New Heights in Jewish Prayer - TorahLab · Page 2 TorahLab / New Heights in Jewish Prayer / Segment 14 / Ashrei 4 TM TorahLab / New Heights in Jewish Prayer / Segment 14 / Ashrei

New Heights in Jewish Prayer

Segment 14

Ashrei 4

TMTM

Page 2 TorahLab / New Heights in Jewish Prayer / Segment 14 / Ashrei 4

TMTM

TorahLab / New Heights in Jewish Prayer / Segment 14 / Ashrei 4 Page 3

NOTES

TMTM

Ashrei 4

q Psalms 22:29

“For G-d has Kingship (melech) and He rules (moshel) the nations…And G-d will be the King

over the entire world”.

w Genesis 37:7-8

[Yoseph recounts his dream:] “We were gathering sheaves in the field, my sheaf arose (kamah) and

remained standing (nitzav). Your sheaves surrounded my sheaf and bowed down to my sheaf.”

The brothers said to him: “Do you want to be a king over us? Do you want to rule over us?”


TMTM


NOTES

TMTM


TMTM


NOTES

TMTM

e Vilna Gaon; Avnei Eliyohu Az Yashir

Is G-d not already King over the entire world?

A king by definition is someone who is crowned by his subjects by their own free and good

will. A moshel, on the other hand, is the strongest of the people and a conqueror who forces

every one to become his subjects. Yoseph in his dream mentioned two things:

1. “My sheaf will stand up”– This referred to his future role as a ruler (the first time the brothers

met him it was in the capacity of someone who was mightier than them).

2. “…and they bowed down to my sheaf”– This referred to a time when the brothers would

proclaim him king over them. The response of the brothers [in the following verse] becomes

very clear.


TMTM


NOTES

TMTM


TMTM


NOTES

TMTM

Vilna Gaon; Avnei Eliyohu Az Yashir, continued

The same is true in our relationship with G-d. We have accepted G-d’s kingship out of our

own free will and can consider Him our King. The other nations did not accept G-d’s Kingship;

however, because of His might He still rules them according to His will. In the future there will

come a time when everyone will accept the reign of G-d and willfully crown Him as King. At

that time “G-d will be King over the entire world”.

The distinction of the Jewish people is that we willingly accepted G-d as our King (Melech).

Since we accepted Him out of trust, we accept upon ourselves any laws or troubles that He

may bring upon us, confident in the knowledge that we chose Him because He knows what

is best for us. Others are also subject to the rule of G-d but do not have the comfort of know-

ing that He is someone who they have accepted and trust. To these people G-d is a Moshel, a

Ruler, but not a King.

r K’sav V’Kabala, Leviticus 1:1

The definition of ָאַמר (amar) as referring to something specific is evident when it is compared

to דבר (daber). For example in the verse וידבר ה‘ אל משה לאמר “And G-d spoke to Moshe saying”

(Lev. 1:1). When G-d spoke to Moshe, He would speak in general terms with a certain amount

of vagueness hence “וידבר”. Later, when Moshe would transmit these same teachings to the

Jewish people he would need to expound upon them in detail hence “לאמר”.

(See source for lengthy piece quoting many sources and logical support for this thesis and the

relationship to other forms of אמר mentioned below. Among his sources are Zohar Va’yechi 239,

Zohar Haazinu 300a, Vilna Gaon in Proverbs 4:20 and others. The only commentator who seems

to argue with this is the Malbim in Ayeles Hashachar (introduction to Toras Kohanim) 332).

Daber refers to general

statements; a focus on the

larger whole as opposed to

individual parts, while amar

refers to a more specific

statement.


TMTM


NOTES

TMTM


TMTM


NOTES

TMTM

Summary

Dovid HaMelech’s theme in this section of Ashrei is the two basic categories of people who

benefit from G-d. (Almost) everyone thanks G-d and acknowledges His existence on some

level, causing G-d to be quantitatively more praised than any other Being. At the same time

not all praise-givers can be lumped into one group. There are some groups that surpass every-

one in their praise, giving G-d more praise than that which is qualitatively given to any other

being. The quality of the praise is directly related to the depth of praise-giver’s understanding

of G-d.


TMTM


NOTES

TMTM

Documents

New Heights in Jewish Prayer - TorahLab · Page 2 TorahLab / New Heights in Jewish Prayer / Segment 14 / Ashrei 4 TM TorahLab / New Heights in Jewish Prayer / Segment 14 / Ashrei