{"id":85712,"date":"2020-12-30T18:22:14","date_gmt":"2020-12-30T16:22:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=85712"},"modified":"2020-12-30T18:22:14","modified_gmt":"2020-12-30T16:22:14","slug":"god-the-eternally-merciful","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/god-the-eternally-merciful\/","title":{"rendered":"God The Eternally Merciful"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[],"acf":{"old_id":"85712","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":33877,"related_cahpter":"645","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"An answer to christological interpretations\r\n\r\n","content":"

Our<\/span> psalm is the second-longest of the Psalms, extending to 72 verses (<\/span>Psalm 119<\/span><\/a> has 176 verses). The superscription of Psalm 78, a \u201cMaskil of Asaph\u201d, heads a didactic historical <\/span>piyyut<\/em> <\/span>(poem). The psalmist begins (<\/span>verses 1-4<\/span><\/a>) by urging us: \u201cGive ear, my people, to my teaching (<\/span>torati<\/span><\/em>). Turn your ear to what I say. I will expound a poetic parable (<\/span>mashal<\/span><\/em>), hold forth on what can be learned from the past (<\/span>hiddot minni-qedem<\/span><\/em> \u2013\u00a0 literally \u201cenigmatic riddles from the past\u201d) — what we have heard and known, which our fathers have told us…\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Indeed, the core of our psalm (<\/span>verses 12-72<\/span><\/a>) is a poetic recitation of Biblical history from the Egyptian enslavement and Exodus: \u201cHe performed marvels in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, the plain of Zoan\u2026\u201d to the Davidic Monarchy and God\u2019s continuing guidance of Israel: \u201cHe chose David, His servant, and took him from the sheepfolds\u2026He tended them with blameless heart. With skillful hands he led them\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Israel\u2019s repeated sins and rebellions against God are also recalled. This led some Christian interpreters to read this psalm as a christological rejection of Jews in favor of what they refer to as the \u201cNew Israel\u201d, i.e. Christians. However,<\/span> Edward L. Greenstein<\/span><\/a> has suggested reading this psalm in line with the commentary of David Qimhi (Provence 12<\/span>th<\/span>-13<\/span>th<\/span> century CE):\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy Teaching (<\/span>Torati<\/span><\/em>) refers to what I have taught in the story of the good things that God had done for Israel and from the words of His teaching. For you should [learn from all this] to fear Him and not to rebel against His Word and His Commandment\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Indeed, this remarkable transition from Israel\u2019s recurring rebellion against God to God\u2019s continuing forgiveness and mercy is perhaps best exemplified by<\/span> verses 36-38<\/span><\/a>: \u201cYet they deceived Him with their speech, lied to Him with their words. Their hearts were inconstant toward Him. They were untrue to His covenant. But He, being merciful, forgave iniquity and would not destroy. He restrained His wrath time and again and did not give full vent to His fury\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Significantly, the expression \u201cHe being merciful\u201d \u2013<\/span> Ve-Hu Rachum<\/span><\/a> <\/em>became the heading of a group of \u201csomber plaints\u201d<\/span> sung<\/span><\/a> in the Morning Service on Mondays and Thursdays. <\/span>This is related to the tradition that Moses ascended Mount Sinai to receive the second Tablets on the fifth day of the week, and returned to the people on the second day of the week confirming God’s forgiving Israel for their transgression. For this reason, the Morning Service is augmented on these days by the<\/span> Ve-Hu Rachum<\/span><\/i><\/a> additional supplications.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bavli Ta’anit 8a<\/span><\/a> states that<\/span> Psalms 78:36-38<\/span><\/a> teaches that when one prays with the community, even if his prayers are deficient, they are accepted on the merit of the congregation.<\/span><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":85714,"id":85714,"title":"ps78-mercy forgiveness","filename":"ps78-mercy-forgiveness.png","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/ps78-mercy-forgiveness.png","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/god-the-eternally-merciful\/ps78-mercy-forgiveness\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"ps78-mercy-forgiveness","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":85712,"date":"2020-12-30 16:21:42","modified":"2023-07-31 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