Tehilim Perek 99

Hello everybody, I hope you’re all doing well on this wonderful day. Today’s NachDaily is Tehilim Chapter 99. I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. We are continuing in the chapters written by Moshe Rabbenu.

Moshe said this perek in reference to the great war of Gog U’Magog that will take place at the end of days. For further information on Gog U’Magog, check out the NachDaily archives on Yechezkel, chapter 38, and Zecharya, chapter 14.

This chapter opens with relating that God is the King and will cause the nations of the world to tremble. During the time period of Gog U’Magog, Hashem’s presence in Eretz Yisrael will be glaringly obvious. People will see Hashem’s providence in the world primarily through His protection of Eretz Yisrael. They will also see Hashem’s justice, righteousness and goodness.

The author calls on us to not only believe in Hashem, but to perform His mitzvos. Moshe, Aharon and Shmuel were among those who put their beliefs to the test and davened for Hashem’s help. When they called out to God He answered them. We must learn from the great Tzaddikim of the past to rely on and pray to God because He is holy.

Verse 6 says:

מֹ֘שֶׁ֤ה וְאַהֲרֹ֨ן ׀ בְּֽכֹהֲנָ֗יו וּ֭שְׁמוּאֵל בְּקֹרְאֵ֣י שְׁמ֑וֹ קֹרִ֥אים אֶל־יְ֝הוָ֗ה וְה֣וּא יַעֲנֵֽם׃

Moses and Aharon among His priests, Shmuel, among those who call on His Name— when they called to God, He answered them.

What does the mention of these Tzaddkim have to do with the rest of the psalms?

There’s an amazing Ramad Walli explaining that when Hashem will reveal His Kingship, people won’t only serve Him. They will also serve His Tzaddikim, seeing them as an extension of Him!

Moshe, Aharon, and Shmuel had great light radiating from their faces due to their righteousness. In the future, all of Yisrael will be elevated to their high levels and will also have light radiating from their faces. After all, aren’t “amcha kulam tzaddikim,” isn’t the entire Jewish nation made up of tzaddikim? When Hashem reveals Himself to this world at the time of the final redemption, therefore, Am Yisrael will be elevated to the level of Moshe, Aharon and Shmuel. The world will see this and by extension serve us.

In a similar vein, the Navi brings in several places that at the end of the final Geulah all of Am Yisrael will be elevated and become prophets just as when Hashem split the sea. The maid-servants at that time saw visions of prophecy greater than those of Yechezkel. So too, when Mashiach comes, we will all become neviim and perceive the inner workings of the world.