Tehilim Perek 42A

Welcome to NachDaily, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, and today we’ll be discussing Tehilim, chapter 42, begining the second book of Tehilim.

There is a debate amongst the Meforshim about who wrote these next 8 chapters as they are all attributed to the sons of Korach. Rashi and most Meforshim learn that these chapters were indeed all said by Korach’s sons.

According to Rashi, the three sons, Assir, Elkana, and Avi-Assaf all initially supported their father in the rebellion against Moshe Rabbeinu. When they saw the ground opening up to swallow the rebels, however, they quickly did Teshuva. Although they were also swallowed up by the earth, they remained alive inside it and from there they praised God. The three children also received Divine Inspiration, foreseeing the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash, exile and the Davidic dynasty. These are the main themes of the next 8 chapters.

Alternatively, the Radak explains that these chapters were not written by the sons of Korach, but by Dovid. He wrote them with Ruach Hakodesh, Divine Inspiration, to be said by Korach’s descendants who were Levi’im in the Beis Hamikdash.

The Ibn Ezra learns that the name Korach refers to the son of Heiman, a great grandson of Shmuel Hanavi.

Rav Hirsch explains that many have plucked the strings of the harp throughout the generations to attempt to express the innermost desires of Am Yisrael. It was the sons of Korach, however, who had the unique ability to express the longings of the Jewish nation throughout its exile.

The rebellion of Korach had shaken the foundations of the altar to its core, notes Rav Hirsch. It is precisely Korach’s descendants who would re-sanctify the altar with their Psalms to God.

The Alshich Hakodesh beautifully explains the following:

“These chapters were written by the sons of Korach in order to arouse our hearts to feel what we’ve lost. Woe to the person who has become numb to the fact that we’ve been exiled from our land and cast away from our Father Above. Woe to the great nation that was able to see its Father three times a year. We should not be quiet and appeased until God has compassion on us and rebuilds His palace, the Beis Hamikdash.”

The Alshich explains that, although they apply to all of Am Yisrael, these perakim are written in the singular form, as all the souls of Yisrael are one and the entire Jewish nation is like one body. The Alshich continues to explain, in beautiful and flowery words, how a true seeker is concerned about Am Yisrael being in exile. As long as we are not in Eretz Yisrael, he claims, it is not fitting to be happy.

One of the reasons why the Alshich’s words resonate with me is because he was a visionary. Born in the year 1508 in Turkey, he died in 1593 and is buried in Sfat. I’m sure that many of my readers have gone to his kever there. The Alshich was a student of Rav Yosef Caro, also known as the Beis Yosef.

There is no doubt of the great self-sacrifice that the Alshich had to endure in order to get to Eretz Yisrael, aware that he would live there amid great poverty and terrible conditions.

The Alshich understood the predictions of the Prophets that one day Jews from all over the world will return to Eretz Yisrael to rejoice in its greatness and grandeur.

They will resettle the land and rebuild it beautifully. Baruch Hashem a process that began with very few Yidden in the Alshich’s time has now begun to flourish. There are over 6 million Jews back in Eretz Yisrael! Although there is still a long way to go, both spiritually and physically, things are getting better every day. We are living in truly amazing times.

As we learn these upcoming chapters, let us long for the full redemption to take place. May we have in mind not only the destruction that has occurred, but the rebuilding that has begun as Dovid Hamelech and the sons of Korach foresaw. May our salvation take place in the very near future!.

Thank you for listening and have a wonderful day.