Wisdom Psalms

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1. Psalm 127: The Difference Between “In Vain” and “Tranquility”

   Part 1

   Rabbi Elchanan Samet

   The psalm is comprised of two halves, each addressing a different subject and each with a different atmosphere. The first half expresses the idea that man’s efforts alone will not bear fruit if God is not a partner to his efforts. This idea is formulated negatively: in the absence of God’s partnership in man’s actions, all of his endeavors will amount to nothing.

   The second half of the psalm (stanzas 4-7), in contrast, has a different subject: the blessing that comes to a man who has “children of his youth." What is the connection between the two halves? Is there one single idea which the psalm as a whole is trying to express?

2. Mishlei - Part 6: Heaven and Earth

   Rabbi Shlomo Dov Rosen | 18 minutes

   In this 6th part of our series, we will look at the second half of the third chapter of Mishlei: the seventh poem. This poem about morality and the realization of wisdom seems to be made up of three distinct poems, yet is actually one cohesive whole. What does it mean that “God established the earth with wisdom”? We examine a series of moral arguments and try to understand the meaning in context, while unpacking the parable of the earth and sky– static and dynamic elements, respectively. We consider how they  represent different aspects of humankind’s relationship with wisdom, and how they contribute to finding the elusive definition of being on the straight path.

3. Mishlei - Part 7: Ethics, Wisdom, and Enlightenment

   Rabbi Shlomo Dov Rosen | 34 minutes

   In this seventh instalment, we return to the end of the third chapter and then move onto the first part of the fourth chapter of Mishlei. The poem in the beginning of the fourth chapter relates to the idea of strengthening our personalities through studying mussar (ethics) and hokhma (wisdom), both of which develop us and enable us to be more enlightened and involved in the world.

4. Mishlei - Part 10: Wisdom as a Sister

   Rabbi Shlomo Dov Rosen | 37 minutes

   This tenth part of our series looks at the seventh and half of the eighth chapter of Mishlei. The metaphor of the negative woman comes up again, but in this chapter it is used in new ways. What new ideas are developed in this metaphor, and how do they compare to ideas of wisdom developed in the eighth chapter (the last instance of this metaphor in the entire book of Mishlei)? How do we relate to wisdom being called a “sister”? We will focus our energy more on dealing with the psychology of evil than the psychology of wisdom. People involved in evil doings (who are not really evil at heart) often become psychologically hidden to themselves. They close off their hearts and are unwilling to look honestly at the problematic issues in their lives. 

5. Mishlei - Part 11: Wisdom Before Creation

   Rabbi Shlomo Dov Rosen | 40 minutes

   The eleventh part of our series looks at the majority of the second half of the eighth chapter of Mishlei. This section contains some of the most philosophical parts of the book. We will aim for a literary reading, but our reading will bring out some philosophical ideas which we will see in context. We encounter the tension between the ideas that pride is antithetical to wisdom, but knowledge is power.  We consider the concept of God as Creator and “acquirer” of the world, and relate it to the story of Malkitzedek and Avraham, who wanted God’s name to infuse society.

   What does it mean that God created wisdom before forming the universe? The basis for coming closer to God is translating the wisdom that preceded existence into our reality. Once it plays out in reality, it becomes a delight to human beings.

6. Mishlei - Part 12: Concluding the First Book of Mishlei

   Rabbi Shlomo Dov Rosen | 45 minutes

   In our final shiur on the first Book of Mishlei, we will notice that the last two poems serve as a summary of the basic ideas that we have studied: the relationship between the fear of God and wisdom, natural wisdom and what it means to be pushed away from developing the potential for wisdom, approaching God through wisdom, and the possibility and pitfalls of being led astray.

   We will look at the last five verses of the eighth chapter which constitute the penultimate poem, and then we will move on to the ninth chapter – the last chapter of the first part of Mishlei. Why does the text say that one who hates wisdom loves death? Why cannot it not say that one who loves wisdom loves life? Natural wisdom is necessary to develop one’s potential goodness, but it is wrong to equate it with goodness in and of itself. Wisdom along with spirituality, morality and ethics will make life better and can lead to the potential for closeness with God.