Praise

Found 15 Search results

Mizmor 28
Perspective Through the Eyes of the Psalmist
Rabbi Avi Baumol
Mizmor 28 begins with a cry to God to listen, a request and gratitude to God for listening. The request in this Mizmor is unique because David does not ask for God to defeat his enemies but to save him from being pulled in by wicked people who are less obvious enemies.
Mizmor 145
Tehila U-Berakha: "Ashrei" - Part I
Rabbi Avi Baumol
Mizmor 145 – ‘Ashrei’ - is central in Jewish liturgy. An analysis of the contrast between praise of God - which creates a distance between man and his Maker - and blessing of God which forges closeness between the one giving the blessing and the receiver – is evaluated.
Mizmor 145 (II)
Tehila U-Berakha: "Ashrei" - Part II
Rabbi Avi Baumol
Different levels can exist in our relationship with God. One can always call out and reach God, but achieve a greater closeness if one cries out sincerely. One can begin their relationship with God through a distant praise and eventually achieve closeness when blessing God.
Mizmor 146
"Haleluya!" - Duplicity and Simplicity
Rabbi Avi Baumol
Mizmor 146 – the first of the Halleluya series – calls out to praise God. A precondition for praise is belief. It disregards the haughty leaders who do not acknowledge God and calls out to non-believers to believe in God who cares for the weak.
Mizmorim 146-150
"Haleluya!" - An analysis of the Last Five Mizmorim
Rabbi Avi Baumol
An overview of the Halleluya Mizmorim: Mizmor 146 is an individual praise of God; Mizmor 147 is a public praise touching on God’s great deeds and attention to lowly beings; Mizmor 148 presents a contrasted symmetry between the praise of God of the celestial and earthly beings; Mizmor 149 describes the rejoicing of the devout at the destruction of evil; Mizmor 150 peaks with meta-universal praise of God.
Mizmorim 96 and 98
Kabbalat Shabbat (Part 2)
Rabbi Avi Baumol
A comparison between Mizmors 96 and 98 mirror the two aspects of Shabbat previously described. Mizmor 96 calls out to the world and to nature to praise God while Mizmor 98 calls out to praise ‘our’ God for the salvation he has brought to the Jewish Nation.
Mizmor 97
Kabalat Shabbat (Part 3)
Rabbi Avi Baumol
The progression of the praising of God is noted: from the universal natural, to the nations of the world and ultimately culminating with the righteous people in the world praising God for the coming of the day of Judgement. God’s victory over the idol gods is evaluated.
Mizmor 95
Kabalat Shabbat (Part 5)
Rabbi Avi Baumol
Mizmor 95, the introductory Mizmor to Kabalat Shabbat, combines the universal desire to praise God, with God's demand for reciprocity from His Nation in keeping His commandments. This mirrors the desire for spirituality on Shabbat with the rigorous demands of keeping Shabbat.
Mizmor 92
Kabalat Shabbat (Part 6)
Rabbi Avi Baumol
The first section of Mizmor 92 discusses praising God, and the blossoming of evil. The significance of a brief middle section of four words is discussed. The third section discusses the fleeting nature of the wicked and the eternal righteous as they praise God, and the connection to Shabbat.
Mizmor 122
Shir HaMa'alot (Part 3)
Rabbi Avi Baumol
Mizmor 122 focuses on Jerusalem as the place where the Beit HaMikdash stands, a place of great social and judicial significance, and a place that represents the peace of the Jewish Nation. David’s special relationship to Jerusalem and the Beit HaMikdash is addressed.
What does the Shofar Sound like in Neviim and Ketuvim?
Elisheva Brauner
The Exodus From Egypt: Relevance for All Time
The Structure & Story of Book V (107-150)
Dr. Beni Gesundheit | Hour and 11 minutes
Mizmorim 113-118 (The Egyptian Hallel)

Why is this entire group of 6 Mizmorim referred to as the Egyptian Hallel even though the Exodus is only mentioned in Mizmor 114? What is the role of Mizmor 114 in the story of Mizmorim 113-118 which focus on Hallel (praise) and Hodaah (thanks)?

The Exodus from Egypt is presented in Mizmor 114 as if the poet was actually present at this historic event. The other mizmorim in the unit highlight various aspects of the Exodus and subsequent journey, ending with the entry to the Temple in Yerushalayim (118).

At the Pesach Seder, the Egyptian Hallel in the Haggadah serves as a basic Biblical text that tells the Exodus from Egypt in two parts; 113-114 before the meal and 115-118 after the meal. Insights into the narrative of the Egyptian Hallel according to the Contextual Interpretation explain the logic and the meaning of its division during the Seder.
176 Verses?? How to Identify the Narrative of the Longest Mizmor in Tehillim?
The Structure & Story of Book V (107-150)
Dr. Beni Gesundheit | Hour and 7 minutes
Mizmor 119: Structure, Meaning and Context

This long Mizmor praises the Torah in an 8-fold alphabetic order which seems to be very repetitive and monotonous. Is there a structure and a message or is this just a long collection of verses with the same ideas? And why is it placed between the Egyptian Hallel and the Shirei Hamaalot collection?

Contextual interpretation, as has been shown through the course, will be applied to identify the story and messages of this mizmor, comprised of 22 units each composed of 8 verses. In addition, contextual interpretation will show how well positioned Mizmor 119 is between the adjacent Egyptian Hallel (113-118) and the Shirei Hamaalot (120-135) and how it correlates with the beginning and end of the entire book of Tehillim.
A Tale of Two Hallels: Similarities and Differences Creating the Narrative in Book V
The Structure & Story of Book V (107-150)
Dr. Beni Gesundheit | Hour and 7 minutes
Mizmorim 113-118 (Egyptian Hallel) and 135-136 (Great Hallel)

Why are there two Hallel collections and why are they not placed together as one unit? What can we learn from their specific locations before and after Mizmorim 119-134?

The Egyptian Hallel describes the Exodus and anticipated journey to Yerushalayim; the Great Hallel reflects the universal dream of Israel’s life in the Land of Israel amidst the nations of the world. The break between these wonderful Hallels by the praise of the Torah (Mizmor 119) and the Shirei HaMaalot (120-134) precisely emphasizes the progression from particularity of the Jewish nation to its universal messages for other nations. The entire collection of Mizmorim from 113-136 tells the story of the revival of the Jewish people in Zion following their return from the exile.

Additionally, the two Hallel units are an important part of the Pesach Seder. Contextual interpretation will be used to understand the significant messages of the two Hallels and contribute to our Seder experience.
The Ubiquity of Ashrei
The Structure & Story of Book V (107-150)
Dr. Beni Gesundheit | Hour and 16 minutes
Mizmor 145 (Tehila l’David/Ashrei)

Mizmor 145, Ashrei, is said three times on a daily basis every day and on all holidays. What is the special message contained in this mizmor that justifies its multiple recitations and its unique heading "Tehila l’David"?

In this mizmor, the psalmist first blesses God on his own (1-2), in the middle he invites others to join him (10) and in the last line (21) "all flesh" will join King David to praise God. In addition, Mizmor 145 is located at a critical junction in the book of Tehillim; it is the final mizmor in the last David collection (138-145) and, it is also the opening mizmor of the final Hallel unit (145-150). Contextual interpretation will aid in the understanding of this mizmor and its location at the end of the entire Book of Tehillim: While the Egyptian Hallel (113-118) experienced the new exodus from the Exile, and the Great Hallel (135-136) celebrates the Jewish people living in Zion, in the final Hallel (145-150) at the end of this process, David invites all Jews and Gentiles in the world to sing a new song and praise Hashem with him (145); and indeed, this happens gradually in the final Hallel unit which concludes the entire narrative of the book of Tehillim.