0. Welcome
UNKNOWN ITALIAN ARTIST [VENETO]
King David, from The Rothschild Miscellany, c.1479, Illumination on vellum, 21 x 15.9 cm, The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, MS 180.51 fol.1b, B61.09.0803o.s., Zev Radovan / Art Resource, NY
[Accessed at The Visual Commentary on Scripture, https://thevcs.org/blessed-and-wicked/fruit-its-season]
We looked at this illumination earlier in class 2.
The Hebrew word אשרי / Ashrei / "Happy" refers to Psalm 1:1.
Chazan Zion Falah (Contemporary. Singing according to an Eastern tradition.)
1a. What is "Ashrei"?
About "Ashrei"
"Ashrei" is a liturgical text based on Psalm 145, with two introductory verses and a concluding verse taken from other psalms. The Hebrew word Ashrei (אשרי) means 'happy.' This word appears three times in the introductory verses.
Psalm 145 is often referred to as 'Ashrei' even though that word does not occur in it. Sometimes this psalm is known by its first words, Tehillah leDavid / תהלה לדוד / "[a song of] praise. Of David."
Psalm 145 is an alphabetical acrostic: The verses start with succeeding letters of the Aleph Bet (aleph, bet, gimel, dalet...א,ב,ד,ג), which includes 22 letters. Other psalms with alphabetical acrostics include Psalms 9+10, 25, 34, 111, and 112. In the book of Proverbs, there is the second part of Chapter 31(known as Eishet Chayil/A Woman of Valor).
Alphabetical acrostics are not always complete. In fact, Psalm 145 lacks a verse for the letter Nun נ.
"Ashrei" is traditionally recited 1) as the first of the psalms of Pesukei deZimrah/Verses of Song in the Morning service before the blessings of the Shema (Psalms 145-150); 2) as part of the conclusion of the morning service; and 3) as the opening passage of the Afternoon service.
Ashrei as the first portion of Pesukei deZimra (see our class #2 about Psalm 147)
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: יְהֵא חֶלְקִי מֵאוֹכְלֵיאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: יְהֵא חֶלְקִי מִגּוֹמְרֵי הַלֵּל בְּכׇל יוֹם. אִינִי?! וְהָאָמַר מָר: הַקּוֹרֵא הַלֵּל בְּכׇל יוֹם הֲרֵי זֶה מְחָרֵף וּמְגַדֵּף! כִּי קָאָמְרִינַן — בִּפְסוּקֵי דְזִמְרָא.
Rabbi Yosei said: May my portion be among those who complete hallel every day. The Gemara is surprised at this: Is that so? Didn’t the Master say: One who reads hallel every day is tantamount to one who curses and blasphemes God. He displays contempt for hallel by not reserving it for days on which miracles occurred. The Gemara answers: When we say this statement of Rabbi Yosei, we are referring to the verses of praise [pesukei dezimra], Psalms 145-150, recited during the morning service, not to hallel (Psalms 113–118) recited on special days.
Rabbinic reflections on "Ashrei"
חֲסִידִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים הָיוּ שׁוֹהִין שָׁעָה אַחַת: מְנָא הָנֵי מִילֵּי? אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי, אָמַר קְרָא: ״אַשְׁרֵי יוֹשְׁבֵי בֵיתֶךָ״.
We learned in the mishna (Mishnah Berachot 5:1) that the early generations of pious men would wait one hour in order to achieve the solemn frame of mind appropriate for prayer.
The Gemara asks: From where are these matters derived? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: This is alluded to when the verse states: “Happy are those who dwell in Your House” (Psalms 84:5), immediately after which it is said: “They will yet praise You, Selah.”
אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, אָמַר רַבִּי אֲבִינָא: כָּל הָאוֹמֵר ״תְּהִלָּה לְדָוִד״ בְּכָל יוֹם שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים — מוּבְטָח לוֹ שֶׁהוּא בֶּן הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.
Rabbi Elazar said that Rabbi Avina said: Anyone who recites: “A Psalm of David” (Psalms 145) three times every day is assured of a place in the World-to-Come.
(Comment of Gilyon HaShaS suggests that 'three times' is not part of the original text and was added during the period of the post-Talmudic Geonim.)
'Three times' - corresponding to the three prayers [the three prayer services, Shacharit/Morning, Minchah/Afternoon, Ma'ariv/Evening].
מַאי טַעְמָא? אִילֵּימָא מִשּׁוּם דְּאָתְיָא בְּאָלֶף בֵּית, נֵימָא ״אַשְׁרֵי תְמִימֵי דָרֶךְ״ דְּאָתְיָא בִּתְמָנְיָא אַפִּין. אֶלָּא מִשּׁוּם דְּאִית בֵּיהּ ״פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת יָדֶךָ״, נֵימָא ״הַלֵּל הַגָּדוֹל״ דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ ״נֹתֵן לֶחֶם לְכָל בָּשָׂר״. אֶלָּא מִשּׁוּם דְּאִית בֵּיהּ תַּרְתֵּי.
What is the reason that such significance is ascribed to this particular chapter? If you say that it is because it is arranged alphabetically, then let us say: “Happy are they who are upright in the way” (Psalms 119) where the alphabetical arrangement appears eight times.
...if you suggest that this particular chapter is recited because it contains praise for God’s provision of sustenance to all of creation: “You open Your hand and satisfy every living thing with favor” (Psalms 145:16), then let him recite the great hallel (Psalms 136), in which numerous praises are written, including: “Who provides food to all flesh, Whose kindness endures forever” (Psalms 136:25).
...the reason why tehilla leDavid is accorded preference is because it contains both an alphabetic acrostic as well as mention of God’s provision of sustenance to all creation.
1b. Our Text(s)
Psalm 84:5
Psalm 144:15 (closing verse of that psalm)
Psalm 145
Psalm 115:18 (closing verse of that psalm)
(ה) אַ֭שְׁרֵי יוֹשְׁבֵ֣י בֵיתֶ֑ךָ ע֝֗וֹד יְֽהַלְל֥וּךָ סֶּֽלָה׃
(5) Happy are those who dwell in Your house;
they forever praise You. Selah.
(טו) אַשְׁרֵ֣י הָ֭עָם שֶׁכָּ֣כָה לּ֑וֹ אַֽשְׁרֵ֥י הָ֝עָ֗ם שֱׁה' אֱלֹקָֽיו׃ {פ}
(15) Happy the people who have it so;
happy the people whose God is the LORD.
(א) תְּהִלָּ֗ה לְדָ֫וִ֥ד אֲרוֹמִמְךָ֣ אֱלוֹקַ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַאֲבָרְכָ֥ה שִׁ֝מְךָ֗ לְעוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃ (ב) בְּכׇל־י֥וֹם אֲבָֽרְכֶ֑ךָּ וַאֲהַֽלְלָ֥ה שִׁ֝מְךָ֗ לְעוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃ (ג) גָּ֘ד֤וֹל ה' וּמְהֻלָּ֣ל מְאֹ֑ד וְ֝לִגְדֻלָּת֗וֹ אֵ֣ין חֵֽקֶר׃ (ד) דּ֣וֹר לְ֭דוֹר יְשַׁבַּ֣ח מַעֲשֶׂ֑יךָ וּגְב֖וּרֹתֶ֣יךָ יַגִּֽידוּ׃ (ה) הֲ֭דַר כְּב֣וֹד הוֹדֶ֑ךָ וְדִבְרֵ֖י נִפְלְאֹתֶ֣יךָ אָשִֽׂיחָה׃ (ו) וֶעֱז֣וּז נֽוֹרְאֹתֶ֣יךָ יֹאמֵ֑רוּ (וגדלותיך) [וּגְדֻלָּתְךָ֥] אֲסַפְּרֶֽנָּה׃ (ז) זֵ֣כֶר רַב־טוּבְךָ֣ יַבִּ֑יעוּ וְצִדְקָתְךָ֥ יְרַנֵּֽנוּ׃ (ח) חַנּ֣וּן וְרַח֣וּם ה' אֶ֥רֶךְ אַ֝פַּ֗יִם וּגְדׇל־חָֽסֶד׃ (ט) טוֹב־ה' לַכֹּ֑ל וְ֝רַחֲמָ֗יו עַל־כׇּל־מַעֲשָֽׂיו׃ (י) יוֹד֣וּךָ ה' כׇּל־מַעֲשֶׂ֑יךָ וַ֝חֲסִידֶ֗יךָ יְבָרְכֽוּכָה׃ (יא) כְּב֣וֹד מַלְכוּתְךָ֣ יֹאמֵ֑רוּ וּגְבוּרָתְךָ֥ יְדַבֵּֽרוּ׃ (יב) לְהוֹדִ֤יעַ ׀ לִבְנֵ֣י הָ֭אָדָם גְּבוּרֹתָ֑יו וּ֝כְב֗וֹד הֲדַ֣ר מַלְכוּתֽוֹ׃ (יג) מַֽלְכוּתְךָ֗ מַלְכ֥וּת כׇּל־עֹלָמִ֑ים וּ֝מֶֽמְשַׁלְתְּךָ֗ בְּכׇל־דּ֥וֹר וָדֹֽר׃ (יד) סוֹמֵ֣ךְ ה' לְכׇל־הַנֹּפְלִ֑ים וְ֝זוֹקֵ֗ף לְכׇל־הַכְּפוּפִֽים׃ (טו) עֵֽינֵי־כֹ֭ל אֵלֶ֣יךָ יְשַׂבֵּ֑רוּ וְאַתָּ֤ה נֽוֹתֵן־לָהֶ֖ם אֶת־אׇכְלָ֣ם בְּעִתּֽוֹ׃ (טז) פּוֹתֵ֥חַ אֶת־יָדֶ֑ךָ וּמַשְׂבִּ֖יעַ לְכׇל־חַ֣י רָצֽוֹן׃ (יז) צַדִּ֣יק ה' בְּכׇל־דְּרָכָ֑יו וְ֝חָסִ֗יד בְּכׇל־מַעֲשָֽׂיו׃ (יח) קָר֣וֹב ה' לְכׇל־קֹרְאָ֑יו לְכֹ֤ל אֲשֶׁ֖ר יִקְרָאֻ֣הוּ בֶֽאֱמֶֽת׃ (יט) רְצוֹן־יְרֵאָ֥יו יַעֲשֶׂ֑ה וְֽאֶת־שַׁוְעָתָ֥ם יִ֝שְׁמַ֗ע וְיוֹשִׁיעֵֽם׃ (shav`atam yishma` veyoshi`em (כ) שׁוֹמֵ֣ר ה' אֶת־כׇּל־אֹהֲבָ֑יו וְאֵ֖ת כׇּל־הָרְשָׁעִ֣ים יַשְׁמִֽיד׃ (כא) תְּהִלַּ֥ת ה' יְֽדַבֶּ֫ר־פִּ֥י וִיבָרֵ֣ךְ כׇּל־בָּ֭שָׂר שֵׁ֥ם קׇדְשׁ֗וֹ לְעוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃ {פ}
(1) A song of praise. Of David.
I will extol You, my God and king,
and bless Your name forever and ever. (2) Every day will I bless You
and praise Your name forever and ever. (3) Great is the LORD and much acclaimed;
His greatness cannot be fathomed. (4) One generation shall laud Your works to another
and declare Your mighty acts. (5) The glorious majesty of Your splendor
and Your wondrous acts-a will I recite. (6) Men shall talk of the might of Your awesome deeds,
and I will recount Your greatness. (7) They shall celebrate Your abundant goodness,
and sing joyously of Your beneficence. (8) The LORD is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness (hesed). (9) The LORD is good to all,
and His mercy is upon all His works. (10) All Your works shall praise You, O LORD,
and Your faithful ones (hasid) shall bless You. (11) They shall talk of the majesty of Your kingship,
and speak of Your might, (12) to make His mighty acts known among men
and the majestic glory of His kingship. (13) Your kingship is an eternal kingship;
Your dominion is for all generations. (14) The LORD supports all who stumble,
and makes all who are bent stand straight. (15) The eyes of all look to You expectantly,
and You give them their food when it is due. (16) You give it openhandedly,
feeding every creature to its heart’s content. (17) The LORD is beneficent in all His ways
and faithful in all His works. (18) The LORD is near to all who call Him,
to all who call Him with sincerity. (19) He fulfills the wishes of those who fear Him;
He hears their cry and delivers them. (20) The LORD watches over all who love Him,
but all the wicked He will destroy. (21) My mouth shall utter the praise of the LORD,
and all creatures shall bless His holy name forever and ever.
(18) But [or And] we will bless the LORD
now and forever.
Hallelujah.
2. Commentaries
One generation to another generation / dor le-dor / דור לדור (verse 4)
בְּכָל־דּוֹר וָדוֹר חַיָּב אָדָם לִרְאוֹת אֶת־עַצְמוֹ כְּאִלּוּ הוּא יָצָא מִמִּצְרַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְהִגַּדְתָּ לְבִנְךָ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא לֵאמֹר, בַּעֲבוּר זֶה עָשָׂה ה' לִי בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרַיִם. לֹא אֶת־אֲבוֹתֵינוּ בִּלְבָד גָּאַל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אֶלָּא אַף אוֹתָנוּ גָּאַל עִמָּהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְאוֹתָנוּ הוֹצִיא מִשָּׁם, לְמַעַן הָבִיא אוֹתָנוּ, לָתֶת לָנוּ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשָׁבַּע לַאֲבֹתֵינוּ.
In each and every generation, a person is obligated to see himself as if he left Egypt, as it is stated (Exodus 13:8); "And you shall explain to your son on that day: For the sake of this, did the Lord do [this] for me in my going out of Egypt." Not only our ancestors did the Holy One, blessed be He, redeem, but rather also us [together] with them did He redeem, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 6:23); "And He took us out from there, in order to bring us in, to give us the land which He swore unto our fathers."
Molly Morris
"Molly participates in the 929 initiative with a dedicated group from the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto congregation."
Source: https://www.929.org.il/lang/en/page/712/post/91478
This psalm tells us that each generation will praise and recite God’s deeds to the next. These are the generational remembrances of the epic acts of God, the supernatural events that have highlighted Jewish history. Each generation passes on the memories that have passed down, and adds the knowledge they personally have gained from their own lived experience. While we sometimes mourn our every-increasing temporal distance from the open miracles of biblical times, we are reassured in this psalm that our closeness to God comes, at least in part, from the iterative process of remembering the past and accumulating new memories from every generation.
The attributes of divine mercy (verse 8)
(6) ה' passed before him and proclaimed: “י-הוה ! ה' ! a God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness,
Adonai is good to all (verse 9)
and His mercy is upon all His works.
...feeding every creature to its heart's content (ratzon) (v. 16)
Ratzon may be an expression of...
- blessing (as in Deut. 33:23). (God's ratzon)
- generosity (to do something be-ratzon, generously)
- desire (the ratzon of the recipient of God's kindness)
(טז) פּוֹתֵ֥חַ אֶת־יָדֶ֑ךָ וּמַשְׂבִּ֖יעַ לְכׇל־חַ֣י רָצֽוֹן׃
(16) You give it openhandedly,
feeding every creature to its heart’s content (ratzon רצון).
(כז) כֻּ֭לָּם אֵלֶ֣יךָ יְשַׂבֵּר֑וּן לָתֵ֖ת אׇכְלָ֣ם בְּעִתּֽוֹ׃ (כח) תִּתֵּ֣ן לָ֭הֶם יִלְקֹט֑וּן תִּפְתַּ֥ח יָ֝דְךָ֗ יִשְׂבְּע֥וּן טֽוֹב׃ (כט) תַּסְתִּ֥יר פָּנֶיךָ֮ יִֽבָּהֵ֫ל֥וּן תֹּסֵ֣ף ר֭וּחָם יִגְוָע֑וּן וְֽאֶל־עֲפָרָ֥ם יְשׁוּבֽוּן׃
(27) All of them [all of God's creations] look to You
to give them their food when it is due. (28) Give it to them, they gather it up;
open Your hand, they are well satisfied; (29) hide Your face, they are terrified;
take away their breath, they perish
and turn again into dust;
(11) For there will never cease to be needy ones in your land, which is why I command you: open your hand to the poor and needy kin in your land.
Who is close to God? (v. 18)
"Israel, God’s Chosen People?"
Dr. Rabbi Michael Marmur is Associate Professor of Jewish Theology at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in Jerusalem.
Source: https://www.thetorah.com/article/israel-gods-chosen-people
דברים ז:ו כִּי עַם קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה לַה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ בְּךָ בָּחַר ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ לִהְיוֹת לוֹ לְעַם סְגֻלָּה מִכֹּל הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר עַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה:
Deut 7:6 For you are a people kadosh [holy] to YHWH your God: of all the peoples on earth YHWH your God chose you to be His segulah [treasured] people.
...
Spinoza deployed a number of Biblical verses including Psalm 145:18 to demonstrate that the Hebrew Bible itself acknowledged that God’s grace is bestowed upon all humanity,
תהלים קמה:יח קָרוֹב ה' לְכָל קֹרְאָיו לְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָאֻהוּ בֶאֱמֶת.
Ps 145:18 YHWH is near to all who call Him, to all who call Him with sincerity.[25]
The Deuteronomic claim that God holds Israel in special regard, therefore, should not be understood as evidence of capricious Divine choice, but rather a descriptive statement relating to a particular time and place.
All/Every / Kol / כל
The word "kol/ all, every / כל" appears 17 times in Psalm 145.
What do you think this word communicates?
[Chiasms (example: verses 11-12, letters Kaf and Lamed)]
a,b:b,a
(11) They shall talk of the majesty of Your kingship,
and speak of Your might, (12) to make His mighty acts known among men
and the majestic glory of His kingship.
[Envelope Structure (vv. 1 and 21); (84:5 and 115:18)]
praise-bless : praise-bless
(א) תְּהִלָּ֗ה לְדָ֫וִ֥ד אֲרוֹמִמְךָ֣ אֱלוֹקַ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַאֲבָרְכָ֥ה שִׁ֝מְךָ֗ לְעוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃
(1) A song of praise. Of David.
I will extol You, my God and king,
and bless Your name forever and ever.
(כא) תְּהִלַּ֥ת ה' יְֽדַבֶּ֫ר־פִּ֥י וִיבָרֵ֣ךְ כׇּל־בָּ֭שָׂר שֵׁ֥ם קׇדְשׁ֗וֹ לְעוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃ {פ}
(21) My mouth shall utter the praise of the LORD,
and all creatures shall bless His holy name forever and ever.
(ה) אַ֭שְׁרֵי יוֹשְׁבֵ֣י בֵיתֶ֑ךָ ע֝֗וֹד יְֽהַלְל֥וּךָ סֶּֽלָה׃
(5) Happy are those who dwell in Your house;
they forever praise/ye-hallelu-kha You. Selah.
(יח) וַאֲנַ֤חְנוּ ׀ נְבָ֘רֵ֤ךְ יָ֗הּ מֵעַתָּ֥ה וְעַד־עוֹלָ֗ם הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃ {פ}
(18) But (or And) we will bless the LORD
now and forever.
Hallelujah.
[Ashrei is the entire book of Psalms in Miniature: echoes of the beginning of Psalm 1 and the end of Psalm 150]
(1) Happy is the man who has not followed the counsel of the wicked,
or taken the path of sinners,
or joined the company of the insolent;
The beginning of Ashrei:
(5) Happy are those who dwell in Your house;
they forever praise You. Selah.
(6) Let all that breathes praise the LORD.
Hallelujah.
The end of Ashrei:
(18) But we will bless the LORD
now and forever.
Hallelujah.