Kapital 116 (5777/2017).

11 Nissan 5777 Kapital 116. Short Version: Pittsburgh Farbrengen. יקר בעיני הוי’ המותה לחסידיו. Dovid praises Hashem as he sees how the hardest things in his life made him the Chossid he eventually became.

Beis Rivka Seminary. Introduction and quick read of the entire Perek.

Long Version: Beis Midrash Linashim: Class One. Introduction part one. Each of the six Chapters of Halel celebrates a miracle higher than nature, that has it’s mystical source in what is higher than השתלשלות. This fourth one is the Halel of דוד המלך. It celebrates incredible hardships but also incredible survival and ultimate success. Dovid’s life is both very hard and very successful; this Perek is his Halel for the miracles of his life etc.

Class Two. Introduction Part Two. Here we get at the spirit of the Perek. Three points: 1) In this Perek the words ובשם השם אקרא is repeated three times (in Pesukim 4, 13, 17). Each has a different meaning: 1) Prayer for help, 2) Praise for salvation, 3) Calling the Name of Hashem and revealing His powers to the world. 2) RaShI says that the point of the Perek is the victory after the challange as indicated in the words שובי נפשי למנוחתיכי כי הוי’ גמל עליכי. 3) On the deepest level it is about יקר בעיני הוי’ המותה לחסידיו. The suffering that Dovid endures that Hashem must help him from is actually the tests that raise him up to the level of חסיד and עבדך and עבדך בן אמתיך. So, ultimately Dovid thanks Hashem for the challenges because they make him who he is -a Chossid.

Class Three. Pesukim 1-3. We begin the Perek with two Pesukim of opening: אהבתי Dovid loves (and is loved by G-d) on two levels: 1) For what Hashem does for him; 2) Altruistically. Accordingly אהבתי is either a complete statement or a introduction to the כי ישמע הוי’ את קולי תחנוני. The good Hashem gets is separate from what he does for Hashem. It is a symptom קולי means תורה תפילה תהילים; and תחנוני is pleading for redemption from the challenges. כי הטה אזנו a special Hashgacha and personal attention ובימי אקרא every day he calls and is answered; even for very difficult things and even for very trivial things. אפפוני up to the nose in צרות means 1) life itself, 2) a challenge to anger. The problems are at every turn and seem to find him almost by design. The problems are also of a spiritual nature. All kinds of trouble are called by all kinds of names: מות, שאול, צרה, יגון. They seem to find him no matter what he does and where he goes.

Class Four. Pesukim 4- 11 ובשם ה’ אקרא אנא ה’ מלטה נפשי he cried out and Hashem helped him no matter what his situation was and no matter how many times he asked. חנון הוי’ וצדיק ואלוקינו מרחם there are three ideas here: חנינה, צדקות and רחמים, each of these are different and are explained. שומר פתים הוי’ דלותי ולי יהושיע when it comes to Hashem it is best we be as fools near Him; it actually enhances what He gives us. שובי נפשי למנוחיכי כי הוי’ גמל עליכי. Here Dovid is speaking to his own Neshama based on the trust he has that Hashem will help him; and he tells his Neshama to rest and not worry כי חלצת נפשי ממות את עיני מן דמעה את רגלי מדחי there are three levels of potential evil from which Hashem spares Dovid: the worst is מות, death; the second is דמעה which is not as bad, and the least bad is דחי simply being pushed out, and He helps for all. אתהלך לפני הוי’ בארצות החיים since Hashem helps, Dovid is allowed into ארצות החיים which means (physically) ארץ ישראל and (spiritually) levels of גן עדן. This includes the idea of walking on his own strength and faith, without כביכול needing His support; It includes also the idea of being in two worlds, the higher spiritual world and in the lower practical world, because this is the fulfillment of the purpose to be in two opposite places. .האמנתי כי אדבר אני עניתי מאד. אני אמרתי בחפזי כל האדם כוזב these two Pesukim describe Dovid’s disposition when things were very difficult that האמנתי he still believed, and… 1) He struggled with his faith 2) his faith was not at all affected by his hardships.