Page 10 - HaMizrachi #29 Yom HaAtzmaut 2021 USA

TORAT MIZRACHI

Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon and Rabbanit Sharon Rimon

Shir HaMa’alot

(Psalm 126)

e say Shir HaMa’alot every in the Negev.” What are these afikim,
Shabbat and holiday before these streams? Yosef Breslavi explains
WBirkat HaMazon and for that there are no streams which flow
decades we have sung it to the tune of regularly in the Negev Desert, but there
Hatikvah at the conclusion of the Yom are flash floods. The Negev is usually
HaAtzmaut prayers. Why is this psalm dry. There is almost no rain. However,
connected to Yom HaAtzmaut, and the rain that does fall on the mountains
what is its message? flows towards the dry streams. Because
This psalm is divided into two distinct the ground is hard, the water does not
parts: seep into the soil but appears suddenly,
almost instantaneously, on the surface
The first part (1–3) speaks in the past and flows very quickly. This phenom-
tense, in which the redeemed Jews feel enon characterizes the Negev. When
their redemption is like a dream. It is so it rains, hundreds of small tributaries
monumental that even the non-Jews are fill up with water, flowing into dozens
amazed at the greatness of the miracle; of larger ones, flowing down to one big
they see the hand of G-d and say, ‘ה לי ִ ּ ד ְ ג ִ ה site, which then looks like a river.
ה ֶּ ל ֵ א ם ִ ע תֹוׂש ֲ ע ַ ל, “The L-rd has done great
things for them.” This phenomenon can be compared to
the flow of olei haRegalim to Israel, the
After the non-Jews speak about the
magnitude of the miracle, Am Yisrael pilgrims who come to Yerushalayim at
finally understand it themselves, לי ִ ּ ד ְ ג ִ ה once, in large quantities, from many
ּונ ָּ מ ִ ע תֹוׂש ֲ ע ַ ל ’ה “The L-rd has done great places across the Land.
things for us.” At first, םי ִ מ ְ לֹח ְּ כ ּוניִי ָ ה, it was Moreover, the suddenness and surprise
like a dream, but now, after others talk of the flash floods in the Negev is a
about it with such awe, “we were like beautiful metaphor for the process of
dreamers” becomes a clear reality: ּוניִי ָ ה redemption. Just as a dry and desolate
םי ִ ח ֵ מ ְ ׂש, “we were happy.” desert is instantly filled with life-giving
Part Two (4–6) speaks in the future water, so the lonely Land is suddenly
tense. It is a request for redemption, filled with its returning children, and
for G-d to return us ב ֶ גֶּנ ַּ ב םי ִ קי ִ פ ֲ א ַּ כ, “like the barren begins to blossom.
springs in the Negev.” Tears of struggle The psalm also likens redemption to a
accompany the sowing stage, and we plant, seeds and harvests. Indeed, in the
request and pray that the harvest and words of the prophets, a plant is often
the gathering will be with joy. a parable for Mashiach and Redemp-

The order of the psalm is surprising – if tion. For example, Yirmiyahu (23:5) calls
we have already proclaimed the vision Mashiach קי ִ ּ ד ַ צ ח ַ מ ֶ צ, a true branch.
of redemption; why do we now request Zechariah (6:12) also describes how
redemption ּונ ֵ תי ִ ב ְ ׁש ת ֶ א ‘ה ה ָ בּו ׁש , “the L-rd Mashiach, whose name is Tzemach, will
shall return us”?
build the Beit HaMikdash: ח ַ מ ֶ צ ׁשי ִ א הֵּנ ִ ה
To answer this, we must understand ‘ה ל ַ כי ֵ ה ת ֶ א הָנ ָ בּו ח ָ מ ְ צִי וי ָּ ת ְ ח ַּ ת ִ מּו ֹומ ְ ׁש, “Behold,
the unusual expression, “as streams a man called the Tzemach shall branch

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