Tehilim Perek 43

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 43.

This perek is really a continuation of the previous chapter, as it continues to discuss the longing for the Beis Hamikdash to be rebuilt. It also pleads for God to send the ultimate redemption through Eliyahu Hanavi and Mashiach, who will rebuild the altar for korbanos to be brought once again.

This is a prayer for every individual in exile. We ask God to strike down the enemies of the Jews who have caused so much suffering to Am Yisrael throughout our long exile.

In verse 3 it says:

שְׁלַח־אוֹרְךָ֣ וַ֭אֲמִתְּךָ הֵ֣מָּה יַנְח֑וּנִי יְבִיא֥וּנִי אֶל־הַֽר־קָ֝דְשְׁךָ֗ וְאֶל־מִשְׁכְּנוֹתֶֽיךָ׃

Dispatch Your light and Your truth; they will guide me. They will bring me to your holy mountain and sanctuaries.

Rashi explains that “Send me Your light” is referring to the light of Mashiach. “Your truth” is referring to Eliyahu Hanavi, the true prophet.

The Radak says that “Send me Your light” is referring to the light of redemption. “Your truth” is referring to the fact that Jews will begin to return to Eretz Yisrael during the stages of the ingathering of the exiles. Then Hashem will bring us to His holy mountain.

Until the Jews started returning en masse to Eretz Yisrael, one might have looked at the words of the prophets and pessukim like ours and think, “Perhaps it’s not true. Perhaps God isn’t going to redeem us.”

But now there are 6 million Jews back in Eretz Yisrael and It’s obvious that the words of the prophets are true! They predicted these events thousands of years ago, amidst the destruction that was taking place around them. We are watching it happen in front of our very own eyes and certainly, if the beginning is true, the end is true also!

Every moment that Yisrael is in exile is considered a chilul Hashem – desecration of God’s name. The members of the Jewish nation are ambassadors of God’s word. We are the conduit which Hashem uses to send down Divine influence into the world. God’s light is revealed through His nation.

However, due to our many sins, we were exiled from our land. The Shechina, which is represented by the Jewish nation, went into exile. This causes a great desecration of God’s name.

The whole world perceived the greatness of Am YIsrael and God through the Beis Hamikdash. When the Beis Hamikdash was destroyed and we were exiled, not only did the nations of the world think that they “defeated” God, but we, the Jewish nation, felt that He no longer wants us.

Fortunately for us, the Divine Presence does rests upon our nation. It has allowed us to persevere and flourish throughout the long dark night.

As the great prophet Yirmiyahu had predicted in Sefer Yirmiya, chapter 3 verse 14,

שׁ֣וּבוּ בָנִ֤ים שׁוֹבָבִים֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה כִּ֥י אָנֹכִ֖י בָּעַ֣לְתִּי בָכֶ֑ם וְלָקַחְתִּ֨י אֶתְכֶ֜ם אֶחָ֣ד מֵעִ֗יר וּשְׁנַ֙יִם֙ מִמִּשְׁפָּחָ֔ה וְהֵבֵאתִ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם צִיּֽוֹן׃

Turn back, rebellious children—declares the LORD. Since I have espoused you, I will take you, one from a town and two from a family, and bring you to Zion.

Keep in mind that Yirmiya said these words over 2,000 years ago while the first Beis Hamikdash was being destroyed. God had lifted Yirmiya up beyond space and time and showed him the era in which we’re currently living. He prophesied that one day there will be a slow movement of Jews starting to return to their land, “one from a town and two from a family.”

If being thrown off our land was a great chillul Hashem, the mere fact that over 2,000 years later we have begun to return is a great kiddush Hashem – sanctification of God’s name. The return of the nation not only marks the initial stages of redemption, but also represents the lifting of the Shechina up from the dirt.

May we merit the end of the final redemption, when there will be no more war on His holy mountain, when the world will be filled with the knowledge of God like the waters that cover the earth, with the revelation of Eliyahu Hanavi and Mashiach Ben Dovid.

Thank you for listening and have a wonderful day.