Psalm for Day 5 - Psalm 81

ByRabbi Shuki Zehavi

תהילים

תהילים פ״א

(א) לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ ׀ עַֽל־הַגִּתִּ֬ית לְאָסָֽף׃

(ב) הַ֭רְנִינוּ לֵאלֹקִ֣ים עוּזֵּ֑נוּ

הָ֝רִ֗יעוּ לֵאלֹקֵ֥י יַעֲקֹֽב׃

(ג) שְֽׂאוּ־זִ֭מְרָה וּתְנוּ־תֹ֑ף

כִּנּ֖וֹר נָעִ֣ים עִם־נָֽבֶל׃

(ד) תִּקְע֣וּ בַחֹ֣דֶשׁ שׁוֹפָ֑ר

בַּ֝כֵּ֗סֶה לְי֣וֹם חַגֵּֽנוּ׃

(ה) כִּ֤י חֹ֣ק לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל ה֑וּא

מִ֝שְׁפָּ֗ט לֵאלֹקֵ֥י יַעֲקֹֽב׃

(ו) עֵ֤דוּת ׀ בִּֽיה֘וֹסֵ֤ף שָׂמ֗וֹ

בְּ֭צֵאתוֹ עַל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם

שְׂפַ֖ת לֹא־יָדַ֣עְתִּי אֶשְׁמָֽע׃

(ז) הֲסִיר֣וֹתִי מִסֵּ֣בֶל שִׁכְמ֑וֹ

כַּ֝פָּ֗יו מִדּ֥וּד תַּעֲבֹֽרְנָה׃

(ח) בַּצָּרָ֥ה קָרָ֗אתָ וָאֲחַ֫לְּצֶ֥ךָּ

אֶ֭עֶנְךָ בְּסֵ֣תֶר רַ֑עַם

אֶבְחָֽנְךָ֨ עַל־מֵ֖י מְרִיבָ֣ה סֶֽלָה׃

(ט) שְׁמַ֣ע עַ֭מִּי וְאָעִ֣ידָה בָּ֑ךְ

יִ֝שְׂרָאֵ֗ל אִם־תִּֽשְׁמַֽע־לִֽי׃

(י) לֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֣ה בְ֭ךָ אֵ֣ל זָ֑ר

וְלֹ֥א תִ֝שְׁתַּחֲוֶ֗ה לְאֵ֣ל נֵכָֽר׃

(יא) אָנֹכִ֨י ׀ ה' אֱלֹקֶ֗יךָ

הַֽ֭מַּעַלְךָ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם

הַרְחֶב־פִּ֝֗יךָ וַאֲמַלְאֵֽהוּ׃

(יב) וְלֹא־שָׁמַ֣ע עַמִּ֣י לְקוֹלִ֑י

וְ֝יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לֹא־אָ֥בָה לִֽי׃

(יג) וָֽ֭אֲשַׁלְּחֵהוּ בִּשְׁרִיר֣וּת לִבָּ֑ם

יֵ֝לְכ֗וּ בְּֽמוֹעֲצוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃

(יד) ל֗וּ עַ֭מִּי שֹׁמֵ֣עַֽ לִ֑י

יִ֝שְׂרָאֵ֗ל בִּדְרָכַ֥י יְהַלֵּֽכוּ׃

(טו) כִּ֭מְעַט אוֹיְבֵיהֶ֣ם אַכְנִ֑יעַ

וְעַ֥ל צָ֝רֵיהֶ֗ם אָשִׁ֥יב יָדִֽי׃

(טז) מְשַׂנְאֵ֣י ה' יְכַֽחֲשׁוּ־ל֑וֹ

וִיהִ֖י עִתָּ֣ם לְעוֹלָֽם׃

(יז) וַֽ֭יַּאֲכִילֵהוּ מֵחֵ֣לֶב חִטָּ֑ה

וּ֝מִצּ֗וּר דְּבַ֣שׁ אַשְׂבִּיעֶֽךָ׃

Psalms 81

(1) For the leader; on the gittit. Of Asaf.

(2) Sing joyfully to God, our strength;

shout out to the God of Jacob.

(3) Lift up song, beat the drum -

the lyre is melodious with the lute.

(4) Blast the shofar on the new moon,

on the time of concealment for our festival day.

(5) For it is a law in Israel,

a rule of the God of Jacob;

(6) He placed it as a ordinance on Joseph

when He went forth against the land of Egypt -

״I heard a language that I knew not.״

(7) I relieved his shoulder of the burden,

his hands were freed from the basket.

(8) From narrowness you called and I rescued you;

I answered you from the secret place of thunder (or: from the concealment of thunder)

I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah.

(9) Hear, My people, and I will adjure you;

Israel, if you would only hear Me!

(10) There shall be no foreign god among you,

and you shall not bow to an alien god.

(11) I am Hashem your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt;

open your mouth wide so that I can fill it.

(12) But My people did not hear/heed My voice

and Israel wanted nothing of Me.

(13) And I sent them after their heart's caprice,

they followed their own counsels.

(14) If only My people would hear/heed Me,

if Israel would walk in My paths,

(15) immediately I would humble their enemies,

and turn my hand against their foes.

(16) Those who hate Hashem will cringe before Him;

their time [of doom] would be eternal.

(17) And He would feed him [Israel] from the finest wheat

and I would sate you with honey from the rock.

שמות י״ט:ט״ז

(טז) וַיְהִי֩ בַיּ֨וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֜י בִּֽהְיֹ֣ת הַבֹּ֗קֶר וַיְהִי֩ קֹלֹ֨ת וּבְרָקִ֜ים וְעָנָ֤ן כָּבֵד֙ עַל־הָהָ֔ר וְקֹ֥ל שֹׁפָ֖ר חָזָ֣ק מְאֹ֑ד וַיֶּחֱרַ֥ד כָּל־הָעָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃

Exodus 19:16

(16) On the third day, as morning dawned, there was thunder, and lightning, and a dense cloud upon the mountain, and a very loud blast of the horn; and all the people who were in the camp trembled.

שמות י״ז:א׳-ז׳

(א) וַ֠יִּסְעוּ כָּל־עֲדַ֨ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל מִמִּדְבַּר־סִ֛ין לְמַסְעֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־פִּ֣י ה' וַֽיַּחֲנוּ֙ בִּרְפִידִ֔ים וְאֵ֥ין מַ֖יִם לִשְׁתֹּ֥ת הָעָֽם׃ (ב) וַיָּ֤רֶב הָעָם֙ עִם־מֹשֶׁ֔ה וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ תְּנוּ־לָ֥נוּ מַ֖יִם וְנִשְׁתֶּ֑ה וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה מַה־תְּרִיבוּן֙ עִמָּדִ֔י מַה־תְּנַסּ֖וּן אֶת־ה'׃ (ג) וַיִּצְמָ֨א שָׁ֤ם הָעָם֙ לַמַּ֔יִם וַיָּ֥לֶן הָעָ֖ם עַל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לָ֤מָּה זֶּה֙ הֶעֱלִיתָ֣נוּ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם לְהָמִ֥ית אֹתִ֛י וְאֶת־בָּנַ֥י וְאֶת־מִקְנַ֖י בַּצָּמָֽא׃ (ד) וַיִּצְעַ֤ק מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־ה' לֵאמֹ֔ר מָ֥ה אֶעֱשֶׂ֖ה לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה ע֥וֹד מְעַ֖ט וּסְקָלֻֽנִי׃ (ה) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה עֲבֹר֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם וְקַ֥ח אִתְּךָ֖ מִזִּקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּמַטְּךָ֗ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִכִּ֤יתָ בּוֹ֙ אֶת־הַיְאֹ֔ר קַ֥ח בְּיָדְךָ֖ וְהָלָֽכְתָּ׃ (ו) הִנְנִ֣י עֹמֵד֩ לְפָנֶ֨יךָ שָּׁ֥ם ׀ עַֽל־הַצּוּר֮ בְּחֹרֵב֒ וְהִכִּ֣יתָ בַצּ֗וּר וְיָצְא֥וּ מִמֶּ֛נּוּ מַ֖יִם וְשָׁתָ֣ה הָעָ֑ם וַיַּ֤עַשׂ כֵּן֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה לְעֵינֵ֖י זִקְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ז) וַיִּקְרָא֙ שֵׁ֣ם הַמָּק֔וֹם מַסָּ֖ה וּמְרִיבָ֑ה עַל־רִ֣יב ׀ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְעַ֨ל נַסֹּתָ֤ם אֶת־ה' לֵאמֹ֔ר הֲיֵ֧שׁ ה' בְּקִרְבֵּ֖נוּ אִם־אָֽיִן׃ (פ)

Exodus 17:1-7

(1) From the wilderness of Sin the whole Israelite community continued by stages as Hashem would command. They encamped at Rephidim, and there was no water for the people to drink. (2) The people quarreled with Moses. “Give us water to drink,” they said; and Moses replied to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you try Hashem?” (3) But the people thirsted there for water; and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up from Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?” (4) Moses cried out to Hashem, saying, “What shall I do with this people? Before long they will be stoning me!” (5) Then Hashem said to Moses, “Pass before the people; take with you some of the elders of Israel, and take along the rod with which you struck the Nile, and set out. (6) I will be standing there before you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock and water will issue from it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. (7) The place was named Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and because they tried Hashem, saying, “Is Hashem present among us or not?”

שמות כ׳:א׳-ג׳

(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֱלֹקִ֔ים אֵ֛ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ס) (ב) אָֽנֹכִ֖י֙ ה' אֱלֹקֶ֑֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֧ר הוֹצֵאתִ֛יךָ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם מִבֵּ֣֥ית עֲבָדִֽ֑ים׃ (ג) לֹֽ֣א יִהְיֶֽה־לְךָ֛֩ אֱלֹקִ֥֨ים אֲחֵרִ֖֜ים עַל־פָּנָֽ֗יַ

Exodus 20:1-3

(1) God spoke all these words, saying: (2) I am Hashem your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage: (3) You shall have no other gods besides Me.

ראש השנה ל״א א:ב׳-ז׳

תניא רבי יהודה אומר משום ר"ע בראשון מה היו אומרים (תהלים כד, א) לה' הארץ ומלואה על שם שקנה והקנה ושליט בעולמו בשני מה היו אומרים (תהלים מח, ב) גדול ה' ומהולל מאד על שם שחילק מעשיו ומלך עליהן בשלישי היו אומרים (תהלים פב, א) אלהים נצב בעדת אל על שם שגילה ארץ בחכמתו והכין תבל לעדתו ברביעי היו אומרים (תהלים צד, א) אל נקמות ה' על שם שברא חמה ולבנה ועתיד ליפרע מעובדיהן בחמישי היו אומרים (תהלים פא, ב) הרנינו לאלהים עוזנו על שם שברא עופות ודגים לשבח לשמו בששי היו אומרים (תהלים צג, א) ה' מלך גאות לבש על שם שגמר מלאכתו ומלך עליהן בשביעי היו אומרים (תהלים צב, א) מזמור שיר ליום השבת ליום שכולו שבת א"ר נחמיה מה ראו חכמים לחלק בין הפרקים הללו אלא בראשון שקנה והקנה ושליט בעולמו בשני שחילק מעשיו ומלך עליהם בשלישי שגילה ארץ בחכמתו והכין תבל לעדתו ברביעי שברא חמה ולבנה ועתיד ליפרע מעובדיהן בחמישי שברא עופות ודגים לשבח לשמו בששי שגמר מלאכתו ומלך עליהם בשביעי על שם ששבת

Rosh Hashanah 31a:2-7

§ The Gemara expands on the topic of the daily psalms recited by the Levites. It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yehuda said in the name of Rabbi Akiva: On the first day of the week, Sunday, what psalm would the Levites recite? The psalm beginning with the phrase: “The earth is the Lord’s, and its fullness” (Psalms 24:1), in commemoration of the first day of Creation, because on that day He acquired the world and transferred it to man, and He was the only ruler in His world, as the angels were not created until the second day. On the second day of the week what psalm would the Levites recite? The psalm that begins: “Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised in the city of our God, His sacred mountain” (Psalms 48:2). This is because on the second day of Creation He separated His works, dividing between the upper waters and the lower waters, and ruled over them as King; and this psalm speaks of Jerusalem as “The city of a great King” (Psalms 48:3). On the third day of the week they would recite the psalm beginning: “God stands in the congregation of God” (Psalms 82:1), because on the third day of Creation He revealed the land in His wisdom and thereby prepared the world for His assembly that could now live on the dry land. On the fourth day of the week they would recite the psalm beginning: “O Lord God, to Whom vengeance belongs” (Psalms 94:1), because on the fourth day of Creation He created the sun and the moon, and in the future He will punish and take vengeance upon those who worship them. On the fifth day of the week the Levites would recite the psalm beginning: “Sing aloud to God our strength” (Psalms 81:2), because on the fifth day of Creation He created birds and fish to praise His name. On the sixth day of the week they would recite the psalm beginning: “The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty” (Psalms 93:1), because on that day He completed His labor and ruled over all of creation in full glory. On the seventh day of the week, Shabbat, they would recite the psalm beginning: “A psalm, a song for the day of Shabbat” (Psalms 92:1), as the future world will be a day that is all Shabbat. Rabbi Neḥemya said: What did the Sages see that led them to distinguish between these chapters, as they interpret the psalms recited on the six weekdays as referring to the past, whereas the psalm recited on Shabbat is referring to the future. Rather, all of the psalms refer to the past. The first six are as explained above: On the first day, the reason is that He acquired the world and transferred it to man, and He was the only ruler in His world; on the second day, the reason is that He separated His works and ruled over them as King; on the third day, the reason is that He revealed the land in His wisdom and thereby prepared the world for His assembly. On the fourth day, the reason is that He created the sun and the moon, and in the future He will punish those who worship them; on the fifth day, the reason is that He created birds and fish to praise His name; on the sixth day, the reason is that He completed His labor and ruled over all of creation. However, on the seventh day, the reason is that He rested from His work, as the phrase “A psalm, a song for the day of Shabbat” is referring to the first Shabbat of Creation.