{"id":80328,"date":"2020-09-23T15:50:59","date_gmt":"2020-09-23T12:50:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=80328"},"modified":"2020-09-23T15:50:59","modified_gmt":"2020-09-23T12:50:59","slug":"almuth-labben","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/almuth-labben\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Almuth Labben"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Our Psalm begins with a curious superscription: \u201cFor the leader; <\/span>\u2018almuth labben<\/span><\/em>.<\/em> A psalm of David\u201d (<\/span>Psalms 9:1<\/span><\/a>). To this proposed translation, the <\/span>JPS Hebrew-English Tanakh<\/em> <\/span>(1999) adds a note: \u201cMeaning of Heb. uncertain; some mss. and ancient versions, \u2018al muth labben<\/em>, as though over the death of the son.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, the 3<\/span>rd<\/span> century BCE Septuagint offers a Greek translation that has been rendered in English as \u201cRegarding completion. Over the secrets of the son. A Psalm. Pertaining to David\u201d. The 4<\/span>th<\/span> century CE Vulgate offers a Latin translation: \u201c<\/span>In finem pro occultis filii psalmus David<\/span><\/em> — Unto the end, for the hidden things of the Son. A psalm for David\u201d. The Brown, Driver and Briggs, <\/span>Hebrew and English Lexicon<\/em> <\/span>relates the Hebrew word <\/span>\u2018<\/span><\/i>almuth<\/span><\/em> to the feminine plural \u201c<\/span>\u2018<\/span><\/i>alamot <\/span><\/em>\u2013 <\/span><\/i>young women\u201d, found in Psalms 68:26 \u201cmaidens playing timbrels\u201d (<\/span>Psalms 68:26<\/span><\/a>) [see also<\/span> Song of Songs 1:3<\/span><\/a> and<\/span> Song of Songs 6:8<\/span><\/a>]. This yields an interpretation of our difficult expressions as referring to \u201cthe voice of young women, either literally or of soprano or falsetto of boys\u201d. Indeed, many translators and commentators understand <\/span>\u2018almuth labben<\/em> <\/span>as simply indicating some sort of musical instrument or notation (see for example, the commentary of the 13<\/span>th<\/span>-14<\/span>th<\/span> century Catalan Rabbi<\/span> Menachem Meiri on Psalms 9:1 <\/span>‘<\/span><\/i>almut<\/span><\/em><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Midrash Tehillim 9:3<\/span><\/a> offers several interpretations of our difficult expression. <\/span>\u2018<\/span><\/i>Almuth labben<\/em> <\/span>may refer to the [punishments] that You [God] impose on the son, thereby eradicating the sins of the son. But here, \u201cson\u201d is taken to refer to Israel, who are called \u201csons of the Almighty \u2013 <\/span>banim la-Maqom<\/span><\/em>\u201d (<\/span>Mishnah Avot 3:14<\/span><\/a>).\u00a0 Another interpretation understands \u2018<\/span>almuth<\/em> <\/span>as referring to the sins committed by the son <\/span>(<\/span><\/i>\u201c<\/span>\u2018<\/span><\/i>almuth labben<\/span><\/em> \u2013 the sins of the son\u201d), which his Heavenly Father expunges on the Day of Atonement, during which God atones and forgives him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another interpretation is that <\/span>\u2018almuth labben<\/span><\/em> refers to God \u201cconcealing from the son the day of consolation \u2013 <\/span>she-he-\u2018elim mimenu yom nechamah<\/span><\/em> \u201d (about this day, see<\/span> Talmud Bavli Pesachim 54b<\/span><\/a>). Another interpretation is that <\/span>\u2018almuth labben<\/em> <\/span>speaks about death <\/span>(\u2018<\/span><\/i>al muth<\/span><\/em>) to which the father condemns his \u201crebellious son\u201d (see<\/span> Deuteronomy 21:18-21<\/span><\/a>). But the father then relents by forgiving the son his sins. And here also the word \u201cson\u201d refers to Israel, as God says: \u201cIsrael is My first-born son\u201d (<\/span>Exodus 4:22<\/span><\/a>). Rabbi Abba said that <\/span>\u2018<\/span><\/i>almuth labben<\/span><\/em> simply refers to the \u201cdeath of the son \u2013 <\/span>\u2018<\/span><\/i>al mitat ha-ben<\/span><\/em>).<\/span><\/p>\n

The Sages add that so long as that son is alive, he knows that the heart of the Holy One, blessed be He, is angry at him. But when that son dies [<\/span>\u2018<\/span><\/i>al mitat ha-ben<\/span><\/em>], he will know that the heart of the Holy One, blessed be He, is clear of His anger at him (<\/span>tzalul \u2018alav<\/span><\/em>). Note that according to<\/span> Mishnah Yoma 8:8<\/span><\/a>, death and Yom Ha-Kippurim affect atonement together with repentance.<\/span><\/p>\n

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