{"id":81401,"date":"2020-10-13T13:48:26","date_gmt":"2020-10-13T10:48:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=81401"},"modified":"2020-10-13T13:48:26","modified_gmt":"2020-10-13T10:48:26","slug":"ayelet-ha-shachar-the-doe-of-the-dawn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/ayelet-ha-shachar-the-doe-of-the-dawn\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Ayelet Ha-Shachar – The Doe of The Dawn?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Our Psalm begins with a unique superscription: \u201cFor the leader (<\/span>la-menatzeach<\/span><\/em>); on <\/span>‘<\/span><\/i>ayelet ha-shachar<\/span><\/em>. A psalm of David\u201d (<\/span>22:1<\/span><\/a>). The poetic expression <\/span>‘<\/span><\/i>ayelet ha-shachar<\/span><\/em> is found only here in the Hebrew Bible. The JPS translation adds the note: \u201cMeaning of Hebrew uncertain\u201d. The 3<\/span>rd<\/span> century BCE Greek Jewish version, the Septuagint, offers a translation of this superscription that can be rendered in English: \u201cFor the end (<\/span>menatzeach<\/em> <\/span>from Hebrew <\/span>netzach<\/em> <\/span>\u2018Eternity\u2019), concerning the morning aid\u201d, apparently translating the Hebrew word <\/span>‘<\/span><\/i>ayelet<\/span><\/em> in line with <\/span>\u2018eyaluti le-\u2018ezrati<\/span><\/em> (\u201cmy aid, to my help\u201d) further on in<\/span> 22:20<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Rashi<\/span><\/a> attributes this connection between verse 1 and verse 20 in our Psalm to the 10<\/span>th<\/span> century Spanish Jewish philologist, Menachem ben Saruq (see<\/span> Mahberet Menachem<\/span><\/a>). But Rashi precedes this understanding with three other interpretations: 1) <\/span>‘<\/span><\/i>Ayelet ha-shachar<\/span><\/em> is simply the name of a musical instrument which accompanied the singing of this entire Psalm. 2) ‘<\/span>Ayelet ha-shachar<\/span><\/em> refers to <\/span>Knesset Yisrael<\/em> <\/span>on the basis of a combination of<\/span> Proverbs 5:19<\/span><\/a> and<\/span> Song of Songs 6:10<\/span><\/a>. And 3) Rashi briefly mentions that the rabbinic sages understood <\/span>‘<\/span><\/i>Ayelet Ha-Shachar<\/em> <\/span>(i.e. \u201cthe Doe of the Dawn\u201d)<\/span> to refer to Queen Esther. This is based on<\/span> Talmud Bavli Yoma 29a<\/span><\/a>, which interprets <\/span>‘Ayelet Ha-Shachar<\/span><\/em>, \u201cjust as the antlers of a doe branch out to here and to there, so too, the light of dawn (<\/span>shachar<\/span><\/em>) diffuses to here and to there.\u201d This Talmudic discussion goes on to relate that Queen Esther recited this Psalm when she dared to come before King Ahasuerus without being summoned\u2026Rabbi Asi said, Why was Esther likened to the dawn? To tell you that just as the dawn is the culmination of the night, so too, Esther was the culmination of all miracles. Significantly,<\/span> Psalm 22<\/span><\/a> is recited on<\/span> Ta’anit Esther and on Purim<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Talmud Yerushalmi Berakhot<\/span><\/a> insists that claiming the term \u201cDoe of the Dawn\u201d refers to the \u201cMorning Star\u201d (the planet Venus) is wrong (however, compare<\/span> David Halperin on “Doe of the Dawn”<\/span><\/a>). For Venus sometimes appears earlier and sometimes appears later (while <\/span>‘Ayelet Ha-Shachar<\/span><\/em>\u201d \u2013 the first light of dawn — always appears in the East just at daybreak). How does this light first appear? Like two rays of light that go up from the East and illuminate (the sky). This Talmudic discussion continues with a dramatic narrative. When Rabbi Hiyya the Elder and Rabbi Shimon ben Halafta were walking just before dawn in the valley of Arbel, they saw the light of <\/span>‘<\/span><\/i>Ayelet Ha-Shachar<\/span><\/em>\u201d (\u201cthe Doe of the Dawn\u201d, i.e. the first light of dawn) break forth. Rabbi Hiyya said to Rabbi Shimon, This is what the redemption of Israel will be like, little by little, continually growing greater\u2026What is the Biblical proof of this? First Scripture says: \u201cThough I sit in darkness, the Lord is my light\u201d (<\/span>Micah 7:8<\/span><\/a>)\u2026but then we read: \u201cThe Jews enjoyed light and gladness, happiness and honor\u201d (<\/span>Esther 8:16<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":81406,"id":81406,"title":"ps22-sun","filename":"ps22-sun.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps22-sun.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/ayelet-ha-shachar-the-doe-of-the-dawn\/ps22-sun\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"ps22-sun","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":81401,"date":"2020-10-13 10:48:06","modified":"2020-10-13 10:48:22","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":6000,"height":4000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps22-sun-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps22-sun-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps22-sun-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps22-sun-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps22-sun.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps22-sun.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1365,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps22-sun-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps22-sun-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"embedded_video":"","video_duration":"","show_fb_comments":true,"credit_media":""},"tile":{"top_caption":"","main_caption":"\u2018Ayelet Ha-Shachar - 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