Pesachim 119 – From the psalms

What does “To the leader – a psalm of David” mean? “Leader,” or “menatzeach” in Hebrew means “One who enables others to conquer him,” signifies that God is actually happy when others conquer Him. In that, He is not like people. When God wanted to destroy the Jewish people, Moses stopped Him, and God reacted by saying, “had not Moses, my chosen one, stood in the breach.”

Various phrases in the psalms were actually said by different people and in different circumstances. King David later combined them together into one whole. For example, here:  “I thank You, for You have answered me” was said by King David; “The stones that builders despised has become the cornerstone” was said by David’s father Ishai, and “This emanates from God” was said by David’s brothers.

The feast that Abraham made when Isaac was weaned (“gamal”) is indicative of the future feast where the righteous will celebrated the kindness (“gomel”) of God. In the end, they will give Abraham the cup and ask him to recite the blessing over the meal. But he will refuse, saying that Ishmael issued from him. They will ask Isaac, and he will refuse because of Esau. Jacob – because he married two sisters. Moses – because he did not enter Israel. Joshua – because he did not have a son. However, David will accept, saying that it indeed fits for him to bless. Why? Because in the psalms, he said, “I will raise the cup of salvation, and I will invoke the name of God.”

Art: King David presenting the scepter to Solomon by Cornelis De Vos