מִזְמ֡וֹר שִׁיר־חֲנֻכַּ֖ת הַבַּ֣יִת לְדָוִֽד׃
Psaume. Cantique de la dédicace du temple; par David.
Rabbeinu Bahya
A Midrashic approach: the words: “It was on the day Moses completed the erecting of the Tabernacle” are reminiscent of Proverbs 27,18: “He who tends the fig tree will eat its fruit; he who waits on his master will be honoured.” G’d does not withhold the appropriate reward for any creature. If man has toiled and devoted his best efforts to something worthy he will be rewarded. The Midrash illustrates this with the example of David, his son Solomon, and the Temple. It is well known that the scheme to build the Temple originated with David. Not only did he amass most of the funds and materials for the project but he had drawn up detailed blue prints. This is why we find that psalm 30,1 credits the Temple to David rather than to his son Solomon who had spent seven years building it. At the inauguration the hymn commences with the words מזמור שיר חנוכת הבית לדוד, “a psalm for David. A song for the dedication of the House.” You will observe a similar phenomenon with the Tabernacle. Seeing that Moses had devoted so much effort to see the Tabernacle built, had assembled it, erected it, etc., we find here that though Betzalel was the chief architect and executive carrying out the construction, that the Torah speaks about the day “Moses completed the Tabernacle.” This is the way the Torah expresses its recognition of the contribution by people whose efforts is likened to those who plant a fig tree.
Another Midrashic insight: the words: “it was on the day Moses completed the Tabernacle,” are reminiscent of another part of Psalms 51,2--21 “May it please You to make Zion prosper; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then You will want sacrifices offered in righteousness, burnt and whole offerings; the bulls will be offered on Your altar.” Seeing that in this world, at the inauguration of the Tabernacle the sacrifices were quantitatively minuscule, as described in verse 12, G’d could have reacted to such measly offerings with some degree of indignation. The Jewish people, forestalling such a complaint explained that seeing they were not in Jerusalem, did not yet have a home of their own, were traveling through the desert, they only presented a token of their esteem for their king G’d. They hinted in this psalm that as soon as their king would lead them to their permanent home they would reciprocate by presenting the King with sacrifices more in keeping with his stature. In fact when you will study the report of the inauguration of Solomon’s Temple and compare it with the inauguration of the Tabernacle you will be amazed at the quantitative difference. The courtyard of the Temple had to be enlarged (the sanctified area) in order to accommodate all the animals being slaughtered on that occasion. Kings I 8,63 tells of 22,000 oxen, 120,0000 sheep. being sacrificed at that time. Even during the days of Ezra, at the inauguration of the second Temple, when the economic and numerical condition of the Jewish people was a far cry from the glorious days of Solomon, we read that 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and 12 goats were offered on that occasion (Ezra 6,17).
Another interpretation: The choice of the word כלות in the verse ויהי ביום כלות משה להקים את המשכן causes Rabbi Yochanan to understand the meaning of the word in the same sense as in Genesis 18,21 where it referred to total extinction of the people of Sodom. As long as the Tabernacle had not been erected the various destructive forces commonly known as demons had free reign on earth. When Moses had ascended Mount Sinai he recited Psalms 91,1 יושב בסתר עליון בצל שדי יתלונן, extolling “the Jewish people who had been allowed to reside in the shelter of the Most High and abide in the protection of Shaddai.” Tanchuma Nasso 23 understands these words slightly differently i.e. the word צל, shadow, has a numerical value of 120. This is the combined number of days (3 times 40) which Moses spent in that “hideout” near G’d on the mountain. In verse two of that hymn Moses says to G’d: “my refuge and stronghold, my G’d in whom I trust.” G’d responded: “seeing you placed your trust in Me, I will indeed stand by you.” This is why the following verses dealing with miraculous rescues refer particularly to David whom G’d rescued from certain death at the hands of King Shaul (compare Samuel I 23,26). On the words ותחת כנפיו תחסה צנה וסוחרה אמתו, “and under His wings you will find refuge; His fidelity is an encircling shield (verse 4),” Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish comments in that same Midrash that G’d promises to act in the fashion described for all who are true students of Torah. The next verse in the psalm, speaking of there being no need to fear the terror by night or the arrow that flies by day, is a reference to destructive forces on earth known by Moses in the psalm, i.e. the ones who fly around by day. The term קטב מרירי mentioned in verse six is a destructive agent whose sighting the victim is not likely to survive at all. It kills man and beast alike without direct contact. To help identify this creature, our author describes its head as similar to the head of a calf, it sprouts one horn on the middle of its forehead; the time of year when it is rampant is between the 17th of Tammuz and the ninth of Av, i.e. the period when the city of Jerusalem and at the end the Temple were captured and destroyed.
When the psalmist (Moses) continues in verse 10 with: “no harm will befall you, no disease will touch your tent,” this is a reference to the Tent of Meeting, the Tabernacle. As long as the Tabernacle had not become functional these various destructive forces were commonplace; from the day described in our verse they ceased to exist.
Another Midrashic insight: the words: “it was on the day Moses completed the Tabernacle,” are reminiscent of another part of Psalms 51,2--21 “May it please You to make Zion prosper; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then You will want sacrifices offered in righteousness, burnt and whole offerings; the bulls will be offered on Your altar.” Seeing that in this world, at the inauguration of the Tabernacle the sacrifices were quantitatively minuscule, as described in verse 12, G’d could have reacted to such measly offerings with some degree of indignation. The Jewish people, forestalling such a complaint explained that seeing they were not in Jerusalem, did not yet have a home of their own, were traveling through the desert, they only presented a token of their esteem for their king G’d. They hinted in this psalm that as soon as their king would lead them to their permanent home they would reciprocate by presenting the King with sacrifices more in keeping with his stature. In fact when you will study the report of the inauguration of Solomon’s Temple and compare it with the inauguration of the Tabernacle you will be amazed at the quantitative difference. The courtyard of the Temple had to be enlarged (the sanctified area) in order to accommodate all the animals being slaughtered on that occasion. Kings I 8,63 tells of 22,000 oxen, 120,0000 sheep. being sacrificed at that time. Even during the days of Ezra, at the inauguration of the second Temple, when the economic and numerical condition of the Jewish people was a far cry from the glorious days of Solomon, we read that 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and 12 goats were offered on that occasion (Ezra 6,17).
Another interpretation: The choice of the word כלות in the verse ויהי ביום כלות משה להקים את המשכן causes Rabbi Yochanan to understand the meaning of the word in the same sense as in Genesis 18,21 where it referred to total extinction of the people of Sodom. As long as the Tabernacle had not been erected the various destructive forces commonly known as demons had free reign on earth. When Moses had ascended Mount Sinai he recited Psalms 91,1 יושב בסתר עליון בצל שדי יתלונן, extolling “the Jewish people who had been allowed to reside in the shelter of the Most High and abide in the protection of Shaddai.” Tanchuma Nasso 23 understands these words slightly differently i.e. the word צל, shadow, has a numerical value of 120. This is the combined number of days (3 times 40) which Moses spent in that “hideout” near G’d on the mountain. In verse two of that hymn Moses says to G’d: “my refuge and stronghold, my G’d in whom I trust.” G’d responded: “seeing you placed your trust in Me, I will indeed stand by you.” This is why the following verses dealing with miraculous rescues refer particularly to David whom G’d rescued from certain death at the hands of King Shaul (compare Samuel I 23,26). On the words ותחת כנפיו תחסה צנה וסוחרה אמתו, “and under His wings you will find refuge; His fidelity is an encircling shield (verse 4),” Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish comments in that same Midrash that G’d promises to act in the fashion described for all who are true students of Torah. The next verse in the psalm, speaking of there being no need to fear the terror by night or the arrow that flies by day, is a reference to destructive forces on earth known by Moses in the psalm, i.e. the ones who fly around by day. The term קטב מרירי mentioned in verse six is a destructive agent whose sighting the victim is not likely to survive at all. It kills man and beast alike without direct contact. To help identify this creature, our author describes its head as similar to the head of a calf, it sprouts one horn on the middle of its forehead; the time of year when it is rampant is between the 17th of Tammuz and the ninth of Av, i.e. the period when the city of Jerusalem and at the end the Temple were captured and destroyed.
When the psalmist (Moses) continues in verse 10 with: “no harm will befall you, no disease will touch your tent,” this is a reference to the Tent of Meeting, the Tabernacle. As long as the Tabernacle had not become functional these various destructive forces were commonplace; from the day described in our verse they ceased to exist.
Rabbeinu Bahya
Onkelos understands the word אובד as a reference to Lavan who is described as ארמי אובד, meaning that Lavan wanted to exterminate Yaakov (להאביד) and would have succeeded had not G’d warned him during the night before he caught up with Yaakov not to harm him (Genesis 31,29). Our sages, following Onkelos, teach that when a pagan intends to perform a forbidden act, this very intention is already accounted for him as if he had carried out his evil plan. After all, how else could the Torah describe Lavan as destroying Yaakov seeing he never laid a hand on him! The word אובד therefore reflects Lavan’s intent rather than his deed. If a pagan intends to perform a good deed but does not get around to carry it out, he is not given credit for the mere intention of performing the good deed in question. This is based on Daniel 6,15: ”and until the sun set made every effort to rescue him.” G’d did not give the king credit for his efforts until he had actually carried them out. When an Israelite intends to commit a sin but did not carry it out, G’d does not record the thought as a deed until after it has been carried out, seeing we read in Micah 2,1: “Ah, those who plan iniquity and design evil on their beds, when morning dawns they do it.” In other words, they are not debited with the plan until it has been carried out. David said in Psalms 66,18: “Had I an evil thought in my mind, the Lord would not have listened.” On the other hand, when David had a plan such as to build the Temple, he was given credit for it though he was prevented from carrying out his plan. This is why we recite psalm 30,1: “a hymn on the occasion of the inauguration of the House (Temple) by David” [instead of by Solomon, Ed.] (compare Midrash Tehillim 30).
Tze'enah Ure'enah
“My father was a fugitive Aramean” [26:5]. Laban wanted to kill our ancestor Jacob. Our sages say: even though he did not kill him, however, Laban had intended to kill him. When a gentile desires to commit a sin, the Holy One credits it as if he had actually committed the sin. When a gentile has the desire to fulfill a commandment, the Holy One does not credit him until he has fulfilled the commandment. When an Israelite has the desire to fulfill a commandment, even if he has not fulfilled it yet, the Holy One credits him as if he had already fulfilled the commandment. Concerning this, King David said: “had I an evil thought in my mind, the Lord would not have listened” [Psalms, 66:18]. This means, even if I had the thought in my heart to commit a sin, yet God does not accept it. Therefore, because he desired to build the Temple, the verse wrote about David as if he had built the House, as the verse says, “A psalm of David, a song for the dedication of the House” [Psalms, 30:1].9Bahya, Deuteronomy, 26:5.
Rashi
חניכיו HIS TRAINED SERVANTS — The word is written without a י (after the כ) so it may be read חניכו “his trained one”, referring to Eliezer whom he had trained to the observance of religious duties. The word חנך signifies introducing a person or a thing, for the first time, to some particular occupation in which it is intended that he should remain (i. e. to dedicate or devote to some particular purpose). It has a similar sense in (Proverbs 22:6) “Train up (חנוך) a child”, and in (Numbers 7:84) חנוכת המזבח “the dedication of the altar”, and (Psalms 30:1) “The dedication (חנוכת) of the house” In old French enseigner; English: to teach, instruct.