that we have a particular relationship with ืืงืืดื is not because we are inherently special, but because we are ืืจืืื; we are ืืืืืื ืืืกืื: we pray to ืืณ, and create the relationship, and therefore we need to pray to ืืณ. Itโs the message from ืืฉืจื:โ ืงืจืื ืืณ ืืื ืงืจืืื ืืื ืืฉืจ ืืงืจืืื ืืืืช.
ื ืื ืืืืืจืช ืืกืืก ืืืคืฅ; ืื ืืฉืืงื ืืืืฉ ืืจืฆืื
ืื ืจืืฆื ืืณ ืืช ืืจืืื ืืช ืืืืืืื ืืืกืืื
ืื ืฉืืื ืืจืืฉืื ืืช ืืณ; ืืืื ืืืงืื ืฆืืืื
ืืจืืฉืื and ืฆืืื are obviously synecdoches for the Jewish people. When you praise ืืณ,โ ืฉืืื ืืจืืฉืื ืืช ืืณ, then ืืณ becomes ืืืงืื, yours:
ืื ืื ืืณ ืืืงืื ืืฉืจ ืืืฆืืชืื ืืืจืฅ ืืฆืจืื ืืืืช ืขืืืืื
This singular relationship which binds G-d with man, within one fellowship, is a result not of creation, but of ืืฆืืืช ืืฆืจืื.
โฆIt is interesting that this passuk of the Decalogue represents the first time that G-d took His name, changed it to a possessive noun, and said ืื ืื ืืณ ืืืงืื, I am thy G-d; you own Me; I am your property. I own you as creator; you own Me as a member of the covenantal community.
And the reward will be peace and prosperity in Jerusalem, so that we can continue to say our ื ืืื ืชืืื. Itโs a virtuous cycle.
ืื ืื ืืืง ืืจืืื ืฉืขืจืื; ืืจื ืื ืื ืืงืจืืื
ืื ืืฉื ืืืืื ืฉืืื; ืืื ืืืื ืืฉืืืขืื
The perek ends with an interesting metaphor:
ืื ืืฉืื ืืืจืชื ืืจืฅ; ืขื ืืืจื ืืจืืฅ ืืืจืื
ืื ืื ืชื ืฉืื ืืฆืืจ; ืืคืืจ ืืืคืจ ืืคืืจื
ืื ืืฉืืื ืงืจืื ืืคืชืื; ืืคื ื ืงืจืชื ืื ืืขืืื
ืื ืืฉืื ืืืจื ืืืืกื; ืืฉื ืจืืื ืืืื ืืืื
ืื ืืืื ืืืจื ืืืขืงื; ืืงืื ืืืฉืคืืื ืืืฉืจืืื
ื ืื ืขืฉื ืื ืืื ืืื ืืืฉืคืืื ืื ืืืขืื;
ืืืืืืื
I assume David wrote this on one of those mornings when Jerusalem gets a couple of millimeters of snow and traffic is snarled for hours, and heโs stuck on a hungry donkey on ืืืืฉ 1.
The Malbim says the metaphor is about ืืณ's providence, and reward and punishment:
ืื ืืชื ืฉืื ืืฆืืจ: ืืืฉืื ืืืืืจื ืฉืฉืื ืืจืข ืืฆืืืจ ืืฉืื ืืืืคืืจ ืืืงืจื ืฉืืงืคืื ืืช ืืืื.
ืืฉืื ืืืจื ืืืืกื: ืจืดื ืืฉืื ืืช ืืืืจื ืืืืืื ื, ืืืฉืคืข ืชืจื ืืื ืืชืืื, ืืืฉื ืจืื ืืืืื ืืืื ืืฉืคืข ืจื ืืื ืืืื ืืืงืคืืื, ืจืดื ืืืื ืืช ืืจืข.
ืืืื ืืื ืืืื ืขืดื ืฉืืืื ืืืจื ืืืขืงื, ืืืืืืขื ืขืดื ืื ืืืืื ืืช ืืืืจื ืฉืจืืฆื ืืืืืจ ืขืืืื, ืืื ืฉืืื ืืชืฉืืื ืืืืืืื ืืช ืืจืขื, ืืืืฉืจืื ืฉืื ืืืืืืื ืฉืืืืื, ืืืื ืืงืื ืืืฉืคืืื ืืื ืืืืืื ืืืงืืช ืืชืืจื ืืื ืื ืขื ืืจืขื.
The other way to read this is as a metaphor for the revelation of โืืืจืชืโ, the Torah. Water is a metaphor for Torah:
ื ืืขืจืฃ ืืืืจ ืืงืื ืชืื ืืื ืืืจืชื
ืืฉืขืืจื ืขืื ืืฉื ืืืจืืืืื ืขืื ืขืฉืื
ื ืื ืฉื ืืณ ืืงืจื; ืืื ืืื ืืืืงืื ืื
Making that water into ice, ืืณโs ืงืจืื, symbolizes of the fact that ืืณโs word is fundamentally inaccessible: thereโs a wall of ice that we can barely see through that separates us:
ืื ืืืืืช ืขื ืจืืฉื ืืืื ืจืงืืข ืืขืื ืืงืจื ืื ืืจื ื ืืื ืขื ืจืืฉืืื ืืืืขืืืโฆืื ืืืืขื ืืจืงืืข ืืฉืจ ืขื ืจืืฉื ืืืจืื ืืื ืกืคืืจ ืืืืช ืืกื; ืืขื ืืืืช ืืืกื ืืืืช ืืืจืื ืืื ืขืืื ืืืืขืืืโฆืื ืืืจืื ืืงืฉืช ืืฉืจ ืืืื ืืขื ื ืืืื ืืืฉื ืื ืืจืื ืื ืื ืกืืื ืืื ืืจืื ืืืืช ืืืื ืืณ; ืืืจืื ืืืคื ืขื ืคื ื ืืืฉืืข ืงืื ืืืืจื
But ืืณ breaks that โiceโ into ืคืชืื, little gentle snowflakes, because ืืคื ื ืงืจืชื ืื ืืขืื.
The ultimate justice and righteousness [ืืงืื ืืืฉืคืืื of ืคืกืืง ืื] in the eyes of HaKadosh Baruch Hu and how it relates to our concepts of justice, can be compared to the ืงืจื ืื ืืจื, that awesome mass of ice which HaKadosh Baruch Hu sends down to us in small bits and pieces, as snow, hail and frost, which we can utilize. By the time these sublime concepts come to us, in broken-down form, they become so easy to understand that we can teach them even to young children.
The Jewish people have a special relationship with ืืงืืดื because we accepted the Torah. The other nations have ืืฉืคืืื ืื ืืืขืื, ethical laws (thatโs the meaning of ืืฉืคืืื as opposed to ืืงืื) but without revelation, and therefore without that relationship. The cause and effect relationship between fulfilling ืจืฆืื ืืณ and ืคืจื ืกื, daily providence, isnโt as clear-cut.
ื ืื ืืืจืฅ ืืฉืจ ืืชื ืื ืฉืื ืืจืฉืชื ืื ืืืจืฅ ืืฆืจืื ืืื ืืฉืจ ืืฆืืชื ืืฉื; ืืฉืจ ืชืืจืข ืืช ืืจืขื ืืืฉืงืืช ืืจืืื ืืื ืืืจืงื ืื ืืืืจืฅ ืืฉืจ ืืชื ืขืืจืื ืฉืื ืืจืฉืชื ืืจืฅ ืืจืื ืืืงืขืช; ืืืืจ ืืฉืืื ืชืฉืชื ืืืื ืื ืืจืฅ ืืฉืจ ืืณ ืืืงืื ืืจืฉ ืืชื; ืชืืื ืขืื ื ืืณ ืืืงืื ืื ืืจืฉืืช ืืฉื ื ืืขื ืืืจืืช ืฉื ืื
So therefore, when ืืณ provides for us that which we need, we respond: ืืืืืื, Praise G-d.