{"id":86720,"date":"2021-01-17T00:39:12","date_gmt":"2021-01-16T22:39:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=86720"},"modified":"2021-01-17T00:39:12","modified_gmt":"2021-01-16T22:39:12","slug":"ethan-the-ezrahite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/ethan-the-ezrahite\/","title":{"rendered":"Ethan The Ezrahite"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Our psalm is headed by a unique superscription: \u201cA maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite\u201d (<\/span>89:1<\/span><\/a>). <\/span>Eitan Ha-Ezrahi<\/em> <\/span>was apparently a Temple musician in the time of King David, a singer who also sounded the bronze cymbals (<\/span>I Chronicles 15:19<\/span><\/a>). The identification of Ethan as \u201c<\/span>Ha-Ezrahi<\/span><\/em>\u201d<\/em> seems to be related to his having been one of the five sons of Zerah (see<\/span> I Chronicles 2:6<\/span><\/a>). However, the epithet <\/span>Ha-Ezrahi<\/em> <\/span>also seems to suggest that Ethan was a native Israelite, i.e. one who arose (<\/span>zarah<\/span><\/em>) from the soil of the Land of Israel.<\/span> Talmud Bavli Bava Batra 15a<\/span><\/a> notes that <\/span>Eitan Ha-Ezrahi<\/span><\/em> was one of the contributors to the Book of Psalms and identifies him with none other than the Patriarch Abraham! This is related to Abraham\u2019s having come \u201cfrom the East — <\/span>mi-mizrah<\/span><\/em>\u201d (as suggested by<\/span> Isaiah 41:2<\/span><\/a>), as is also suggested by Ethan\u2019s being referred to as <\/span>Ha-Ezrahi<\/span><\/em> (suggesting \u201cone from the East\u201d). Considering the fact that this Psalm is referred to as a <\/span>maskil<\/em> <\/span>\u201ccontemplative poem\u201d, it is interesting that Ethan\u2019s wisdom was considered nearly comparable to that of the supremely wise King Solomon (see<\/span> I Kings 5:11<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

The first part of our psalm (<\/span>verses 1-30<\/span><\/a>) is a hymn of praise to God as Creator, who chose David and his descendants to be kings of Israel forever. This is followed by a brief warning of the punishment that would result from forsaking God\u2019s law (<\/span>verses 31-33<\/span><\/a>). Nevertheless, we are assured, God will not violate His covenant with Israel by removing David and his descendants from the throne (<\/span>verses 34-38<\/span><\/a>).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Strangely, this promise of the permanence of the Covenant, is followed by what seems to be a shocking reversal: \u201cYet You have rejected, spurned, and become enraged at Your anointed. You have repudiated the covenant with Your servant\u201d (<\/span>verses 39-40<\/span><\/a>). This terrifying suggestion that God renounced His core covenant with Israel is apparently what led the medieval Biblical commentator, Abraham ibn Ezra to<\/span> note<\/span><\/a>: There was in Spain a great and pious sage [possibly referring to Rabbi Yehudah HaLevi] for whom this psalm was so difficult that he would not recite it and was not able to even hear it, because the psalmist seems to be speaking against the respected Lord in a negative way.<\/span><\/p>\n

It should be noted, however, that the psalm ends with a pious exclamation: \u201cBlessed is the Lord forever — Amen and Amen\u201d (<\/span>verse 53<\/span><\/a>). Significantly, this verse also serves as the grand finale to<\/span> Midrash Rabbah on the Torah<\/span><\/a>, which operatically describes the dramatic demise of Moses: The Ministering Angels, together with Israel, cried out: \u201cHe shall come to peace. He shall rest on his couch, he who walked straightforward\u201d (<\/span>Isaiah 57:2<\/span><\/a>). \u201cThe memory of the righteous is for a blessing \u2013 <\/span>zekher tzaddiq li-vrakhah<\/span><\/em>\u201d (<\/span>Proverbs 10:7<\/span><\/a>) and his soul will live on in the World to Come. Amen \u2013 May it be the will of God. \u201cBlessed is the Lord forever — Amen and Amen\u201d (<\/span>verse 53<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Image: Ethan (far right, in red robe), depicted in the Saint Mary Lutheran Church in Legnica, 19th C. \/ wikipedia<\/span><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":86721,"id":86721,"title":"ps89-ethan the ezrahite","filename":"ps89-ethan-the-ezrahite.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/ps89-ethan-the-ezrahite.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/ethan-the-ezrahite\/ps89-ethan-the-ezrahite\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"ps89-ethan-the-ezrahite","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":86720,"date":"2021-01-16 22:38:59","modified":"2021-01-16 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