The Tanakh Podcast

This chapter has three segments: 1. How God always fought the battles of the Jewish People, He was their strength, pride and protection. 2. But now God has abandoned us to defeat, dispersion, derision and slaughter. 3. But Israel has retained their loyalty to God. God! Why have you abandoned us?

Psalm 42-49 are all Psalms of the Bnei Korach. What is their story? Who is this group?

"As the deer craves streams of water,    so my soul craves for you, my God.My soul thirsts for God, for the living God." Who is thirsting for God? Why? Where is he? What is the back-story?

God helps those who help others!

When one is saved by God, how does one respond? Sing God's praises? offer sacrifices? Or dedicate our lives and our lifestyles to God's laws and ideals? That is the topic of our chapter.

This is a chapter of terrible suffering. What is the point of the short lifespan of our lives if it is filled with pain and torment. That is the question asked by our chapter.

This chapter presents a sense of guilt and remorse for (an unidentified) sin. And yet, the sinner is suffering at the hands of violent enemies. Should past mistakes justify the violence perpetrated against him?? Should one perennially be a victim because one has erred? Or might one appeal to God to appreciate ultimately who is on teh side of good, and who on the side of harm and evil?

Our alphabetical Psalm is a meditation on divine justice - that evil will wane and disappear, and the righteous "will inherit the earth". "Don't envy the evil!" it preaches. In the long term, the virtuous will endure and prevail.

There is good and bad. And our heart has to make a choice.

This is a Psalm in 3 stanzas. David is being pursued, betrayed by his friends, and falsely accused. Each segment ends in words of praise to God. One of these features in our prayer "Nishmat" and reads "All my bones say - L-rd, who is like You?" Opening Music. Joey Weisenberg - Nishat Kol Chai Closing Music: Hanan Ben Ari. Kol Atzmotai (Habad Niggun)