ציטירנדיקער פּירוש אויף תהילים 92:1

Since I did not merit writing new insights into the Seder after the meal except for the Psalm which is called Hallel HaGadol (Ps. 136) I debated whether I should include it with the Haggadah or not. Afterwards, I said, since it is a passage pertaining to the event, I will give thanks with my whole heart and I will speak of God’s kindness, for they are forever. Rabbi Foa
הוֹדוּ לַיי כִּי טוֹב “Give thanks to HaShem for God is good...” (Ps. 136) The Sages call this psalm Hallel HaGadol since in it one praises God who feeds, sustains and maintains the world according to a Torah of living-kindness for 26 generations³¹⁹There are 26 praises in Hallel HaGadol, for the twenty six generations. from the creation until the giving of the Torah. Actually, according to (the principles of) justice God should have turned the world back to chaos after Adam and Cain sinned. But the Exodus from Egypt was essential to the receiving of the Torah, as is stated, “And when you have freed the people from Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain,” (Ex. 3:12) and the essence of this psalm is about the loving-kindness that God showed to maintain the world even without the Torah, we continue to praise and celebrate how God took us out of Egypt. At the proper time, one should praise God with this song of praise.
ואולם. However, one should note the connection between these praises and the 26 generations (between creation and Sinai). Even though the numbers (of verses and generations) are the same, I might have thought that the 26 generations was referring (to the generations) from the birth of Peretz to (King) Tzidkiyahu during which God watched over Israel with a Torah of loving-kindness and did not pour out wrath upon them, casting them out, even though they rebelled against from the time that Jacob’s sons died and Egypt enslaved them. In every generation the people angered God.
אמנם However, the Psalms are true and their words are true, and one should not part from their words, for, “The mysteries of HaShem are for those who fear Him; to them He makes known His covenant.” (Ex. 25:14) For one cannot say that the Holy Spirit was on the tongue of King David, (and his words) refers to the generations from Peretz to King Tzidkiyahu, for then the world would have returned to chaos, and there was more loving-kindness from that time forward because God did not wipe them out. It is better to say that the verses of this Psalm were for the 26 generations in which there was no Torah yet. From that time forward, loving-kindness was unnecessary because Torah helped maintain the world.
God performed many acts of loving-kindness in the world besides those that are mentioned in Scripture such as, the manna, the well and above all of them the giving of the Torah. It is fitting to give a reason why it mentions these events as opposed to others. נ"ל Each of the verses (of Psalm 136) refers to one of the 26 generations which preceded the giving of the Torah. King David wished to praise God in the name of the Jewish people and thank HaShem for the acts of Kindness performed for them. (King David) begins with the creation of the world because God created the world for them, as Scripture states, “In the beginning (b’reishit) God created,” (meaning) ‘For the sake of Israel, who are called Reishit, God created…’ God suffered the world for 26 generations even though none of them were unfit, since in the end Israel would receive the Torah. The first verse is for the generation of Adam. He said, “Praise (hodu) HaShem; for He is good,” (Ps. 136:1) David praises God who forgave Adam’s sin. This is what the Midrash states; The Sabbath defended Adam, keeping him from dying. As a result Adam said, “A psalm. A song; for the Sabbath day.” (Ps 92:1) The Sabbath then said to him, “It is good to praise (lihodot) HaShem…” (Ps. 92:2) And so he did.³²⁰See Midrash Tehilim/Shochar Tov Psalm 92 Further, the sages asked in a Midrash , “What is the meaning of: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good” (Ps. 136:1)? It means giving thanks to HaShem’s who exacts one’s debt, (the punishment for a person’s sins and wickedness,) in accordance with the goodness of each individual. God punishes each person based on his means. He punishes a wealthy person by taking his ox, and He punishes a poor person by means of his sheep. He punishes the orphan by taking away his egg, and He punishes the widow by means of her chicken…” ³²¹See BT Pesachim 118a The translation is taken from Sefaria. The rich person is the first human being, Adam, had the strength to bear the punishment which was meted out to him because Adam was fastidious and enjoyed all the pleasures in the Garden of Eden. When Adam went out from the Garden to work the land with his hands and suffer greatly before he could eat - it is a wonder he didn’t die. But Adam developed great strength from all of this suffering. That is why he was called, “the rich person who paid with “bulls with horns and hooves.” (Ps. 69:32)

A SABBATH UNTO THE ETERNAL, “[This means] in honor of the Eternal [and that it is not primarily intended for man’s benefit],³³In other words, we are to observe the Sabbatical year primarily as a mark of honor to G-d, and not for our benefit, in that by lying fallow for a year the land will improve. The same applies to the weekly Sabbath, which we celebrate in honor of the Creator of the world, and not primarily because we benefit physically from a day of rest. (Mizrachi). in the same sense as this expression is used in the case of the Sabbath of Creation” [i.e., the weekly Sabbath, of which it is also said, a Sabbath unto the Eternal].³⁴Exodus 20:10. See note above. This is the language of Rashi. But this was not the intention of the Rabbis in their interpretation,³⁵In other words, it is true that in the Torath Kohanim (Behar 1:2) there is such an interpretation of the Rabbis, likening the expression a Sabbath unto the Eternal stated here in the case of the Sabbatical year to that mentioned in the law of the weekly Sabbath. But the intent thereof is not as Rashi presented it, for etc. The full text of the Beraitha of the Torath Kohanim will be mentioned further on by Ramban. for all [weekly] Sabbaths, and also the festivals, are in honor of the Eternal, and yet in not one of them [i.e., the festivals] does Scripture say that they are “unto the Eternal.” Instead, it says it shall be a solemn rest unto you,³⁶Above, 23:24. and in the case of the Day of Atonement it states, It shall be unto you a Sabbath of solemn rest.³⁷Ibid., Verse 32. The text of the Beraitha in the Torah Kohanim [quoted by Rashi] is as follows:³⁸Torath Kohanim, Behar 1:2. “A Sabbath unto the Eternal. Just as it says with reference to the Sabbath of Creation, so is it said regarding the Sabbatical year, a Sabbath unto the Eternal.” But the meaning of a Sabbath unto the Eternal thy G-d³⁴Exodus 20:10. See note above. stated in connection with the Sabbath of Creation, is that on it He ceased from work and rested³⁹Exodus 31:17. and therefore thou shalt not do any manner of work.³⁴Exodus 20:10. See note above. It was with reference to that idea that the Sages, of blessed memory, said that the same expression is also stated in the case of the Sabbatical year, since it is the seventh in [the cycle of] the years [just as the weekly Sabbath is the seventh day in the cycle of days; and the meaning thereof here is that since the seventh year is a Sabbath to the Eternal, as will be explained, we are to desist from working the land].
Now here [in the Torath Kohanim mentioned above, the Rabbis] have roused our attention to one of the great secrets of the Torah.⁴⁰See in Exodus (Vol. II, p. 341, Note 23). Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra has already given us a hint of it when he wrote: “The meaning of a Sabbath unto the Eternal is like that of the Sabbath-day.⁴¹For just as the Sabbath was given for the purpose of contemplating G-d’s deeds and meditating upon His Torah, so also is the purport of the Sabbatical year, since it is the seventh of the years (Mekor Chayim in his commentary to Ibn Ezra). The secret of the years of the world is alluded to in this place.” [Thus far is Ibn Ezra’s comment.]
Bend now your ear to understand that which I am permitted to inform you about it in the words that I will cause you to hear, and if you will be worthy, you will contemplate them [and understand them]. I have already written in Seder Bereshith⁴²Genesis 2:3 (Vol. I, pp. 61-64). that the six days of creation represent [all] the days of the world, and the seventh day is a Sabbath unto the Eternal thy G-d,³⁴Exodus 20:10. See note above. for on it will be the Sabbath to the Great Name, just as we have been taught [in a Mishnah]:⁴³Tamid 7:4. “On the seventh day what psalm did the Levites sing [in the Sanctuary? They sang] A Psalm, a Song. For the Sabbath-day⁴⁴Psalms 92:1. — [a song] for the World to Come, which will be wholly a Sabbath, and rest for life everlasting.” Thus the [seven] days [of the week] allude to that which He created in the process of creation, and the [seven] years [of the Sabbatical cycle] refer to that which will occur during the creation of all “the days” of the world. It is for this reason that Scripture was more stringent regarding [the transgression of the laws of] the Sabbatical year than with respect to those guilty of transgressing all other negative commandments, and made it punishable with exile, just as He was stringent with respect to forbidden sexual relations [for which the punishment of the people, as opposed to that of the individual, is also exile];⁴⁵Above, 18:28. as it is said, Then shall the Land be paid her Sabbaths,⁴⁶Further, 26:34. and He repeated this matter many times: As long as it lieth desolate it shall have rest,⁴⁷Ibid., Verse 35. and it is further said, And the Land shall lie forsaken without them, and shall be paid her Sabbaths.⁴⁸Ibid., Verse 43. “And so we have been taught [in a Mishnah]:⁴⁹Aboth 5:9. Our text of the Mishnah has a variant reading. See my Hebrew commentary p. 167, Note 55. “Exile comes for the delaying of justice, and for the perversion of justice, and for [the neglect of] the year of rest for the Land.” [This stringency of punishment is] because whoever denies it [i.e., the law of the Sabbatical year], does not acknowledge the work of creation and [life in] the World to Come. Similarly the prophet [Jeremiah] was stringent, and decreed exile for neglecting to send [Hebrew] servants to freedom in the seventh year [of their service], as it is said, I made a covenant with your fathers … At the beginning of seven years ye shall let go every man his brother etc.,⁵⁰Jeremiah 34:13-14. — The verse there reads ‘mikeitz sheva shanim’, which is normally translated as “at the end of seven years” (so also in the J.P.S. translation). Ramban in Deuteronomy 15:1, however, brings proofs that the correct meaning in this context is “at the end-year of the seven years”, i.e., at the beginning of seventh year, rather than “at the end of the seventh year.” Thus the Hebrew servant goes free at the beginning of the seventh year [the end-year of the cycle of seven years], and this is indeed the accepted law (Rambam, Hilchoth Avadim 2:1) that he serves for six years. See, however, Yonathan ben Uziel in Jeremiah. for in the case of a servant the seventh year is also like a [complete] Jubilee; and the Jubilee is known also [at the very beginning of the Torah] — from ‘Bereshith’ (In the beginning) to ‘Vayechulu’ (And there were finished)⁵¹In other words, in the Scriptural account of the creation — commencing with the verse, In the beginning … and concluding with ‘Vayechulu’ (And there were finished) (2:1) — the secret of the Jubilee is already hinted at, namely, “that all things, that came into existence in the beginning of time will be finished in the era of the Jubilee (Beiur Ha’lvush to Ricanti who quotes the language of Ramban). — intimating that in the Jubilee everything is to return [to its origin], every man unto his possession, and every man unto his family.⁵²Further, Verse 10. For it is a sure foundation, and he that believeth⁵³Isaiah 28:16. The verse reads: He that believeth will not ‘yachish’ (make haste). Ramban brings out ingeniously a different meaning by saying: he that believeth ‘yacharish’ (will keep silence), suggesting that the student of Cabala must be reticent and careful not to disclose the secrets he has learned. Cf. the phrase in Amos 5:13 — ‘Therefore ‘hamaskil yidom’. (he who understands will keep quiet)! shall keep silence. This is what is meant in saying, ‘v’shavtah ha’aretz shabbath’ (and ‘the land’ shall keep a Sabbath);⁵⁴In Verse 2 before us. The word ha’aretz is here understood as “the earth” in its entirety [not merely one particular part of it], the same interpretation applying to the next verses quoted. See further, Note 194. and ye shall proclaim liberty ‘ba’aretz’ (throughout ‘the land’),⁵⁵Further, Verse 10. for the reference here is to “the land of eternal life” which is alluded to in the first verse [of the Torah],⁵⁶In the beginning G-d created the heavens ‘v’eth ha’aretz’, which means “the land of eternal life.” and of which it is said, ‘v’ha’aretz ezkor’ (and I will remember ‘the land’).⁵⁷Further, 26:42. I have already mentioned this several times.⁵⁸See Vol. I, pp. 110, and 120. Perhaps it is to this that our Rabbis alluded in saying:⁵⁹Rosh Hashanah 21 b. See also Vol. I, pp. 9-10. “Fifty gates [degrees] of understanding were created in the world, and all were transmitted to Moses with one exception.” For each cycle of seven years constitutes “the gate of one house” [creation], and thus He informed him of all existence from beginning to end, with the exception of the holy Jubilee.

A kabbalistic approach to the words יובל היא: The word יובל is derived from the expression ועל יבל ישלח שרשיו, “sending forth its roots by a stream” (Jeremiah 17,8), a hint that all the succeeding generations are traced back to their original roots, to the prime cause which determined their development. This is the reason why the Yovel is called דרור, “freedom,” a reminder of when man was free from sin. All of mankind originated with the pool of souls at G’d’s disposal and eventually this is where the souls will return to.
Each one of the seven times periods of a cycle of 7000 years will perform the tasks assigned to the respective day of creation making a total of 49,000 years. When they have completed these 49,000 years the universe will revert to the Tohu Vavohu which preceded the words בראשית ברא (Genesis 1,1). The meaning of the words בשנת היובל הזאת תשובו איש אל אחוזתו, then is literal, i.e. that each person will return to his origin in the year described as Yovel.
Philosophers have understood the paragraph as meaning that just as all phenomena in the universe date back to a single original cause, they will again revert to that original cause. If you are fortunate enough to understand the mystical dimension of the legislation of the Shemittah and the Yovel concepts you will not fail to notice the significance of such words in the text as שדך כרמך, ספיח קצירך, ענבי נזירך all of which are in direct speech, i.e. ‘your field, your vineyard, etc.” Prior to the occurrence of the year called שבת לה', “the Sabbath of the Lord,” the Torah had mentioned the suffix “your” only as an afterthought, i.e. תזרע שדך, whereas after that Sabbath the Torah emphasises the fact that it is your field, etc. by writing: שדך לא תזרע, as if to emphasise that you have acquired an inalienable right to that field through the observance of that Sabbath. The Torah emphasises that just as these fields, etc., were yours prior to the “Sabbath,” they are even more so yours after you have observed this “Sabbath.”
In Psalm 92,1 the hymn dedicated to the Sabbath, the psalmist reiterates that after the Sabbath has been observed the righteous will flourish like the palm tree (verse 13). In another Psalm (72,7) the author describes the righteous as “flourishing in his time, at which time there will be an abundance of peace until there is no more moon.” Such a vision is already forecast in the opening paragraph of the second chapter of Genesis where the Torah writes that G’d blessed the seventh day (verse 3). The verse which we understood as the conclusion of the act of G’d’s creative activity, concludes (quite unexpectedly) with the word לעשות, “to do, or to keep on doing;” In other words, G’d’s active role in shaping the universe did not conclude at the end of the sixth day of creation. With this verse G’d gave notice that He is planning what is going to happen to the various generations even at that stage. You will therefore observe that whereas for the periods prior to this “great” Yovel at the end of 49,000 years no more mention is made of any parts of the terrestrial earth being “yours,” i.e. man’s, up until that time it is described as “man’s” in varying degrees. In connection with what happens after the Yovel the Torah speaks of ספיחיה, נזריה, “its aftergrowth”, “its set aside residual grapes.” This is a clear hint that due to the arrival of the Yovel (the great and ultimate Yovel) everything had reverted to the original cause, i.e. to G’d. I have already drawn attention to this in my commentary on Parshat Mishpatim on Exodus 21,6 in connection with the words ועבדו לעולם. This may be the reason why the Torah writes in Leviticus 27,24 לאשר לו אחזת הארץ, “to the one who had possession of the land,” instead of writing: “who had inherited the land, i.e. נחלת הארץ. The term נחלה is applicable only if the property in question came into one’s possession from someone who owned it previously, whereas the word אחוזה refers to the “original” owner. Solomon alluded to this when he wrote in Kohelet 5,7 כי גבוה מעל גבוה שומר, וגבוהים עליהם, “for high above the high ones is someone who keeps watch, and above them are those who tower above them.” [The thrust of Solomon’s words which are addressed to the oppressors who feel all-powerful, as well as the thrust of the hidden message in our text, is that there are forces at work beyond those that meet the eye when we merely look at the text of the written Torah superficially. Ed.]