Tehilim Perek 115

Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Today’s NachDaily is Tehilim Chapter 115.

This is the 3^rd chapter in Hallel. The Radak and others learn that it is an extension of the previous one. Just as Hashem saved us in Egypt, He also saves us now.

According to the Minchas Shai, we ask Hashem that, even if we’re not worthy to be redeemed with miracles because of our own merits, please save us for Your sake. Please stop the desecration of Your name while we’re in exile by saving us, and bring us back to our homeland.

This chapter is a prayer for Hashem to end the exile for His own sake. When the nations of the world see Am Yisrael away from their land for over 2,000 years they think that Hashem left the Jewish people. This causes them to question God, but we know the truth. We believe in Divine providence; everything is under the control of God and He does whatever He pleases.

The author goes on to demonstrate that idols have no power in contrast to Hashem, Who is all powerful. Idols have “mouths but can’t speak, ears but can’t hear, eyes but can’t see and legs but can’t walk.”

The perek ends by relating that Am Yisrael trusts in God because He is our shield. We will praise Him forever and ever.

Verse 16 says:

הַשָּׁמַיִם שָׁמַיִם לַיהוָה וְהָאָרֶץ נָתַן לִבְנֵי־אָדָם׃

The heavens belong to God, but the earth He gave to man.

The Shemos Rabba 12:3 brings the following parable: There was a king who decreed that the two parts of his kingdom shouldn’t have any interaction with each other. When Hashem created the world He decreed that the heavens should have nothing to do with the earth. When He gave us His Torah, however, He nullified that decree. Torah merges both the heavens and earth.

The same dichotomy is found between the body and soul. The body is considered like the earth, always being pulled after this world. The soul is like the heavens, drawn after spirituality. By giving us the Torah, Hashem gave us the ability to properly manage and merge the body and soul. When we use the Torah properly, we’re able to navigate our bodily urges and turn them into ways to come close to God.

May we merit finding the proper harmony between heavens and earth, body and soul.

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.