1. A song of
ascents. Happy are all who fear the Lord, who walk in His ways.
א.
שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת אַשְׁרֵי כָּל יְרֵא ה' הַהֹלֵךְ בִּדְרָכָיו:
2. For the toil of
your hands you will eat, it makes you happy, and it is good for you.
ב.
יְגִיעַ כַּפֶּיךָ כִּי תֹאכֵל אַשְׁרֶיךָ וְטוֹב לָךְ:
3. Your wife will
be as a fruitful vine in the recesses of your house; your sons like olive saplings
around your table.
ג.
אֶשְׁתְּךָ כְּגֶפֶן פֹּרִיָּה בְּיַרְכְּתֵי בֵיתֶךָ בָּנֶיךָ כִּשְׁתִלֵי זֵיתִים
סָבִיב לְשֻׁלְחָנֶךָ:
4. Behold that so
will a man who fears the Lord be blessed.
ד.
הִנֵּה כִי כֵן יְבֹרַךְ גָּבֶר יְרֵא ה':
5. May the Lord
bless you from Zion, and see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
ה.
יְבָרֶכְךָ ה' מִצִּיּוֹן וּרְאֵה בְּטוּב יְרוּשָׁלִָם כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ:
6. And may you see
children [born] to your children, [and see] peace upon Israel.
ו.
וּרְאֵה בָנִים לְבָנֶיךָ שָׁלוֹם עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל:
Psalm 128 is basically a praise of those that fear Hashem
and walk in his ways. Rashi comments that it is all encouragement and
inspiration. The Metsudas David relates “going in His ways” to fulfilling the
positive commandments and “fearing Hashem” to not transgressing the negative
commandments. He adds that the propriety of his actions will bring him many
successes .The Meiri describes fear of Hashem as including avoiding all sin and
disdaining all that is deplorable. The Sforno explains, “Happy are those that
fear Hashem”, as knowledge of His greatness in depth. Samson Raphael Hirsch
remarks that, “The fear of the Lord and honest conduct in His ways are in
themselves sufficient to secure happiness”.
Maimonides in the Sefer Hamitzvos basically defines fear
of Hashem saying “We are commanded to establish in our minds fear and dread of
G‑d
(exalted be He); we should not be calm and nonchalant, but be constantly
concerned of imminent punishment [for misdeeds.]”. Concerning going in the ways
of Hashem, the Rambam learns that it is a mitzvah emulate the Holy One blessed
be He. Paraphrasing the Sifri, he explains that just as Hashem is called
merciful, gracious, righteous, and kind; so too we should be merciful, gracious,
righteous, and kind. Maimonides adds that we should strive to acquire the noble
appellations by which G-d is described.
Chaim Vital’s discussion in Shaarei Kedusha (part 1 gate
2) of how good character makes a person apt to perform the mitzvahs, gives some
insights on the ways of Hashem. In it he says that the four foundations of
nature, fire, wind, water, and earth correspond to the four letters of the
ineffable name. From these foundations come four basic bad character traits;
vanity, blather, hedonism, and depression. The opposite of the bad are four
good traits; humility, proper use of speech, disdain for extravagance, and joy.
The book then goes into detail how to inculcate these
ideas into a person’s mentality and behavior.
The Malbim associates fear of heaven with three
endeavors; self-perfection, perfection of the home, and perfection of the
nation. As opposed to material successes, he sees going in the paths of Hashem as
the essential happiness of the soul. These would correspond to the three
blessings in the psalm. The first is a livelihood which brings satisfaction.
The second is a nice wife and children. The third is the peace of Mount Zion,
Jerusalem, and Israel.
Concerning “going in His paths”, the Meiri says includes
hints of perfection and among them, one should not jump for money, rather he
should eat from the labor of his hands and that appropriate actions will
incline one to many successes. The Yalkut Shimoni brings a homily from Mar
Zutra in the name of Rabbi Hisda that every talmid chacham who reads, reviews,
and serves other religious scholars will see sustenance for himself. About him
it is written, “the labor of your hands you will eat and you will be happy and
it will be good for you”. The Sforno simply states, “your needs will be
satisfied.”
On the verse, “Your wife is a fruitful vine”, Rashi
comments, “many children”. The Meiri comments, “a dignified wife”. The Metsudas
Zion explains, “It’s a concept of back and side”. “It is the type of thigh that
is on the side of a man as is the ‘thigh’ of the altar”. The Malbim comments,
“Even though she is in the recesses (בירכתי
– thighs) of the house, she raises her branches and droops them on the roof of
the house and generally shelters the house from there. Likewise, she modestly
dwells in the tent in the recesses of the home; and in all of this she protects
and shelters all aspects of the home”. The language is similar to the Song of
Songs (7:2), “How beautiful are your feet in shoes, daughter of nobility, the
curves of your thighs (חמוקי
ירכיך) are like jewels the work of
a craftsman”, suggesting sensuality and beauty.
The Metsudas
David comments, “She will be like a vine, which grows plants that stand inside
the home close to you, to provide help and nourishment in a time, when fruits
are many and good. In a similar fashion your wife will bear many good children.
‘Like olive saplings’ they remain beautiful all the days of the year, so to
your children, their faces never fade and they will surround your table and not
rely on the table of others.” The Meiri comments about the virtues of the sons
saying, “they are to be compared to olive trees . . . because the olive leaves
last all year, summer and winter, and likewise they [the sons] are busy all the
days of their childhood with Torah and wisdom. Every sapling gives its fruit in
its time and its leaves do not wilt”.
The last two
lines of the psalm is King David’s blessing to the person with fear of heaven.
It is that G-d should bless him out of Zion, meaning the Holy Temple; he should
see the good of Jerusalem, his grandchildren, and peace in Israel. The Malbim
understands a blessing from Zion as a blessing from a sacred place. He sees the
good of Jerusalem as the success of the community and of being part of its good
and joy. The Metsudas David understands the blessing as seeing the good of
Jerusalem at the time when it will be rebuilt. The Yalkut Shemoni sees the
blessing from Zion as all of its affairs, tranquility, and goodness.
The Metsudas
David comments on “peace” that you will see peace in Israel when they dwell in
their own land. The Sforno comments that you will be among those selected for
the days of the messiah. On, “seeing your children’s children”, he remarks that
they will raise up many students. And, “peace on Israel”, means that there will
not be the many divisions like it was in the early days.
לע"נ
הסבתא טויבע בת יואל לייב ז"ל נלב"ע כה בשבט תשכ"ג
העלון ניתן לקבל בדואר אלקטרוני וגם באתר
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