קיח.
בו יסופר גודל הבטחון שהיה לדוד והרבה תהלות להש”י שקיים לנו מה שהבטיח אותנו:
In this psalm, the great trust King David had Hashem is described,
as well as many praises to Hashem that He has fulfilled what He promised to us
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5. From the straits I called G-d; G-d answered me with a vast expanse. |
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ה. מִן־הַ֖מֵּצַֽר קָרָ֣אתִי יָּ֑-הּ עָ֜נָ֗נִי בַּמֶּרְחָ֣ב יָֽ-הּ: |
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6. The L-rd is for me; I shall not fear. What can man do to me? |
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ו. ה’ לִ֖י לֹ֥א אִירָ֑א מַה־יַּֽעֲשֶׂ֖ה לִ֣י אָדָֽם: |
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7. The L-rd is for me with my helpers, and I shall see [revenge] in my enemies. |
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ז. ה’ לִ֖י בְּעֹֽזְרָ֑י וַֽ֜אֲנִ֗י אֶרְאֶ֥ה בְשֹֽׂנְאָֽי: |
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8. It is better to take shelter in the L-rd than to trust in man. |
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ח. ט֗וֹב לַֽחֲס֥וֹת בַּֽה’ מִ֜בְּטֹ֗חַ בָּֽאָדָֽם: |
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Rashi: It is better to take shelter in the L-rd: Heb. לחסות. This shelter (חסיון) is only an expression of the shelter of a shadow, a small thing. Trust (מבטח) is a stout and strong support. Nevertheless, to take shelter in the L-rd is better than the promises of human beings. |
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טוֹב לַחֲסוֹת בַּה’ וְגוֹ’. חִסָּיוֹן זֶה אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן חִסָּיוֹן צֵל וְדָבָר מוּעָט הוּא: מִבְּטֹחַ. דָּבָר בָּרִיא וּסְמַךְ חָזָק וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵּן לַחֲסוֹת בַּה’ טוֹב מֵהַבְטָחַת בְּנֵי אָדָם:
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The Frierdiker Rebbe
“G‑d is among those who help me; may I witness [the downfall of] those who hate me.”
The wording here is problematic, appearing to imply that a person has many helpers, and that G‑d is [merely] one of them. In truth, however, “There is none else apart from Him.” He alone, blessed be He, is the Creator Who brings a man into existence and animates him, and assists him in all his affairs. As Rambam declares: “The foundation of all foundations and the pillar of all wisdom is to know that there exists a Prime Being, and He brings into existence every existing thing; and all things that exist in the heavens and earth and between them exist only by virtue of His true existence.”… Accordingly, it is difficult to understand the phrase, “G‑d is among those who help me,” for it implies that G‑d is one helper in partnership with others. ?
…Also requiring explanation is [King David’s] request, “May I witness [the downfall of] those who hate me.” Seemingly, it would have been more appropriate for him to have asked that his enemies and haters be transformed into friends and intimates … A desire to “witness [the downfall of] those who hate me” thus raises difficulties.
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[The explenation:]]
The spiritual level exemplified by [King] David was the Sefirah of Malchus (lit., “sovereignty”). His statement, “I am [a man of] prayer,” thus means, “I, the attribute of Malchus, am prayer.” Nevertheless, his divine service focused on the pnimiyus of the Torah, through which he sought to refine [his environment, which was not his primary Avodah].
Prayer seeks to refine and elevate [worldly existence]: Torah study seeks to draw down and reveal [G‑dly light]. When Torah study seeks to refine [the undesirable aspects of materiality, it does this by rejection. This is reflected in the verse, “[This is the Torah…] to differentiate between the pure and the impure.”
This is implied by … “Your statutes were my songs when I dwelled in fear.” With the power of the Torah, [David] would cut off [the forces of evil which are known as] “tyrants”;
…This, however, [is not G‑d’s intent in creation]: the world was not created for chaos, but in order that it be settled. [This requires that man] involve himself with the tasks of refining [his environment] and drawing down G‑dly light into the world. For this reason [David] was punished, [for ignoring this thrust and seeking to rise above worldly existence].
On this basis, [we can reconcile the queries raised at the outset regarding the verse,] “G‑d is among those who help me.” A person’s true helpers are the elements [of worldly existence] which he has refined.
[Included in the Hebrew original of the verse, “G‑d is among those who help me,” is the phrase, הוי לי — lit., “G‑d is for me.” Hence:] When a person devotes himself in an orderly manner to his Divinely-appointed task of refinement, a revelation of Havayah shines forth upon him. Moreover, “G‑d is among [lit., within] those who help me”: Through a person’s self-sacrifice in carrying out his divine service, he brings about a revelation of Havayah within all those who help him. [As an automatic result of this revelation,] “I [will] witness [the downfall of] those who hate me.”
[The enemies here], included individuals such as Doeg and Achitofel who appeared to conduct their lives according to the Torah, David made this request with the intent that the truth be revealed — that these individuals hated G‑d: they did not desire the revelation of G‑dliness, and [more particularly,] the revelation of the Name Havayah, [which transcends the limits of nature]. They desired to live by the natural order and mortal reason. ■
(Ma’amar Havye Li B’Ozrai 5687, reprinted from “Deffience and Devotion” – SIE)