We continue our series on explaining the Pesukim (verses) of Tehillim (Psalms). Today we will discuss a Pasuk in Perek (chapter) Ayin Tet (seventy-nine), Pasuk Aleph (one). The Pasuk says, “Mizmor le'Asaf, Elohim ba'u goyim benachalatecha, tim'u et Heichal Kodshecha, samu et Yerushalayim le'iyim.” Which means, Mizmor le'Asaf, a song by Asaf. Asaf was one of the children of Korach. Asaf actually composed a few psalms in Tehillim. And he says, “Elohim ba'u goyim benachalatecha,” God, the nations have entered into your estate. “Tim'u et Heichal Kodshecha,” They defiled the sanctuary of your holiness. “Samu et Yerushalayim le'iyim,” They turned Yerushalayim into a heap of rubble.
And the Midrash (rabbinic teaching) asks a very, very simple question over here. Asaf, in this Mizmor, seems to clearly be discussing the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash (the Temple), how the nations entered into the holy Beit HaMikdash, defiled the sanctuary, and turned Yerushalayim into a heap of rubble. So the Midrash asks, “Is this the correct way to open up this chapter by saying the word Mizmor, which means a song? This is a song? Are we singing about the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash? Or are we crying about the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash?”
The Midrash answers with a parable. The Midrash says that there was once a king who erected a beautiful canopy for his son's wedding. Just a few days before the wedding, the son angered his father tremendously. The son was very stubborn. He was very rude. He was very cruel. He was very cruel to his father. And that angered his father to the extent that the father stormed into the wedding hall that had been prepared for the wedding. He vented his rage on that gorgeous canopy and ripped it into shreds. When the king was asked, “Why did he do so?” the king answered, “No matter how much my son angered me, I still love him. And I took out my anger on the canopy and not on my child.”
Our rabbis tell us that the stubbornness of Am Yisrael (the nation) brought about tremendous anger in God. The Beit HaMikdash was destroyed due to the sins of Am Yisrael. However, HaKadosh Baruch Hu was very merciful, and he directed his anger at the stones and beams of the holy Beit HaMikdash rather than at his children themselves. Only the Temple was destroyed, but the nation survived. And this is why, although this chapter discusses primarily the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash—a very sad period in the history of Am Yisrael—the opening word that Asaf chooses is the word mizmor, a song, because Asaf here is looking at it from a positive angle. HaKadosh Baruch Hu could have taken out his anger on his children, but Borei Olam did not do so. Borei Olam had mercy and compassion upon his children, and instead, he took out that anger, directing it at the stones and beams of the Beit HaMikdash. Hence, that deserves a song; that deserves a mizmor.
There are times in life when a person suffers a financial loss, be it a minor loss or a heavy loss, whether in business or sometimes at home, or when any of his possessions are stripped away from him and taken away. And the tendency of a person is to be upset, to be angry. But here we are learning today that Borei Olam deals with his children with a concept known as Borei Olam will take a person's possessions away in order to take away his possessions, in order to spare his body and soul. Borei Olam will take a person's money, whatever he owns, in order to spare his family and his children from harm. And therefore, that is a mizmor.
If a person would know what HaKadosh Baruch Hu protected him from and what he spared him from, would that, trade that Borei Olam took that possession instead of HaKadosh Baruch Hu bringing pain to the body, pain to the family, Chas VeShalom, a person would dance in song. A person would praise Hashem and say, “Borei Olam, thank you for that mercy and compassion that you showed me, for taking away my possessions instead of, Chas VeShalom, taking away my possessions—for taking away the health of the family.” And therefore, a person at those times should remember that even though it's difficult, and yes, suffering a loss is a very, very painful thing, but Borei Olam at that moment—HaKadosh Baruch Hu—spared that person from physical pain, from physical harm. Borei Olam spared him his health, his family, and his children. And if that's the case, that deserves a mizmor, that deserves a song. Have a wonderful day.