TEHILIM 17: How do you say in Hebrew “good heart”?

This Mizmor (Psalm) of Tehillim is a “Tefila” (prayer) in which King David asks God to protect him from his enemies. We do not know if those enemies are external enemies, the Pelishtim (Philistines) or other peoples against whom David fought once he was king, or internal enemies, nobles and other men who conspired against David. Perhaps, it may refer to the soldiers of King Saul, who sought to kill David before he was King. If this were the case, we know that in the end, the soldiers stopped from pursuing David because King Shaul had to mobilize his troops to confront the Pelishtim. If this is the case, we would know how and when the “prayer of David” was answered by God.

This Psalm is relatively long, and abounds in metaphors and literary motifs. We will explain only a couple of these metaphors.

David describes with two motifs how he wishes HaShem to protect him from those who persecute him.

Pasuq 8: “Guard me as the pupil of the eye, conceal me under the shadow of Your wings.”

The pupil is the most sensitive part of the eye. And it is protected by the eyelids in a wonderful way. If a foreign object approaches menacingly toward the eye, it is not necessary for the person to make a voluntary movement to protect his eye. The eyelids will close automatically, instantly. David asks God to protect him from his enemies as the eyelids protect the pupil. That is, that even when David does not suspected of being threatened, HaShem would operate its defenses to guard him.

“Conceal me under the shadow of your wings.” In this case, David has Melekh asks God to protect him like the eagle protects its young. Eagles cover their young “fully” with their wings, in a way that perhaps no other animals do (except, perhaps kangaroos). Concealing its chicks from the eyes of their predators. David asks HaShem (and this interpretation is perhaps further evidence that these enemies are the soldiers of King Shaul) to protect him from its enemies, “making him invisible”, in other words, making his enemies not to see him, not discovering him when he hides.

It is also interesting to see how King David describes his enemies.

In Pasuq 10, the King of Israel says: “Fat enclosing [their heart], and their mouths speak vanity.”

The second part of this pasuq (Bible verse) is very clear: the King’s enemies are not humble men, who seek the truth or the good of the people. All they seek is their own benefit. Increase their power to enjoy the reverence of the people. Ultimately, what these individuals want is to satisfy their thirst for honor and their insatiable vanity.

The first part of pasuq, “fat on the heart” requires a less short explanation.

According to Rashi, King David describes his enemies of having “hearts” surrounded by fat. What does it mean?

First, in Hebrew, like in English or Spanish, the heart is the organ related to feelings, especially to sensitivity. When we say about someone that he or she have “a good heart”, we do not mean to say what a cardiologist says when describing one of her healthy patients. Rather, we mean to say that he is a good person.

And yet, there is a curious difference between Hebrew and other languages in terms of motifs used with reference to the heart. For some reason (which I really ignore) in English or Spanish you can describe a good person as someone having a “heart of gold” , i.e., very good feelings. In biblical (not modern!) Hebrew, a heart of gold might be an offensive expression. The prophet Yehezqel, for example in pasuq 36:26, speaks of two hearts: a bad hard heart, made of “stone” as oppose to a good and soft heart, made of “flesh”. I imagine that in the universe of Biblical metaphors, and although not explicitly mentioned by Yehezqel, a “heart of gold”, being that is hard, would be closer to a heart of “stone” than to a heart of “flesh”. In other words, the ideal heart for the Hebrew Bible is not stone or gold, but soft and fleshy.

And yet, there is a further metaphor, indicating that even a heart of flesh sometimes needs repair.

The Tora says in Debarim 10:16 ומלתם את ערלת לבבכם “You should circumcise the foreskin of your heart …”.

What does the circumcision of the heart mean? Our hearts are capable of creating an adipose tissue (“fat” in the metaphor of Tehillim) which is considered as a foreskin of the heart. This additional layer is formed when we lose sensitivity, and we stop feeling uncomfortable in front of injustice, corruption, suffering and other bad things happening around us. A heart surrounded by fat, is a callous heart. That heart, according to the Tora, must be circumcised. King David describes his enemies with this profound Biblical metaphor. They are people with a heart covered by a “prepuce” (“heartless”, we would say in English), with feelings that are buried under a thick layer of fat, that has grown around it, and they have failed to remove it.

PSALM 16: True Jewish Faith

שויתי ה’ לנגדי תמיד

In this beautiful Mizmor, King David describes his faith in HaShem. In verse 5 he explains that if we really want to achieve the right level of faith we need to reeducate ourselves in terms of what is and what is not our goal in life; our mission statement.

Then, in pasuq 8, he describes the real Jewish faith. This verse is so important that it is written in most Synagogues, above the Hekhal, the Tora Ark, visible to all those presents at the time of prayers.

In the last pasuq, verse 11, David concludes his idea. His connection to God is the source of happiness and pleasure in this world and beyond.

Les us see now in depth these three verses.

David asserts that HaShem is his ultimate Protector and Savior. He knows that all the good things that happened to him, have come from God. The King of Israel rejects all form of idol worshipping, and any other service except serving the true God.

ה’ מנת חלקי וכוסי

In verse 5 he expresses a very profound idea “HaShem, you are my possession and my cup”. Radaq (Rabbi David Qimhi, Spain 1160-1235) explains the meaning of these words. While for most people their main goal in life (ultimate “possession”) and their deepest desire is to gain money and possess riches, so they can satisfy all their desires and instincts (“cup”), for the King of Israel, his main aspiration is connecting to God. Feeling close to HaShem satisfies all of the King’s desires and ambitions. He also hints that if we really want to feel God’s presence, we should first unfocus ourselves from the pursuit of pure material goals.

אתה תומיך גורלי

“You sustain my destiny”. For King David is not necessary to resort to oracles, fortune tellers of psychics, like idol-worshippers do, when they are fearful about the future. If I’m close to HaShem, David haMelekh reasons, He will guide my destiny, and I will have nothing to fear. For even when things do not go my way, I know and believe that HaShem is sustaining and guiding my destiny.

שויתי ה’ לנגדי תמיד

In verse 8, David writes what is considered the maximum expression of Jewish faith “I have set HaShem continuously in front of me, on my right side, so I will not stumble” . For David haMelekh “emuna” (Jewish faith) is not just a matter of belief. The true “emuna” obviously begins with the element of belief, but it goes way beyond belief. Emuna means to visualize (=”set”) and feel that HaShem is present. The key word is the hebrew word “tamid”, always, continuously. My Emuna grows when I have a more and continuous awareness of HaShem’s presence. And vice-versa. If my awareness of HaShem presence is sporadic, and it awakes almost exclusively in times of need, then my Emuná is far from perfect, even if I do declare that I believe in God. The mission statement of a Jew is to develop an awareness of God’s presence that stays with him or her, as much time as possible.

כי מימיני בל אמוט

“Because when He is at my right side, I will not stumble” . What is the consequence of having a permanent awareness of HaShem? When I set HaShem’s Presence as the main guideline of my life, when I live a life “under His sight”, then I will live a life of righteousness . I will not stumble, morally speaking.

Alternatively: what is the way to maintain a continuous consciousness of HaShem’s presence?

Living a righteous life, a life guided by His Tora, will help me to have HaShem always in front o me, and will prevent me from deviating from the path of righteousness.

תודיעני אורח חיים שובע שמחות את פניך נעימות מימיניך נצח

In the last pasuq (verse 11) David haMelekh concludes: תודיעני אורח חיים “Keep teaching me the ways of life”, Your Tora. in doing so שובע שמחות את פניך I will find everlasting happiness, coming from living in Your presence; נעימות מימיניך נצח and while other pleasures in life are just temporary, limited gratifications, I surely declare that the pleasure and enjoyment that comes from being connected with You, is unlimited and eternal.

TEHILIM 15: How do we measure integrity?

נשבע להרע ולא ימיר

This psalm of King David is very short, containing just five pesuquim (Biblical verses). But is very rich in meaning.

The text begins with a question:

PASUQ 1: “Who deserves to live in Your tent, who deserves to dwell in Your Sanctuary?”.

The words “live in His tent”, “dwell in His sanctuary” refers to achieving a very high spiritual state. “Living in God’s vicinity means feeling very close to Him, continuously. This depends, first, on the person’s desire to get closer to Him. And also on HaShem’s will, in considering this individual deserving His special attention [hashgacha peratit]. The question then is: What are the virtues that a man or a woman should cultivate to deserve living close to God, and, as Maimonides explains, to deserve HaShem’s attention?

PASUQ 2: “He who conducts himself with integrity, acts with righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart.”

This pasuq lists the virtues that one must have to become this “ideal human being” who deserves to live in His presence. It is worth noticing that all the qualities mentioned here have to do with integrity and honesty. It does not mean that other aspects of the Tora, religious rituals and ceremonies, are less important. It is only that this Psalm focuses specifically on morality. This pasuq speaks of three ethical principles that guide the deeds of a “good person”: integrity, justice and truthfulness. The next verse, as we will see now, will mention three wrongdoing that a “good person” should avoid.

PASUQ 3: “He does not slander with his tongue, nor he does evil to his fellow man, nor he offends his neighbor.”

Again, we see that this Psalm emphasizes the moral actions (ben adam lahabero) rather than the ceremonials (ben adam lamaqom). The first offense mentioned here is leshon hara: speaking ill of another person, behind his or her back, in words that, even if true, may cause harm to that person. Then, the pasuq refers to avoiding causing material damages, like stealing or assaulting someone physically. And finally, King David mentions not to offend others and avoiding causing emotional harm, i.e., damages that are caused mostly by words: insulting, offending or verbally abusing someone, etc.

PASUQ 4: ” He despises men who do evil; but would honor God fearing people. If he swears [he will fulfill his promise and] will not change, although [by keeping his word] he will loss”.

This pasuq relates to the conduct of this good man with himself. A decent man or woman does not envy the wicked, even if they succeed and prosper. The role model for this person are God-fearing people. That is, individuals who are conducting their lives with a permanent awareness that HaShem is watching what they do. Finally, a good man is, above all, honest. And how do you measure integrity in Judaism? When a person has already committed himself to do a business transaction, and although he did not sign anything, he gave his word. And then he realizes, or it happens that under new circumstances, to carry out that transaction will harm him economically and he would lose a lot of money by keeping his word. In these circumstances, the decent man will no retract himself. He will not change his words and will not deny his commitment. The man who deserves to live close to God, will honor his words. Would rather loss money than breaking his promise. This, in Judaism, is the epitome of integrity .

PASUQ 5: “He would not give his money at interest, or accept bribes to incriminate the innocent. He who does this, will never stumble” and will deserve to live in the proximity of God, in this world and in the next.

א מִזְמוֹר, לְדָוִד: ה’, מִי יָגוּר בְּאָהֳלֶךָ; מִי יִשְׁכֹּן, בְּהַר קָדְשֶׁךָ.

ב הוֹלֵךְ תָּמִים, וּפֹעֵל צֶדֶק; וְדֹבֵר אֱמֶת, בִּלְבָבוֹ.

ג לֹא-רָגַל, עַל-לְשֹׁנוֹ לֹא-עָשָׂה לְרֵעֵהוּ רָעָה; וְחֶרְפָּה, לֹא נָשָׂא עַל-קְרֹבוֹ.

ד נִבְזֶה, בְּעֵינָיו נִמְאָס וְאֶת-יִרְאֵי ה’ יְכַבֵּד; נִשְׁבַּע לְהָרַע, וְלֹא יָמִר.

ה כסְפּוֹ, לֹא-נָתַן בְּנֶשֶׁךְ וְשֹׁחַד עַל-נָקִי, לֹא לָקָח: עֹשֵׂה-אֵלֶּה לֹא יִמּוֹט לְעוֹלָם.

TEHILIM # 14: Men without God

Pasuq 1. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their actions are vile; no one of them does

good.

King David describes a society with no-God. He calls a man who denies God, and acts upon it, “nabal”, a corrupt person. The rabbis of the Talmud coined an expression which captures the sentiment of those who behave as if there is no God לית דין ולית דיין, “There is no judgement, there is no judge.” In other words, any wrongdoing is fine, unless you are caught. But, if we are not caught by the law enforcers, or by those who are stronger or wilder than you, then you should not worry about any “Divine” punishment in this world or in the next life. Because there is “divine impunity”, no one judges your life, and probably there is no next-life to worry about… This “nabal” has followers who see him as their leader. The followers have no independent thinking. And because no-God leads to corruption, among this group of people, corruption becomes epidemic.

Pasuq 2 HaShem looks down from heaven on all of them to see if there is anyone who understands, anyone who seeks God.

Now King David says that HaShem watches over these men. Waits to see if among all the corrupt people he could find one exception, someone with the courage to think differently. Someone who might not be certain about his faith in God, but instead of acting wickedly, he is still searching for the truth, trying to find out if there is God.

Pasuq 3 All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.

But the divine search finds no one. There are no men among that group looking for God. The influence of the “nabal” is too strong. And people are comfortable when someone thinks for them.

Pasuq 4 Do all these evildoers know nothing? They consume my people as though eating bread; they never call on the Lord.

Who are these corrupt people? Those who deny God’s existence? For some commentators, these people are the enemies of Israel, idol-worshipers who deny God. The idea that this Psalm refers to the enemies of Israel is based on the words “They devour (=destroy) my people, as though eating bread”. For other commentators, King David is referring to fellow jews, who have become corrupt because they have lost their faith in HaShem (or vice versa). King David says that their actions are destructive to the rest of Am Israel, i.e., they consume (harm, destroy) our people as though they consume food.

Pasuq 5-6

But they will be overwhelmed with dread, for God is in the circle of the righteous. You, evildoers, devise plans to trick the poor, but HaShem is their refuge.

King David foresees that in the end, the evil-doers will get their punishment from the God they deny. They try to trick the poor, the innocent, but HaShem will be helping them, protecting them against their enemies or against those who abuse them. Hashem has multiple ways of punishing the wicked.

7 The salvation of Israel will come out of Zion. When the Lord restores his people, Jacob will rejoice and Israel will be glad

HaShem will be always next to His people. Even after defeat,eventually, He will return to Zion and restore His people’s happiness.

One thought that comes to mind, when we analyze the “atheist turning corrupt” is what did really come first, corruption of disbelief in God? In other words, do people behave dishonestly because they do not believe in God? Or, perhaps people first behave dishonestly, and then, to justify they behavior and excuse their wrongdoings, they stop believing in God. If your believe in God does not stop you from behaving bad, it will kill you with feelings of guilt, therefore, if you are going to behave bad, you will be better off without God…. It seems that disbelief in God might be the consequence, and not just the reason for corruption.

TEHILIM # 13: Turning despair into optimism

אנה ה ‘תשכחני נצח

עד אנא תסתיר פניך ממני

עד אנה אשית עצות בנפשי יגון בלבבי יומם

עד אנה ירום אויבי עלי

13: 2 How long, O HaShem, will you forget me? How long will You hide Your face from me?

David HaMelekh, King David, begins this Psalm with what appears to be a complaint to HaShem… There are different opinions as to the circumstances in which this Mizmor was composed. Some rabbis, based on references in this Mizmor to the enemies of David, say that this Mizmor was composed when he was behind enemy lines, surrounded by Gentile adversaries and escaping from the Jews who wanted to kill him in Jerusalem. His situation was desperate, and he did not see any possible solution

13: 3. How long will I struggle with my thoughts [to convince myself that you have not abandoned me], and [for how long] will I suffer this pain in my heart? For how long will my enemies triumph over me?

Beyond its material problems, David HaMelekh suffered from a mental anguish, because perhaps for the first time in his life, he felt that HaShem had abandoned him. David’s feeling can be best understood when we think about something similar that happened to our forefather Yaaqob. When Yaaqob faced Esav he said that he was afraid (כי ירא אנכי אותו). Our sages wondered, how could it be that Yaaqob felt afraid of being abandoned by God, since God had promised to protect Yaaqob? The response of our rabbis was that Yaaqob feared that he may no longer deserve the protection of HaShem, because his merits might have been exhausted שמא יגרום החטא … Following this line of thought, perhaps King David did not doubt the goodness of HaShem, rather, he doubted if still deserved the help of HaShem.

13: 4. Pay attention to me, and answer me, Hashem, my God. Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep unto death.

According to other opinions, and based on this pasuq (verse), King David was very ill, thinking that his end was near and that he will fall “asleep into death”. It is noteworthy that David never doubted the existence of God. And that’s why he prayed and pleaded God to pay attention to him.

13: 5. Do not let my enemies declare: “We have won”, and rejoice when I collapse.

The commentaries explain that in this psalm King David’s problems are described from more to less important. From David HaMelekh’s perspective, the most pressing problem was the feeling that HaShem was not listening to him (13, 2). Second, that same thought, conceiving that HaShem had abandoned him, made him feel guilty. He had to fight to overcome those negative thoughts of abandonment (13: 3). And finally, his situation with his enemies. He knew that they would take advantage of these moments of weakness to try to destroy David.

13: 6. But I trust Your goodness [ God]; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation! I will sing to HaShem [praising] by [all] the kindness that he will grant me.

Now comes the final message of this Psalm. The fundamental lesson that David wanted us to learn. David HaMelekh realizes that HaShem has not abandoned him. He perceives that he was driven by a sense of powerlessness, an emotional and spiritual slump. David HaMelekh regains his confidence in God (Emuna) and states his conviction that, in the end, HaShem will save him. He realizes that HaShem’s goodness is infinite. Therefore, although our merits may seem insufficient, we can still pray and ask for His intervention.

What caused this change in the attitude of David HaMelekh, this powerful transition between despair and optimism? How could one go from a state of despair to a situation of Emuna in HaShem?

What gave David a renewed spiritual strength were his own words, his Tefila (prayer). By approaching God, even with words that originated in anguish and despair, he reestablished the connection with God. And then King David realized that HaShem had never abandoned him, rather, it was David own despair what did not allow him to feel the presence of God.

That is the great power of Tefila. What makes us feel that HaShem is far from us, what make us think that He is not listening to us, is our own pessimism (יאוש) and inaction. But when we turn to God, even out of feelings of anguish and despair, we reestablish contact with Him, which allows us to perceive that He is there, and that He can help us. In this sense, the Tefilla (prayer), should not be seen just as words that express our faith and hope in HaShem. Rather, prayer feeds our faith and hope in HaShem.

TEHILIM # 12: Professional deception

1. Lamenatseah ‘al haSheminit, psalm of David.
Like the majority of the Psalms, this too was composed by David HaMelekh, who suffered, and personally witnessed, the immense damage that unscrupulous people can cause with their words. David was the victim of deceit and lies in his army, in his court and even in his own family.

2. Save us Hashem, for good men have disappeared, righteousness has faded among men.
David asks: What can a good man do? A righteous person who lives in a society in which all lie and cheat? The righteous man does not tolerate lying, his word is sacred. But what remains to be done in a society where falsehood is there to stay? Where everyone around succeeds through deceptions and scams? David HaMelekh fears that there are no more good men, because even the good people have adapted to the “new normal”, to falsehood, if not to succeed, then to survive.

3. Men, tell each other vanities, all speak the language of deception, as if they have two hearts.
The hypocrites have a double heart. On the one hand (with one heart) they might hate a person, but on the other hand (with the other heart) they pretend to love that person. To deceive and eventually achieve some personal gain. Or in the case of the enemies of King David, to praise the King in his presence to gain his trust, and then, when the opportunity presents itself, betray and kill David to inherit his throne.
I also think about the relevance of this Psalm for our contemporary society. I think on the people who thrive by practicing deception and have become professional scammers. Or the immoral but “legal” maneuvers; or the fine print of contracts. I think of promises that are made knowing that will not be fulfilled. I think of journalism sold to the highest bidder. Or in the smoke screens the conspirators build. Cheating is endemic. It seems that human society has built a model designed for preying the naive.

4. HaShem cut off the lips of falsehood, and the tongue practicing arrogance. 5. [God punish] those men who say, “our language will make us powerful, while we speak with our lips, who can defeat us”?
According to King David’s, the only hope of the victims of “legal” lies victims is Divine retribution. David prays to HaShem begging Him to do the justice good men cannot reach. David hopes that somehow, God will expose the lies of the scammers, destroying their working tool: their misused eloquence.

6. “From the abuse of the poor, from the desperate cry of the oppressed, I will arise,” say HaShem, “I will defeat the [scammers] and make them disappear.”
David asks HaShem to punish those who use their lips and tongues to deceive the gullible man. It seems that this kind of moral decay can only be corrected by Divine Intervention. For David HaMelekh, God’s justice will emerge from the depths, from the pain of the victims of deception. From the cry of the abused.

7. HaShem’s words are pure, refined like silver that has been polished seven times. 8. Your HaShem will protect [the righteous from the wicked], thou shall protect [good men] forever. 9. The oppressed will rise [= will emerge from the depth], and the wicked are doomed to spin, [as lost, not knowing where to go].
God has promised justice. He vouched to protect the oppressed. And unlike men, His word, His promises, will always be fulfilled. In this life, or perhaps later, justice will be served. Because He knows the duplicity of the trickster. And He will not allow impunity for the wicked.

TEHILIM # 11: when it seems that nobody is watching…

עיניו יחזו עפעפיו יבחנו בני אדם

(11:1) In this Mizmor David’s friends advise him and his family to flee. They say that the enemy is close, lurking, waiting for a chance to attack. And the best option is to “escape to the mountains like birds”. In the mountains they will be safe, because the predators cannot reach them there. But David refuses to escape. He has faith in HaShem. And says “My trust is in HaShem.” He is my refuge.

(11:2) David recognizes that his enemies “are preparing their bows and arrows to shoot him from the darkness.” Here “darkness” does not necessarily refer to physical darkness, but rather to “anonymity and secrecy”. David’s worst enemies are not those whom he must face openly in the battlefield. The most dangerous men are those who conspire against King David in secret. Those living in his own court. The traitors. Those who praise him in public, or those who are there to protect him, but are secretly planning his death.

(11:3) David recognizes that in times of danger is natural that “a righteous man would wonder what can I do against my enemies?”. At that moment it seems that the only solution is to escape, fly-off into the mountains.

(11:4) But King David has a answer for his friends and for himself: In the earthly, visible stage, it seems that the wicked triumphs and continues succeeding in its corrupt mission. At first glance, nothing can stop the wicked from wreaking havoc. But, David says, do not forget that “HaShem from His heavenly throne sees everything that happens in our world, and He distinguishes among men”. In other words, God distinguishes between good men and bad men, between the righteous and the corrupt. Men can pretend loyalty or fake piety in front of other men. But unlike human eyes which can be fooled by trickery, lies and duplicity, “HaShem’s sight penetrates the hearts of men.” He, and He alone, knows the truth. He knows what we feel, think and plan.

(11:5) And then, there is more. God is not a passive observer. A spectator. “HaShem loves the righteous”, and somehow He protects them. “HaShem does not tolerate (and actually hates) the man who seeks corruption and violence”, and somehow, eventually, will punish him.

(11:6) We saw what HaShem did to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, epitome of immorality and injustice, He “destroyed them with fire and brimstone.” HaShem does not practice impunity. He will not leave unpunished the injustice of the wicked.

(11:7) ” HaShem loves the right causes, and He protects those who turn their eyes towards Him.” “Turning the eye, looking to HaShem” does not refers here to prayer, to the men who raise their eyes to beseech God in times of need. It refers above all to the righteous. And how does David define a righteous person? Righteous are those who consider, before they act, if what they are about to do is right or wrong “in the eyes of God”. The righteous are those men and women who have a full and permanent awareness that God is watching us. The righteous who “look up to God”, striving to live a life which is worthy and rightful in the eyes of God.

TEHILIM # 10: Morality without God?

In this Psalms David HaMelekh touches upon a very important and relevant question, even (or specially) for today’s society. Can you be a moral man if you do not believe in God? He says that a person who does not believe in God is accountable to no one, in the moral arena, but to himself. And since it is virtually impossible to see ourselves with objectivity, for King David, a person who does not have HaShem as his King is condemned to act with no-morality. As our rabbis have said: kol derekh ish yashar beenav,”All what a person does is right in his

own eyes.” We become very poor judges when it comes to view critically our own actions. When we do not accept an objective code of right and wrong, moral reltivism is unavoidable.

At times, David haMelekh says in the opening verse of this Mizmor, (10:1) it seems as if God “stands far off, turning away in times of distress”. How so? When the wicked man chases the poor, and the weak is caught in the wicked man’s devices (10:3), this feeling of “I can get away with injustice”, makes the wicked think that he succeeds because there is no God. This is considered an offense to “heavens”, blasphemy, (10:4) behaving as if there is no Judge in heavens. For David haMelekh actions are a direct consequence of beliefs. In other words, injustice, corruption, robbery, murder, all these acts are a testimony of the perpetrator’s belief that there is no God.

The wicked is confident of his success, he says to himself (10:6) since there is no God “I will not stumble”, I will not fail. As long as my plan is a good plan and I have all angles covered, there is no external factor (=God) that would undermine my schemes.

(10:5) “His ways are uncertain in every hour”. The moral standards of the wicked are erratic. One day, if it suits to him, this act is right, and the next day, if it does not suit to him, the same act is wrong. For the righteous Jew, morality is measured by the way an act is perceived by God, as prescribed in His Tora. For the wicked is not about God’s view, but how the perpetrator “feels” about it. Something is good if it makes you feel comfortable with yourself. There is no moral GPS, but your own sense of comfortability. And as we know our mind and imagination is fantastic at finding excuses for everythig we want to do.

Therefore, David asserts, (10:7) the wicked would not hesitate to lie or swear falsely “His mouth is full of promises, his tongue is guile and deceit”. If there is no God, he is accountable to no one for his false promises. He will always find a way to feel comfortable with what he did, justifying to himself why he had to break his promise…

The following verses describe other deplorable actions of the wicked: he ambushes, he kills, lies, he snatches the poor, consistently telling to himself: God does not exist. And even if He exists, (10:11) He is not looking. He ignores what we do. He does not get involved. He does not care!

From now on, David haMelekh turns to God and prays for justice. In times when it seems that You are standing away, I implore You HaShem: (10:12) “Rise, oh Lord, do not forget the oppressed” (10:14) It is YOU Who helps the orphan. It is YOU who would break the arm of the wicked (10:15). The world should know that YOU are indeed the King, the Supreme Judge, forever. (10:16) YOU do listen to the cry of the weak (10:17) and YOU will do justice, and let no man oppress another man in Your world (10:18).

TEHILIM # 9: Divine vs Human justice

ישבת לכסא שופט צדק

מזמור ט׳ , פסוק ה׳

El Rey David comienza este Salmo agradeciendo a HaShem por Su justicia (9:2-5) “ki ‘asita mishpati vedini”, porque, al final, mi justicia se realizará, cuando Tú te sientas en Tu trono, Juez Supremo”

¿A qué se refiere el Rey David? ¿Qué quiere decir que la justicia se realizará cuando HaShem se siente “en Su trono, como Juez Supremo”?

El Rey David sabe muy bien que la justicia humana no siempre triunfa. A veces hay demasiados intereses en juego, corrupción, y barreras que impiden que la verdad salga a la luz. A diferencia de la justicia Divina, la ejecución de la justicia humana no está garantizada.

Aún así David haMelej sugiere que existen al menos un par de vías, fuera de la corte, por las cuales la justicia se manifiesta, y pide a D’s que le permita ver esa resolución de la justicia. En primer lugar David menciona “nombre” (9:6) y “memoria” (9:7). Los malvados no siempre pagan sus crímenes con un castigo penal. Los malvados pueden ser absueltos de los peores crímenes, por ejemplo, cuando no hay suficientes pruebas para inculparlos. Pero sus nombres quedan manchados para siempre. Y la memoria de sus crímenes no se borra fácilmente de la memoria de sus víctimas. Este castigo compensa, en parte, la lamentable ausencia de una justicia completa.

David haMelej también concibe otro tipo de justicia fuera de los tribunales humanos. Afirma (o reza para) que (9:16) “los malvados caigan en los pozos que ellos mismos han cavado, que sus pies sean atrapadas por las redes que ellos mismos han tendido” . “Caer en el pozo que uno mismo cavó”, significa, por ejemplo, que si yo establecí y usé para mi beneficio un sistema corrupto donde la justicia se puede comprar para hacer caer al inocente, eventualmente, alguien con más poder que yo, usará ese mismo mecanismo corrupto para condenarme a mí, aunque las evidencias legales en mi contra ya hayan desaparecido.

Y si bien el Rey David no se resigna y clama por la ejecución de la justicia en este mundo (9:20), termina afirmando que el nivel más alto (o efectivo) de la justicia es la justicia Divina. Cuando D-s “se sienta en el Trono del Juez Supremo”.Para entender la resolución de la justicia Divina debemos pensar en nuestra mortalidad y en nuestra creencia en la inmortalidad del alma (9:18).

Si bien el tema del mundo por venir, la vida después de esta vida, es demasiado complejo para elaborarlo en una pocas lineas, trataremos de describir brevemente lo que sobre el mismo se deduce del pasuq (versículo) que mencionamos al principio de este Mizmor: “D’s, el Juez Supremo sentado en Su Trono”

En el mundo por venir estaré YO, es decir, mi conciencia (la conciencia de que “soy yo”) y mi memoria (la memoria de todo lo bueno o lo malo que hice en esta vida) frente a D’s, “el Juez Supremo sentado en Su trono de Justicia”. Cuando estamos frente a Él, se acabaron las mentiras, las falsas pistas y las cortinas de humo. A Él no se lo puede engañar. Lo que hicimos, lo malo y lo bueno, está filmado en la “Memoria Divina”, imposible de alterar o manipular.El “paraíso”, en este sentido, consiste en el placer que sienten los hombres y mujeres justos (tsadiqim) de estar frente al Juez Supremo con sus buenas memorias, con lo bueno que hicieron en sus vidas. El paraíso de las personas de bien es sentirse “cómodos” frente a Su Presencia (nehenim miziv hashejiná), la insuperable satisfacción de saber que el Juez Supremo aprueba (¿aplaude?) su gestion.

Y el “infierno”, en esta breve metáfora, consiste en el insuperable dolor de quedar en evidencia frente a D’s. Cuando el malvado –la vívida memoria de sus crímenes, y la conciencia de que él es el protagonista de esos crímenes– se presenta frente al Juez Supremo, sentado en su trono de Justicia inefable. Es un infierno hecho de culpa, vergüenza y (¿eterna?) humillación.

Para el Rey David, la justicia, tarde o temprano, en este mundo o en el próximo, llegará.

En memoria del fiscal Alberto Nisman
y de las otras 85 víctimas del atentado a la AMIA

TEHILIM # 8: Is Man Important for God?

(Pasuq 2) מה אדיר שמך בכל הארץ David haMelej comienza este Mizmor diciendo que el nombre de haShem, es majestuoso en toda la tierra. O sea, que vemos en en cielo y en nuestro planeta una gran cantidad de maravillas (=milagros) que apuntan a la existencia de un Creador Majestuoso: HaShem.

(Pasuq 3) מפי עוללים ויונקים Los comentaristas explican este enigmático pasuq que habla de “la boca de los bebes y los niños” de la siguiente manera. En la tierra somos testigos de milagros permanentes. Una de las maravillas que más sorprenden al rey de Israel es, en palabras modernas, el milagro de la cognición infantil. De cómo un niño de 2 a 4 años, cuando su cerebro aun no está desarrollado para muchas otras cosas, aprende a hablar. La capacidad de un infante para aprender un idioma completo, incluyendo la complicada semántica de ese idioma, está en su máximo nivel. Tanto es así que cuando una persona quiere aprender otro idioma a una edad posterior, es casi imposible llegar a controlar ese segundo idioma, no importa lo inteligente que uno sea. David haMelej vio este fenómeno como una señal más de la sabiduría y majestuosidad del Creador del mundo.

(Pasuq 4) כי אראה שמיך מעשי אצבעתיך Ahora David haMelej mira para arriba. Contempla el cielo estrellado y le dice al Creador: “Cuando veo Tus cielos, la obra de Tus dedos, la luna y las estrellas que Tu estableciste”. David haMelej nos dice que los cielos también son un testimonio de la existencia de HaShem y Su infinita Sabiduría. Hay que prestar atención a los detalles del pasuq, a las palabras que el más grande de los poetas del pueblo judío utiliza. ¿Que significa “la obra de Tus dedos”? Que ni se nos ocurra pensar que David creía que HaShem tiene dedos o manos! Los dedos de HaShem o Sus manos son metáforas, expresiones poéticas, motivos literarios. Cuando David habla de la Creación a veces se refiere a lo hecho por las manos de HaShem y a veces , como en este caso, por los “dedos de HaShem”. ¿Cuál es la diferencia entre estas dos metáforas? Cuando David quiere resaltar los detalles exquisitos de lo creado por haShem, utiliza la metáfora de los “dedos” (en el mismo sentido que en pedagogia se habla de la motricidad fina). Tal como el artesano termina los detalles de su obra con la destreza sus dedos, así el Creador, que es el Artista supremo de la Creación, ha diseñado Su mundo coordinando con “Sus dedos” hasta los más pequeños detalles.

Al margen de los detalles del universo, está la inmensidad del universo, lo que HaShem ha creado con “Sus manos”. Los números que se manejan respecto al tamaño del universo marean. Pero a David haMelej lo inspiran a reflexionar en la increíble pequeñez del hombre. Hay por lo menos 100 billones (entendiendo 1 billón como 1000 millones) de galaxias en el universo. Se calcula que cada galaxia contiene, por lo menos, 100 billones de estrellas. Y no se sabe cuantos planetas hay alrededor de cada estrella. Si nuestro sistema solar se toma como referente, tendríamos que estimar que habrían unos 8-12 planetas por cada estrella. Pero este no es el tamaño definitivo del universo. Es sólo lo que podemos ver con nuestros limitados telescopios. De cualquier manera creo que estos números son suficientes para entender lo que David haMelej sintió cuando observó el cielo estrellado.

(Pasuq 5) מה אנוש כי תזכרנו La astronomía lleva a David haMelej a la reflexión. ¿Qué es el hombre para que Tú lo consideres, o para que Tú, el Creador de este infinito universo, lo tengas en cuenta? Nuestro planeta es ridículamente minúsculo, imperceptible, comparado con el resto del universo. En cuanto a nuestro tamaño, ¡somos absolutamente insignificantes! ¿Por qué HaShem prestaría atención a algo aparentemente irrelevante, como la tierra o la humanidad?

(Continuará…)