Rabbi’s Reflections – Monday, March 25, 2024
Shalom,
Yesterday we celebrated Purim at Shomair. The picture above show some of the costumes. It was a great day. Such a fun holiday.
The Psalms
Psalm 3:9(8) – Part 4
Psalm 3:9(8) Deliverance belongs to Adonai. Let Your blessing be on Your people. Selah
How did the “Tree of Life Version” (TLV, which we quote in the RR unless otherwise noted.) miss this? The Hebrew word is “HaYeshua” which means “the Yeshua (the salvation or even the Savior). The TLV uses the word “deliverance.” Similar, but not quite the same. There are only two words before the etnachta.
Rabbi Trail: For those of you who do not know or remember, an “etnachta” is a cantorial note that indicates a pause, much like a “comma” in English. Almost all of the verses of Scripture have one. A pause in the narrative does much to add to the meaning of the words.
Our current cantillation only goes back about 1200 years to the Masoretes of Tiberias. Tradition holds that some form of cantillation goes all the way back to Moses. This was in disuse until revived by Ezra around 475 BC, when he returned from Babylon.
Nehemiah 8:5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: 6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground….8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. End RT.
Those two words before the etnachta are “Yehovah” (the “Yud-Hay-Vav-Hay” ineffable name of God and “HaYeshua” meaning “the salvation” or “the Savior.” Rabbi’s note: Asher Intrater, in his book “Who Ate Lunch With Abraham” makes the case in support of the idea that Yeshua is the “Yud-Hay-Vav-Hay.” End RN. This could be viewed as an appositive, where “Yeshua” is just another way of saying the same name, Yehovah. The “Hey” pronounced “Ha” in front of Yeshua, does nothing to alter this view. It simply points out that this “Yeshua” is “THE One” about Whom we are speaking.
Beyond the etnachta are only four additional Hebrew words. “Al-Amcha” (upon your people), “Bir’cha’te’cha” (Your blessing), that’s the first three (although the first two of them are hyphenated). God’s blessing upon God’s people! How wonderful! King David cried out to God and God heard his cry (verse 5(4)). May God do the same for you and me.
And finally, “Selah” (pause and meditate on what was just said, it’s important). So the verse ends with a call to meditate on these significant words, The LORD is the Savior, bringing salvation (and, of course, the verse is addressing God) upon Your people, which is Your blessing. And while you’re meditating, no need to limit yourself to the last verse. Go ahead and meditate on the entire Psalm. Shalom shalom.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/
15 Adar II Monday 25-Mar-24 Shushan Purim
Leviticus 6:8-18[1-11]; Exodus 17:8-16 Isaiah 10 Psalm 148 Acts 15 Revelations 9