Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Chayay Sarah / Psalm 134 - Crown of our Labor

The Shir HaMaalos end with Psalm 134 which basically cheers on religious activists and devotees. The singer gives them a blessing, exhorts them to bless Hashem, and also prays that Hashem will bless them. This is its text:

א. שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת הִנֵּה | בָרֲכוּ אֶת ה' כָּל עַבְדֵי ה' הָעֹמְדִים בְּבֵית יְהֹוָה בַּלֵּילוֹת:
1. A song of ascents. Behold, bless the Lord, all servants of the Lord who stand in the house of the Lord at night.
ב. שְׂאוּ יְדֵכֶם קֹדֶשׁ וּבָרְכוּ אֶת ה':
2. Lift your hands in the holy place and bless the Lord.
ג. יְבָרֶכְךָ ה' מִצִּיּוֹן
עֹשֵׂה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ:
3. May the Lord bless you from Zion,
He Who made heaven and earth.

The Yalkut Shimoni paraphrases several paragraphs from the Gemara (Menachos 110a). He explains that the Psalm refers to the talmidei chachamim who are busy with Torah at night. The Malbim explains that these are like servants that faithfully serve by day and night and do not depart from their post even for a moment. So to speak they remain in synagogue late into the night learning Torah. The Radak, though, sees it as wise students and the very dedicated who rouse themselves from bed while it is still night to doven in the house of Hashem and give thanks to His name. The Metsudas David says that it is referring to giving praise to G-d in the actual Temple.

In the Talmud it is part of a larger discussion about the bringing of sacrifices in the Temple of Onias, which was in Egypt.  While the general rule is that offerings can only be brought in the Temple in Jerusalem, scriptural support is brought for this practice. Among them is the quote, “in every place offerings are burnt and presented unto My name”, (Malachi 1:11). The Gemara concludes that this refers to the scholars who devote themselves to the study of the Torah in whatever place they are. To them G-d says, I reckon it as if they presented and aromatically burnt pure grain offerings in My name. “Pure” refers to one who studies the Torah in purity, meaning, one who marries and afterwards studies the Torah. Tosfos notes an earlier contradiction that there are those that learn Torah, then get married. He concludes it depends on whether or not one will be plagued by impure thoughts.

After this the Gemara discusses Psalm 134 saying that one who learns Torah at night is credited by the verse as if he was occupied with the service in the Holy Temple. The Yalkut Shimoni continues that these are the offerings on the altar built by the archangel Michael. The Talmudic sage Rabbi Yochanan adds that a scholar who becomes an expert on the Temple service is considered as if the Temple was built in the days. Resh Lakish, his study partner, learns that if one who studies the laws of a particular offering; it is as if he actually brought it.

The Malbim develops the phrase, “Lift your hands in the holy place” saying that in the abstract it means conducting oneself in sanctity. He explains that it is the character of sanctity to overpower nature and the material and imbue them with intelligence and holiness. If the supernal is blessed, it responds by pouring down a flow of blessing that will satisfy its passion for giving blessings and munificence.

He continues that the way we bless Hashem is by giving him the right to bless us. This is done when we conduct ourselves righteously. When Hashem blesses one through Zion it means that the blessings come by means of a heavenly agency. This process is compared to an ascending thin mist and a descending spray of dew caused by our service of Hashem. The phrase, “maker of heaven and earth” comes to emphasize that the blessing is direct from G-d and the vehicle is miraculous providence. The Tikkunei Zohar sees this process as the crown of the ten sefiros.

  

לע"נ בן דוד שמואל בן נח ז"ל נלב"ע טו באב תשס"ט.

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