ื‘ืกืดื“

Kavanot: Give Thanks Unto the L-rd

Thoughts on Tanach and the Davening

With Shavuot in the middle of the week, I didnโ€™t have time to write a new shiur, so I will just repeat what I said at 2 am then. I assume anyone who was there was asleep, so itโ€™s new to you.

Last time, we read of Davidโ€™s victory over the Philistines, in his war of independence. Iโ€™m going to talk about ืชื”ื™ืœื™ื ืคืจืง ืงื™ื—, which is a generic song of victory, but could easily apply to this, his only ืžืœื›ืžืช ืžืฆื•ื” as king.

ื ื”ื•ื“ื• ืœื”ืณ ื›ื™ ื˜ื•ื‘; ื›ื™ ืœืขื•ืœื ื—ืกื“ื•ืƒ
ื‘ ื™ืืžืจ ื ื ื™ืฉืจืืœ; ื›ื™ ืœืขื•ืœื ื—ืกื“ื•ืƒ
ื’ ื™ืืžืจื• ื ื ื‘ื™ืช ืื”ืจืŸ; ื›ื™ ืœืขื•ืœื ื—ืกื“ื•ืƒ
ื“ ื™ืืžืจื• ื ื ื™ืจืื™ ื”ืณ; ื›ื™ ืœืขื•ืœื ื—ืกื“ื•ืƒ
ื” ืžืŸ ื”ืžืฆืจ ืงืจืืชื™ ื™ื”; ืขื ื ื™ ื‘ืžืจื—ื‘ ื™ึพื”ืƒ
ื• ื”ืณ ืœื™ ืœื ืื™ืจื; ืžื” ื™ืขืฉื” ืœื™ ืื“ืืƒ
ื– ื”ืณ ืœื™ ื‘ืขื–ืจื™; ื•ืื ื™ ืืจืื” ื‘ืฉื ืื™ืƒ
ื— ื˜ื•ื‘ ืœื—ืกื•ืช ื‘ื”ืณ ืžื‘ื˜ื— ื‘ืื“ืืƒ
ื˜ ื˜ื•ื‘ ืœื—ืกื•ืช ื‘ื”ืณ ืžื‘ื˜ื— ื‘ื ื“ื™ื‘ื™ืืƒ
ื™ ื›ืœ ื’ื•ื™ื ืกื‘ื‘ื•ื ื™; ื‘ืฉื ื”ืณ ื›ื™ ืืžื™ืœืืƒ
ื™ื ืกื‘ื•ื ื™ ื’ื ืกื‘ื‘ื•ื ื™; ื‘ืฉื ื”ืณ ื›ื™ ืืžื™ืœืืƒ
ื™ื‘ ืกื‘ื•ื ื™ ื›ื“ื‘ื•ืจื™ื ื“ืขื›ื• ื›ืืฉ ืงื•ืฆื™ื;
ื‘ืฉื ื”ืณ ื›ื™ ืืžื™ืœืืƒ
ื™ื’ ื“ื—ื” ื“ื—ื™ืชื ื™ ืœื ืคืœ; ื•ื”ืณ ืขื–ืจื ื™ืƒ
ื™ื“ ืขื–ื™ ื•ื–ืžืจืช ื™ึพื”; ื•ื™ื”ื™ ืœื™ ืœื™ืฉื•ืขื”ืƒ
ื˜ื• ืงื•ืœ ืจื ื” ื•ื™ืฉื•ืขื” ื‘ืื”ืœื™ ืฆื“ื™ืงื™ื; ื™ืžื™ืŸ ื”ืณ ืขืฉื” ื—ื™ืœืƒ
ื˜ื– ื™ืžื™ืŸ ื”ืณ ืจื•ืžืžื”; ื™ืžื™ืŸ ื”ืณ ืขืฉื” ื—ื™ืœืƒ
ื™ื– ืœื ืืžื•ืช ื›ื™ ืื—ื™ื”; ื•ืืกืคืจ ืžืขืฉื™ ื™ึพื”ืƒ
ื™ื— ื™ืกืจ ื™ืกืจื ื™ ื™ึพื”; ื•ืœืžื•ืช ืœื ื ืชื ื ื™ืƒ
ื™ื˜ ืคืชื—ื• ืœื™ ืฉืขืจื™ ืฆื“ืง; ืื‘ื ื‘ื ืื•ื“ื” ื™ึพื”ืƒ
ื› ื–ื” ื”ืฉืขืจ ืœื”ืณ; ืฆื“ื™ืงื™ื ื™ื‘ืื• ื‘ื•ืƒ
ื›ื ืื•ื“ืš ื›ื™ ืขื ื™ืชื ื™; ื•ืชื”ื™ ืœื™ ืœื™ืฉื•ืขื”ืƒ
ื›ื‘ ืื‘ืŸ ืžืืกื• ื”ื‘ื•ื ื™ื ื”ื™ืชื” ืœืจืืฉ ืคื ื”ืƒ
ื›ื’ ืžืืช ื”ืณ ื”ื™ืชื” ื–ืืช; ื”ื™ื ื ืคืœืืช ื‘ืขื™ื ื™ื ื•ืƒ
ื›ื“ ื–ื” ื”ื™ื•ื ืขืฉื” ื”ืณ; ื ื’ื™ืœื” ื•ื ืฉืžื—ื” ื‘ื•ืƒ
ื›ื” ืื ื ื”ืณ ื”ื•ืฉื™ืขื” ื ื; ืื ื ื”ืณ ื”ืฆืœื™ื—ื” ื ืืƒ
ื›ื• ื‘ืจื•ืš ื”ื‘ื ื‘ืฉื ื”ืณ; ื‘ืจื›ื ื•ื›ื ืžื‘ื™ืช ื”ืณืƒ
ื›ื– ืึพืœ ื”ืณ ื•ื™ืืจ ืœื ื•; ืืกืจื• ื—ื’ ื‘ืขื‘ืชื™ื ืขื“ ืงืจื ื•ืช ื”ืžื–ื‘ื—ืƒ
ื›ื— ืึพืœื™ ืืชื” ื•ืื•ื“ืš; ืืœืงื™ ืืจื•ืžืžืšืƒ
ื›ื˜ ื”ื•ื“ื• ืœื”ืณ ื›ื™ ื˜ื•ื‘; ื›ื™ ืœืขื•ืœื ื—ืกื“ื•ืƒ

ืชื”ื™ืœื™ื ืคืจืง ืงื™ื—
ืชื”ื™ืœื™ื ืคืจืง ืงื™ื— is the last chapter of Hallel. When we look at Hallel, there are two types of inclusio. The first half is all ื”ืœืœื•ื™ึพื”. The last half, ืคืจืง ืงื™ื—, is hard to see as a whole because we divide it up into little songs, but it begins and ends with ื”ื•ื“ื• ืœื”ืณ. What is the difference? Both are terms for praising ื”ืณ.

ืฉึถืื›ึตึผืŸ ื—ื•ึนื‘ึทืช ื›ึธึผืœ ื”ึทื™ึฐืฆื•ึผืจึดื™ื, ืœึฐืคึธื ึถื™ืšึธ ื”ืณ ืึฑึพืœึนื”ึตื™ื ื•ึผ ื•ึตืึพืœึนื”ึตื™ ืึฒื‘ื•ึนืชึตื™ื ื•ึผ, ืœึฐื”ื•ึนื“ื•ึนืช ืœึฐื”ึทืœึตึผืœ ืœึฐืฉึทืื‘ึตึผื—ึท ืœึฐืคึธืึตืจ ืœึฐืจื•ึนืžึตื ืœึฐื”ึทื“ึตึผืจ ืœึฐื‘ึธืจึตืšึฐ ืœึฐืขึทืœึตึผื” ื•ึผืœึฐืงึทืœึตึผืก, ืขึทืœ ื›ึธึผืœ ื“ึดึผื‘ึฐืจึตื™ ืฉึดืื™ืจื•ึนืช ื•ึฐืชึดืฉึฐืื‘ึฐึผื—ื•ึนืช ื“ึธึผื•ึดื“ ื‘ึถึผืŸ ื™ึดืฉึทืื™ ืขึทื‘ึฐื“ึฐึผืšึธ ืžึฐืฉึดืื™ื—ึถืšึธ

ืชืคื™ืœืช ื ืฉืžืช ื›ืœ ื—ื™

What is a ื”ืœืœ and what is a ื”ื•ื“ืื”?

The Rav explains why the first two chapters of Hallel are recited before the meal and the rest of Hallel is recited after the meal. He notesโ€ฆthat before the meal we should feel as if we were just redeemed from Mitzrayim. After the meal, the mood is one of reflecting on the fact that we have been redeemed in the past. Accordingly, before the meal we engage in Hodayah, an expression of thanks to Hashem for redeeming us from Egypt. Hodaya may be offered only by someone who experienced the redemption and thus may be expressed only before the meal. Shevach (praise) on the other hand, may be offered even by someone not involved in the event. After the meal, we can no longer thank Hashem for redeeming usโ€ฆso instead we express Shevach to Hashem for what He did for us in the past.

From MiPenieni HaRav

As a practical matter, ื”ื•ื“ืื”, thanksgiving, is personal. It canโ€™t be delegated. Thatโ€™s why we have a ืžื•ื“ื™ื ื“ืจื‘ื ืŸ:

ื•ื›ืฉื™ื’ื™ืข ืฉืดืฅ ืœืžื•ื“ื™ื ื•ื›ื•ืจืข ื›ืœ ื”ืขื ืฉื•ื—ื™ืŸ ื•ืื•ืžืจื™ืŸ ื”ื•ื“ืื” ืงื˜ื ื” ื”ืžืชื—ืœืช ื›ืžื• ื›ืŸ ื‘ืžื•ื“ื™ื, ืฉืื™ืŸ ื“ืจืš ื”ืขื‘ื“ ืœื”ื•ื“ื•ืช ืœืจื‘ื• ื•ืœื•ืžืจ ืœื• ืื“ื•ื ื™ ืืชื” ืขืœ ื™ื“ื™ ืฉืœื™ื— ืืœื ื›ืœ ืื“ื ืฆืจื™ืš ืœืงื‘ืœ ื‘ืคื™ื• ืขื•ืœ ืžืœื›ื•ืช ืฉืžื™ื ื•ืื ื™ืงื‘ืœ ืขืœ ื™ื“ื™ ืฉืœื™ื— ืื™ื ื” ืงื‘ืœื” ื’ืžื•ืจื” ืฉื™ื•ื›ืœ ืœื”ื›ื—ื™ืฉ ื•ืœื•ืžืจ ืœื ืฉืœื—ืชื™ื•. ืื‘ืœ ื‘ืฉืืจ ื”ืชืคืœื” ืฉื”ื™ื ื‘ืงืฉื” ื™ื›ื•ืœ ืœืชื‘ื•ืข ืฆืจื›ื™ื• ืขืœ ื™ื“ื™ ืฉืœื™ื—

ืกืคืจ ืื‘ื•ื“ืจื”ื ืฉืžื•ื ื” ืขืฉืจื”

This idea, that ื”ื•ื“ืื” must be said by everyone, is expressed in ืกืคืจ ืชื”ื™ืœื™ื, the โ€œsiddurโ€ of the ื‘ื™ืช ื”ืžืงื“ืฉ.

The Gemara says that on Pesach night, we recite ื”ืœืœ ื”ื’ื“ื•ืœ:

ืžื”ื™ื›ืŸ ื”ืœืœ ื”ื’ื“ื•ืœ? ืจื‘ื™ ื™ื”ื•ื“ื” ืื•ืžืจ (ืชื”ื™ืœื™ื ืงืœื•) ืžื”ื•ื“ื• ืขื“ (ืชื”ื™ืœื™ื ืงืœื–) ื ื”ืจื•ืช ื‘ื‘ืœ. ื•ืจื‘ื™ ื™ื•ื—ื ืŸ ืื•ืžืจ ืžืฉื™ืจ ื”ืžืขืœื•ืช ืขื“ ื ื”ืจื•ืช ื‘ื‘ืœ. ืจื‘ ืื—ื ื‘ืจ ื™ืขืงื‘ ืืžืจ (ืชื”ื™ืœื™ื ืงืœื”) ืžื›ื™ ื™ืขืงื‘ ื‘ื—ืจ ืœื• ื™ึพื” ืขื“ ื ื”ืจื•ืช ื‘ื‘ืœ

ืคืกื—ื™ื ืงื™ื—,ื

ืจื‘ื™ ื™ื”ื•ื“ื” says ื”ืœืœ ื”ื’ื“ื•ืœ is ืชื”ื™ืœื™ื ืงืœื•:

ื ื”ื•ื“ื• ืœื”ืณ ื›ื™ ื˜ื•ื‘; ื›ื™ ืœืขื•ืœื ื—ืกื“ื•ืƒ
โ€ฆื™ ืœืžื›ื” ืžืฆืจื™ื ื‘ื‘ื›ื•ืจื™ื”ื; ื›ื™ ืœืขื•ืœื ื—ืกื“ื•ืƒ
โ€ฆื™ื– ืœืžื›ื” ืžืœื›ื™ื ื’ื“ืœื™ื; ื›ื™ ืœืขื•ืœื ื—ืกื“ื•ืƒ
ื™ื— ื•ื™ื”ืจื’ ืžืœื›ื™ื ืื“ื™ืจื™ื; ื›ื™ ืœืขื•ืœื ื—ืกื“ื•ืƒ
ื™ื˜ ืœืกื™ื—ื•ืŸ ืžืœืš ื”ืืžืจื™; ื›ื™ ืœืขื•ืœื ื—ืกื“ื•ืƒ
ื› ื•ืœืขื•ื’ ืžืœืš ื”ื‘ืฉืŸ; ื›ื™ ืœืขื•ืœื ื—ืกื“ื•ืƒ
ื›ื ื•ื ืชืŸ ืืจืฆื ืœื ื—ืœื”; ื›ื™ ืœืขื•ืœื ื—ืกื“ื•ืƒ
ื›ื‘ ื ื—ืœื” ืœื™ืฉืจืืœ ืขื‘ื“ื•; ื›ื™ ืœืขื•ืœื ื—ืกื“ื•ืƒ

ืชื”ื™ืœื™ื ืคืจืง ืงืœื•

ืจื‘ื™ ื™ื•ื—ื ืŸ says it also includes ืชื”ื™ืœื™ื ืงืœื”:

ื ื”ืœืœื•ื™ึพื”;
ื”ืœืœื• ืืช ืฉื ื”ืณ; ื”ืœืœื• ืขื‘ื“ื™ ื”ืณืƒ
ื‘ ืฉืขืžื“ื™ื ื‘ื‘ื™ืช ื”ืณ ื‘ื—ืฆืจื•ืช ื‘ื™ืช ืืœืงื™ื ื•ืƒ
ื’ ื”ืœืœื•ื™ึพื” ื›ื™ ื˜ื•ื‘ ื”ืณ; ื–ืžืจื• ืœืฉืžื• ื›ื™ ื ืขื™ืืƒ
โ€ฆื— ืฉื”ื›ื” ื‘ื›ื•ืจื™ ืžืฆืจื™ื ืžืื“ื ืขื“ ื‘ื”ืžื”ืƒ
ื˜ ืฉืœื— ืื•ืชืช ื•ืžืคืชื™ื ื‘ืชื•ื›ื›ื™ ืžืฆืจื™ื; ื‘ืคืจืขื” ื•ื‘ื›ืœ ืขื‘ื“ื™ื•ืƒ
ื™ ืฉื”ื›ื” ื’ื•ื™ื ืจื‘ื™ื; ื•ื”ืจื’ ืžืœื›ื™ื ืขืฆื•ืžื™ืืƒ
ื™ื ืœืกื™ื—ื•ืŸ ืžืœืš ื”ืืžืจื™ ื•ืœืขื•ื’ ืžืœืš ื”ื‘ืฉืŸ; ื•ืœื›ืœ ืžืžืœื›ื•ืช ื›ื ืขืŸืƒ
ื™ื‘ ื•ื ืชืŸ ืืจืฆื ื ื—ืœื” ื ื—ืœื” ืœื™ืฉืจืืœ ืขืžื•ืƒ

ืชื”ื™ืœื™ื ืคืจืง ืงืœื”

(ืจื‘ ืื—ื ื‘ืจ ื™ืขืงื‘ agrees that ื”ืœืœ ื”ื’ื“ื•ืœ includes ืชื”ื™ืœื™ื ืงืœื” but it actually starts at the second ื”ืœืœื•ื™ึพื”, in ืคืกื•ืง ื’ืณ)

The two chapters basically say the same thing but are structured differently: ืชื”ื™ืœื™ื ืงืœื• has a refrain, ื›ื™ ืœืขื•ืœื ื—ืกื“ื•. It is ื”ื•ื“ืื”, not ื”ืœืœ (note it says that explicitly: ื”ื•ื“ื• ืœื”ืณ vs. ื”ืœืœื• ืืช ืฉื ื”ืณ), and such it has to be said by the entire ืงื”ื™ืœื”. They canโ€™t just listen to the Leviim singing. But they donโ€™t have printed siddurim and they donโ€™t know all the words. So ืชื”ื™ืœื™ื ืงืœื• is structured so that the ืงื”ื™ืœื” can at least sing the important parts.

ื”ื•ื“ืื” needs to be said by each person and so the public expression of ื”ื•ื“ืื”, what we call ืฉื™ืจื”, is said with a refrain that everyone can sing. This was first seen in the epitome of ืฉื™ืจื”,โ€Ž ืฉื™ืจืช ื”ื™ื:

ื ืื– ื™ืฉื™ืจ ืžืฉื” ื•ื‘ื ื™ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืืช ื”ืฉื™ืจื” ื”ื–ืืช ืœื”ืณ ื•ื™ืืžืจื•
ืœืืžืจ; ืืฉื™ืจื” ืœื”ืณ ื›ื™ ื’ืื” ื’ืื” ืกื•ืก
ื•ืจื›ื‘ื• ืจืžื” ื‘ื™ืืƒ ื‘ ืขื–ื™ ื•ื–ืžืจืช ื™ึพื” ื•ื™ื”ื™ ืœื™
ืœื™ืฉื•ืขื”; ื–ื” ืึพืœื™ ื•ืื ื•ื”ื• ืืœืงื™
ืื‘ื™ ื•ืืจืžืžื ื”ื•ืƒ

ืฉืžื•ืช ืคืจืง ื˜ื•

ื“ืจืฉ ืจื‘ื™ ืขืงื™ื‘ื ื‘ืฉืขื” ืฉืขืœื• ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืžืŸ ื”ื™ื ื ืชื ื• ืขื™ื ื™ื”ื ืœื•ืžืจ ืฉื™ืจื”. ื•ื›ื™ืฆื“ ืืžืจื• ืฉื™ืจื”? ื›ื’ื“ื•ืœ ื”ืžืงืจื ืืช ื”ื”ืœืœ ื•ื”ืŸ ืขื•ื ื™ืŸ ืื—ืจื™ื• ืจืืฉื™ ืคืจืงื™ื, ืžืฉื” ืืžืจ ืืฉื™ืจื” ืœื”ืณ (ืฉืžื•ืช ื˜ื•:ื) ื•ื”ืŸ ืื•ืžืจื™ื ืืฉื™ืจื” ืœื”ืณ, ืžืฉื” ืืžืจ ื›ื™ ื’ืื” ื’ืื” ื•ื”ืŸ ืื•ืžืจื™ื ืืฉื™ืจื” ืœื”ืณ ื•ื›ื•ืณ.

ื™ืœืงื•ื˜ ืฉืžืขื•ื ื™ ืชื•ืจื” ืคืจืฉืช ื‘ืฉืœื— ืจืžื– ืจืžื

ื› ื•ืชืงื— ืžืจื™ื ื”ื ื‘ื™ืื” ืื—ื•ืช ืื”ืจืŸ ืืช ื”ืชืฃ ื‘ื™ื“ื”; ื•ืชืฆืืŸ ื›ืœ ื”ื ืฉื™ื ืื—ืจื™ื” ื‘ืชืคื™ื ื•ื‘ืžื—ืœืชืƒ ื›ื ื•ืชืขืŸ ืœื”ื ืžืจื™ื; ืฉื™ืจื• ืœื”ืณ ื›ื™ ื’ืื” ื’ืื” ืกื•ืก ื•ืจื›ื‘ื• ืจืžื” ื‘ื™ืืƒ

ืฉืžื•ืช ืคืจืง ื˜ื•

ื”ืœืœ starts with ื”ืœืœื•ื™ึพื”'s but ends with a ื”ื•ื“ื• ืœื”ืณ. The last perek is a ื”ื•ื“ืื”, a ืฉื™ืจื”, and is meant to be sung by all, not just the ื—ื–ืŸ. So it has a refrain; itโ€™s just written in the first 4 and last psukim, but I imagine it was actually said after each verse, like ืื– ื™ืฉื™ืจ. And it is a ืฉื™ืจื” about military victory, just like ืื– ื™ืฉื™ืจ, but here itโ€™s not a specific battle. Itโ€™s an idealized one. David is creating the archetype for how we rejoice in victory.

The first 4 psukim are introduction: come everyone join me in thanking/acknowleging ื”ืณ. The rest of the perek is structured like an overtureโ€”itโ€™s almost exactly the same as Tchaikovskyโ€™s 1812 overture. It tells the story of a battle, the chaos of war, and the triumphant return of the victors. But instead of being a paean to Russian nationalism, itโ€™s a paean to the true source of victory, ื”ืงื‘ืดื”.

David calls out ืžืŸ ื”ืžืฆืจ, fromโ€œthe straitsโ€; he is constricted with no options, no place to go. ื”ืณ answers ื‘ืžืจื—ื‘, with wide-open spaces. Anything is possible even when everything looks impossible.

ื”ืณ ืœื™ ื‘ืขื–ืจื™โ€”David has those who will help him but the only one Who matters, the One that gives him the strength to look at his enemies, is ื”ืงื‘ืดื”. โ€Ž ื˜ื•ื‘ ืœื—ืกื•ืช ื‘ื”ืณ ืžื‘ื˜ื— ื‘ืื“ื.

We donโ€™t know what the problem is yet. David is expressing his faith but we too are ืžืŸ ื”ืžืฆืจโ€”our point of view is very restricted. ื˜ื•ื‘ ืœื—ืกื•ืช ื‘ื”ืณ, fine, but from what?

Then the camera pulls back: ื›ืœ ื’ื•ื™ื ืกื‘ื‘ื•ื ื™. He is surrounded by his enemies. But he is not afraid; ื”ืณ will save him.

I would translate ืืžื™ืœื as Hirsch does: from ืžื•ืœ, โ€oppositeโ€œ. ื‘ืฉื ื”ืณ ื›ื™ ืืžื™ืœื means โ€œwith the name of G-d I can face themโ€.

Then ืกื‘ื•ื ื™ ื›ื“ื‘ื•ืจื™ื, like bees, and ื›ืืฉ ืงื•ืฆื™ื. Both express the same image: bees sting and die; brush burns quickly and loudly but burns out.

Thereโ€™s an interesting poetic technique here. All the psukim so far have had a simple parallel structure; two clauses per verse, 6 to 8 syllables each. Easy to sing (think of how we sing ืžืŸ ื”ืžืฆืจ). Then ืคืกื•ืง ื™ื‘ with three clauses and everything falls apart. The 1812 Overture does the same thing, as the simple musical line devolves into chaos as the French army attacks. It gives us a sense of the chaos of battle. The poem falls apart because everything is falling apart.

When the dust clears, David suddenly is addressing his enemies: ื“ื—ื” ื“ื—ื™ืชื ื™ ืœื ืคืœ. You tried to pressure me, but ื•ื”ืณ ืขื–ืจื ื™. Heโ€™s thumbing his nose at them from the top of the next hill.

The scene changes to the ืฉื™ืจื” of the victors in the immediate aftermath of the battle: ืงื•ืœ ืจื ื” ื•ื™ืฉื•ืขื” ื‘ืื”ืœื™ ืฆื“ื™ืงื™ื. They quote directly from the ur-ืฉื™ืจื”,โ€Ž ืื– ื™ืฉื™ืจ:โ€Ž ืขื–ื™ ื•ื–ืžืจืช ื™ึพื”; ื•ื™ื”ื™ ืœื™ ืœื™ืฉื•ืขื”.

Similarly in Isaiah:

ื ื•ืืžืจืช ื‘ื™ื•ื ื”ื”ื•ื ืื•ื“ืš ื”ืณ ื›ื™ ืื ืคืช ื‘ื™; ื™ืฉื‘ ืืคืš ื•ืชื ื—ืžื ื™ืƒ ื‘ ื”ื ื” ืึพืœ ื™ืฉื•ืขืชื™ ืื‘ื˜ื— ื•ืœื ืืคื—ื“; ื›ื™ ืขื–ื™ ื•ื–ืžืจืช ื™ื” ื”ืณ ื•ื™ื”ื™ ืœื™ ืœื™ืฉื•ืขื”ืƒ ื’ ื•ืฉืื‘ืชื ืžื™ื ื‘ืฉืฉื•ืŸ ืžืžืขื™ื ื™ ื”ื™ืฉื•ืขื”ืƒ ื“ ื•ืืžืจืชื ื‘ื™ื•ื ื”ื”ื•ื ื”ื•ื“ื• ืœื”ืณ ืงืจืื• ื‘ืฉืžื• ื”ื•ื“ื™ืขื• ื‘ืขืžื™ื ืขืœื™ืœืชื™ื•; ื”ื–ื›ื™ืจื• ื›ื™ ื ืฉื’ื‘ ืฉืžื•ืƒ ื” ื–ืžืจื• ื”ืณ ื›ื™ ื’ืื•ืช ืขืฉื”; ืžื™ื“ืขืช (ืžื•ื“ืขืช) ื–ืืช ื‘ื›ืœ ื”ืืจืฅืƒ

ื™ืฉืขื™ื”ื• ืคืจืง ื™ื‘

And ื™ืžื™ืŸ ื”ืณ ืขืฉื” ื—ื™ืœ is an echo of ืื– ื™ืฉื™ืจ as well: ื™ืžื™ื ืš ื”ืณ ื ืื“ืจื™ ื‘ื›ื—; ื™ืžื™ื ืš ื”ืณ ืชืจืขืฅ ืื•ื™ื‘.

Then David makes it personal: ื™ืกืจ ื™ืกืจื ื™ ื™ึพื”; ื•ืœืžื•ืช ืœื ื ืชื ื ื™. My life is not perfect but things will work out. That is Davidโ€™s approach throughout ืชื”ื™ืœื™ื,โ€Ž ื’ื ื–ื• ืœื˜ื•ื‘ื”. Itโ€™s the message of ืกื‘ื•ื ื™ ื›ื“ื‘ื•ืจื™ื ื“ืขื›ื• ื›ืืฉ ืงื•ืฆื™ื.

He then visualizes himself coming to the ื‘ื™ืช ื”ืžืงื“ืฉ to offer his ืงืจื‘ืŸ ืชื•ื“ื”.โ€Ž ืคืชื—ื• ืœื™ ืฉืขืจื™ ืฆื“ืง, as he says in ืชื”ื™ืœื™ื ื›ื“:

ื’ ืžื™ ื™ืขืœื” ื‘ื”ืจ ื”ืณ; ื•ืžื™ ื™ืงื•ื ื‘ืžืงื•ื ืงื“ืฉื•ืƒ
ื“ ื ืงื™ ื›ืคื™ื ื•ื‘ืจ ืœื‘ื‘;
ืืฉืจ ืœื ื ืฉื ืœืฉื•ื ื ืคืฉื™; ื•ืœื ื ืฉื‘ืข ืœืžืจืžื”ืƒ
ื” ื™ืฉื ื‘ืจื›ื” ืžืืช ื”ืณ; ื•ืฆื“ืงื” ืžืืœืงื™ ื™ืฉืขื•ืƒ
โ€ฆื– ืฉืื• ืฉืขืจื™ื ืจืืฉื™ื›ื ื•ื”ื ืฉืื• ืคืชื—ื™ ืขื•ืœื;
ื•ื™ื‘ื•ื ืžืœืš ื”ื›ื‘ื•ื“ืƒ

ืชื”ื™ืœื™ื ืคืจืง ื›ื“

He canโ€™t believe itโ€™s true; he was a nothing shepherd and now is the king of Israel. The gemara sees this as a conversation between David and his family when he is anointed:

ืืดืจ ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื‘ืจ ื ื—ืžื ื™ ืืดืจ ื™ื•ื ืชืŸ (ืชื”ืœื™ื ืงื™ื—:ื›ื) ืื•ื“ืš ื›ื™ ืขื ื™ืชื ื™ ืืžืจ ื“ื•ื“. ืื‘ืŸ ืžืืกื• ื”ื‘ื•ื ื™ื ื”ื™ืชื” ืœืจืืฉ ืคื ื” ืืžืจ ื™ืฉื™. ืžืืช ื”ืณ ื”ื™ืชื” ื–ืืช ืืžืจื• ืื—ื™ื•. ื–ื” ื”ื™ื•ื ืขืฉื” ื”ืณ ืืžืจ ืฉืžื•ืืœ.

ืคืกื—ื™ื ืงื™ื˜,ื

David is the one who united all of Israel, with its united capital in Jerusalem. He describing himself entering the ื‘ื™ืช ื”ืžืงื“ืฉ, to bring his ืงืจื‘ืŸ ืชื•ื“ื”.

Then the tone changes completely: ืื ื ื”ืณ ื”ื•ืฉื™ืขื” ื ื. The grammar also changes; David for the first time is addressing ื”ืณ directly, rather than the people. I think that this is David breaking the fourth wall. He isnโ€™t really going to enter the ืฉืขืจื™ ืฆื“ืง. There is no ื‘ื™ืช ื”ืžืงื“ืฉ. The one thing he wants more than anything else, he cannot have. So for a brief moment, he cries out in despair.

Then he recovers. As this virtual parade reaches the ื‘ื™ืช ื”ืžืงื“ืฉ, the ื›ื”ื ื™ื call out ื‘ืจื•ืš ื”ื‘ื ื‘ืฉื ื”ืณ and he can bring his ื—ื’ to the ืžื–ื‘ื—.

And that is what the entire ืคืจืง means: ืึพืœื™ ืืชื” ื•ืื•ื“ืš. This is a personal song of thanksgiving, and one that all of us join in: ื”ื•ื“ื• ืœื”ืณ ื›ื™ ื˜ื•ื‘; ื›ื™ ืœืขื•ืœื ื—ืกื“ื•.

We say ื”ืœืœ on ื™ื•ื ื™ืจื•ืฉืœื™ื. As we look back at the 50th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem, I have to admit that itโ€™s hard for me to feel ื”ื•ื“ืื”. I was born a few months before the Six Day War, so Iโ€™ve never known a reality without ื™ืจื•ืฉืœื™ื.I have to work on turning my ื”ืœืœ into ื”ื•ื“ืื”. But something like the sentiment of this perek is appropriate. We are in Davidโ€™s position. We have a united Jerusalem, an powerful independent country, but something is missing. We celebrate the victories that ื”ืณ had given us, but in the middle of the celebration, we realize itโ€™s not complete. The vision of ืคืชื—ื• ืœื™ ืฉืขืจื™ ืฆื“ืง; ืื‘ื ื‘ื ืื•ื“ื” ื™ึพื” is still just a vision. We still call out ืื ื ื”ืณ ื”ืฆืœื™ื—ื” ื ื.