כִּי־אֵ֭פֶר כַּלֶּ֣חֶם אָכָ֑לְתִּי וְ֝שִׁקֻּוַ֗י בִּבְכִ֥י מָסָֽכְתִּי׃
Bo popiół jak chléb jadam, a napój mój łzami zaprawiam.
Tanna DeBei Eliyahu Rabbah
One thing after another, the days were created, and not one of them is the seventh day forever, according to this world six thousand years, two thousand years, two thousand Torah, two thousand years, the son of David will die, and in our seasons many will go out, what went out, and will come in to work within two thousand years of the death of the son of David (more than 100 years) as it is said God did what he planned (Lamentations 2:17) and just as we make a shemitah once every seven years, so the Almighty will make a shemitah for the world one day which is a thousand years as it is said that a thousand years are in your eyes as yesterday (Psalms 90:4). And says And there was one day (Zechariah 14:7), this is the seventh day of the world, and at evening there was light (Zechariah 14:7), this is the world to come, which is said to be every month in its month, and every Sabbath in its Sabbath (Isaiah 66:23 ) And a psalm is said for the Sabbath day to the world that is all Sabbath. Another thing is a psalm a song for the Sabbath day that shuts off from the world. Another thing is a psalm a song for the Sabbath day is the seventh day to the world. And for the evening of the Sabbath it is the world to come in which there is no death for the eternal and the eternal, and in it there is neither sin nor iniquity nor plagues And no rebellions, but each and every one rejoices with his wisdom and understanding. How do you know that he did go out and learn from the Holy One, blessed be He, who rejoices in David in this world and the glory of heaven in the next world that was said and these are David's last words and ending "The utterance of is David the son of Ishai, and he utterance of the person who stands" on the mountains of learning, who accepted upon themselves the yoke of Torah and the yoke of mitzvot. What is your payment in front of Me? That you will be called 'the anointed of the God of Yaakov, and the sweet singer of Israel'. Happy is the person who sets themselves as an ox to the yoke, and as a donkey to the burden, and sits and meditates every day in Torah, always, immediately the Spirit of God rests on them, and the their Torah gets inside them, as it is written "Ho, everyone who thirsts, come for water" (Isaiah 55:1), and any mention of water really means Torah. How so? Explanation: a person reads Torah, prophets, writings, Mishnah, Halakhot, Agadot, and Midrash; and spends much time sitting, and little time in business, immediately the spirit of God is within that person, and His message are in that person's tongue, as it is written "The spirit of Ad-nai has spoken through me, His message is on my tongue" (II Sam 23:2). Happy is the person that plays with the words of the Torah and sits and chews on them like an animal that chews the cud on the field. ...
Vayikra Rabbah
Another matter: “You shall take for you on the first day” – that is what is written: “He has heeded the prayer of the destitute; He did not despise their prayer” (Psalms 102:18), as Israel prevailed at trial, and their iniquities were atoned; and they say: Israel prevailed [natzeḥu], as it is stated: “Moreover, the Eternity [netzaḥ] of Israel will not lie and will not regret” (I Samuel 15:29). That is what David said to Israel: ‘If you have fulfilled the mitzva of the palm branch, which is called delightful [ne’ima],’ as it is stated: “Eternal pleasure [ne’imot] is by Your right hand,” ‘you will be informed that you have prevailed over the nations of the world,’ as it is stated: “Moreover, the Eternity [netzaḥ] of Israel.” Therefore, Moses exhorts Israel and says to them: “You shall take for you on the first day.”
Rabbi Avin said: “He has heeded the prayer of the destitute” (Psalms 102:18) – and Rabbi Avin said: We are unable to ascertain David’s nature; sometimes he calls himself poor, sometimes he calls himself king. How [is this to be understood]? When he would gaze and see that righteous individuals were destined to emerge from him, such as Asa, Yehoshafat, Hezekiah, and Yoshiya, he would call himself king, as it is stated: “Endow the king with Your justice, God” (Psalms 72:1). But when he would gaze [and see] wicked individuals emerging from him, such as Aḥaz, Menashe, and Amon, he would call himself poor, as it is stated: “The prayer of a poor man, when he feels overwhelmed” (Psalms 102:1).
Rabbi Alexandri interpreted the verse9Referring to Psalms 102:1. regarding this laborer, just as this laborer sits and waits for when he takes a short break from his labor and ultimately finishes it later,10He has to make up the lost work time at the end of the day. just as it says: “The atufim will be for Lavan” (Genesis 30:42). What are “the atufim”? Rabbi Yitzḥak ben Rabbi Ḥilkiya: The late ones.11Thus, when David says: “The prayer of the poor man when he feels overwhelmed [ki yaatof],” he is alluding to the fact that when he was engaged in some pressing activity he would pray later than others.
Another matter: “He has heeded the prayer of the destitute [haarar]; [He did not despise their prayer]” (Psalms 102:18) – it should have said: “He did not despise his prayer.” If it says: “He did not despise their prayer,” it should have said: “He has heeded the prayer of the destitute [haararim].”12It should have used the plural formulation of the Hebrew word for destitute. Rather, “He has heeded the prayer of the destitute” – this is the prayer of Menashe king of Judah, who was destitute of good deeds. “He did not despise their prayer” – this is his prayer and the prayer of his ancestors, as it is written: “He prayed to Him, and He acceded to his entreaty” (II Chronicles 33:13). What is “He acceded to his entreaty [vaye’ater lo]”? Rabbi Elazar bar Rabbi Shimon said: In Arabia, they call digging [ḥatirata] atirata.13God dug a tunnel under His Throne of Glory so that Menashe’s prayer could reach Him (see Devarim Rabba 2:20; Rut Rabba 5:6). He restored him to Jerusalem to his kingdom” (II Chronicles 33:13) – how did He restore him? He restored him with the wind, just as it is said: He causes the wind to blow. At that moment, “Menashe knew that the Lord, He is God” (II Chronicles 33:13). At that moment, Menashe said: There is justice, and there is a Judge.
Rabbi Yitzḥak interpreted the verse regarding these generations that have neither a king nor a prophet, neither a [High] Priest nor the Urim and the Tumim, and they have nothing other than prayer alone. David said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, do not despise their prayers. “Let this be written for the generation to come”’ (Psalms 102:19) – from here [it may be inferred] that the Holy One blessed be He accepts penitents. “And a people which shall be created shall praise the Lord” (Psalms 102:19), [indicates] that the Holy One blessed be He creates them as a new creation.
Another matter: “Let this be written for the generation to come” (Psalms 102:19) – this is the generation of Hezekiah, which was on the verge of death. “And a people which shall be created shall praise the Lord” (Psalms 102:19), [indicates] that the Holy One blessed be He created them as a new creation. Alternatively, “let this be written for the generation to come” – this is the generation of Mordekhai, which was on the verge of death. “And a people which shall be created shall praise the Lord,” [indicates] that He created them as a new creation. Alternatively, “let this be written for the generation to come,” refers to these generations, which are on the verge of death. “And a people which shall be created shall praise the Lord,” [indicates] that the Holy One blessed be He is destined to create them as a new creation. What is incumbent upon us to do? To take a palm branch and a citron and laud the Holy One blessed be He. Therefore, Moses exhorts Israel and says to them: “You shall take for you on the first day.”
Rabbi Avin said: “He has heeded the prayer of the destitute” (Psalms 102:18) – and Rabbi Avin said: We are unable to ascertain David’s nature; sometimes he calls himself poor, sometimes he calls himself king. How [is this to be understood]? When he would gaze and see that righteous individuals were destined to emerge from him, such as Asa, Yehoshafat, Hezekiah, and Yoshiya, he would call himself king, as it is stated: “Endow the king with Your justice, God” (Psalms 72:1). But when he would gaze [and see] wicked individuals emerging from him, such as Aḥaz, Menashe, and Amon, he would call himself poor, as it is stated: “The prayer of a poor man, when he feels overwhelmed” (Psalms 102:1).
Rabbi Alexandri interpreted the verse9Referring to Psalms 102:1. regarding this laborer, just as this laborer sits and waits for when he takes a short break from his labor and ultimately finishes it later,10He has to make up the lost work time at the end of the day. just as it says: “The atufim will be for Lavan” (Genesis 30:42). What are “the atufim”? Rabbi Yitzḥak ben Rabbi Ḥilkiya: The late ones.11Thus, when David says: “The prayer of the poor man when he feels overwhelmed [ki yaatof],” he is alluding to the fact that when he was engaged in some pressing activity he would pray later than others.
Another matter: “He has heeded the prayer of the destitute [haarar]; [He did not despise their prayer]” (Psalms 102:18) – it should have said: “He did not despise his prayer.” If it says: “He did not despise their prayer,” it should have said: “He has heeded the prayer of the destitute [haararim].”12It should have used the plural formulation of the Hebrew word for destitute. Rather, “He has heeded the prayer of the destitute” – this is the prayer of Menashe king of Judah, who was destitute of good deeds. “He did not despise their prayer” – this is his prayer and the prayer of his ancestors, as it is written: “He prayed to Him, and He acceded to his entreaty” (II Chronicles 33:13). What is “He acceded to his entreaty [vaye’ater lo]”? Rabbi Elazar bar Rabbi Shimon said: In Arabia, they call digging [ḥatirata] atirata.13God dug a tunnel under His Throne of Glory so that Menashe’s prayer could reach Him (see Devarim Rabba 2:20; Rut Rabba 5:6). He restored him to Jerusalem to his kingdom” (II Chronicles 33:13) – how did He restore him? He restored him with the wind, just as it is said: He causes the wind to blow. At that moment, “Menashe knew that the Lord, He is God” (II Chronicles 33:13). At that moment, Menashe said: There is justice, and there is a Judge.
Rabbi Yitzḥak interpreted the verse regarding these generations that have neither a king nor a prophet, neither a [High] Priest nor the Urim and the Tumim, and they have nothing other than prayer alone. David said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, do not despise their prayers. “Let this be written for the generation to come”’ (Psalms 102:19) – from here [it may be inferred] that the Holy One blessed be He accepts penitents. “And a people which shall be created shall praise the Lord” (Psalms 102:19), [indicates] that the Holy One blessed be He creates them as a new creation.
Another matter: “Let this be written for the generation to come” (Psalms 102:19) – this is the generation of Hezekiah, which was on the verge of death. “And a people which shall be created shall praise the Lord” (Psalms 102:19), [indicates] that the Holy One blessed be He created them as a new creation. Alternatively, “let this be written for the generation to come” – this is the generation of Mordekhai, which was on the verge of death. “And a people which shall be created shall praise the Lord,” [indicates] that He created them as a new creation. Alternatively, “let this be written for the generation to come,” refers to these generations, which are on the verge of death. “And a people which shall be created shall praise the Lord,” [indicates] that the Holy One blessed be He is destined to create them as a new creation. What is incumbent upon us to do? To take a palm branch and a citron and laud the Holy One blessed be He. Therefore, Moses exhorts Israel and says to them: “You shall take for you on the first day.”
Midrash Tehillim
"And bring me your mercy, Lord, your salvation, as you have promised. The same mercy you promised our ancestors. As it is said, 'You will give truth to Jacob and mercy to Abraham' (Micah 7:20). And so did Moses say, 'You have led with your mercy this people, whom you have redeemed' (Exodus 15:13). Thus David said, 'Bring me your mercy, Lord' (Psalm 40:12). What is the mercy that you show us that you save us? And if you save us, I have something to say and answer to those who insult me, even though I am silent now, as it says, 'I am silent; I will not open my mouth, for you are the one who has done it' (Psalm 39:10). Your will is that I should answer them, as it says, 'Remove your affliction from me; by the force of your hand I am perishing' (Psalm 39:11). That is why it is said, 'I will answer those who insult me' (Psalm 69:10). What are they insulting you about? As it says, 'Because for your sake I have borne reproach; shame has covered my face' (Psalm 69:8). And so it says, 'For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with tears, because of your indignation and wrath; for you have lifted me up and cast me down' (Psalm 102:10-11). And they insult me, saying, 'Where is your God?' (Psalm 42:4). The Lord said to him, 'For my sake you are insulted, and I will remove your disgrace' (Isaiah 25:8). And so it says, 'In that day they will say, "Surely this is our God; we have waited for him, and he has saved us" ' (Isaiah 25:9). And the wicked who said, 'Where is your God?' will acknowledge and say, 'This is the Lord we have waited for; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.' "