בס "ד

Chapter 117 – זיק קרפ

This psalm was composed with reference to the future time, when all human beings will recognize G-d.¹

1. Praise G-d, all you peoples; extol Him, all you nations.
2. For His kindness has been strengthened over us, and the truth of G-d is eternal. Praise G-d.

Two Verses

It is remarkable that this psalm is composed of only two verses.

A commentator² explains that it was composed concerning the era of the Messiah. The two verses allude to the division of humanity in that era into two groups: the people of Israel, observing the 613 commandments of the Torah, and the nations of the world, observing the seven universal precepts.

Despite this difference, the common denominator will be that all will recognize and praise the one G-d.

Hasidic thought³ explains that the two verses also allude to the two-thirds of humanity that will live in the era of the Messiah.⁴ The prophecy states⁵: “Then I will turn to the nations with a clear language.” These nations are the descendants of two of Noah’s sons⁶—Shem and Japhet. The descendants of the third son, Ham, will be completely destroyed, for they descended to the deepest levels of impurity, making them unfit for refinement. For them, refinement itself is their destruction.

The Nations’ Praise

There are various opinions among our sages⁷ regarding what causes all the nations to praise G-d.

One explanation is that the rain in the world brings about this praise. All people need rain to water fields, fill wells, and so forth. Therefore, regarding rain the psalm says: “Praise G-d, all you peoples.”

Our sages⁸ explain that the day on which G-d judges His creation concerning rain is the festival of Sukkot. On this basis, the praise of all human beings expressed in this psalm is connected to the festival of Sukkot in particular, and more generally to all the festivals of the month of Tishrei.

The Torah⁹ teaches that during this festival seventy bulls were to be sacrificed in the Temple. These seventy bulls represented¹⁰ offerings to G-d for the wellbeing of the seventy nations¹¹ of the world. Thus, during Sukkot sacrifices were offered in the Temple on behalf of all the nations. In fact, our sages teach¹² that if the nations of the world had known how beneficial the Temple was for them, they would have protected it themselves.

The benefit of the offerings brought during Sukkot was not merely material abundance. On a deeper level, the offerings refined the nations, elevating them spiritually.

Why Sukkot?

Why were these offerings made specifically on Sukkot, and not at another time? Hasidic thought¹³ explains that Sukkot follows Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

On Yom Kippur, divine forgiveness “cleanses” the people of Israel, giving them the strength to project blessing and wellbeing to the world. After receiving this forgiveness, Israel is capable of refining the nations.

This dynamic applies even today, despite the absence of the Temple. Through the repentance and connection of Israel with G-d during Yom Kippur and the preceding days—Rosh Hashanah and the month of Elul—He sends into the world a special energy:

 “His kindness.” In the words of the psalm: “For His kindness has been strengthened over us.”

That divine kindness shining upon Israel is what then enables them, during Sukkot, to refine the nations of the world. This refinement is what brings the nations to “Praise G-d, all you peoples.”

Two Types of Refinement

The verse mentions both “peoples” e “nations.” This is because refinement can occur in two ways:

  1. Separation: distinguishing between good and evil within a thing. The good is elevated to G-d while the evil is destroyed.
  2. Transformation: a deeper refinement in which even the negative elements are transformed into good.

Thus, “peoples” refers to the first type of refinement, where only the positive is elevated and the rest is lost.

“Nations” refers to the second, deeper refinement, where even the negative is elevated.

Accordingly, the natural order of the verses seems reversed: first Israel receives divine kindness (verse 2), and only afterward do the peoples and nations praise G-d (verse 1). Yet the psalm presents them in the opposite order. This points to a deeper process of refinement that occurs after Sukkot, on Shemini Atzeret.

Shemini Atzeret

The central theme of Shemini Atzeret is the unique relationship between G-d and Israel. As our sages explain¹⁴, the central offering of this festival was one bull, symbolizing Israel alone. They liken it to a king who hosts a feast for his servants over seven days. On the eighth day, when the guests depart, the king asks his son to remain one more day to rejoice together privately.

Shemini Atzeret, “the Eighth [day of assembly],” follows the seven days of Sukkot that include the nations. It is the private celebration of G-d with Israel.

This private festival generates immense joy within Israel. Thus, in their natural order, the verses signify that after the nations have praised G-d, He bestows an added joy upon Israel.

Yet, although it is “private,” Shemini Atzeret also affects the entire world. The verse continues: “the truth of G-d is eternal.”

The Hebrew word leolam can also mean “to the world.”

In other words, the culmination of all refinement is the projection of G-d’s truth so that it is felt not only by Israel but also by the nations.

This represents a third level of refinement. At this level, things no longer appear as separate entities with portions of good and evil.

Instead, everything perceives that the only true existence is G-d. Thus, “the truth of G-d is revealed in the world.”

Summary

The two verses of this psalm describe successive stages in divine revelation, the role of Israel, and the refinement of the nations:

  1. Israel repents and reconnects during Yom Kippur and the preceding days, bringing forth a revelation of “His kindness.”
  2. That energy enables Israel to refine the nations during Sukkot. This refinement occurs in two ways: as “peoples” (separation) or “nations” (transformation). This causes the nations to “Praise G-d.”
  3. Having refined the nations so that they praise G-d during Sukkot, Israel receives on Shemini Atzeret a superior revelation of divine kindness.
  4. This produces immense joy in Israel and results in the universal revelation of “the truth of G-d is eternal, Praise G-d.” At this stage, all creation perceives that the only true existence is G-d.

It is as though the psalm actually contained three verses:

  1. “For His kindness has been strengthened over us” – Yom Kippur
  2. “Praise G-d, all you peoples; extol Him, all you nations.” – Sukkot
  3. “For His kindness has been strengthened over us” – Shemini Atzeret

All of this culminates in:

“the truth of G-d is eternal, Praise G-d.”

By Rabbi Tuvia Serber

This blog is inspired by a Chassidic discourse delivered by the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, in 1965. The discourse focuses on understanding the offerings of the Holiday of Sukkot in the Temple, which represented well-being and blessing for the nations of the world.

Fonti

¹ Radak
² Radak
³ Based on Iahel Or, 117:1; Torah Or, 102:1
⁴ See Likkutei Sichot, vol. 23, p. 172 (on another similar prophecy, referring to the destruction of two-thirds of humanity)
⁵ Zephaniah 3:9
⁶ Genesis 6:10
⁷ Midrash Tehillim 117
⁸ Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 1:2
⁹ Numbers 29:12–38
¹⁰ Talmud Sukkah 55b
¹¹ Genesis ch. 10
¹² Midrash Tanchuma, Numbers, 3
¹³ Based on the Hasidic discourses Halelu et Hashem 5726 (Torat Menachem Hitvaaduyot, vol. 45, pp. 63, 106)
¹⁴ Talmud Sukkah 55b; Zohar III, 104b; Rashi on Numbers 29:36

See also the Youtube-serie about this topic


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