Wednesday's Special Psalm

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Jews. We're people of The Book (תנ’ך).

Interestingly, selections from one of the many in The Book - psalms, (which were written mostly by King David a long long time ago, in a galaxy far, far, /not so far away, and in a land we know of as Israel), have been inserted and integrated into our daily prayers. At the end of our daily morning prayers (שחרית), we read a Psalm that has a special link to the day, so check this out..

Wednesday's Psalm is Psalm 94:1 - 95:3. Please read the full text at your leisure, this is a brief, simplified summary, in poetic form, because, frankly, I like poetry:

Avenger of evils, G-d of the world:
The wicked, rewarded. How can it be?

The poor and the strangers, the widows, the orphans:
they loom in sad darkness, and cry in affliction,
Why don't you redeem them? Are You not supposed to?

Bestower of knowledge,
Enchanter of wisdom,
The earth teems with fools;
Is this not Your kingdom?

Yet I'm led to believe
that Justice You breathe.
For time and again,
You've proven your might,
and I'm in no mood to start up a fight.

My soul you do comfort.
When up and when down,
Like pillows of love,
your loft knows no bounds.

I now take the time to gather my peers
We'll sing and we'll praise, The L-rd's holy Name.
Thank You dear G-d, for bringing us cheer!

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Well, that's an artistic rendering of Wednesday's selection, but what's its significance?

Well... I think it reflects quite aptly a transition point in the week. Just as the song journeys through difficult questions and queries, it reflects how often I feel by Wednesday - worn out and weary of my purpose and actions in this world. The Psalm then flips to optimism by remembering G-d's helping Hand, even when we can't necessarily "see" it. I like this idea - it's also similar to the waxing and waning of the moon, of which the weeks are its parts (food for thought).

It's a fitting time to think about - you guessed correctly - Shabbos! As we round the bound, make it over the metaphorical hill, we now have the finish line in sight - Shabbos! and we can rejoice and sing songs of praise to Hashem for giving us another week to fulfill His Divine Will and make something of ourselves!

Thus, I ask you to join me, dear friends:
"Come sing to Hashem with joyous praise. Call out to our rock of salvation. Let's greet G-d with thanks and praiseful songs. Hashem is great, the king above all powers in heaven" (לכו נרננה לה' נריעה לצור ישענו. נקדמה פניו בתודה, בזמירות נריע לו. כי ק–ל גדול ה', ומלך על כל הארץ).

(Special points to whichever one of you can identify where else we sing these special songs...)

Have a GREAT Thursday, and a wonderful shabbos!

Why blog Shabbos?

Shabbos is the focal point, destination, goal, and driving force of every day, week, month, year, lifetime, existence. It is both the fuel and the energy, through which Hashem sustains our lives.

I've never lived without Shabbos, and I could never imagine doing so. It is a "Sanctuary in Time" (Abraham Heschel), a retreat from the craziness of our weekday lives, a brief escape into eternal bliss to turbo-charge us and prepare us for the following week, and help us recooperate from the previous one as well.

I hope to write and read lots more about shabbos as this blog evolves and transforms into an organic entity of its own. Please indulge yourself with my words.

For now, I hope to post stuffs I learn and thoughts i think about shabbos, the parsha (weekly Torah portion), upcoming holidays, and any other Jewstuffs I deem appropriate. I'd love your feedback and responses.

Peace, Love, and Happiness (read: Torah) to all.

Best,
Yosef