Musar para sa Mga Awit 25:1

When the priests say, "May He bless you," each and every one in the congregation quietly says: Look down from Your holy abode, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel and the soil You have given us, a land flowing with milk and honey, as You swore to our fathers (Deuteronomy 26:15). And when they say, "the Lord," the congregation says: The Lord, the Lord, mighty, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in love and truth (Exodus 32:6). And when they say, "and may He guard you," the congregation says: Guard me like the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings (Psalms 17:8). And when they say, "May [the Lord] shine" the congregation says: O Lord, my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me (Psalms 30:3). And when they say, "to you," the congregation says: To You, O Lord, do I lift my soul (Psalms 25:1). And when they say, "and give you grace" the congregation says: Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, for my soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings will I take refuge (Psalms 57:2). And when they say, "May He lift," the congregation says: He shall lift [bear] a blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation (Psalms 24:5). And when they say, "the Lord," the congregation says: The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup, You maintain my lot (Psalms 16:5). And when they say, "His face," the congregation says: Yet turn Your face to the prayer of Your servant and Your people, Israel (see I Kings 8:28). And when they say, "to you," the congregation says: To You did I lift my eyes (Psalms 123:1). And when they say, "and give," the congregation says: give [put] my tears into Your flask, into Your record (Psalms 56:9). And when they say, "to you," the congregation says: To You, Lord is greatness, might, splendor, triumph, and majesty; yes, all that is in heaven and on earth (I Chronicles 29:11). And when they say, "peace," the congregation says: Great peace to the lovers of Your Torah and may there be no stumbling block in their way (Psalms 119:165).

Now let us discuss prayer. It is well known that Dovid HaMelech was known as the “singer of pleasant songs” and that he was a master of prayer. Therefore, as the Zohar teaches in Parashas Balak (195a), we must derive the proper order and content of our prayers from him. We find that Dovid sometimes counts himself among the “servants,” as it is written, “Look, as the eyes of servants look towards the hand of their master, etc.” (Tehillim 123:2). Sometimes among the poor, as it is written, “Hashem, incline Your ear and answer me, for I am poor and needy” (Tehillim 86:1). Sometimes among the pious, as it is written, “Of Dovid, guard my soul for I am pious” (ibid. 2). And sometimes he identifies himself with the holy ones who sacrifice their lives for the sanctification of Hashem’s name, as it is written, “Of Dovid; to You, Hashem, I lift up my soul, etc.” (Tehillim 25:1).

Come see what is stated in the Zohar, Parashas Lech Lecha (86b-88a): Rabbi Elazar went to visit his father-in-law, accompanied by Rabbi Chiya, Rabbi Yose and Rabbi Chizkiyah. Rabbi Elazar said, “I see that there is never an arousal from above without an arousal from below.” What he meant was that they must begin by engrossing themselves in the commandments with affection and then the Shechinah would come and spread its wings over them. Therefore they immersed themselves in a discussion of Torah. While they were walking they encountered Rabbi Yeisa, accompanied by another Jew. The Jew began a discourse, “It is stated, ‘Of David, to You, Hashem, I lift up my soul’ (Tehillim 25:1). Why is it not stated, ‘A song of David’? It is because he was actually referring to the spiritual level known as ‘David.’ His intention was to elevate his soul to the place of supernal holiness that is its source.” Rabbi Elazar said to Rabbi Yeisa, “I see that you have come accompanied by the Shechinah…” Rabbi Elazar asked the Jew, “What is you name?” “Yo’ezer,” he replied. “The names ‘Yo’ezer’ and ‘Elazar’ have the same meaning,” Rabbi Elazar observed. They sat down together beside a boulder and the fellow named Yo’ezer revealed to them a number of Torah insights. Then Rabbi Elazar said, “What is your trade?” “I was a teacher of children in my town, but now Rabbi Yeisa from the village of Chanan has come to my town and they took the youths away from me and seated them with him. The people of my town continued to give me my salary just as in the time that the children were with me but I reflected that it was not fitting for me to recei‘ve this benefit for nothing. So I hired myself out to accompany this scholar.”