I. Opening song
(ד) אַחַ֤ת ׀ שָׁאַ֣לְתִּי מֵֽאֵת־ה׳ אוֹתָ֢הּ אֲבַ֫קֵּ֥שׁ שִׁבְתִּ֣י בְּבֵית־ה׳ כׇּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיַּ֑י לַחֲז֥וֹת בְּנֹעַם־ה׳ וּלְבַקֵּ֥ר בְּהֵֽיכָלֽוֹ׃
(4) One thing I ask of the LORD,
only that do I seek:
to live in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD,
to frequent-b His temple.
only that do I seek:
to live in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD,
to frequent-b His temple.
Achat sha'alti me'eit Hashem, otah avakesh: shivti b'veit Hashem, kol y'mei chayai, lachazot b'noam Hashem, u'l'vaker b'heikhalo. |
(א) לְדָוִ֨ד ׀ ה׳ ׀ אוֹרִ֣י וְ֭יִשְׁעִי מִמִּ֣י אִירָ֑א ה׳ מָעוֹז־חַ֝יַּ֗י מִמִּ֥י אֶפְחָֽד׃(ב) בִּקְרֹ֤ב עָלַ֨י ׀ מְרֵעִים֮ לֶאֱכֹ֢ל אֶת־בְּשָׂ֫רִ֥י צָרַ֣י וְאֹיְבַ֣י לִ֑י הֵ֖מָּה כָשְׁל֣וּ וְנָפָֽלוּ׃(ג) אִם־תַּחֲנֶ֬ה עָלַ֨י ׀ מַחֲנֶה֮ לֹא־יִירָ֢א לִ֫בִּ֥י אִם־תָּק֣וּם עָ֭לַי מִלְחָמָ֑ה בְּ֝זֹ֗את אֲנִ֣י בוֹטֵֽחַ׃(ד) אַחַ֤ת ׀ שָׁאַ֣לְתִּי מֵֽאֵת־ה׳ אוֹתָ֢הּ אֲבַ֫קֵּ֥שׁ שִׁבְתִּ֣י בְּבֵית־ה׳ כׇּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיַּ֑י לַחֲז֥וֹת בְּנֹעַם־ה׳ וּלְבַקֵּ֥ר בְּהֵֽיכָלֽוֹ׃(ה) כִּ֤י יִצְפְּנֵ֨נִי ׀ בְּסֻכֹּה֮ בְּי֢וֹם רָ֫עָ֥ה יַ֭סְתִּרֵנִי בְּסֵ֣תֶר אׇהֳל֑וֹ בְּ֝צ֗וּר יְרוֹמְמֵֽנִי׃(ו) וְעַתָּ֨ה יָר֪וּם רֹאשִׁ֡י עַ֤ל אֹיְבַ֬י סְֽבִיבוֹתַ֗י וְאֶזְבְּחָ֣ה בְ֭אׇהֳלוֹ זִבְחֵ֣י תְרוּעָ֑ה אָשִׁ֥ירָה וַ֝אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה לַֽה׳׃(ז) שְׁמַע־ה׳ קוֹלִ֥י אֶקְרָ֗א וְחׇנֵּ֥נִי וַֽעֲנֵֽנִי׃(ח) לְךָ֤ ׀ אָמַ֣ר לִ֭בִּי בַּקְּשׁ֣וּ פָנָ֑י אֶת־פָּנֶ֖יךָ ה׳ אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ׃(ט) אַל־תַּסְתֵּ֬ר פָּנֶ֨יךָ ׀ מִמֶּנִּי֮ אַ֥ל תַּט־בְּאַ֗ף עַ֫בְדֶּ֥ךָ עֶזְרָתִ֥י הָיִ֑יתָ אַֽל־תִּטְּשֵׁ֥נִי וְאַל־תַּ֝עַזְבֵ֗נִי אֱלֹקֵ֥י יִשְׁעִֽי׃(י) כִּֽי־אָבִ֣י וְאִמִּ֣י עֲזָב֑וּנִי וַֽה׳ יַאַסְפֵֽנִי׃(יא) ה֤וֹרֵ֥נִי ה׳ דַּ֫רְכֶּ֥ךָ וּ֭נְחֵנִי בְּאֹ֣רַח מִישׁ֑וֹר לְ֝מַ֗עַן שֽׁוֹרְרָֽי׃(יב) אַֽל־תִּ֭תְּנֵנִי בְּנֶ֣פֶשׁ צָרָ֑י כִּ֥י קָמוּ־בִ֥י עֵדֵי־שֶׁ֝֗קֶר וִיפֵ֥חַ חָמָֽס׃(יג) לׅׄוּׅׄלֵׅ֗ׄאׅׄ הֶ֭אֱמַנְתִּי לִרְא֥וֹת בְּֽטוּב־ה׳ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּֽים׃(יד) קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־ה׳ חֲ֭זַק וְיַאֲמֵ֣ץ לִבֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝קַוֵּ֗ה אֶל־ה׳׃ {פ}
(1) Of David.
The LORD is my light and my help;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life,
whom should I dread?(2) When evil men assail me
to devour my flesh-a—
it is they, my foes and my enemies,
who stumble and fall.(3) Should an army besiege me,
my heart would have no fear;
should war beset me,
still would I be confident.
(4) One thing I ask of the LORD,
only that do I seek:
to live in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD,
to frequent-b 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 round about;
I sacrifice in His tent with shouts of joy,
singing and chanting a hymn to the LORD.
(7) Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud;
have mercy on me, answer me.(8) In Your behalf-b my heart says:
“Seek My face!”
O LORD, 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,
O God, my deliverer.(10) Though my father and mother abandon me,
the LORD will take me in.(11) Show me Your way, O LORD,
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 the LORD
in the land of the living…
(14) Look to the LORD;
be strong and of good courage!
O look to the LORD!
The LORD is my light and my help;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life,
whom should I dread?(2) When evil men assail me
to devour my flesh-a—
it is they, my foes and my enemies,
who stumble and fall.(3) Should an army besiege me,
my heart would have no fear;
should war beset me,
still would I be confident.
(4) One thing I ask of the LORD,
only that do I seek:
to live in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD,
to frequent-b 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 round about;
I sacrifice in His tent with shouts of joy,
singing and chanting a hymn to the LORD.
(7) Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud;
have mercy on me, answer me.(8) In Your behalf-b my heart says:
“Seek My face!”
O LORD, 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,
O God, my deliverer.(10) Though my father and mother abandon me,
the LORD will take me in.(11) Show me Your way, O LORD,
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 the LORD
in the land of the living…
(14) Look to the LORD;
be strong and of good courage!
O look to the LORD!
II. Origin of custom
The custom to recite Tehillim 27 as part of davening from Rosh Chodesh Elul through Shemini Atzeret is quite recent. The Baal Shem Tov attributes it to the late 17th-century kabbalist R. Eliyahu Baal Shem, a student of the Maharal. The first written documentation is from Sefer Shem Tov Kattan (by the kabbalist R. Binyamin Beinish Cohen, known also as Amtachat Binyamin) published in 1706.
However, it was popularized by appearing in Chemdas Yamim in 1732, a work that provides customs for the entire liturgical year, which also included the first order for the Tu B'Shvat Seder (although it had been printed as a separate pamphlet a few days earlier). Controversially, Chemdas Yamim was condemned by R Yaakov Emden as a Sabbatean work (which is most likely is, or at least a compliation including Sabbatean works) - but he also included the custom in his own Siddur Bet Yaakov published in 1745. From these sources, it spread to most Ashkenazi siddurim.
III. 13 Mentions of the Tetragrammaton
One of the early reasons given for its recitation at this time is that the Tetragrammaton, Hashem, is mentioned 13 times in the psalm. These correspond with the 13 Attributes of Mercy recited in selichot and on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The Kedushas Levi, the Berdichever Rebbe, correlates these with the 13 Interpretive Principles of Rabbi Yishmael recited to conclude the first part o Shachris. Interestingly, this provides a link also to another High Holy Day minhag - Tashlich. Tashlich is based on a phrase in Micah 7:19 where it says G!d will cast (tashlich - expressed in second person) our sins into the depths of the sea. Micah 7:18-20 is the source for the 13 Supernal Attributes of Mercy, explored in depth in the first chapter of Tomer Devorah by the Ramak. Both the Kedushas Levi and Tomer Devorah teach that we are obligated to imitate these attributes of G!d's mercy.
Thirteen Attributes of Mercy
(ו) וַיַּעֲבֹ֨ר ה׳ ׀ עַל־פָּנָיו֮ וַיִּקְרָא֒ ה׳ ׀ ה׳ אֵ֥ל רַח֖וּם וְחַנּ֑וּן אֶ֥רֶךְ אַפַּ֖יִם וְרַב־חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶֽת׃(ז)נֹצֵ֥ר חֶ֙סֶד֙ לָאֲלָפִ֔ים נֹשֵׂ֥א עָוֺ֛ן וָפֶ֖שַׁע וְחַטָּאָ֑ה וְנַקֵּה֙ לֹ֣א יְנַקֶּ֔ה פֹּקֵ֣ד ׀ עֲוֺ֣ן אָב֗וֹת עַל־בָּנִים֙ וְעַל־בְּנֵ֣י בָנִ֔ים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁ֖ים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִֽים׃
(6) ה׳ passed before him and proclaimed: “יהוה ! ה׳ ! a God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness,(7) extending kindness to the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin—yet not remitting all punishment, but visiting the iniquity of parents upon children and children’s children, upon the third and fourth generations.”
Thirteen Supernal Attributes of Mercy
(יח) מִי־אֵ֣ל כָּמ֗וֹךָ נֹשֵׂ֤א עָוֺן֙ וְעֹבֵ֣ר עַל־פֶּ֔שַׁע לִשְׁאֵרִ֖ית נַחֲלָת֑וֹ לֹֽא־הֶחֱזִ֤יק לָעַד֙ אַפּ֔וֹ כִּֽי־חָפֵ֥ץ חֶ֖סֶד הֽוּא׃(יט) יָשׁ֣וּב יְרַחֲמֵ֔נוּ יִכְבֹּ֖שׁ עֲוֺנֹתֵ֑ינוּ וְתַשְׁלִ֛יךְ בִּמְצֻל֥וֹת יָ֖ם כׇּל־חַטֹּאותָֽם׃(כ) תִּתֵּ֤ן אֱמֶת֙ לְיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב חֶ֖סֶד לְאַבְרָהָ֑ם אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥עְתָּ לַאֲבֹתֵ֖ינוּ מִ֥ימֵי קֶֽדֶם׃
(18) Who is a God like You,
Forgiving iniquity
And remitting transgression;
Who has not maintained His wrath forever
Against the remnant of His own people,
Because He loves graciousness!(19) He will take us back in love;
He will cover up our iniquities,
You will hurl all our sins
Into the depths of the sea.(20) You will keep faith with Jacob,
Loyalty to Abraham,
As You promised on oath to our fathers
In days gone by.
Forgiving iniquity
And remitting transgression;
Who has not maintained His wrath forever
Against the remnant of His own people,
Because He loves graciousness!(19) He will take us back in love;
He will cover up our iniquities,
You will hurl all our sins
Into the depths of the sea.(20) You will keep faith with Jacob,
Loyalty to Abraham,
As You promised on oath to our fathers
In days gone by.
(יד)הנה אמר אדוני מורי ורבי מורינו הרב ר' דוב בער, כי שלש עשרה מדות שהתורה נדרשת בהן אחת הם עם הי"ג מדות אלו, ומדת קל וחומר הוא מדת אל, ומדת רחום הוא גזירה שוה, כי הכלל כאשר העשיר מרחם על העני אז צריך העשיר להשוות עצמו ולדבק עצמו בצער העני ובדחקות העני כדי לרחם על העני על ידי זה שמשוה עצמו לעני ובזה הוא רחמנות מן העשיר על העני ונמצא אז העשיר והעני הוא בשוה. וכן הוא כביכול אצל הבורא יתברך כנאמר (תהלים צא, טו) עמו אנכי בצרה, וזהו רחום גזירה שוה כנ"ל:
(14)
Concerning the above, my late and revered teacher Rabbi Dov Baer said that the 13 attributes the Torah mentions here are the spiritual equivalent of the 13 principles of Rabbi Yishmael that are considered as legitimate tools of exegesis of the written Torah. For instance, the principle known as קל וחומר, using logical conclusions, is the counterpart of the attribute א-ל, whereas the principle known as גזרה שוה, replicas of the same word used for apparently divergent subjects, is the equivalent of the Divine attribute רחום.
When a wealthy person takes pity on a poor, destitute person, he automatically begins to understand the pain and near despair experienced by the poor so that he lowers himself mentally to that level. He experiences the pain endured by the poor and his feelings of being hemmed in from all sides. When this happens, the wealthy person, -parallel to G’d-, extends pity and mercy to the poor so that the poor and the rich have reached the same level. A similar process occurs when G’d looks with mercy on the Jewish people in distress. This is what Moses referred to when he said in psalms 91,15: עמו אנכי בצרה, “I am with him in distress;” this is what is meant by “equating” the Divine attribute of mercy to the exegetical tool known as גזרה שוה, “establishing common ground based on identical words used in texts speaking of different subjects.”
Concerning the above, my late and revered teacher Rabbi Dov Baer said that the 13 attributes the Torah mentions here are the spiritual equivalent of the 13 principles of Rabbi Yishmael that are considered as legitimate tools of exegesis of the written Torah. For instance, the principle known as קל וחומר, using logical conclusions, is the counterpart of the attribute א-ל, whereas the principle known as גזרה שוה, replicas of the same word used for apparently divergent subjects, is the equivalent of the Divine attribute רחום.
When a wealthy person takes pity on a poor, destitute person, he automatically begins to understand the pain and near despair experienced by the poor so that he lowers himself mentally to that level. He experiences the pain endured by the poor and his feelings of being hemmed in from all sides. When this happens, the wealthy person, -parallel to G’d-, extends pity and mercy to the poor so that the poor and the rich have reached the same level. A similar process occurs when G’d looks with mercy on the Jewish people in distress. This is what Moses referred to when he said in psalms 91,15: עמו אנכי בצרה, “I am with him in distress;” this is what is meant by “equating” the Divine attribute of mercy to the exegetical tool known as גזרה שוה, “establishing common ground based on identical words used in texts speaking of different subjects.”
(א)האדם ראוי שיתדמה לקונו: הָאָדָם רָאוּי שֶׁיִּתְדַּמֶּה לְקוֹנוֹ וְאָז יִהְיֶה בְּסוֹד הַצּוּרָה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה צֶלֶם וּדְמוּת, שֶׁאִלּוּ יְדֻמֶּה בְּגוּפוֹ וְלֹא בִּפְעֻלּוֹת הֲרֵי הוּא מַכְזִיב הַצּוּרָה וְיֹאמְרוּ עָלָיו צוּרָה נָאָה וּמַעֲשִׂים כְּעוּרִים. שֶׁהֲרֵי עִיקָר הַצֶּלֶם וְהַדְּמוּת הָעֶלְיוֹן הֵן פְּעֻלּוֹתָיו, וּמַה יוֹעִיל לוֹ הֱיוֹתוֹ כְּצוּרָה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה דְּמוּת תַּבְנִית אֵבָרָיו וּבַפְּעֻלּוֹת לֹא יִתְדַמֶּה לְקוֹנוֹ. לְפִיכָךְ רָאוּי שֶׁיִּתְדַּמֶּה אֶל פְּעֻלּוֹת הַכֶּתֶר שֶׁהֵן י"ג מִדּוֹת שֶׁל רַחֲמִים עֶלְיוֹנוֹת. וּרְמוּזוֹת בְּסוֹד הַפְּסוּקִים (מיכה ז, יח) מִי אֵל כָּמוֹךָ. יָשׁוּב יְרַחֲמֵנוּ. תִּתֵּן אֱמֶת. אִם כֵּן רָאוּי שֶׁתִּמְצָאֶנָּה בוֹ י"ג מִדּוֹת אֵלּוּ. וְעַכְשָׁו נְפָרֵשׁ אוֹתָן הַפְּעֻלּוֹת י"ג שֶׁרָאוּי שֶׁתִּהְיֶינָה בוֹ:
(1) Chapter 1 - That it is fitting for a person to resemble his Creator: It is fitting for a person to resemble his Creator and then he will be [configured] in the secret of the Highest Form, [both] in image and likeness. As if he is alike in his body but not in his actions, he betrays the Form; and they will say about him, "A lovely form, but ugly deeds." As behold, the essence of the Highest Image and Likeness is His actions. And what will it benefit him to have the structure of his limbs like the Highest Form, but not resemble his Creator in his actions? Therefore it is fitting that he should [make his actions] resemble the actions of the Crown (Keter), which are the thirteen highest traits of mercy. And they are hinted to in the secret of the verses (Michah 7:18-20), "Who is a power like You; He will again have mercy on us; You shall give truth." If so, it is fitting that these thirteen traits [also] be found in man. And now we will explain these thirteen actions that are fitting to be with him.
IV. Dots over Lulei - Elul backwards
The first word of the penultimate verse has dots over it, which spells Elul backwards: לׅׄוּׅׄלֵׅ֗ׄאׅׄ
!!!
IV. Other references to the High Holy Days in this Psalm
Midrash Tehillim refers to the first words, "Hashem is my light and my salvation", as referring to Rosh Hashanah (Light) and Yom Kippur (Salvation). In verse 5, it says that G!d will hide me in G!d's sukkah. In verse 6, there is a reference to sacrifices of teruah.
V. Why is the One Thing I Have Asked of Hashem to Dwell in G!d's House?
A. R David Kimchi teaches that David asks for respite from wars so he can turn from being occupied only with physical needs to being able to devote attention to spiritual concerns.
From his commentary to the Psalms (Darom edition, p. 66):
to let us know that with all his heart, King David asked to give him respite from wars. Even though he has faith that God will save him from all harm, even so, his heart is troubled by the wars and he is occupied by his physical needs, and he has no free time to be occupied by his spiritual needs. And he asked God … to dwell in the house of the Lord…”
Indeed, this is the central verse of Psalm 27.
Indeed, this is the central verse of Psalm 27.
B. Chesky Kopel teaches that it is David's response to G!d not letting him build the Temple.
From a Twitter conversation on August 20 -21, 2022:
I have a whole approach that I taught about at Tikkun Leil Shavuot, that the psalm is actually a reflection on the episode of David requesting to build the temple and getting turned down. My angle is that there are 2 accounts of David requesting to build the Temple and getting turned down: In II Shmuel, God says grossly simplified) "the problem is not you, it's me. I never asked you for this." In David's retelling in Divrei Hayamim, God's response was "it's you. you've killed too much." But in neither account does David express pain over the rejection.
In Psalm 27, however, [h]ere, David also rejects the charge that he has killed too much. With respect to his enemies--"they stumbled and fell." It was God, not David.
C. From Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin https://schechter.edu/why-do-we-recite-psalm-27-from-rosh-hodesh-elul-until-hoshanah-rabbah-responsa-for-today-volume-4-issue-no-1-october-2009/ - also discussing R Shimshon Raphael Hirsch:
I would like to reply with a homiletic explanation that I heard from my father, Rabbi Noah Golinkin z”l, which I later found in the commentary of Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch (1808-1888) to Psalms (quoted by Rabbi Yissakhar Ya’akovson, Netiv Binah, Vol. 5, Tel Aviv, 1983, pp. 24-25). Rabbi Hirsch says that the psalm does not mean that we should actually dwell in the house of God all the days of our lives. Even the Kohanim, the Priests, were not in the Temple permanently!
This expression, therefore, comes to say that if we sanctify our lives,then every single place becomes a Beit Hashem, a house of the Lord… In every place where God’s Torah is observed with strength and purity, then our earthly life becomes a chariot for God’s presence, and God has a place to dwell on this earth.
This is a beautiful idea which is worth stressing during the High Holy Days and worth doing throughout the year: we must turn our homes and our places of work and our communities into Beit Hashem – the house of the Lord – by sanctifying each of these places via mitzvot.
We can turn our homes into Beit Hashem by observing commandments such as netilat yadayim before we eat bread, hamotzi, birkat hamazon, studying Torah with our families, making Kiddush on Shabbat and Festivals, observing Shabbat with our families, making havdalah at the end of Shabbat and building a sukkah and waving the lulav and etrog on Sukkot.
We can turn our workplaces into Beit Hashem by observing commandments such as ona’ah (not overcharging), eifat tzedek (accurate weights and measures), hassagat gvul (not trespassing), and keeping far from falsehood.
We can turn our communities into Beit Hashem by observing commandments such as tzedakah, bikur holim (visiting the sick), halvayat hamet (attending funerals), nihum aveilim (comforting the mourners), gemilut hassadim(deeds of lovingkindness) and “love your neighbor as yourself”.
In conclusion, Psalm 27 presents us with a wonderful ideal both for the Days of Awe from Rosh Hodesh Elul until Hoshanah Rabbah and throughout the year:
One thing have I asked of the Lord, this I request,
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to gaze at the graciousness of God and to visit in his sanctuary.
VI. Psalm as outline for process of teshuvah
From Prof. Alan Cooper of JTS https://www.jtsa.edu/torah/psalm-27-the-days-of-awe/
The psalm maps out the pathway to genuine teshuvah for us; by reciting and understanding it, we are able to travel that path. The psalmist begins with an expression of complacent self-assurance (Ps. 27:1–3), but that is only the starting point. The tone grows darker, progressing from expressions of yearning for God’s presence and protection (Ps. 27:4–6) to petitions conveying insecurity and fear of abandonment (Ps. 27:7–12), and then in verse 13 to the edge of the abyss: “Had I not the assurance that I would enjoy the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living . . . “—the concluding ellipsis expressing the terror inherent in what is left unsaid.
The “normal” movement of biblical penitential prayer is from complaint to confidence by way of petition. The movement of Psalm 27 is precisely the opposite: stripping away the pretense of confidence brings the psalmist to the brink of despair. All that is left is for the psalmist to turn to the praying community with a final exhortation (Ps. 27:14): “Look to the Lord; be strong and of good courage! O look to the Lord!” Assuming the role of the psalmist’s audience, we recognize that we have only one true hope at the time of judgment, and that is the hope that God’s love and mercy will bring about God’s forgiveness. In hearing the psalmist’s prayer and grasping its import, we will have readied ourselves for the Days of Awe.
The “normal” movement of biblical penitential prayer is from complaint to confidence by way of petition. The movement of Psalm 27 is precisely the opposite: stripping away the pretense of confidence brings the psalmist to the brink of despair. All that is left is for the psalmist to turn to the praying community with a final exhortation (Ps. 27:14): “Look to the Lord; be strong and of good courage! O look to the Lord!” Assuming the role of the psalmist’s audience, we recognize that we have only one true hope at the time of judgment, and that is the hope that God’s love and mercy will bring about God’s forgiveness. In hearing the psalmist’s prayer and grasping its import, we will have readied ourselves for the Days of Awe.
VII. My father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me up (v 10)
The narratives read in shul on Rosh Hashanah all describe experiences of parental abandonment. I realized this two years ago and was horrified.
Genesis 21 (first day Torah) Sarah asks Avraham to send Hagar and Yishmael away. G!d tells Avraham to do it. Then, Yishmael is about to die of thirst - and Hagar abandons him so she won't have to see him die! G!d intervenes and saves his life with a well of water.
Genesis 22 (second day Torah) G!d tells Avraham to sacrifice Yitzchok - he readily sets out to do so - an angel intervenes at the last minute - Yitzchok does not return with Avraham. Later, G!d blesses Yitzchok after the death of Avraham (Gen. 25:11).
I Samuel 1 (first day Haftarah) Chanah asks for a son, Shmuel, but vows, once he is weaned, to send him to live at the Temple, thus at least partially abandoning him. G!d later speaks to him (I Samuel 3).
I think this verse teaches us that, ultimately, our parents will forsake us - maybe not in the dramatic ways read on Rosh Hashanah - maybe because we "forsake" them to move out, maybe because we have to, in the normal way of things, forge our own way of life that will both accept and reject things that they taught us - but we can then put our trust in G!d who will take us up after we separate from our parents.
It also teaches the necessity of developing our own relationship with Hashem, just as Yishmael, Yitzchok, and Shmuel do in the text.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION
1. What is your experience of reciting Psalm 27? What is meaningful (or not) about it? What are some of the thoughts it inspires in you?
2. Which psuk or psukim in this perek are most meaningful to you? Why?
3. Do any of the approaches I've shared speak to you and how? Do they spark other ideas about this psalm?