Chapter III

The verse: "They cried out to the L-rd in their distress, and He brought them out from their calamity," is repeated four times in Psalm 1071 with the minor variation of vayitzaku and vayizaku " they cried out" and "they called out." Concerning the manner of salvation, three different expressions are used: "He delivered them," "He saved them," "He brought them out." Each expression refers to a different form of salvation, since the verses allude to four kinds of distress and deliverance.

The central theme of Psalm 107 is the "Blessing of Thanksgiving" recited by the "four [categories] who are obliged to give thanks,"2 namely, those who have traversed the sea; lost their way in a desert and managed to reach civilization; were [seriously] ill and then recovered; or were incarcerated and in danger of losing their lives [and were subsequently released].

Concerning those lost in the desert, salvation is referred to with the phrase "He delivered them." Regarding those released from imprisonment or healed of sickness, the expression "He saved them" is used, while the term "He brought them out" applies to those who traversed the sea.

It is stated3 that Psalm 107 is to be recited as part of the Friday afternoon Minchah service. It serves as a "Blessing of Thanksgiving" for G-d's having helped the person during the six working days, during which time every individual can undergo the four above-mentioned kinds of affliction in his struggle to earn a living, as indicated by the verse:4 "By the sweat of your brow shall you eat bread."

Shabbos is a day of rest following the six days of labor. This is expressed by the Midrashic saying:5 "Comes Shabbos, comes rest and tranquillity." Indeed, herein lies the difference between Shabbos and the Festivals. Festivals are known&6 as "festive days of rejoicing" while Shabbos is "a day of rest,"7 a restful and pleasurable day. This is why the Psalm of the "Blessing of Thanksgiving" is recited before ushering in the Shabbos.

The four abovementioned categories can also be found within the context of man's spiritual service, inasmuch as they represent four kinds of spiritual faults.

In a spiritual context, a "descent into the sea" refers to a person who "drowns" in materialism. There are those individuals who "drown" in physical and corporeal delights. Others become totally submerged in worldly matters. Not only are they so engrossed in their business dealings that they have no time for study or public prayer, but they also "drown" in the frivolity of idle talk, which consumes more time than the actual business.

Some are deemed to be "wanderers in the desert." A desert is a desolate place, lacking vegetation. In a spiritual context, this refers to idlers who immerse themselves in inconsequential matters.

Then there are those who are spiritually ill, as Maimonides says:8 "Just as there are those afflicted with physical maladies, so too are there individuals afflicted with maladies of the spirit." Their illnesses may be either intellectual or emotional.

Finally, there are those who are, G-d forbid, "imprisoned" by their evil inclination and animal soul.

The remedies for these four spiritual ailments are: the giving of charity, crying aloud to G-d, changing one's name, and changing one's deeds. Regarding the above, the verse "The L-rd is close to all who call upon Him" is germane. Any person who finds himself in the above categories and calls out to G-d is answered by Him.

Yet these four spiritual remedies are effective only prior to the sealing of a decree. Once a decree has been sealed, these four methods simply do not suffice. G-d must then be called upon "in truth," i.e. called upon through the Torah, with a simple faith in all that is written in the Torah, and its explanations by our sages of blessed memory.

Throughout the many years of exile, the four above-mentioned methods of repentance sufficed. Nowadays, however, when we are close on the heels of Moshiach , they are insufficient. At the time of the original exodus from Egypt, the insolent Amalakites descended upon the Jews in order to make us cold to Torah, mitzvos and G-dliness.9 Just as it was then, so it is prior to the ultimate Redemption. There are those who seek to make Jews frigid and unresponsive to G-d's promises [of redemption] revealed in the Torah and through the words of our prophets and sages of blessed memory.

When G-d gave the Torah, He gave with it the strength to believe in it [without reservation], as well as the ability to repent [fully and] "in truth." In turn, this [wholehearted belief and truthful repentance] will ease the "birthpangs of Moshiach," so that we may merit to very speedily, and with kindness and mercy, welcome and receive Moshiach Tzidkeinu.

In summary: Three distinct expressions describing salvation "delivering," "saving" and "bringing out" are used in the "Blessing of Thanksgiving" of Psalm 107. They refer to salvation from the four kinds of difficulty encountered by a person during the six working days. They are: a) drowning oneself in business, b) idleness and inconsequential talk, c) spiritual maladies and d) imprisonment by the evil inclination. Now, during the time that immediately precedes the coming of Moshiach, G-d must be called upon "in truth."