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Page 2 TorahLab / New Heights in Jewish Prayer / Segment 14 / Ashrei 4
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Ashrei 4
q Psalms 22:29
“For G-d has Kingship (melech) and He rules (moshel) the nations…And G-d will be the King
over the entire world”.
w Genesis 37:7-8
[Yoseph recounts his dream:] “We were gathering sheaves in the field, my sheaf arose (kamah) and
remained standing (nitzav). Your sheaves surrounded my sheaf and bowed down to my sheaf.”
The brothers said to him: “Do you want to be a king over us? Do you want to rule over us?”
Page 2 TorahLab / New Heights in Jewish Prayer / Segment 14 / Ashrei 4
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Page 4 TorahLab / New Heights in Jewish Prayer / Segment 14 / Ashrei 4
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e Vilna Gaon; Avnei Eliyohu Az Yashir
Is G-d not already King over the entire world?
A king by definition is someone who is crowned by his subjects by their own free and good
will. A moshel, on the other hand, is the strongest of the people and a conqueror who forces
every one to become his subjects. Yoseph in his dream mentioned two things:
1. “My sheaf will stand up”– This referred to his future role as a ruler (the first time the brothers
met him it was in the capacity of someone who was mightier than them).
2. “…and they bowed down to my sheaf”– This referred to a time when the brothers would
proclaim him king over them. The response of the brothers [in the following verse] becomes
very clear.
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Vilna Gaon; Avnei Eliyohu Az Yashir, continued
The same is true in our relationship with G-d. We have accepted G-d’s kingship out of our
own free will and can consider Him our King. The other nations did not accept G-d’s Kingship;
however, because of His might He still rules them according to His will. In the future there will
come a time when everyone will accept the reign of G-d and willfully crown Him as King. At
that time “G-d will be King over the entire world”.
The distinction of the Jewish people is that we willingly accepted G-d as our King (Melech).
Since we accepted Him out of trust, we accept upon ourselves any laws or troubles that He
may bring upon us, confident in the knowledge that we chose Him because He knows what
is best for us. Others are also subject to the rule of G-d but do not have the comfort of know-
ing that He is someone who they have accepted and trust. To these people G-d is a Moshel, a
Ruler, but not a King.
r K’sav V’Kabala, Leviticus 1:1
The definition of ָאַמר (amar) as referring to something specific is evident when it is compared
to דבר (daber). For example in the verse וידבר ה‘ אל משה לאמר “And G-d spoke to Moshe saying”
(Lev. 1:1). When G-d spoke to Moshe, He would speak in general terms with a certain amount
of vagueness hence “וידבר”. Later, when Moshe would transmit these same teachings to the
Jewish people he would need to expound upon them in detail hence “לאמר”.
(See source for lengthy piece quoting many sources and logical support for this thesis and the
relationship to other forms of אמר mentioned below. Among his sources are Zohar Va’yechi 239,
Zohar Haazinu 300a, Vilna Gaon in Proverbs 4:20 and others. The only commentator who seems
to argue with this is the Malbim in Ayeles Hashachar (introduction to Toras Kohanim) 332).
Daber refers to general
statements; a focus on the
larger whole as opposed to
individual parts, while amar
refers to a more specific
statement.
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Summary
Dovid HaMelech’s theme in this section of Ashrei is the two basic categories of people who
benefit from G-d. (Almost) everyone thanks G-d and acknowledges His existence on some
level, causing G-d to be quantitatively more praised than any other Being. At the same time
not all praise-givers can be lumped into one group. There are some groups that surpass every-
one in their praise, giving G-d more praise than that which is qualitatively given to any other
being. The quality of the praise is directly related to the depth of praise-giver’s understanding
of G-d.