Rabbi’s Reflections – Saturday, May 25, 2024
Shabbat Shalom *|FNAME|*,
Day 28 of counting the Omer
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל סְפִירַת הָעֹֽמֶר
Baruch Atah Adonai Elohenu Melech Ha-Olam, Asher Kid’shanu B’mitzvotav, Vitzivanu Al Sefirat Ha-Omer.
Blessed are You O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us by his commandments and commanded us about the counting of the Omer. Today is four weeks and no days of the counting of the Omer.
Follow up that prayer by remembering a blessing from the Lord and give Him thanks. 2Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who in Messiah always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us reveals everywhere the aroma of the knowledge of Himself.
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Chesed in Psalm 118
by David Harwood
Psalm 117 serves as a chesed-חֶסֶד introduction to Psalm 118.
Praise Adonai, all you nations!
Glorify Him, all you peoples.
For great is His chesed-חֶסֶד toward us,
and Adonai’s truth endures forever.
Halleluyah! (Psalm 117)
Please keep reading.
Praise Adonai, for He is good.
For His chesed-חֶסֶד is everlasting.
O let Israel say:
“His chesed-חֶסֶד is everlasting.”
O let the house of Aaron say:
“His chesed-חֶסֶד is everlasting.”
O let those who fear Adonai say:
“His chesed-חֶסֶד is everlasting.” (Psalm 118:1–4)
Herein we first find a general call to give thanks to Adonai. That call is narrowed to Israel, and then to those who represent Israel in the sanctuary. Finally, this divine summons is issued to all who fear the Lord.
To whom does “those who fear the Lord” refer? I believe it refers to anyone, from any nation, from any century, who reveres Adonai.
Please note the connection between God’s manifest goodness and the reason His goodness is manifest: it’s His chesed-חֶסֶד. The goodness humanity experiences is the freely offered chesed-חֶסֶד of a good God.
What about in bad times? When things aren’t good. What about seasons, or epochs, of having to endure severe chastisement that comes from the Lord? Is chesed-חֶסֶד still celebrated?
Look at this attitude:
Because of the cheseds-חֶסֶד of Adonai we will not be consumed, for His compassions never fail. (Lamentations 3:22)
Jeremiah wrote this as he helplessly witnessed God’s chastisement of Judah: the Babylonian dispersion, the decimation of His people, and the destruction of the Temple.
He wrote:
Remember my affliction my homelessness, bitterness and gall. Whenever I remember, my soul is downcast within me. This I recall to my heart— therefore I have hope:
Because of the cheseds-חֶסֶד of Adonai we will not be consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning! Great is Your faithfulness.
He had hope? His cheseds-חֶסֶד don’t cease?
I can imagine someone in Jeremiah’s circumstance remonstrating with God, “Where are Your cheseds-חֶסֶד?” One could look around and hardly find any evidence of intervening love.
But Jeremiah had the Torah, the Writings, and the Prophets who preceded him. He had experienced the Voice of God. He believed the Word concerning God’s intervening love more than the surrounding circumstances. He believed the Word about the righteousness of the Judgment and glorified God in the midst of his grief.
Read what follows…
“Adonai is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.” Adonai is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul that seeks Him. It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of Adonai. It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth. Let him sit alone and be silent, since He has laid it upon him. Let him put his mouth in the dust— there may yet be hope.
Jeremiah was saying,
“More than my circumstances, I have the Lord!
“Adonai is my portion – therefore I have hope!”
He had hope for his and his people’s future. What were the grounds of this expectation? This: Adonai is unchanging. He is good to those who wait for, and seek, Him
Jeremiah knew that Judah’s judgment was not permanent. That which proceeds from chesed-חֶסֶד was the anticipated final word.
Let him offer his cheek to the one who strikes him. Let him have his fill of disgrace. For the Lord will not reject forever. For though He has caused grief, yet He will have compassion according to His abundant chesed-חֶסֶד. (Lamentations 3:19–32)
The Lord will not reject forever. He will have compassion according to His abundant cheseds-חֶסֶד on those who wait on Him, and rely upon that chesed-חֶסֶד.
Chesed-חֶסֶד is the manifestation of intervening love. It is active mercy.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
17 Iyar Shabbat 25-May-24
Parashat Behar 28th day of the Omer Leviticus 25:47-26:2 Jeremiah 32:6-27