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Thursday

י"ח אדר ב’ התשפ"ד

Thursday
י"ח אדר ב’ התשפ"ד

חיפוש בארכיון

Hallel explained – 6

Tehilim – 118

Although we have explained that all the nations will recognize the reality of Hashem and will praise Him, it is nevertheless fitting that Klal Yisrael will praise Him in a more unique way:

הוֹדוּ לַה’ כִּי טוֹב-Give thanks to Hashem for He is good, for He is the ultimate and complete Goodness, and we must also thank Him כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ-because His kindness is forever, as He performs acts of kindness with the entire world, with His protection and salvation.

יֹאמַר נָא יִשְׂרָאֵל-Yisrael will now say-even now, Klal Yisrael recognizes that when they will be redeemed all will see the greatness of Hashem’s kindness to them, כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ-because His kindness is forever, and this will be the biggest and most complete kindness for Klal Yisrael, when they go out from servitude to everlasting liberty, for this Redemption will be the Final Redemption after which there will be no more Exile, and the kindness of Hashem will remain with us forevermore.

יֹאמְרוּ נָא בֵית אַהֲרֹן-The House of Aharon will now say-(The House of Aharon) who in the present Exile have no Service in the Temple, and no Holiness, and it is almost unnoticeable that they are distinguished (from the rest of the nation) in their Holiness, but at the time of the Redemption they will recognize כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ-that His kindness is forever!

יֹאמְרוּ נָא יִרְאֵי ה‘-Those who fear Hashem will now say-(Those who fear Hashem) who in this time of Exile are unable to serve Hashem fittingly, and are unable to cleave to G-d because of the terror and oppression of the enemies, will recognize at the time of the Redemption כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ-that His kindness is forever!

Even though the Exile endures for a long time we must not give up hope that the Redemption will come, for even in Egypt מִן הַמֵּצַר קָרָאתִי יָ-הּ עָנָנִי בַמֶּרְחַב יָ-הּ-I called G-d from the tight place, G-d answered me (and placed me) in the wide place, and took me out from the enslavement in Egypt to freedom, and so too now, ה לִי לֹא אִירָא-Hashem is for me, I will not fear, for מַה יַּעֲשֶׂה לִי אָדָם-what can a (mere) human being do to me, surely Hashem can transform all the enemies into friends who will not damage me at all. ה לִי-Hashem is for me-if I would bring myself close to Hashem in the correct way, all the enemies would become בְּעֹזְרָי-amongst my helpers, וַאֲנִי אֶרְאֶה בְשֹׂנְאָי-and I will see my enemies, for they will also help me! Therefore, while still in Exile, טוֹב לַחֲסוֹת בַּה‘-it is better to be sheltered by Hashem, by fulfilling the Commandments and performing good deeds, מִבְּטֹחַ בָּאָדָם-than to trust mankind. טוֹב לַחֲסוֹת בַּה‘-It is better to be sheltered by Hashem, מִבְּטֹחַ בִּנְדִיבִים-than to trust noblemen, i.e. the Kings and Princes of the nations. For in the days of Chizkiyahu King of Yehudah, כָּל גּוֹיִם סְבָבוּנִי-all the nations surrounded me, Sancheriv and his army besieged Yerusholayim. בְּשֵׁם ה’ כִּי אֲמִילַם-In the Name of Hashem, for I will destroy them, and they were cut off from this World in a miraculous way, by the Hand of G-d. And Nevuchadnetzar and his army סַבּוּנִי גַם סְבָבוּנִי-completely surrounded me-they besieged Yerusholayim many times until they conquered it, בְּשֵׁם ה’ כִּי אֲמִילַם-In the Name of Hashem, for I will destroy them, and they were punished for it by Hashem, for not a single man survived. And in the time of the Second Temple, the Kingdoms of Persia, Mede and Greece סַבּוּנִי כִדְבוֹרִים דֹּעֲכוּ כְּאֵשׁ קוֹצִים-they surrounded me like bees, they extinguished (my fire) like a thorn fire (which does not burn for long), they were defeated by the Chashmonaim like fire which eats up the thorns, בְּשֵׁם ה’ כִּי אֲמִילַם-in the Name of Hashem, for I will destroy them. And now, in this final Exile, דָּחֹה דְחִיתַנִי לִנְפֹּל-he (the nations) has pushed me to fall, as in this Exile we have been the closest ever to absolute annihilation, וַה’ עֲזָרָנִי-and Hashem has helped me. עָזִּי וְזִמְרָת יָ-הּ-The strength and songs of Hashem, the strength which I had with which I avoided annihilation in this Exile, cause me to sing now to Hashem. וַיְהִי לִי-And He (Hashem) was for me לִישׁוּעָה-a salvation. And at that time of redemption there will be קוֹל רִנָּה וִישׁוּעָה בְּאָהֳלֵי צַדִּיקִים-the sound of rejoicing and salvation in the tents of the Righteous Ones, who will say that יְמִין ה עֹשָׂה חָיִל-the right hand of Hashem is creating victory, and it was the supervision and protection of Hashem which created this victory, and not my strength and the power of my hand. And seeing that יְמִין ה רוֹמֵמָה-the right hand of Hashem is exalted, and rules over the laws of nature, it follows that יְמִין ה עֹשָׂה חָיִל-the right hand of Hashem creates victory. The Poet continues and addresses all the doubters who think that Klal Yisrael will expire in this Exile, and he guarantees and says in the name of the whole nation לֹא אָמוּת-“I will not die in this Exile, כִּי אֶחְיֶה-but I will live, and always look forward to the Salvation of Hashem, וַאֲסַפֵּר מַעֲשֵׂי יָ-הּ-and I will recount the deeds of Hashem”. And even though there will be many extremely difficult times in this Exile, nevertheless it is no more than that יַסֹּר יִסְּרַנִּי יָ-הּ-Hashem made me suffer, but וְלַמָּוֶת-to death, i.e. complete annihilation, לֹא נְתָנָנִי-He has not given me over. Now the Poet visualizes the Gates of Thanksgiving to Hashem being closed during the Exile, and says therefore in the name of the nation,
פִּתְחוּ לִי שַׁעֲרֵי צֶדֶק
-“Open up the gates of righteousness for me, and I, the people of Yisrael, אָבֹא בָם אוֹדֶה יָ-הּ-I will enter them, I will thank Hashem”. And it is as if the Gates themselves answer back, זֶה הַשַּׁעַר לַה‘-“This is the gate of Hashem, and therefore only צַדִּיקִים יָבֹאוּ בוֹ-Righteous Ones can enter it”. And when Klal Yisrael will return to Hashem with complete repentance, they will all be fitting to enter these Gates.


After the Redemption Klal Yisrael will say, אוֹדְךָ כִּי עֲנִיתָנִי-“I thank You because You have answered me, in this bitter Exile, because the Exile has concluded וַתְּהִי לִי לִישׁוּעָה-and you have been a salvation for me”. This has come to pass through אֶבֶן מָאֲסוּ הַבּוֹנִים-the stone which the builders discarded, i.e. Klal Yisrael, which הָיְתָה לְרֹאשׁ פִּנָּה-has become the cornerstone (of the World), for the reconstruction of the World and the Beis HaMikdash, in the “Future which is to Come”, will all be founded on the nation of Yisrael. And this salvation will not be brought about through the strength of the “arm” of Klal Yisrael. On the contrary, מֵאֵת ה הָיְתָה זֹּאת-this has come directly from Hashem, הִיא נִפְלָאת בְּעֵינֵינוּ-it is wonderful in our eyes, for in people’s view, the Redemption will be an astonishing occurrence. זֶה הַיּוֹם עָשָׂה ה‘-This is the day that Hashem produced, i.e. the day of the Redemption, נָגִילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה בוֹ-we will rejoice and be happy on it.

Now the Poet prays to Hashem that He should fulfil His kind pledge, and says: אָנָּא ה‘ הוֹשִׁיעָה נָּא-“Please Hashem, save (us) now, and redeem Klal Yisrael.” And since the complete Redemption is dependent on Klal Yisrael’s repentance, he adds: אָנָּא ה’ הַצְלִיחָה נָּא-“Please Hashem, make us succeed in performing a complete repentance.”

בָּרוּךְ הַבָּא בְּשֵׁם ה-Blessed is he who comes in the Name of Hashem-he who draws near to the service of Hashem will be blessed in the Name of Hashem, בֵּרַכְנוּכֶם מִבֵּית ה-we bless you (with a blessing which comes) from the House of Hashem. And seeing thatOne who comes to purify himself, will be helped,” אֵ-ל ה’ וַיָּאֶר לָנוּ-Hashem is our powerful G-d and He will give light for us-to all those who desire to become close to Him. And even if his earthly body and the Evil Inclination hold a person back from repenting, אִסְרוּ חַג בַּעֲבֹתִים עַד קַרְנוֹת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ-tie the Offering with ropes, to the corners of the Altar-in the same way that we tie up the animal which has been separated for the Offering until we bring it to the Altar to fulfil its purpose, so too tie up the animal-like body and the Evil Inclination, until it fulfils its purpose. When that time will come you shall say, אֵלִי אַתָּה וְאוֹדֶךָּ אֱֱלֹ-הַי אֲרוֹמְמֶךָּ-You are my L-rd and I will thank You, (You are) my G-d and I will exalt You. הוֹדוּ לַה’ כִּי טוֹב-Give thanks to Hashem for He is good, כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ-because His kindness is forever.

The concluding blessing of the Hallel is named “The Song Blessing”. Its main point is that Hashem has no need for our praise and glorification, for He is more exalted than any blessing or praise. We have no comprehension of Hashem at all. The purpose of the praise etc. is for the people who are praying, who show by this praise their extreme love for Hashem. Since any understanding we have of Hashem is through the actions that He performs to influence us, the Poet writes this blessing as if the actions and deeds themselves praise the Name of Hashem. And if that is the case, Klal Yisrael, who are His servants, must definitely praise and laud the Name of Hashem.

יְהַלְלוּךָ ה אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ כָּל מַעֲשֶׂיךָ-All of Your creations should praise You, Hashem our G-d-the actions of Hashem themselves praise Hashem by their very existence, וַחֲסִידֶיךָ צַדִּיקִים עוֹשֵׂי רְצוֹנֶךָ-and Your pious righteous ones who do Your will, וְכָל עַמְךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל-and Your entire nation-the House of Yisrael, it is fitting for them to also praise and laud Hashem, and therefore בְּרִנָה-with song, יוֹדוּ-they will thank וִיבָרְכוּ-and bless, וִישַׁבְּחוּ-and laud, וִיפָאֲרוּ-and beautify, וִירוֹמְמוּ-and exalt, וְיַעֲרִיצוּ-and revere, וְיַקְדִּישׁוּ-and sanctify, וְיַמְלִיכוּ-and make reign, אֶת שִׁמְךָ מַלְכֵּנוּ-Your name, our King. כִּי לְךָ טוֹב לְהוֹדוֹת-For it is good to give thanks to You, וּלְשִׁמְךָ נָאֱה לְזַמֵר-and it is fitting to sing to Your Name, כִּי מֵעוֹלָם וְעַד עוֹלָם אַתָּה אֵ-ל-for You are the L-rd always and forever.

“And they designated they eight days of Chanukah, to thank and praise Your great name”