{"id":80944,"date":"2020-10-05T12:34:20","date_gmt":"2020-10-05T09:34:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=80944"},"modified":"2020-10-05T12:34:20","modified_gmt":"2020-10-05T09:34:20","slug":"shiviti-i-have-placed-the-lord-before-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/shiviti-i-have-placed-the-lord-before-me\/","title":{"rendered":"Shiviti: I Have Placed The Lord Before Me"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Our psalm weaves together several themes: a prayer for continued protection, the psalmist\u2019s trust in God and blessing for God\u2019s counsel (<\/span>16:1-7<\/span><\/a>), the psalmist\u2019s practical and emotional reaction (<\/span>verses 8-10<\/span><\/a>) and finally thanks for God\u2019s showing \u201cthe path of life\u201d (<\/span>verse 11<\/span><\/a>). Perhaps because of the verse: \u201cFor You will not abandon me to <\/span>Sheol<\/span><\/em>,<\/span><\/i> or let Your faithful one see the Pit\u201d (<\/span>verse 10<\/span><\/a>), this Psalm is one of the texts recited, in some circumstances, as part of Jewish death and mourning rituals known as<\/span> Tziduq Ha-Din<\/span><\/a><\/em>. <\/span><\/i>Chief Rabbi Joseph H. Hertz explains that this Psalm expresses \u201cthe serenity of peace that accompanies communion with God.\u201d He further explains the superscription: <\/span>Michtam<\/em> <\/span>as meaning \u201ca golden\u201d psalm rich in spiritual thought. This seems based on <\/span>ketem<\/span><\/em> meaning \u201cgold\u201d in Scripture (see for example<\/span> Proverbs 25:12<\/span><\/a> and elsewhere).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This line of interpretation was already pursued by the medieval commentators<\/span> Ibn-Ezra<\/span><\/a> and<\/span> Menachem Ha-Meiri<\/span><\/a> on<\/span> Psalms 16:1<\/span><\/a>, both of whom refer to <\/span>Ketem Paz<\/em> <\/span>in<\/span> Song of Songs 5:11<\/span><\/a>. Meiri begins his comment by noting that <\/span>michtam<\/span><\/em> has been interpreted as a musical instrument of low tone which is so called because its tone is <\/span>mach ve-tam <\/span><\/em>\u2013 <\/span><\/i>\u201cmeek and pure\u201d, that is to say \u201ccomplete in its pleasantness.\u201d Meiri\u2019s comment seems to be based on<\/span> Talmud Bavli Sotah 10b<\/span><\/a> that provides several interpretations of <\/span>michtam<\/span><\/em>. David was <\/span>mach<\/span><\/em> (\u201cmeek\u201d) and <\/span>tam<\/span><\/em> (\u201cpure\u201d) to all creatures. Another interpretation is that David\u2019s \u201cwound \u2013 <\/span>makato<\/span><\/em>\u201d was \u201cpure\u201d, that he was born circumcised. Another interpretation of <\/span>michtam<\/span><\/em> is that in his youth, David subjected himself to those greater than him in Torah learning and continued to do so even after he became King. So that all his life, David was <\/span>mach<\/span><\/em> (\u201cmeek\u201d) and <\/span>tam<\/em> <\/span>(\u201cpure\u201d). These interpretations understand <\/span>michtam<\/span><\/em> as describing, not the Psalm, but the character of the Psalmist David \u2013 <\/em><\/span>Michtam le-David<\/span><\/em> \u2013 \u201cDavid\u2019s meekness and purity\u201d (compare Psalms 56-59 <\/span>Le-David Michtam<\/span><\/em>, <\/span><\/i>and Psalm 60:1 <\/span>Michtam Le-David<\/span><\/em>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Perhaps the most well-known verse in our psalm is: \u201cI have placed the Lord before me always\u2026\u201d (<\/span>Psalms 16:8<\/span><\/a>), which has been variously interpreted. Maimonides <\/span>(Guide for the Perplexed 3.51.6<\/span><\/a>) cites King David as saying: \u201cI have placed the Lord before me always; He is at my right hand; I shall never be shaken\u201d (<\/span>16:8<\/span><\/a>), that is to say, I do not turn my thoughts away from God. He is like my right hand, which I do not forget\u2026and therefore I shall not be moved, I shall not fail.<\/span><\/p>\n

Shulchan Arukh Orach Chayim 1:1<\/span><\/a> states that \u201cI have placed the Lord before me always\u201d is a major principle of Torah (<\/span>klal gadol ba-Torah<\/span><\/em>). Perhaps, for this reason, a plaque with the words <\/span>Shiviti Y-H-W-H le-Negdi Tamid<\/span><\/em> — \u201cI have placed the Lord before me always\u201d, often in the shape of a <\/span>Menorah<\/span><\/em>,<\/span><\/i> is placed in front of those praying in the synagogue.<\/span><\/p>\n

Image: Shiviti with Hebrew text in the form of a menorah, in Det Kongelige Bibliotek, author unknown – 18th or 19th century shiviti Det Kongelige Bibliotek, Denmark (Department of Oriental and Judaica Collections) \/ wikipedia<\/span><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":80945,"id":80945,"title":"ps16-shiviti","filename":"ps16-shiviti.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps16-shiviti.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/shiviti-i-have-placed-the-lord-before-me\/ps16-shiviti\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"ps16-shiviti","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":80944,"date":"2020-10-05 09:32:20","modified":"2020-10-05 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