| 1. For the conductor, on the gittith, of Asaph. |
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א. |
| on the gittith: A musical instrument that comes from Gath. |
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| 2. Sing praises to the God Who is our might, sound the shofar to the God of Jacob. |
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ב. |
| sound the shofar: on Rosh Hashanah. |
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| 3. Raise [your voice in] song and give forth [with] a timbrel, a pleasant harp with a lyre. |
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ג. |
| a pleasant harp with a lyre: Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba says: The “kinnor” and the “nevel” are the same. Rabbi Simon says: The [number of] strings distinguishes one from the other. Why is it called “nevel” ? Because it puts all other types of music to shame. |
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| 4. Sound the shofar on the New Moon, on the appointed time for the day of our festival. |
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ד. |
| on the New Moon: When the moon renews itself. |
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| on the appointed time: The appointed day for it, and so (Prov. 7:20): “on the appointed day (בכסה) he will come home”; to the appointed time that had been fixed. |
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| and I shall fill it: According to whatever you ask I will fill. |
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| 5. For it is a statute for Israel, the judgment of the God of Jacob. |
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ה. |
| For it is a statute: for Israel from the Holy One, blessed be He, to sound the shofar on that day, the day of the judgment of the Holy One, blessed be He. |
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| 6. As a testimony for Jehoseph, He ordained it, when he went forth over the land of Egypt, [when] I understood a language that I had not known. |
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ו. |
| As a testimony for Jehoseph He ordained it: On Rosh Hashanah, Joseph went out of prison. |
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| [when] I understood a language that I had not known: It is explained in tractate Sotah (36b) that [the angel] Gabriel taught him seventy languages. |
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| 7. I removed his shoulder from burdens; his hands were removed from the cauldron. |
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ז. |
| from the cauldron: From slave labor to cook the pots in the manner of other slaves. |
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| from the cauldron: Heb. מדוד, a pot, as (I Sam. 2: 14): “And he would thrust into the fire-pot or into the pot (הדוד).” |
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| 8. In distress, you called and I released you; I answered you-[though you called] in secret- with thunder; I tried you by the waters of Meribah, forever. |
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ח. |
| In distress, you called: to Me, all of you. You called from the distress of the labor of the burdens of Egypt, and I released you. |
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| I answered you in secret with thunder: You called in secret between Me and you, but I answered you with a voice of thunder; I made known My might and My awesome deeds in public. |
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| I tried you by the waters of Meribah, forever: Although it was revealed and tried before Me that you were destined to provoke Me with the waters of Meribah. So it was taught in Mechilta (Exod. 19:2). |
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| 9. Hearken, My people, and I shall admonish you, Israel, if you hearken to Me. |
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ט. |
| Hearken, My people: Since I did all this for you, it is fitting for you to hearken to Me. |
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| 10. No strange god shall be within you, neither shall you prostrate yourself to a foreign god. |
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י. |
| 11. I am the Lord, your God, Who brought you up from the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I shall fill it. |
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יא. |
| open your mouth wide: to request of Me whatever your heart desires. |
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| 12. But My people did not hearken to My voice, neither did Israel desire to [follow] Me. |
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יב. |
| 13. So I let them go after their heart's fantasies; let them go in their counsels. |
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יג. |
| after their heart’s fantasies: Heb. בשרירותלבם, after the views of their heart, as (above 5: 9): “because of those who lie in wait for me (שוררי).” |
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| 14. If only My people would hearken to Me, if Israel would go in My ways. |
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יד. |
| If only My people would hearken to Me: Still, if they desired to return to Me and to hearken to Me… |
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| 15. In a short time I would subdue their enemies and upon their enemies I would return My hand. |
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טו. |
| In a short time I would subdue their enemies: In a short time I would subdue their enemies. |
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| I would return My hand: I would return my blow from upon you to lay it upon them, and then… |
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| 16. The enemies of the Lord would lie to Him, and their time would be forever. |
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טז. |
| The enemies of the Lord would lie to Him, and their time would be: [The time of] their retribution [would be] forever. |
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| 17. Then He would feed them with the fat of wheat and I would sate you with honey from a rock. |
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יז. |
| Then He would feed them: Israel. |
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| and… from a rock: He sated them with honey when they went in His ways, as the matter that is stated (Deut. 32:13): “He suckled them with honey from the rock.” |
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