Komentaryong Sumisipi para sa Mga Awit 9:5

and lamentation with those who know to wail—[Jonathan renders:] And the one who makes a lamentation shall meet one who makes a wailing. And this is only a repetitious expression. Cf. (Ps. 9:5) “My right and my cause (מִשְׁפָּטִי וְדִינִי).”

A MEMORIAL OF T’RUAH’ (A BLAST OF THE RAM’S HORN) — “[a memorial by means of recitation of] Biblical verses which tell of Divine Remembrance, and verses which have reference to the blowing of the Shofar [the ram’s horn], so that I shall recall in memory for your sake the Binding of Isaac, instead of whom a ram was offered.” This is Rashi’s language.
Now the Rabbi [Rashi] should have mentioned also the Rabbinic interpretation for the recitation of verses in which the Sovereignty of G-d is described,³⁴¹In the Additional Service of the New Year, ten Biblical verses which speak of G-d as King of the universe are recited; so also ten verses which speak of Divine Remembrance, and ten which speak of the role of the Shofar. See in Vol. I, p. 268 Note 318. for it is impossible that Scripture should mention the verses of Divine Remembrance and of the Shofar, and should not mention also the verses of Sovereignty. And the Sages have already derived [the duty of reciting] them from the verse, And they shall be to you for a memorial before your G-d: I am the Eternal your G-d:³⁴²Numbers 10:10. “There was no need for Scripture to state here, I am the Eternal your G-d. And why does it state I am the Eternal your G-d?³⁴³In Verse 9 ibid., it states already, and ye shall be remembered before the Eternal your G-d. Why then is it said in Verse 10 again, I am the Eternal your G-d? It is stated only to establish a general law, that wherever you recite verses of Divine Remembrance you recite next to them those of Sovereignty,” as it is taught in Torath Kohanim³⁴⁴Torath Kohanim, Emor 11:2. and in Tractate Rosh Hashanah.³⁴⁵Rosh Hashanah 32 a. However, all these interpretations are only Scriptural supports for Rabbinic enactments. For the Rabbis have explicitly said:³⁴⁶Ibid., 34 b. The Gemara there brings a Beraitha as follows: “If there are two cities, in one of which they blow the Shofar [but there is no-one who can recite the Additional Service of the New Year with the special verses about G-d’s Sovereignty etc.], and in the other they recite the Service but have no Shofar, then we are to go” etc., as Ramban continues. “We are to go to the place where they blow the Shofar, and we are not to go to the place where they recite the Service” [without the blowing of the Shofar. On this statement of the Beraitha the Rabbis of the Gemara asked:] “Surely this is so! The blowing of the Shofar is commanded by law of the Torah, and the recitation of the verses is only by law of the Rabbis [and what need is there for the Beraitha to teach me that the law of the Torah takes precedence!” To this the Gemara answered: “The Beraitha is] necessary only to teach this in a case where one is certain and one is in doubt.”³⁴⁷Even if there is only a doubt whether there will be a Shofar in one community, whilst in the other it is certain that they will recite the Service, but without the sounding of the Shofar, the Beraitha teaches that we are yet to go to the place where there is a possibility of the Shofar being blown, even though there is a doubt about it.
Rather, the expression a memorial of ‘t’ruah’ is like the verse, it shall be a day of ‘t’ruah’ unto you,³⁴⁸Numbers 29:1. Scripture stating that we are to blow [the Shofar] on that day, and this shall be to us for a memorial before G-d, as it is said further on, and ye shall blow with the trumpets [over your burnt-offerings, and over the offerings of your peace-offerings], and they shall be to you for a memorial before your G-d.³⁴²Numbers 10:10. And since He said there, And in the day of your gladness, and in your appointed seasons, and in your New Moons, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt-offerings, and over the offerings of your peace-offerings,³⁴²Numbers 10:10. whereas here He commanded only a t’ruah [a blast of the horn] for this festival [the New Year], and following it He said, and ye shall bring an offering made by fire,³⁴⁹Verse 25 here. we deduce that this t’ruah [mentioned here] is not the same blowing which was done with the [silver] trumpets over the offerings. We furthermore [deduce] that this t’ruah here was not done over the offerings, but it is obligatory upon all Israel [wherever they are], and is to be done with the Shofar [the ram’s horn], for he had not yet commanded him [Moses] to make the trumpets, and all unqualified expressions of t’ruah are done with the Shofar, as it is said, And thou shalt make proclamation with ‘shofar t’ruah’ (the blast of the horn).³⁵⁰Further, 25:9.
Now Scripture did not explain the reason for this commandment, why [we must do] the blowing [of the horn], and why we need a memorial before G-d on this day more than on all other days, and why He commanded altogether that this day should be a holy convocation. But because this day comes at the beginning of the month in which the Day of Atonement occurs, it would appear that on the New Year there is a judgment before Him, blessed be He, for by these He judgeth the peoples,³⁵¹Job 36:31. on the New Year He sits upon the throne as the righteous Judge,³⁵²Psalms 9:5. and afterwards in the course of the next ten days He forgives the transgression of His servants.³⁵³See Genesis 50:17. Scripture is thus alluding to this matter which is well-known in Israel by word of the prophets and our holy ancestors.³⁵⁴“Up to Moses our teacher, and it is still with us as a matter of tradition and as is known in the Talmud. And he who has been worthy to be a student of the secrets of the Torah, will see the subject expressed more clearly in Scripture, and the expressions of the Torah will be better understood by him, for t’ruah has stood by our fathers etc.” (see text here) (Ramban in his Sermon on Rosh Hashanah, Kithvei Haramban, I, p. 220). And by way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], t’ruah is that which has stood by our fathers and us, as it is said, Happy is the people that know the ‘t’ruah,’³⁵⁵Psalms 89:16. “And what does this verse mean? It cannot be understood literally, for there are many peoples who know how to make the t’ruah (the quavering sound) on trumpets and ram’s horns, and yet their portion is unhappiness, and similarly we find the contrary! Rather, t’ruah is symbolic of the attribute of justice … and the sense of the verse is: Happy is the people that know the ‘t’ruah,’ that possesses the knowledge of cleaving the G-d in time of t’ruah, for the term ‘knowing’ is used for attachment, as it is written, And the man ‘knew’ Eve his wife” (Genesis 4:1) (Kithvei Haramban, I, p. 220). For by doing repentance [as will be explained later on] and cleaving to G-d, the judgment will be rendered in mercy. similar in meaning to that which it is written, ‘t’ruath’(the alarm of) war;³⁵⁶Jeremiah 4:19. for The Eternal is a man of war.³⁵⁷Exodus 15:3. If so, it shall be a day of ‘t’ruah’ unto you³⁴⁸Numbers 29:1. means that the day which is set aside for t’ruah [i.e., when the world is judged according to the attribute of justice], will be to our succor [for we will be remembered in mercy].³⁵⁸Abusaula. Similarly, a memorial of ‘t’ruah,’ a holy convocation³⁵⁹Verse 24 before us. means that there will be a remembrance [of mercy] in the t’ruah [the quavering sound which alludes to the attribute of justice], and therefore it is a holy convocation. It was not necessary for Scripture to mention the Shofar [i.e., that “it shall be a day of Shofar unto you”], for the Shofar is already alluded to in the word “day,”³⁶⁰Since the word Shofar [the ram’s horn] is symbolic of mercy, it is already hinted at in the word “day” which likewise symbolizes mercy (L’vush in his commentary to Ricanti quoting the language of Ramban). and the t’ruah is on [that “day”], and thus it is a day of judgment in mercy, not a ‘t’ruath’ (alarm of) war.³⁵⁷Exodus 15:3. It is for this reason that Scripture mentioned only the t’ruah [but did not mention the t’kioth, the accompanying plain sounds], because it is already a tradition received by our Rabbis which all Israel have seen [done] as far back as Moses our teacher, that each t’ruah (quavering sound) has one plain accompanying sound before it and one after it. And why should Scripture mention the t’ruah, and not mention the t’kioth at all, neither in connection with the New Year nor the Day of Atonement [of the Jubilee year]?³⁶¹Further, 25:9. “[The Day of Atonement in] the Jubilee year is like the New Year in respect of the blowing of the Shofar” (Rosh Hashanah 26 b). But it is because the t’kiah [the plain accompanying sound] is the memorial, and it is the Shofar [all alluding to the attribute of mercy], and the t’ruah is as its name indicates [i.e., a reference to the attribute of judgment].³⁶²Similar to ‘t’ro’eim’ in the verse: ‘t’ro’eim’ (thou shalt break them) with a rod of iron (Psalms 2:9) (L’vush in his commentary to Ricanti). And because it [the t’ruah] is wholly surrounded by mercy — an accompanying plain sound before it and one after it — therefore He said of those who know the ‘t’ruah’³⁵⁵Psalms 89:16. “And what does this verse mean? It cannot be understood literally, for there are many peoples who know how to make the t’ruah (the quavering sound) on trumpets and ram’s horns, and yet their portion is unhappiness, and similarly we find the contrary! Rather, t’ruah is symbolic of the attribute of justice … and the sense of the verse is: Happy is the people that know the ‘t’ruah,’ that possesses the knowledge of cleaving the G-d in time of t’ruah, for the term ‘knowing’ is used for attachment, as it is written, And the man ‘knew’ Eve his wife” (Genesis 4:1) (Kithvei Haramban, I, p. 220). For by doing repentance [as will be explained later on] and cleaving to G-d, the judgment will be rendered in mercy. that through righteousness they will be exalted, for Thou art the glory of their strength.³⁶³Psalms 89:17-18. Thus it is clear that everything depends upon repentance,³⁶⁴“For otherwise, it would be the Day of Judgment” (L’vush). but on the New Year He is concerned entirely with the attribute of justice and conducts His world [by that attribute], and on the Day of Atonement He is concerned entirely with the attribute of mercy. It is this which is expressed in the saying of the Rabbis [with reference to these solemn days]:³⁶⁵Rosh Hashanah 32 b. “The King sitteth upon the throne of judgment etc.” Thus the New Year is a day of judgment in mercy, and the Day of Atonement is a day of mercy in judgment.
From that which we have explained about this subject you will understand the sense of the verse written in [the section of] the journeyings [in the wilderness]: They shall blow ‘t’ruah’ (an alarm) for their journeys. But when the assembly is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm.³⁶⁶Numbers 10:6-7. For of their journeys it is written, and the angel of G-d journeyed,³⁶⁷Exodus 14:19. and it is further written, And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said: ‘Rise up, O Eternal, and let Thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate Thee flee before Thee,’³⁶⁸Numbers 10:35. which is similar in meaning to the verse, The face of the Eternal is against them that do evil.³⁶⁹Psalms 34:17. — But when the assembly is to be gathered³⁷⁰Numbers 10:17. it is said, Return, O Eternal, unto the ten thousands,³⁷¹Ibid., Verse 36. similar in meaning to the verse, And there was a King in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people were gathered.³⁷²Deuteronomy 33:5. And the ten days between the New Year and the Day of Atonement allude to the Ten Emanations, for on the Day of Atonement He is exalted by them, and the Eternal of hosts is exalted through justice³⁷³Isaiah 5:16. as is known in tradition. Furthermore there is also a sign about this in the heavens, for this month of Tishri has as its constellation the zodiac sign of the Balance, thus signifying that in that month a just balance and scales are set by the Eternal.³⁷⁴Proverbs 16:11.

וכימיך דבאך, “and as your days (of your prime) may be your old age.” Onkelos believes that the word דבאך should really have been דאבך, as in דאבון נפש, “mental distress.” He implies this in his translation of these words as וכימי עולמתך תקפך, “as in the days when you were full of vigor.” The words ימיך refer to youth, years which have been described elsewhere as ימים; whereas the period of old age is generally viewed as a period in which one endures distress of one kind or another, a period which Kohelet described as a period אשר אין לי בהם חפץ, “years which I do not enjoy” (Kohelet 12,1).
The plain meaning of these words, however, is based on the word דבאך meaning: “your flow,” like זבת שמן “flowing with oil.’ Moses prays that Asher will experience this abundance all the days of his life. The Aramaic of זב is דאיב, and Moses may have used an Aramaic word here. This would not be the only time that Aramaic words have been used in the Torah. One example which comes to mind is Genesis 31,47 יגר שהדותא, which is the translation of גלעד. Other Aramaic words are found in Deut. 33,2, ואתה מרבבות קודש. In the Book of Prophets Isaiah 21,12 we have the words אתא בוקר. The author quotes several more examples from the Book of Prophets as well as from the Scriptures. He also quotes words of identical meaning in both languages. The Talmud’s editors Ravina and Rav Ashi used both languages at will. The only reason they could do so was that they followed the example of the Torah. The author hints that there is a mystical foundation for all this, i.e. the relationship between the Holy Tongue Hebrew and Aramaic, which he is not at liberty to elaborate on.