Yagati b’anchasi as’cheh b’chol lailah mitasi, b’dim’asi arsi amseh.
I am worn out by my sighing (about my illness); every night I cause my bed to float from crying, with my tears I melt my couch.
Ash’shah mi’kaas eini, askah b’chol tzorerai.
My eye is dimmed from anger (at my enemies who rejoice in my illness); it has aged because of my tormentors.
Suru mimeni kol poalei aven, ki shama Hashem kol bichyi.
Depart from me, all evildoers (for you will not be able to overcome me), because Hashem accepted my prayer with tears (for the Gates of Tears are never locked).
Shama Hashem t’chinasi, Hashem t’filasi yikach.
Hashem heard my plea (and healed me), (therefore I am confident) that Hashem will accept my prayer (in the future).
Yeivoshu v’yibahalu m’od kol oyvai, yashuvu yeivoshu raga.
All my enemies will be ashamed and very terrified (seeing my unbelievable success); they will regret (their animosity and come to make peace with me), (and) at that moment they will be ashamed (from me).
In this segment, we address the second half of Tachanun. The Malbim in T’hilim 6, where most of Tachanun stems from, understands that the p’sukim we have covered to date speak about the illness that David HaMelech suffered from. The p’sukim above, in this segment, address his suffering from his enemies.
The Malbim derives from these p’sukim that the pain from his enemies was more painful to David than his illness (b’chol tzorerai – because of my tormentors). David concludes by addressing his enemies, telling them that his tefilos will surely be accepted. At that time, his enemies will be extremely ashamed (yeivoshu – they will be ashamed) and will be judged (v’yibahalu – and will be very terrified). David, therefore, advises them to return to Hashem immediately and perform t’shuvah (yashuvu – they will regret and do t’shuvah). That way, they will only be embarrassed for a moment (yeivoshu raga – at that moment they will be ashamed).
On the other hand, the Radak understands that all of the p’sukim relate to the illness. The reference to his enemies relates to their rejoicing over his illness, hoping for and expecting him to die. The Radak offers two versions of the last few p’sukim. One, that David, while still sick, warns his enemies that his tefilos will be accepted and they should immediately return to Hashem and perform t’shuvah to avoid being extremely embarrassed and judged. In his second version, the Radak understands David speaking about his enemies after he has been healed. He says that his enemies, who were hoping for his death, are now very ashamed and they will now return to him in peace.
The Radak adds:
V’chol adam [choleh] ha’mispallel b’zeh ha’mizmor yuchal lomar zeh, ki batuach hu ki HaKeil yishma t’filaso im yispallel b’leiv nishbar v’nidkeh.
And every [sick] man who prays with this Psalm is able to say this, for he is confident that Hashem will hear his prayer if he prays with a broken and contrite heart.
This is one of the sources we began with. What a powerful statement from the Radak! If we recite chapter 6 of T’hilim (or recite Tachanun) with a broken and pained heart, then our tefilos are assured to be accepted!
From now on, let us commit to seize the great opportunity we have been granted, and recite Tachanun with renewed heart and mind. May all our tefilos be accepted b’ratzon, and may we all see the r’fuos and salvations we all need – nationally, communally, and individually.
To access print versions of previous Tefilah segments, please visit OU Torah’s Search portal, select the Topic of “Tefillah,”
and then select “Weekly Tefilah Focus” from the Series list.
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For Rabbi Mordechai Finkelman’s video and audio shiurim, which are based on our Tefilah Focus segments but also include his insightful and inspiring additions, please visit
TorahAnytime.com
or simply search for “TorahAnytime Rabbi Finkelman.”
You can direct any questions or comments to Eliezer Szrolovits at 917-551-0150.
