Tehilim Perek 124
Hello everybody, I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. Today we’ll be discussing Tehilim chapter 124, continuing the Shir Hama’alos chapters.
This chapter is on time for Chanukah. It’s so nice when what we’re learning lines up with the events of the day.
The Shai Lemora says that this perek implies that that we will be saved because we trust that Hashem will save us. And Hashem will actually save us.
In other words, we’ll be saved through emes and emunah, truth and faith. Emunah in the final redemption, and the truth of the very fact that we will be saved.
On a different note, the Alshich explains that this perek corresponds to the 4th galus. Verse 1 refers to the Babylonian exile and verses 2 through 4 to the Persian exile. Verses 5 through 7 refer to the Greek exile which was during the times of Chanukah, and verse 8 is our present exile of Edom.
In this chapter, the author recalls God’s protection throughout our long exile. As the smallest of all the nations, logically we should have been long gone, swept away by the ever-changing tides of life, like waves coming to engulf our national soul.
If not for God, we would have been trapped like a bird in a cage. Thank You, Hashem, for allowing us to escape. Our help only comes through You.
Verse 7 says:
נַפְשֵׁ֗נוּ כְּצִפּ֥וֹר נִמְלְטָה֮ מִפַּ֪ח י֫וֹקְשִׁ֥ים הַפַּ֥ח נִשְׁבָּ֗ר וַאֲנַ֥חְנוּ נִמְלָֽטְנוּ׃
Our soul escaped like a bird from the fowler’s trap; the trap broke and we escaped.
The Alshich explains this as referring to Chanukah. The Greeks didn’t want to destroy us physically, but spiritually, by contaminating our souls.
The trapped bird in our passuk is referring to our souls at the time of Chanukah. Hashem sent us a miracle and saved us.
The Kedushas Levi says that over the eight days of Chanukah we light 44 candles including the shamash. When we light the Chanukah licht here below, Hashem kindles the menorah lights Above. Our lighting combined with His equals 88 lights in all.
The word for trap in our passuk is Pach, Pei Ches, which equals 88. Our passuk would therefore read, Hashem broke the Pach, trap, which is the kingdom of Greece and Antiochus. This led to the Pach Shemen, 88 lights of Chanukah.
Additionally, it should be noted that the custom of the Arizal was to make the bracha L’hadlik Ner Chanuka without the word Shel. The first letters of L’hadlik Ner Chanukah, Lamed, Ches, Nun, equal 88.
May we merit Hashem saving us now, during Galus Edom, as He did during the Galus Yavan.
“Ohr chodesh al Tzion tair, a new light will shine on Tzion,” with the revelation of Mashiach ben Dovid, which will be higher even than the 88 lights of Chanukah,.
Stay tuned to our next episode of Nach Daily
Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.
