יְהוָה֮ יָדִ֪ין עַ֫מִּ֥ים שָׁפְטֵ֥נִי יְהוָ֑ה כְּצִדְקִ֖י וּכְתֻמִּ֣י עָלָֽי׃
Seigneur, qui juges les nations, rends-moi justice, selon ma vertu et ma droiture.
Aggadat Bereshit
Chapter 6, Writings. [1] A prayer of David: Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea (Psalms 17:1). In the scriptures it is said: "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight" (Proverbs 15:8) refers to Moses, David, and the Messiah. Regarding Moses, it is written, "A prayer of Moses, the man of God" (Psalms 90:1). Regarding David, it is written, "A prayer of David" (Psalms 17:1). Concerning the Messiah, it is written, "A prayer of the poor man, when he is faint" (Psalms 102:1). "And the prayer of the upright is His delight" (Prov. 15:8), although all three pray, David prays with artistry. How can one say, "Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea"? The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "Until when will you pray? Say what you need, for you said, 'my righteous plea.' I swear by your life that for the sake of one of the things that I have mentioned before you, My vindication will come from You; (Psalms 17:2). Why did you say, 'If the leader sins' (Leviticus 4:22)? "A leader over whom there is no ruler except for God, since over a ruler there is no judge except for You, my judgment comes before You. David was a great artist, when he asked something from the Holy One, blessed be He, he played music to Him, as if to say, he delved his thoughts like those skilled in the wisdom of the microcosm (Baba Kamma 103b, Baba Batra 61a*). Deep wells of understanding." He asked first about the easy things, and only afterwards about the difficult things. Why was David similar to a person who asked to borrow a wheat barrel from the lender, and the lender said to him, "Please lend me a carob barrel because I am in a difficult situation"? David replied, "Come and take, we will take (the barrels) together." The lender then asked David to lend him a barley barrel and leave a carob barrel instead. David replied, "Come and take, we will take (the barrels) together." The lender then asked David to make him a wheat barrel and lend him carob and barley under it. David replied, "Take it, but who caused him to first ask about the easy things and only then about the difficult things?" The answer is from the verse "Judgment fell for David, 'The Lord has heard my righteousness.'" (Psalms 7:9) That is, first the easy things, and then the difficult things came before him in a straight path, as it is written "Your eyes will see what is straight before you." (Isaiah 30:21) God replied to him, "And I will act, for it is written, 'Behold, I will plead your cause and take vengeance for you' (Jeremiah 51:36), and 'I will contend with him that contends with you' (Isaiah 49:25)." End of story. [*comment: This statement is found in the Talmud Bavli tractate Bava Batra 93b, and it discusses the power of a Jewish leader or "nasi" who has no earthly ruler above him, only God. The passage states that since there is no one to judge or govern the Nasi except for God, then his judgment must be considered just and valid. It then goes on to praise King David as a great artist, as he would deepen his thoughts and connect with God when playing music. The phrase "והואיל שאין על גבי מושל אלא ה'" can be translated as "since there is no ruler above him except for God," emphasizing the unique position of a Nasi who is accountable only to God. The phrase "מלפניך משפטי יצא" means "my judgment comes from You," implying that since God is the only authority over the nasi, his decisions are divinely inspired. The passage then shifts to discussing King David and his artistic talents. The phrase "אומן גדול הי' דוד" means "David was a great artist," and the following phrase "כשהי' מבקש דבר מן הב"ה מנגנו" means "when he would seek something from God, he would play music." The term "אינגיניו בלע"ז" refers to David's musical instruments, and the phrase "כמו הנהו נגאני דארעא מיקרו" means "he would play so deeply that the ground would shake." This passage highlights David's unique talents and spiritual connection with God.]
Shemot Rabbah
Another matter, “these are [ve’eleh] the ordinances.” “It was on the third day when it was morning” (Exodus 19:16), in the morning the Torah was given, and in the evening the ordinances were given.43The vav at the beginning of ve’eleh links the ordinances in the upcoming passage to the previous portion, in which the Torah was given. The midrash understands this to mean that they were given on the same day. That is what is written: “From morning to evening they are broken; [forever unaware, they perish]” (Job 4:20).44The wicked are punished due to their having ignored the Torah, which was given in the morning, and the ordinances, which were given in the evening. This is analogous to two men who went to court,45This translation is based on Etz Yosef; see also Matnot Kehuna. one was a professional [lawyer] and one was a layman. What caused the layman to be punished? It is that he had no one to teach him. So too, the Holy One blessed be He was standing on Mount Sinai and was holding back judgment, as it is stated: “My hand grasps judgment” (Deuteronomy 32:41). David said: “Judge me, Lord, in accordance with my righteousness” (Psalms 7:9). He checked, but he did not find anyone to teach him,46He believed that he was righteous because there was no one to teach him the parameters of the divine attribute of justice. and he was punished. He began shouting: “Do not enter into judgment with Your servant” (Psalms 143:2). When was all this? It was before he organized the ordinances for himself, to realize what is stated: “From morning to evening they are broken; [forever unaware [mesim], they perish]” (Job 4:20).47The term mesim is taken as an allusion to the ordinances, of which it is stated: “These are the ordinances that you shall place [tasim] before them.” Thus, the punishment is due to an insufficient knowledge of the ordinances, and of the extent to which an individual is held accountable in the Divine process of judgment.
Another matter, “these are the ordinances.” What is: “Forever unaware, they perish”? (Job 4:20). Job said to the Holy One blessed be He: “If only I could know and find Him…I would organize my case before Him” (Job 23:3–4). This is analogous to a ruffian who was intoxicated. He kicked the prison [door] and freed the prisoners. He stoned the statue of the governor of the city, cursed a policeman, and said: ‘Show me the place where the governor of the city is located and I will teach him justice.’ He entered; they showed him the mayor of the city sitting on the podium. [The governor] incarcerated a noblewoman and expelled a city official, blinded a duke, sentenced a judge, and placed a magistrate in stocks. When [the ruffian] saw the governor of the city doing so, he was afraid. He said: ‘I implore you, I was intoxicated and was unaware of the power of the governor of the city.’
So too, Job was standing and screaming: “If only I could know and find Him…I would organize my case before Him.” He stoned the image, as he said: “Perish the day I was born” (Job 3:3).48Man is created in the image of God. By cursing the day of his birth, it was as though Job stoned the image of God. He kicked the prison and freed prisoners: “Let the stars of its twilight be dark” (Job 3:9).49The stars are like prisoners imprisoned in darkness. He cursed the officer: “May that night be taken by blackness” (Job 3:6).50Night is viewed as an officer in charge of darkness (see Bereishit Rabba 3:6; Maharzu). He saw the king sitting on the podium. [The King] incarcerated the noblewoman: “Behold, Miriam is leprous as snow” (Numbers 12:10). He expelled Moses: “Therefore, you will not bring this congregation [into the land which I have given them]” (Numbers 20:12). He blinded the duke, this is Isaac, as it is stated: “His eyes were dimmed from seeing” (Genesis 27:1). He sentenced Abraham, as it is stated: “Know that your descendants will be strangers” (Genesis 15:13). He placed Jacob in stocks: “He was limping on his thigh” (Genesis 32:32). When Job saw, he said: ‘I implore You, I was intoxicated,’ as it is stated: “Indeed I erred, my error rests with me’ (Job 19:4). Why to that extent? It is because they did not know the power of judgment.51They did not understand how exacting Divine judgment is. That is, “forever unaware, they perish.”
Another matter, “these are the ordinances.” What is: “Forever unaware, they perish”? (Job 4:20). Job said to the Holy One blessed be He: “If only I could know and find Him…I would organize my case before Him” (Job 23:3–4). This is analogous to a ruffian who was intoxicated. He kicked the prison [door] and freed the prisoners. He stoned the statue of the governor of the city, cursed a policeman, and said: ‘Show me the place where the governor of the city is located and I will teach him justice.’ He entered; they showed him the mayor of the city sitting on the podium. [The governor] incarcerated a noblewoman and expelled a city official, blinded a duke, sentenced a judge, and placed a magistrate in stocks. When [the ruffian] saw the governor of the city doing so, he was afraid. He said: ‘I implore you, I was intoxicated and was unaware of the power of the governor of the city.’
So too, Job was standing and screaming: “If only I could know and find Him…I would organize my case before Him.” He stoned the image, as he said: “Perish the day I was born” (Job 3:3).48Man is created in the image of God. By cursing the day of his birth, it was as though Job stoned the image of God. He kicked the prison and freed prisoners: “Let the stars of its twilight be dark” (Job 3:9).49The stars are like prisoners imprisoned in darkness. He cursed the officer: “May that night be taken by blackness” (Job 3:6).50Night is viewed as an officer in charge of darkness (see Bereishit Rabba 3:6; Maharzu). He saw the king sitting on the podium. [The King] incarcerated the noblewoman: “Behold, Miriam is leprous as snow” (Numbers 12:10). He expelled Moses: “Therefore, you will not bring this congregation [into the land which I have given them]” (Numbers 20:12). He blinded the duke, this is Isaac, as it is stated: “His eyes were dimmed from seeing” (Genesis 27:1). He sentenced Abraham, as it is stated: “Know that your descendants will be strangers” (Genesis 15:13). He placed Jacob in stocks: “He was limping on his thigh” (Genesis 32:32). When Job saw, he said: ‘I implore You, I was intoxicated,’ as it is stated: “Indeed I erred, my error rests with me’ (Job 19:4). Why to that extent? It is because they did not know the power of judgment.51They did not understand how exacting Divine judgment is. That is, “forever unaware, they perish.”