Weekly Tefilah Focus

In the last segment, we described how T’hilim, and this perek in particular, can be understood on three levels: David HaMelech writing about his own life, writing for klal Yisrael, and writing so that each individual could see himself in the p’sukim of T’hilim. This week and next week, we will see how pasuk 5 specifically can be understood on all three levels.

Haysah Yehudah l’kodsho, Yisrael mamsh’losav.

Then the tribe of Yehudah became His holy nation (for jumping into the threatening Yam Suf first), and klal Yisrael became under Hashem’s rule (and no longer under the Egyptians’ rule).

The next few segments will cover what we refer to as “Tachanun.” We plan, b’ezras Hashem, to return to Hallel after we conclude exploring Tachanun, so that we can be inspired to sing the Hallel on Yom Tov with greater joy, meaning, and enthusiasm.

B’tzeis Yisrael miMitzrayim, Beis Yaakov mei’am lo’eiz.

When klal Yisrael [the men] left from the land of Mitzrayim, (and) Beis Yaakov [the women] left from a people of a foreign language (that they did not understand)

Ha’yam raah va’yanos, haYardein yisov l’achor.

The Yam Suf saw klal Yisrael going in and fled (split), (and at that time) the Yarden River (and all the waters in the world miraculously) turned backwards.

In the last two segments, we discussed the difference between our emunah and that of the nations of the world who believe in G-d. We believe that Hashem is not just exalted above, higher than all, but rather that He has designed our lives precisely in every detail and is intimately involved in every aspect continuously. Our belief in hashgachah pratis is what sets us apart from the rest of the world and is the component of emunah that the Rosh calls the “y’sod (foundation) of the entire Torah.”