Perek Shirah - Grasses Say

Sunday, February 26, 2017 · Posted in ,

דְּשָׁאִים אוֺמְרִים - Grasses Say



Tehillim 104:31

יְהִי כְבוֹד יְהוָה לְעוֹלָם יִשְׂמַח יְהוָה בְּמַעֲשָׂיו
 yehi chevod HASHEM le'olam yismach HASHEM bema'asav
May the glory of HASHEM endure forever; let HASHEM rejoice in His works.

King David prays that no part of the world should perish in the kind of upheaval that destoryed Sedom and Amorah, when G-d in His fury acted to destroy them. On the contrary, "let HASHEM rejoice in His works," for they bear witness to His wisdom. As it says, "The work of My hands, that I may be glorified" (Yeshayahu 60:21)

Having now completed the description of all the works of Creation, King David declares that everything depends on the will of the Holy One. If that is His will, HASHEM will "rejoice in His works," unlike what happened before, when G-d was grieved in His heart (Bereishit 6:6) about the Flood Generation, the Bavel Generation, and about Sedom and Amorah, who corrupted their deeds. Then HASHEM did not rejoice in His works.

G-d will rejoice in His works when the Mashiach comes. This is hinted at in the letters of ישמח (yismach), which are also the letters of  משיח - the Mashiach. (Me'am Lo'ez)

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Perek Shirah - Vegetables of the Field Say

Thursday, February 23, 2017 · Posted in ,

יְרָקוֺת שֶׁבַּשָּׂדֶה אוֺמְךִים - Vegetable of the Field Say:


Tehillim 65:11

תְּלָמֶיהָ רַוֵּה נַחֵת גְּדוּדֶהָ  בִּרְבִיבִים תְּמֹגְגֶנָּה צִמְחָהּ תְּבָרֵךְ
telameiha raveh nachet gedudeiha birvivim temoggenah tzimchah tevarech
Watering her ridges abundantly, settling her furrows; You make her soft with showers; You bless her growth.

The plowed line of earth is a furrow, and the banks that flank each furrow are its ridges; "her" refers to the earth. King David says, "You satisfy 'the ridges abundantly, settling her furrows' with ample rain. 'You make her soft with showers' and thereby 'You bless her growth.'"

The Scripture speaks of the three stages of planting and growth that require rain. Water is needed at planting time in order for the seeds to sink into the softened earth; otherwise they would remain on the surface as food for the birds of heaven. Water is needed to break up the seeds and make them grow, and then, when the stalks form, water is needed for them to fill out. Accordingly, he says here: "Watering her ridges abundantly, settling her furrows" so the formations of dispersed seeds should sink down; "You maker soft with showers" for the seeds to sprout; and then "you bless her growth" to fill out the stalks.

Chazal teach: Why is the first rain called יורה (yoreh)? For it instructs מורה (moreh) human beings to plaster the roofs of their houses and make all necessary repairs. another thing is that this rain satisfies the earth and fills it down to the depths. As it says, "Watering her ridges abundantly, settling her furrows; You make her soft with showers; You bless her growth." Alternatively, yoreh means that it falls gently and it does not fall vehemently.

 R. Yochanan said: So great is the day of the rains, that even armies cease their activity to celebrate. He adduced this from the present verse, "Watering her ridges abundantly, making her columns rest (נחת גדודיה). (Me'am Lo'ez)

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Perek Shirah - Other Grain Sheaves Say

Monday, February 20, 2017 · Posted in ,

שְׁאָר הַשִּׁבָּלִים אוֺמְרִים - Other Grain Sheaves Say
Tehillim 65:14

 לָבְשׁוּ כָרִים הַצֹּאן-וַעֲמָקִים יַעַטְפוּ-בָר יִתְרוֹעֲעוּ אַף-יָשִׁירוּ
lavshu charim hatzon va'amakim ya'atfu-var yitroa'u af-yashiru
The meadows are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with grain; they shout for joy, yes, they sing.

"The meadows" - the grassy resting places - "are clothed with flocks" so densely that they give the appearance of wearing the sheep as a garment. "The valleys" - all the deep meadows and desert oases - are so abundantly "covered over with grain," that "they shout" shouts of joy. They "sing" out of great abundance.

Chazal explain: The meadows are clothed with flocks at the same time the valleys are covered over with grain. This is in the month of Adar when the sheep are impregnated.

"The shout...yes, they sing." Though everyone will enjoy plenitude, they will sing. No man will be envious of another. They will dwell in friendship and brotherhood. (Me'am Lo'ez)


This song is the climax of a psalm of encouragement and hope. Calamities may come and drought may parch man, beast, and field, but G-d is always near. (Rabbi Nosson Scherman)

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