Read the text of Tehilim 47
Transcription
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 47.
This perek continues the chapters that were written by the sons of Korach and the theme of the final redemption. It specifically discusses the tremendous happiness and joy that will fill the world when God reveals His kingship for all to experience.
The Ramad Walli explains that while the previous perek discussed the war of Gog U’Magog that will take place at the end of days, this one points out that, after the great war, the nations of the world will all want to connect to God through the Jewish people.
When the truth of God’s oneness becomes apparent, the entire creation will recognize that Am Yisrael is the conduit through which He sends His light into the world. They will want to connect to the Jewish nation as a whole.
The sons of Korach call upon the nations of the world to “clap your hands and sing to God.” The whole world will recognize His omnipotence and recognize the Jewish nation as His chosen people. They will voluntarily join Am Yisrael in proclaiming God as the only King.
The Meforshim explain that the truth of Am Yisrael’s purpose in the world will become apparent after the Jewish nation returns to its land.
Based on the following passuk, many communities have the custom to recite this chapter right before tekiyas hashofar, blowing of the shofar, on Rosh Hashana.
In verse 6 and 7 we read:
עָלָ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהִים בִּתְרוּעָ֑ה יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה בְּק֣וֹל שׁוֹפָֽר׃ זַמְּר֣וּ אֱלֹהִ֣ים זַמֵּ֑רוּ זַמְּר֖וּ לְמַלְכֵּ֣נוּ זַמֵּֽרוּ׃
The Lord ascends at the blast of the shofar. God at the sounds of the ram’s horn. Sing to God; sing! sing to our King; Sing!
Reb Nosson in Hilchos Geyrim, and others, say that the reason we say this perek on Rosh Hashana is because it primarily discusses the closeness the gentile nations will feel to Hashem. They will all want to convert to Judaism. Verses 3 and 4 proclaim that God will be the Melech Elyon al kol ha’aretz – the awesome King of the world.
When we blow the shofar on Rosh Hashana, we proclaim God as the King of the cosmos, revealing His Divinity to enable all to come close to Him. Even the person farthest from Hashem will be able to connect to and experience Him.
When hearing the Shofar, even those who feel that they’ve done irreparable damage to their lives can be aroused to do Teshuva, to start over again, to proclaim and accept God as King. Although it may seem that you have left God, it is impossible! God is everywhere, and there is no escaping His Presence. This realization can bring you to Teshuva. There is great relief in knowing that you can always repair what you’ve damaged because God is always with you!
This should be a great source of encouragement for everyone. If you believe that you’ve destroyed, believe that you can build, that things can get better no matter what they look like on the outside.
The Ramad Walli says that this is what Yeshaya HaNavi foretold about the time of redemption.
“On that day God will sound the big shofar and the lost people from the land of Ashur will come to Eretz Yisrael. They will bow to Hashem on His holy mountain in Yerushalyim.”
There is nothing in life that doesn’t contain an aspect of Divinity. The things which seem most distant from Kedusha will reveal their Divinity, and be transformed into Kedusha and holiness. The whole world will hear the sound of the shofar calling them to Teshuva. They will hear an inner voice urging them to come close to God and leave the exile for Eretz Yisrael.
May we all merit hearing God call out to us with the sound of the shofar, when all will see the Yichud of Hashem and proclaim Yerushalyim as His holy city. They will come from distant lands to pay homage to Him in the 3rd Beis Hamikdash in Yerushalayim.