1. A song of ascent by David.
שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת לְדָוִד
O Lord, my heart was not haughty,
ה' לֹא גָבַהּ לִבִּי
nor were my eyes raised on high, and
וְלֹא רָמוּ עֵינַי
I did not pursue matters greater and more wondrous than I.
וְלֹא הִלַּכְתִּי בִּגְדֹלוֹת וּבְנִפְלָאוֹת מִמֶּנִּי
2. I swear that I calmed and quieted my soul
אִם לֹא שִׁוִּיתִי וְדוֹמַמְתִּי נַפְשִׁי
like a suckling on its mother; like a suckling was my soul with me.
כְּגָמֻל עֲלֵי אִמּוֹ כַּגָּמֻל עָלַי נַפְשִׁי
3. Israel, hope to the Lord from now to eternity.
יַחֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל ה' מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם
In Psalm 131 King David
exhibits the lowliness that is in him and advocates it for the nation of
Israel. The idea of the term “a song of ascents” is that if a person meditates
on its ideas they will gladden and elevate him. There seems to be something in
human nature particularly among the Jews that finds joy in recognizing one’s
own lowliness especially before Hashem.
The psalm lists four traits of
lowliness: 1) the heart is not haughty, 2) the eye is not raised high, 3) does
not go in things that are relatively too big, 4) or recondite. These are
discussed by various sources. Generally the Malbim sees this as a discussion of
qualitative and quantitative transgressing of an acceptable border. In the case
of a haughty heart it is in desires and yearnings. A qualitative trespass would
be holding oneself as high as the angels. A quantitative transgression would be
chasing after great power. Lifting ones eye would be transgressing the border
of the intellect for example be judging the actions of heaven especially things
that are above human intelligence.
The Meiri understands not
having a haughty heart as not debasing one’s brother in one’s heart. Not
lifting one’s eyes means not to look at others with conceit and degradation and
indeed not to have the character trait of conceit at all. Not going in things
that are big and recondite meant to King David recognizing the things that were
permitted to him. When it came to his studies he did not become conceited or
haughty so as to use sophistry or chase after illusions. It would seem that
this meant he clung to external principles and did not chase after his fancies
and reveries. Also when learning he did not look at deep books or examine
principles he really didn’t understand. Rather he learned little by little
according to the educational program.
Simply stated the idea of the
heart being haughty seems to be conceit and vanity. The idea of the eye be
raised high seems to be coveting significant things that a person should not
rightly have. These are personality traits. The ideas of not going in things
that are too big or recondite are two practical practices. Too big would be
something like occupying a high position where a person really lacks the
ability. Too recondite would be attempting to do things that a person is not
capable of doing, due to insufficient experience, education, or intelligence.
Rashi sees King David as
saying “I did not behave with superiority. I did not make great things, engage
in pleasures, construct buildings and parks as my son did. Behold I am in
regards to You like one who has no hands or feet, like a mannequin laying
before You.
The Jerusalem Talmud
(Sanhedrin 2:4) interprets the verse as follows. “My heart was not haughty” at
the time I was anointed by Samuel. “My eye was not pretentious” at the time I killed
Goliath. “I didn’t stride in great things” at the time I was returned and
entered into royalty. “And things to recondite for me” at the time I brought up
the ark [of the covenant]”.
Like a baby with its mother,
is the way King David considered his life. The Meiri comments that he was lowly
and held himself to be like a little child. The Malbim comments that like a
baby doesn’t rely upon itself for anything because it knows how little power it
has to do anything, so to was the outlook of David.
The Radak explains “Hashem, my
heart was not haughty nor was my eye vain” as David talking about himself.
However he raised this subject because these are the virtues needed for the
exile. That is to say that when an individual conducts himself thusly, and likewise
when Israel conducts itself thusly in the exile, then Hashem has mercy upon
them as it says, “for Hashem is high but the lowly He sees”, (Psalm 138:6).
Therefore the point of the song is that, “Israel should hope to Hashem”, and
say my heart was not vain in secret and my eye was not arrogant in public. The
Metsudas David comments “Israel should wish” that he means to say that they
should look at me and do likewise and hope to Hashem from now until forever.
לע"נ
הסבא אהרן בן יוסף ז"ל נלב"ע כז בטבת תשכ"ו
העלון ניתן לקבל גם בדואר אלקטרוני וגם באתר http://dyschreiber.blogspot.co.il
YouTube https://youtu.be/M5zCefDvrqs
No comments:
Post a Comment