King David's Temple and Yaakov's Temple - Insights on Psalm 30

Some great Mikdash insights from the Praying with Passion email:

The daily learning of this sefer is
L'Zacher Nishmas
Sorah Breina A"H bas Ezriel Shalom
Sarah Klein

PRAYING WITH PASSION- Issue #45
Tefillah Focus Of The Week:
Mizmor Shir: Part 1
King David’s Temple

מזמור שיר חנכת הבית לדוד: ארוממך ה' כי דליתני. ולא שמחת איבי לי:
Meaning:(The simple translation of the prayer):
A psalm—a song for the inauguration of the Temple—by David. I will exalt You, Hashem, for you have drawn me up and not let my foes rejoice over me.

NOTE: Nusach Ashkenaz and Nusach Sephard differ in the placement of ‘Mizmor Shir Chanukas Habayis L’Dovid’ (Tehillim 30). In Nusach Ashkenaz, Mizmor Shir is recited before Boruch She’amar; in Nusach Sefard, Mizmor Shir is recited after Hodu.

Word to the Wise (Meaning within the word):
חנוכת הבית לדודThe wordבית refers to the third Bais HaMikdash which will be built at the time of Mashiach. (Tallelei Oros on Siddur, Page 12). The verse (Yeshayahu 2:3) says, “Many people will go and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of Hashem, to the House of the G-d of Yaakov...’”. The Gemara (Pesachim 88a) asks why the verse specifies the third Bais HaMikdash as the ‘House of the G-d of Yaakov?’
Maharsha (Pesachim 88a) explains that each of our Avos, our forefathers, was associated with a Bais HaMikdash. Avrohom called it הר -- ‘mountain,’ which represents the first Bais HaMikdash, as it states ‘On the mountain Hashem is seen’ (Bereishis 22:14). The Shechinah watched over the first Bais HaMikdash like a guard strategically stationed on top of a mountain. This protection was not permanent, for the first Bais HaMikdash was destroyed.
Yitzchak called the Bais Hamikdash שדה -- ‘field,’ as it says, “Yitzchak went out to pray in the field.” (Ibid 24:63). שדה is linked to the second Bais HaMikdash, which merited an even lesser degree of the Divine Presence.
Yaakov called the Bais Hamikdash בית -- ‘house,’ as it states (Ibid 28:19) “He named that place ‘the House of G-d.’” This בית symbolizes the third Bais HaMikdash, which will enjoy Divine protection like a house that is permanent and complete.



Theme: (An essential concept of the prayer):

Justice Is Done

Hashem defends His servants against their enemies.

Insight: (Deeper meanings of the theme):

Restoring a Reputation
Many commentators ask why this Psalm states, “a song for the inauguration of the Temple by David” when it was really King Solomon, King David’s son, who built and inaugurated it. An answer is provided by the Gemara (Shabbos 30a and Sanhedrin 107b), which relates that King Solomon was at first unable to bring the ark containing the tablets of the Ten Commandments into the Holy of Holies, where it was to be kept. When he tried to open the gates of the Holy of Holies, they miraculously clung to each other and could not be pulled apart.
In response, King Solomon recited 24 songs of prayer, but his efforts were to no avail. Then, as he recited the words “Hashem, G-d! Do not turn away the face of Your anointed one! Remember the pieties of David, Your servant,” the gates opened. All the nations and all of Israel knew that Hashem had forgiven David for his sin with Bathsheva (Shemos Rabbah 8:1).
At that moment, the faces of King David’s enemies (the family of Saul, Shimi ben Geira, and others who opposed his ascension to the throne) turned dark with humiliation, appearing black as the bottom of a burned pot. Before this episode, David’s enemies had claimed that G-d did not allow David to build the Holy Temple due to David’s sin. To defeat that claim, Hashem chose the moment when the ark was brought into the Holy of Holies -- the climax of the inauguration of the Holy Temple -- to show that the Temple was built and the Divine Presence would reside in it only on King David’s merit.
Therefore, in effect, the Temple was inaugurated by David. Furthermore, at the time of the inauguration of the Holy Temple, Dovid was vindicated before the eyes of all, including the eyes of his enemies. This vindication came from Hashem and is the inspiration of Dovid’s special praise of Hashem: 'ארוממך ה' כי דליתני ולא שמחת איבי לי' ‘I will exalt You, Hashem, for you have drawn me up and not let my foes rejoice over me.’ (Toras Chaim, cited in the Schottenstein Edition of Tractates Shabbos and Sanhedrin)

Perashat Huqat: The Merit of a Misva

From today's Darke Abotenu/Moroccan Daily Halakha
Perashat Huqat
e"H Ribi Kfir Dadon s"t
Translated by: Zachary Lubat s"t

The Merit of a Misva


After war with Sihon, the king of the Amorites, 'Og, the king of Bashan, goes out to fight with the Nation of Israel. Hashem strengthens Moshé Rabenu a"h and says to him "al tira oto ki beyadekha natati oto ve-et kol 'amo ve-et arso" - "Do not fear him, for into your hand have I given him, his entire people, and his land". Why then was Moshé Rabenu a"h more afraid of 'Og than Sihon?

The Gemara in Nida brings down that 'Og was the fugitive who came to Abraham to notify him that Lot was taken captive. His intention though was for Abraham to go out and be killed. Therefore, when 'Og came to fight with Israel, Moshé Rabenu a"h was afraid that the merit of Abraham would stand for 'Og. This is why HaShem tells Moshé Rabenu a"h not to fear.

It says in the sefer "Mai Marom" chapter 5, that even though 'Og had evil intentions, he received great merit for this act since the outcome benefited Abraham. 'Og received such great merit that it lasted for 465 years, to the point that Moshé Rabenu a"h was worried that this merit would allow 'Og to defeat the entire Nation of Israel. We learn from here the greatness and merit of performing a good deed, even if that good deed was not performed with good intentions.

There is a story told of a soldier who disappeared during the First Lebanon War. His parents turned to the Baba Salé zs"l. The sadiq looked at the parents gently and made a blessing on a drink, sipped it, and said "to life"! He then added "venaqé velo yenaqé" - "He will surely not clear." No one understood what the Ribi meant. The Ribi assured them that their son would return home soon. Sure enough, a week later the son returned home and they celebrated by the sadiq. The Ribi turned to the soldier and asked him, which Misva protected him? The soldier answered that he prayed, kept Shabat, and put on Tefilin. The Ribi again asked the question, which Misva the soldier accepted upon himself? The soldier answered that every Friday he would clean the synagogue and kept this a secret. This explains the Ribi's answer "venaqé velo yenaqé" - "He will surely not clear," that the one who accepted upon himself to clean the synagogue, will not come to any harm. This is the merit of a Misva which protects and saves.

HaShem should grant us the merit to continue to grow in our fulfillment of the Torah and Misvot!