Vayishlach: Chapter 29

"I will praise Hashem with my whole heart"

Synopsis

Rabbi Elazar quotes the title verse and proceeds to discuss the righteous ways of King David, who devoted his life to God. David knew that when the northern wind stirs at midnight, God joins the righteous in the Garden of Eden. He also knew that the words of the Torah spoken at night ascend before God. Therefore, he would rise at midnight to sing songs and to praise God. Of all the titles that he gave his songs, "Halleluyah" was the greatest - because the word encompasses both the Name of God and the call to praise Him. Rabbi Elazar then concludes by explaining the meaning of "whole heart" and "the assembly of the upright."

Relevance

The might and mystical wisdom of King David is stirred up within our soul, as we peruse this passage. Specifically, the Light aroused at midnight through the actions and songs of David, descends into our world, filling our souls and the souls of mankind. This diminishes the spiritual darkness that gives birth to personal and global strife.

Congregation David Heart Kingdom Midnight Praise

267. Rabbi Elazar then quoted the verse, "Haleluyah. I will praise Hashem with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation" (Tehilim 111:1). This verse has already been explained, yet come and behold, King David worshiped the Holy One, blessed be He, all his life. He would rise at midnight to praise and offer thanks in songs and hymns to establish his place in the kingdom above.

267. פְּתַח רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וַאֲמַר, הַלְלוּיָה אוֹדֶה יי' בְּכָל לֵבָב בְּסוֹד יְשָׁרִים וְעֵדָה, הַאי קְרָא אוֹקְמוּהָ, אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי, דָּוִד מַלְכָּא, כָּל יוֹמוֹי, הֲוָה מִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּפוּלְחָנָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וַהֲוָה קָם בְּפַלְגוּת לֵילְיָא, וּמְשַׁבַּח וּמוֹדֶה בְּשִׁירִין וְתוּשְׁבְּחָן, בְּגִין לְאִתְתַּקָּנָא דּוּכְתֵּיהּ בְּמַלְכוּ דִּלְעֵילָא.

David Garden of Eden Midnight Morning Righteous Wind

268. He knew that when the northern wind stirred at midnight, the Holy One, blessed be He, rose in the Garden of Eden to delight Himself with the Righteous. David therefore rose at that time and strengthened himself with songs and praises until morning.

268. דְּכַד אִתְעַר רוּחַ צָפוֹן, בְּפַלְגוּת לֵילְיָא, הֲוָה יָדַע, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא, יִתְעַר בְּגִנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן, לְאִשְׁתַּעְשֵׁעַ עִם צַדִּיקַיָּיא, וְאִיהוּ הֲוָה קָם בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא, וְאִתְגַּבַּר בְּשִׁירִין וְתוּשְׁבְּחָן, עַד דְּסָלֵיק צַפְרָא.

David Garden of Eden Love Righteous Singing Thread Torah Voice

269. This is because the Holy One, blessed be He, is then in the Garden of Eden. We have explained that He and all the Righteous in the Garden would listen to his voice, as it is written, "the companions hearken for your voice, cause me to hear it" (Shir Hashirim 8:13). A thread of grace would also be drawn upon him by day, as we learned from the verse, "in the daytime Hashem will command his steadfast love, and in the night His song shall be with me" (Tehilim 42:9). Moreover, the words of Torah he uttered DURING THE NIGHT would rise and be adorned before the Holy One, blessed be He. King David, therefore, would devote the whole night to the worship of his Master.

269. בְּגִין, דְּכַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִשְׁתַּכַּח בְּגִנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן, הָא אוֹקִימְנָא, דְּאִיהוּ, וְכָל צַדִּיקַיָּיא דִּבְגִנְתָּא, כֻּלְּהוּ צַיְיתִי לְקָלֵיהּ, כְּדִכְתִיב חֲבֵרִים מַקְשִׁיבִים לְקוֹלֵךְ הַשְׁמִיעִנִי. וְלָא עוֹד, אֶלָּא דְחוּטָא דְחֶסֶד, מָשִׁיךְ עֲלֵיהּ בִּימָמָא, כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר, דִּכְתִיב יוֹמָם יְצַוֶּה יי' חַסְדּוֹ וּבַלַּיְלָה שִׁירֹה עִמִּי. וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא דְאִינוּן מִלִּין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּאִיהוּ אֲמַר, כֻּלְּהוּ סָלְקִין, וּמִתְעַטְּרִין קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּבְגִין כָּך, דָּוִד מַלְכָּא, הֲוָה מִשְׁתַּדֵּל בְּלֵילְיָא בְּפוּלְחָנָא דְמָארֵיהּ.

Congregation David Hallel Nukva Peace Praise

270. Come and behold, "Haleluyah." From all the songs and hymns David had sung, the greatest was Haleluyah, as has been explained. What is the reason for this? It contains both a name and praise. HE ASKS, What are they? The name is Yah, but what of the praise? The praise is the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS THE NUKVA CALLED HALEL, BECAUSE it perpetually offers praise to the Holy One, blessed be He, and is never silent, as it is written, "Do not keep silence, Elohim: do not hold Your peace, and be still, El" (Tehilim 83:2), because it offers continuous praise before Him. This is why a name and praise together ARE HINTED AT IN THE WORD HALELUYAH (LIT. 'PRAISE YAH').

270. תָּא חֲזֵי, הַלְלוּיָהּ, בְּכָל אִינוּן שִׁירִין וְתוּשְׁבְּחָן, דְּקָאֲמַר דָּוִד, הָא תָּנִינָן, דִּלְעֵילָא מִכֻּלְּהוֹן, הוּא הַלְלוּיָהּ, וְאוֹקְמוּהָ, מַאי טַעְמָא, בְּגִין דְּכָלֵיל שְׁמָא וְשִׁבְחָא כַּחֲדָא. מַאי שְׁמָא וְשִׁבְחָא. שְׁמָא: דָּא י"ה. שִׁבְחָא מַאן אִיהוּ, אֶלָּא דָּא כ"י, דְּאִיהוּ מִתְקַנֵּא שִׁבְחָא תָּדִיר לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְלָא אִשְׁתַּכְּכַת, כד"א אֱלֹהִים אַל דֳּמִי לָךְ אַל תֶּחֱרָשׁ וְאַל תִּשְׁקֹט אֵל. בְּגִין, דְּסִדּוּרָא דְּשִׁבְחָא, אִיהִי מְסַדְּרַת, וּמְשַׁבַּחַת תָּדִיר לְגַבֵּיהּ, וּבְגִין כָּךְ שְׁמָא וְשִׁבְחָא כַּחֲדָא.

Evil Evil Inclination Good Inclination Heart Praise

271. "I will praise Hashem with my whole heart." It has already been explained THAT WITH THE WHOLE HEART MEANS with the Good Inclination and the Evil, which are constant companions to man, as was explained in reference to "with all your heart" (Devarim 6:5). THIS MEANS THAT THE GOOD INCLINATION DWELLS IN THE RIGHT PART OF THE HEART, AND THE EVIL INCLINATION IN THE LEFT PART. IT IS TRUE IN THIS CASE AS WELL.

271. אוֹדֶה יי' בְּכָל לֵבָב, כְּמָה דְאוֹקְמוּהָ, בְּיֵצֶר הַטּוֹב וּבְיֵצֶר הָרָע, בְּגִין דְּאִינוּן מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי תָּדִיר לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּבַּר נָשׁ, כְּדָבָר אֲחֵר בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ, וְאוֹקְמוּהָ.

Congregation Grades Levites Priests Righteous

272. " ...In the assembly of the upright ..." refers to Yisrael, WHO ARE CALLED 'UPRIGHT,' BECAUSE all the grades are adorned through them, the priests and Levites, the Righteous and the pious, who are upright. " ...In the congregation," has the same meaning as "stands in the congregation of El" (Tehilim 82:1). They are the mystery with which the Holy One, blessed be He, adorns Himself.

272. בְּסוֹד יְשָׁרִים, אִלֵּין אִינוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּכָל דַּרְגִּין בְּהוֹ מִתְעַטְּרָן, כַּהֲנֵי, וְלֵיוָאֵי, צַדִּיקֵי וַחֲסִידֵי, יְשָׁרִים. וְעֵדָה: כד"א נִצָּב בַּעֲדַת אֵל. וְאִינוּן רָזָא, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוא אִתְעַטַּר בְהוֹ.

Praise Prayer

273. It therefore behooves a man to constantly praise the Holy One, blessed be He, because He desires songs and hymns. Whoever knows how to properly praise the Holy One, blessed be He, will find that He accepts his prayer and delivers him. This is the meaning of the verse, "I will set him on high, because he has known My name ...with long life will I satisfy him" (Tehilim 91:14-16).

273. וּבג"כ, בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ, לְשַׁבָּחָא לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא תָּדִיר, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ אִתְרְעֵי בְּשִׁירִין וְתוּשְׁבְּחָן, וּמַאן דְּיָדַע לְשַׁבָּחָא לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קַבֵּיל צְלוֹתֵיהּ, וְשֵׁזֵיב לֵיהּ, הה"ד אֲשַׂגְּבֵהוּ כִּי יָדַע שְׁמִי וגו' אֹרֶךְ יָמִים וגו.'

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