"Hashem is my shepherd; I shall not want"

Synopsis

Here, Rabbi Shimon tells us that the Shechinah came and dwelled on David and inspired him to recite this praise to God and to request sustenance from Him. When God brings food to the world, the Shechinah takes from it first, so it is for her sake that food descends to all the worlds. "the Creator is my shepherd," we learn, also means that He sustains a person with everything he needs.

Relevance

The Light of sustenance and abundance shines upon us through the merit of King David. We learn from David that one should meditate upon this passage with great desire, asking the Creator to fill all of our needs, for if one does not ask, one cannot receive. Thus, ask for everything good -- the totality of Light, the Final Redemption, the annulment of judgments, and infinite loving kindness.

David Shechinah Shepherd

808. This verse has been established, for it is written, "A Psalm of David, Hashem is my shepherd; I shall not want" (Tehilim 23:1), for we have learned the difference between "A Psalm of David" and "To David a psalm." "A PSALM OF DAVID" SHOWS THAT THE SHECHINAH DWELT UPON HIM AND THEN HE SANG, AND "TO DAVID A PSALM" SHOWS THAT FIRST HE SANG, THEN THE SHECHINAH DWELT UPON HIM. Here by "Hashem is my shepherd," the Shechinah preceded and came and dwelt upon him first, FOR IT IS WRITTEN, "A PSALM OF DAVID." HE QUESTIONS, Why did the Shechinah go first here, BY "HASHEM IS MY SHEPHERD?" David should have gone first, since he asked for his sustenance from the Holy One, blessed be He.

808. וְהַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ, כְּתִיב מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד יְיָ' רֹעִי לָא אֶחְסָר. הָא אִתְּמַר, מָה בֵּין מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד, וּבֵין לְדָוִד מִזְמוֹר. וְהָכָא, שְׁכִינְתָּא קַדְמָא וְאַתְיָא, וְשָׁרָאת עָלֵיהּ בְּקַדְמֵיתָא. יְיָ' רֹעִי, וְכִי אֲמַּאי שְׁכִינְתָּא קַדְמָא הָכָא, וְהָא דָּוִד אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאַקְדְּמָא אִיהוּ בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, הוֹאִיל וּבָעֵי מְזוֹנֵיהּ מֵעִם קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.

David Food Praise Prayer Shechinah

809. HE ANSWERS, Surely the Shechinah went first and came and dwelt upon him, and aroused him to recite this praise to the King and request sustenance of the King. This is the way it should be concerning food, FOR THE SHECHINAH desires it and Her wish is that all the inhabitants of the world should pray for food, because when the Holy One, blessed be He, desires to bring down food to the world, THE SHECHINAH takes first. For Her sake, food descends to all the worlds, BECAUSE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE THAT THOSE BELOW SHOULD RECEIVE ANYTHING UNLESS THOSE ABOVE RECEIVE FIRST, AS MENTIONED ABOVE. Therefore, THE SHECHINAH went first in this matter of food and dwelt upon David.

809. אֶלָּא, וַדַּאי שְׁכִינְתָּא קַדְמָא וְאַתְיָא, וְשָׁרָאת עָלֵיהּ, וְאַתְעֲרַת לֵיהּ לְשַׁבְּחָא לְמַלְכָּא שְׁבָחָא דָּא, וּלְמִבָּעֵי מְזוֹנֵי מִקָּמֵי מַלְכָּא, דְּהָא הָכִי אִצְטְרִיךְ עַל מִלָּה דִּמְזוֹנָא דְּבַעְיָא אִיהִי וּרְעוּתָא דִּילָהּ, דְּכָל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא יִבְעוּן מְזוֹנֵי. בְּגִין דְּכַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעֵי לְנַחְתָּא מְזוֹנֵי לְעָלְמָא, אִיהִי נַטְלָא בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, וְעָלָה נַחְתֵּי מְזוֹנֵי לְעָלְמִין כֻּלְּהוּ. וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ אִיהִי אַקְדִּימַת לְמִלָּה דָּא דִּמְזוֹנֵי, וְשָׁרַאת עָלֵיהּ דְּדָוִד.

Red Sea Sheep Shepherd

810. יְיָ' רֹעִי, יְיָ' רַעְיָא דִּילִי, כְּהַאי רַעְיָא דְּמַדְבַּר עָאנָא דִּילֵיהּ בְּאֲתָר דִּדְּשָׁאִין וַעֲשָׂבִין, דְּלָא מִחְסַר בֵּיהּ כָּל מִדְּעַם. אוּף הָכִי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, הוּא אִיהוּ, רַעְיָא דִּילִי, לְמֵיזָן לִי בְּכָל מָה דַּאֲנָא אִצְטְרִיךְ. ד"א יְיָ' רֹעִי, תָּנֵינָן, דְּקָשִׁין מְזוֹנוֹתָיו דְּב"נ קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כִּקְרִיעַת יַם סוּף. הָכָא תְּרֵין גַּוְונִין אִינּוּן, וְתַרְוַויְיהוּ בְּאֹרַח קְשׁוֹט.