[A Psalm] of David. God is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? God is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evil-doers came upon me to eat up my flesh, Even my adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell. Though a host should encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war should rise up against me, Even then will I be confident. One thing have I asked of God, that will I seek after: That I may dwell in the house of God all the days of my life, To behold the graciousness of God, and to visit early in God's temple. For God concealed me in God's pavilion in the day of evil; God hid me in the ccover of a tent; God lifted me up upon a rock. And now shall my head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me; And I will offer in God's tabernacle sacrifices with trumpet-sound; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto God. Hear, O God, when I call with my voice, And be gracious unto me, and answer me. In Thy behalf my heart hath said: ‘Seek ye My face'; Thy face, God, will I seek. Hide not Thy face far from me; Put not Thy servant away in anger; Thou hast been my help; Cast me not off, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. For though my father and my mother have forsaken me, God will take me up. Teach me Thy way, O God; And lead me in an even path, Because of them that lie in wait for me. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine adversaries; For false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out violence. If I had not believed to look upon the goodness of God In the land of the living!— Wait on God; Be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yea, wait thou for our God.
(1) Of David. God is my light and my help; whom should I fear? The God is the stronghold of my life, whom should I dread?
1. To you, what is the difference between "fear" and "dread"?
2. What does it mean for God to be "my light" or "my help" or "the stronghold of my life"? What are other things in your life that you might describe in a similar manner?
(ב) ה' אורי, היראה הוא מדבר ידוע והפחד הוא מדבר בלתי ידוע, ואשר יתירא אדם מאויבים גלוים הלוחמים אתו נקרא יראה...
(2) "The God is my light." Yirah ("fear") is from something that is known, and pahad ("dread") is from something unknown. When a person is fearful from revealed enemies who battle with him, that is called yirah....
(ב) אורי – בלילה שאין שם אור, כי הנפש תפחד.
(ג) וישעי - ביום. ויש אומרים:
(ד) אורי - תלוי בדברי הנשמה.
(ה) וישעי - בדברי הגוף.
(ו) ומעוז חיי - קשור הנשמה בגוף, על כן לא יפחד מאדם שיפרידם.
"My Light"- [refers to] at nighttime when there is no light so the soul will be afraid
"My Help" -[refers to] at daytime. & there are those who say:
"My Light" - depends on the words of the soul
"My Help" - the words of the body
"Stronghold of my Life" -- the soul is connected to the body, therefore [the soul] will not be afraid of someone who separates them
On Zombies & Psalm 27
Obviously.... the biblical authors [were not] thinking about zombies when they crafted Psalm 27. Yet they use לֶאֱכֹל אֶת־בְּשָׂרִי (l’ekhol et b’sari - to devour flesh) as an example of מִמִּי אִירָא (mimi ira’)and מִמִּי אֶפְחָד (mimi ephḥad), those whom we should fear and dread. It is a dramatic, nightmarish foil to the redemptive focus of the Psalm, God as אוֹרִי וְיִשְׁעִי (Ohri v’yish’i), our light and help, our מָעוֹז־חַיַּי (Maoz Ḥaiyai), our stronghold. Still, every morning, I recite this Psalm and for a few desperate and distracted moments envision every fear, every flaw, and every failure of the past year coming to life as animated corpses, zombies hungry for my flesh.
And why shouldn’t I? As I engage in ḥeshbon ha’nefesh, the “accounting of the soul” before the High Holy Days, these fears, flaws, and failures eat away at me. It is a common enough expression in English — how often we describe our guilt, our jealousy, and our anger and say: It’s eating me up inside!....
So too I believe that the language here, in our Psalm, should be understood as equally morbid and just as intentional. Even before Night of the Living Dead painted the metaphor in broad strokes, being called a zombie was the cultural equivalent of being called brainwashed or propagandized, a way of describing those who cannot or will not think for themselves. What could be more true? My enemy daily draws near to consume my flesh! My enemies are conformity, consumerism, and the quickness with which I cast aspersions on the character of my fellows simply so I can feel better about myself. Rabbi Jessica Minnen
1. What is something that "devours" you? How do you overcome it?
(4) One thing I ask of God, only that do I seek: to live in the house of God all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of God , to frequent His temple. (5) He will shelter me in His pavilion on an evil day, grant me the protection of His tent, raise me high upon a rock. (6) Now is my head high over my enemies roundabout; I sacrifice in His tent with shouts of joy, singing and chanting a hymn to God.
1. What is the difference between "asking" & "seeking"?
2. In verse 4 & 5, What is being requested of God? How do you interpret these requests
3. What does it mean "to frequent" God's temple?
ולבקר בהיכלו. ליראות שם בכל בקר ובקר כך פירשו דונש, ומנחם חברו עם לא יבקר בין טוב לרע (ויקרא כ"ו), אבל דונש פתר לשון בוקר:
To Frequent His Temple "To be seen there every morning," so Dunash [another commentator] explained it, but his friend Menachem [explained the verse] using "yevaker -- to search" ( based on Leviticus 26) however Dunash used the word "boqer" -- morning.
(א) ולבקר. ולדרוש כמו לא יבקר (ויקרא י״ג):
To Frequent his Temple -- this can be interpreted like "yevaker-- examine" (based on Leviticus 13)
(7) Hear, O God, when I cry aloud; have mercy on me, answer me. (8) In Your behalf my heart says: “Seek My face!” O God, I seek Your face. (9) Do not hide Your face from me; do not thrust aside Your servant in anger; You have ever been my help. Do not forsake me, do not abandon me, Adonai my deliverer. (10) Though my father and mother abandon me, God will take me in.
1. What do you notice about these verses compared to the previous verses? Does the tone shift?
2. How does verse 7 set up the next few verses?
3. How would you characterize the relationship in these verses between God and the Psalmist?
(יא) ה֤וֹרֵ֥נִי יְהוָ֗ה דַּ֫רְכֶּ֥ךָ וּ֭נְחֵנִי בְּאֹ֣רַח מִישׁ֑וֹר לְ֝מַ֗עַן שׁוֹרְרָֽי׃ (יב) אַֽל־תִּ֭תְּנֵנִי בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ צָרָ֑י כִּ֥י קָֽמוּ־בִ֥י עֵֽדֵי־שֶׁ֝֗קֶר וִיפֵ֥חַ חָמָֽס׃ (יג) לׅׄוּלֵׅׄ֗אׅׄ הֶ֭אֱמַנְתִּי לִרְא֥וֹת בְּֽטוּב־יְהוָ֗ה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּֽים׃ (יד) קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־יְה֫וָ֥ה חֲ֭זַק וְיַאֲמֵ֣ץ לִבֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־יְהוָֽה׃
(11) Show me Your way, O God, and lead me on a level path because of my watchful foes. (12) Do not subject me to the will of my foes, for false witnesses and unjust accusers have appeared against me. (13) Had I not the assurance that I would enjoy the goodness of God in the land of the living… (14) Look to God; be strong and of good courage! O look to God!
1. Take a look at the first word in the Hebrew of verse 13 (bold). What do you notice about it? Why do you think it is written like this?
2. How does Rashi (channeling earlier sources) understand this verse?
2. What does the phrase "the land of the living" mean? What could this be referring to?
(א) לולא האמנתי וגו'. אם לא שהאמנתי בהקב"ה כבר קמו בי אותם עדי שקר וכלוני, לולא נקוד עליו למדרש שדרשו רבותינו יודע אני שאתה נותן שכר לצדיקים לעולם הבא אבל איני יודע אם יש לי חלק עמהם אם לאו:
(1) If I had not believed in the Holy One, blessed is He, those false witnesses would have already risen against me and destroyed me. The word "Lulei" has dots on it to expound that which our Rabbis expounded: I know that You give reward to righteous in the world to come, but I don't know if I have a portion with them or not.
1. What do you make of the last verse (14)? Why does the psalm end this way?
2. How does Rashi understand this verse? Compare to end of Modim prayer
"Hope for God"-- and if your prayer is not answered, reinforce your hope
1. Re-read the psalm in it's totality. Has you understanding shifted? In what way?
2. Read and compare the below translations with the one in the beginning. What stands out to you?
Psalm 27-- Translated by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi
1 Yah, you are my Light, my Savior,
Whom need I dread?
Yah, With You as my strong Protector
Who can make me panic?
2 When hateful bullies gang up on me,
Wanting to harass me,
To oppress and terrorize me,
They are the ones who stumble and fall.
3 Even if a gang surrounds me
My heart is not weakened.
If a battle is joined around me
My trust in You is firm.
4 Only one thing do I ask of You, Yah,
Just this alone do I seek:
I want to be at home with You, Yah,
All the days of my life.
I want to delight in seeing You,
When I come to visit You in Your Temple
5 You hide me in Your Sukkah on a foul day.
You conceal me unseen in Your tent
And also raise me beyond anyone’s reach.
6 And now, as You have held my head high,
Despite the presence of my powerful foes,
I prepare to celebrate and thrill,
Singing and making music to You, Yah!
7 Listen, Yah, to the sound of my cry
And, being kind, answer me.
8 My heart has said: I turn to seek You,
Your Presence is what I beg for.
9 Don’t hide Your Face from me.
Don’t just put me down,
You, who have been my helper
Don’t abandon me, don’t forsake me,
God, my support.
10 Though father and mother have left me
You, Yah, will hold me securely.
11 Please teach me Your way
And guide me on the straight path.
12 Discourage those who defame me.
False witnesses stood up against me,
Belching out violence.
Don’t let me become the victim of my foes.
[I would not have survived]
13 If I had not hoped that I would yet see
Yah’s goodness fully alive on Earth.
14 So friend, you too, hope to Yah.
Be sturdy!
And make strong your heart!
And most of all —keep hoping to Yah.
Psalm 27 by Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg
לְדָוִ֨ד ׀ יְהוָ֤ה ׀ אוֹרִ֣י וְ֭יִשְׁעִי מִמִּ֣י אִירָ֑א יְהוָ֥ה מָֽעוֹז־חַ֝יַּ֗י מִמִּ֥י אֶפְחָֽד׃
Awareness is sunlight in the mind. No one can take that from me. Awareness is my life’s stronghold. It absorbs all fear.
בִּקְרֹ֤ב עָלַ֨י ׀ מְרֵעִים֮ לֶאֱכֹ֪ל אֶת־בְּשָׂ֫רִ֥י צָרַ֣י וְאֹיְבַ֣י לִ֑י הֵ֖מָּה כָשְׁל֣וּ וְנָפָֽלוּ׃
The hindrances and defilements are as close as my flesh and mind, but they dissolve in the light of being known.
אִם־תַּחֲנֶ֬ה עָלַ֨י ׀ מַחֲנֶה֮ לֹֽא־יִירָ֪א לִ֫בִּ֥י אִם־תָּק֣וּם עָ֭לַי מִלְחָמָ֑ה בְּ֝זֹ֗את אֲנִ֣י בוֹטֵֽחַ׃
Even though I feel assaulted by hostile forces, my heart remains confident, balanced and patient.
אַחַ֤ת ׀ שָׁאַ֣לְתִּי מֵֽאֵת־יְהוָה֮ אוֹתָ֪הּ אֲבַ֫קֵּ֥שׁ שִׁבְתִּ֣י בְּבֵית־יְ֭הוָה כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיַּ֑י לַחֲז֥וֹת בְּנֹֽעַם־יְ֝הוָ֗ה וּלְבַקֵּ֥ר בְּהֵיכָלֽוֹ׃
I seek only one thing, one thing alone: to connect to this moment. Nowhere else. Only this. Nothing less. My palace in time.
כִּ֤י יִצְפְּנֵ֨נִי ׀ בְּסֻכֹּה֮ בְּי֪וֹם רָ֫עָ֥ה יַ֭סְתִּרֵנִי בְּסֵ֣תֶר אָהֳל֑וֹ בְּ֝צ֗וּר יְרוֹמְמֵֽנִי׃
When difficulties arise, I have a hiding place in my own heart— a secret tent where I can go and feel safe, a rock to rest my head upon.
וְעַתָּ֨ה יָר֪וּם רֹאשִׁ֡י עַ֤ל אֹֽיְבַ֬י סְֽבִיבוֹתַ֗י וְאֶזְבְּחָ֣ה בְ֭אָהֳלוֹ זִבְחֵ֣י תְרוּעָ֑ה אָשִׁ֥ירָה וַ֝אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה לַיהוָֽה׃
Greed, hatred, and delusion don’t stop coming, but when they are met with a spacious heart, they don’t stick around. Leaving me so grateful, I want to sing out loud:
שְׁמַע־יְהוָ֖ה קוֹלִ֥י אֶקְרָ֗א וְחָנֵּ֥נִי וַעֲנֵֽנִי׃
Listen, world! The power of love sets me free.
לְךָ֤ ׀ אָמַ֣ר לִ֭בִּי בַּקְּשׁ֣וּ פָנָ֑י אֶת־פָּנֶ֖יךָ יְהוָ֣ה אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ׃
When I turn to face my heart—then everyone and everything is revealed.
אַל־תַּסְתֵּ֬ר פָּנֶ֨יךָ ׀ מִמֶּנִּי֮ אַֽל־תַּט־בְּאַ֗ף עַ֫בְדֶּ֥ךָ עֶזְרָתִ֥י הָיִ֑יתָ אַֽל־תִּטְּשֵׁ֥נִי וְאַל־תַּֽ֝עַזְבֵ֗נִי אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׁעִֽי
Let this truth not be hidden from me. If only I could remember always what seems so clear right now. Wisdom would guide my every moment.
כִּי־אָבִ֣י וְאִמִּ֣י עֲזָב֑וּנִי וַֽיהוָ֣ה יַֽאַסְפֵֽנִי׃
Awareness and compassion would be a father and a mother to me.
ה֤וֹרֵ֥נִי יְהוָ֗ה דַּ֫רְכֶּ֥ךָ וּ֭נְחֵנִי בְּאֹ֣רַח מִישׁ֑וֹר לְ֝מַ֗עַן שׁוֹרְרָֽי׃
But I can follow the guidance of those who have walked this path before.
אַֽל־תִּ֭תְּנֵנִי בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ צָרָ֑י כִּ֥י קָֽמוּ־בִ֥י עֵֽדֵי־שֶׁ֝֗קֶר וִיפֵ֥חַ חָמָֽס׃
Trying to stay alert to the obstacles along the way because delusion and hatred aren’t disappearing so fast.
לוּלֵא הֶ֭אֱמַנְתִּי לִרְא֥וֹת בְּֽטוּב־יְהוָ֗ה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּֽים׃
Still, I affirm my faith in the power of goodness.
קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־יְה֫וָ֥ה חֲ֭זַק וְיַאֲמֵ֣ץ לִבֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־יְהוָֽה׃
May we take courage; may we be strong; may our hearts be so filled with love there is no room for anything else! May we see the arising and passing of all conditioned things. May we open to the Unconditioned: Y*H*V*H
Notes about commentators featured on this sheet:
Malbim-- Rabbi Meir Leibush ben Yehiel Michel Wisser was a 19th Century Eastern European rabbi, master of Hebrew grammar and bible commentator. His style of commentary is based on his principle that there are no true synonyms in the Torah-- apparent stylistic repetitions are not that, but rather each introduces a distinct idea
Ibn Ezra-- Rabbi Abraham Ibn Ezra was a 12th Century Spanish poet, philosopher, and biblical commentator known for his literal adherence to the text and avoidance of Rabbinic allegories and Mystical interpretations
Rabbi Jessica Minnen-- Rabbi Jessica Minnen is the founding director of Seven Wells and the assistant director of the Jewish Journey Project.
Rashi-- Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaki was an 11th Century French Rabbi noted for his commentary on the entirety the Talmud and the Hebrew Bible. .
Babylonian Talmud- The Talmud is the central work of Rabbinic Judaism comprised of 2 components the Mishnah (c. 200) a written compendium of Rabbinic Judaism's Oral Torah; and the Gemara (c. 500 CE), an elucidation of the Mishnah and related writings.
Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi -- Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi was a 20th Century American Rabbi and one of the founders of the Jewish Renewal movement. .
Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg-- Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg is creator and co-leader of the Jewish Mindfulness Teacher Training Program.