Today’s pasuk isTehilim perek יז, pasuk ז
Some might remember it because we say it on Rosh Hashana. Before we blow the shofar, there are different pesukim that are read- they are mystical pesukim, meant to invoke things that we don’t really understand.
One of them is this:
הַפְלֵ֣ה חֲ֭סָדֶיךָ מוֹשִׁ֣יעַ חוֹסִ֑ים מִ֝מִּתְקוֹמְמִ֗ים בִּֽימִינֶֽךָ
Bring about wondrous kindness, Save those who seek refuge in you from those that stand up on your right side ( these are prosecutors, which are negative forces that stand on “the right side of God,” so to say)
We are asking Hashem to arouse His wondrous kindness and save us, even though we don’t deserve it, because we seek refuge in Him.
The Yalkut Shemoni says the following Midrash, on this pasuk:
What does it mean that David is asking for wondrous kindness? Yalkut Shemoni quotes Ben Azai, who says that David HaMelech is comparable to someone who has a wound and goes to the doctor without money (or without insurance), so the doctor refuses to help. The doctor explains that the medicine required is very expensive. So the man begs and pleads to be saved. He asks “Give me from that wondrous healing, the wondrous bandage that you have.”
This is what David is saying as well. He says, “God I know I am not deserving, and I know that my wound is great (i.e. I have sins).
It would be like when an illegal immigrant enters an emergency room today, they can not be refused care. They seek refuge in the emergency room, and therefore they must be taken care of, even though they can’t afford it.
But if you drive up to the emergency room in a fancy new car, wearing a suit and tie, and refuse to pay, they will turn you away, saying that they can’t help you unless you put down money first. I have experienced this. Depending on your insurance plan, if you don’t put down $600.00, they won’t service you. Yet an illegal immigrant comes in and gets served.
This is because he is coming in seeking refuge. He has nothing, they know he has nothing, and he knows that they know he has nothing.
That’s how David HaMelech comes to Hashem and says, “ I need a wondrous, expensive Refuah; I need Your kindness, and I’m seeking refuge in You.”
One of the Rishonim, known as the Mari Ibn Yichyei (who is quoted in the Bet Yosef in other places), says the following:
“Because I rely on You Hashem, even though all of my good deeds aren’t enough to erase my sins, and I really deserve to suffer, G-d is All-Powerful, and Your abilities are endless. Therefore, I need Your great kindness to save me from this sin.”
And he adds a powerful line, “My ability to sin should not be greater than your ability to forgive.”
This is probably why we recite this pasuk before the Shofar; because it invokes the ability to be granted forgiveness even when one is not deserving.
If shows the understanding that although I am not deserving, I believe that God’s power to forgive is greater than my power to sin.
He continues and says that those standing on God’s right side (מִ֝מִּתְקוֹמְמִ֗ים) don’t necessarily mean that a negative force is coming against a person. The root of this word is is קממיות, which means standing upright.
He says that when a person who isn’t able to see walks at night, he taps on the side, he’s bent over a little, he doesn’t stand up straight, and he doesn’t know where he’s going. But David HaMelech says, “I will stand upright, because You’re holding me with Your right hand. And when I feel You holding my hand, I feel confident.”
Imagine walking down a street, with a police officer, or someone of power, holding your hand, in order to protect you. That would give you confidence.
David HaMelech says, “I’m so confident in my reliance on You, that I feel two stories tall because I’m holding Your right hand (the right hand always symbolizes kindness)”
This is a powerful statement.
It starts with the word הפלה, Hafleh, which the Sefer KTav B’Kabalah defines as בדרך פלא b’derech peleh - in a wondrous way. This term doesn’t show up regarding human beings.
It refers to Hashem, as it says , “God does wonder alone.” And, “God should make wondrous separations for the Jewish people.”
This is what David HaMelech is invoking: God’s wondrous powers of kindness, His ability to heal the unhealable, with the right medicine, the expensive medicine, even if we can’t afford it. I am seeking refuge in You, and asking to arouse that special kindness. I am standing tall and I confident
It’s like if the illegal immigrant walked into the emergency room hunched over and scared, and the person in charge of the hospital said, “Hold my hand. Don’t worry about it. I’m taking care of you,” And they’d walk past the patient reps, the business and all the people who standby with clipboards, waiting to take your insurance card and give you papers to fill out.
Dot worry about it. I have your hand. I’m waking you straight through to the doctor for immediate care.
That is the feeling David HaMelech has, as he walks into the emergency room without any money, and that is the feeling of confidence that we should have, because we believe that God’s power to forgive is greater than our power to sin.
It’s appropriate to hear this on Erev Rosh Hodesh Sivan, a great day of Teshuva. Rashi says that when the Jewish people were in the desert, they came to Midbar Sinai on Rosh Hodesh, and they did Teshuva on Erev Rosh Hodesh, after the story of Amalek.
We too can ask God for forgiveness (some people even fast on Rosh Hodesh Sivan).
Everyone can do Teshuva. Rosh Hodesh should be a time of atonement.
Shavuot is a time of great blessing.
Bezrat Hashem, we will appeal to God’s kindness and walk in confident that He will take care of us. Have a wonderful day.