- I'm going to teach a midrash from the Talmud
- I've learned (and taught) this midrash many times, especially around Shavuot, because I thought that this midrash was about the 10 Commandments, which was today's Torah reading
- I've been teaching the book of psalms on Tuesday mornings, and when I got to Psalm 8, one of the sources I looked at was this Midrash, which quotes Psalm 8 three times. Turns out, this midrash is actually a close reading of Psalm 8.
- This Midrash notices something unusual in Psalm 8, and tells this story to explain that aspect of the psalm.
- So, let's start by reading Psalm 8, then we'll go to the Midrash
(א) לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ עַֽל־הַגִּתִּ֗ית מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃
(ב) ה' אֲדֹנֵ֗ינוּ
מָֽה־אַדִּ֣יר שִׁ֭מְךָ בְּכׇל־הָאָ֑רֶץ
אֲשֶׁ֥ר תְּנָ֥ה ה֝וֹדְךָ֗ עַל־הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃
(ג) מִפִּ֤י עוֹלְלִ֨ים ׀ וְֽיֹנְקִים֮
יִסַּ֢דְתָּ֫־עֹ֥ז
לְמַ֥עַן צוֹרְרֶ֑יךָ
לְהַשְׁבִּ֥ית א֝וֹיֵ֗ב וּמִתְנַקֵּֽם׃
(ד) כִּֽי־אֶרְאֶ֣ה שָׁ֭מֶיךָ מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה אֶצְבְּעֹתֶ֑יךָ
יָרֵ֥חַ וְ֝כוֹכָבִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר כּוֹנָֽנְתָּה׃
(ה) מָה־אֱנ֥וֹשׁ כִּֽי־תִזְכְּרֶ֑נּוּ
וּבֶן־אָ֝דָ֗ם כִּ֣י תִפְקְדֶֽנּוּ׃
(ו) וַתְּחַסְּרֵ֣הוּ מְּ֭עַט מֵאֱלֹקִ֑ים
וְכָב֖וֹד וְהָדָ֣ר תְּעַטְּרֵֽהוּ׃
(ז) תַּ֭מְשִׁילֵהוּ בְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣י יָדֶ֑יךָ
כֹּ֝֗ל שַׁ֣תָּה תַֽחַת־רַגְלָֽיו׃
(ח) צֹנֶ֣ה וַאֲלָפִ֣ים כֻּלָּ֑ם
וְ֝גַ֗ם בַּהֲמ֥וֹת שָׂדָֽי׃
(ט) צִפּ֣וֹר שָׁ֭מַיִם וּדְגֵ֣י הַיָּ֑ם
עֹ֝בֵ֗ר אׇרְח֥וֹת יַמִּֽים׃
(י) ה' אֲדֹנֵ֑ינוּ
מָה־אַדִּ֥יר שִׁ֝מְךָ֗ בְּכׇל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ {פ}
(translation by Rabbi Richard N. Levy)
1 To the conductor: on the Gitit.
A psalm of David.
2 Adonai our Majesty,
How majestic is Your name through all the earth,
Whose splendor resounds across the heavens!
3 Out of the mouth of children – nurslings! – You have established strength
In the face of Your foes,
To declare a Sabbath from enemy and avenger.
4 For now I see Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
Moon and stars which You prepared!
5 What is a human being, that You should be aware,
A child of Adam, that You should even care!
6 Yet You have made them lack but a little of God;
With glory and honor have You crowned them!
7 You have let them rule the works of Your hands;
Everything have You placed under their feet:
8 Sheep and kine, all of them,
The creatures of my own fields,
9 Fowl of heaven, and fish of the sea
Gliding through the paths of the seas.
10 Adonai our Majesty,
How majestic is Your name through all the earth!
What do you notice about Verses 2 and 10?
What do you make of the repetition?
Why do you think the psalm leaves out the second half of the verse the second time it repeats that line?
What is the affect of leaving out the second half?
JPS
2 O LORD, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name throughout the earth,
You who have covered the heavens with Your splendor!
10 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is Your name throughout the earth!
Alter
2 LORD, our Master
How majestic Your name in all the earth!
Whose splendor was told over the heavens.
10 LORD, our Master,
how majestic Your name in all the earth!
Koren
2 LORD, our Sovereign,
how glorious is Your name in all the earth!
Your splendor is praised as high as the heavens!
10 LORD, our Sovereign,
how glorious is Your name in all the earth!
KJV
1 O LORD our Lord,
how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
9 O LORD our Lord,
how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
וְאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי:
בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעָלָה מֹשֶׁה לַמָּרוֹם אָמְרוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מַה לִּילוּד אִשָּׁה בֵּינֵינוּ? אָמַר לָהֶן:
לְקַבֵּל תּוֹרָה בָּא.
אָמְרוּ לְפָנָיו:
חֶמְדָּה גְּנוּזָה שֶׁגְּנוּזָה לָךְ תְּשַׁע מֵאוֹת וְשִׁבְעִים וְאַרְבָּעָה דּוֹרוֹת קוֹדֶם שֶׁנִּבְרָא הָעוֹלָם, אַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ לִיתְּנָהּ לְבָשָׂר וָדָם?! ״מָה אֱנוֹשׁ כִּי תִזְכְּרֶנּוּ וּבֶן אָדָם כִּי תִפְקְדֶנּוּ״? ״ה׳ אֲדֹנֵינוּ מָה אַדִּיר שִׁמְךָ בְּכׇל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר תְּנָה הוֹדְךָ עַל הַשָּׁמָיִם״!
אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה:
הַחְזֵיר לָהֶן תְּשׁוּבָה...
אָמַר לְפָנָיו:
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, תּוֹרָה שֶׁאַתָּה נוֹתֵן לִי מָה כְּתִיב בָּהּ?
״אָנֹכִי ה׳ אֱלֹקֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם״.
אָמַר לָהֶן: לְמִצְרַיִם יְרַדְתֶּם? לְפַרְעֹה הִשְׁתַּעְבַּדְתֶּם? תּוֹרָה לָמָּה תְּהֵא לָכֶם!
שׁוּב: מָה כְּתִיב בָּהּ?
״לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ אֱלֹקִים אֲחֵרִים״.
בֵּין הַגּוֹיִם אַתֶּם שְׁרוּיִין, שֶׁעוֹבְדִין עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה?
שׁוּב: מָה כְּתִיב בָּהּ?
״זָכוֹר אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת לְקַדְּשׁוֹ״ — כְּלוּם אַתֶּם עוֹשִׂים מְלָאכָה, שֶׁאַתֶּם צְרִיכִין שְׁבוּת?
שׁוּב: מָה כְּתִיב בָּהּ?
״לֹא תִשָּׂא״ — מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן יֵשׁ בֵּינֵיכֶם?
שׁוּב: מָה כְּתִיב בָּהּ?
״כַּבֵּד אֶת אָבִיךָ וְאֶת אִמֶּךָ״ — אָב וָאֵם יֵשׁ לָכֶם?
שׁוּב: מָה כְּתִיב בָּהּ?
״לֹא תִּרְצָח״, ״לֹא תִּנְאָף״, ״לֹא תִּגְנֹב״.
קִנְאָה יֵשׁ בֵּינֵיכֶם? יֵצֶר הָרָע יֵשׁ בֵּינֵיכֶם?
מִיָּד הוֹדוּ לוֹ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״ה׳ אֲדֹנֵינוּ מָה אַדִּיר שִׁמְךָ וְגוֹ׳״, וְאִילּוּ ״תְּנָה הוֹדְךָ עַל הַשָּׁמָיִם״ לָא כְּתִיב.
And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: When Moses ascended on High to receive the Torah, the ministering angels said before the Holy One of Blessing:
"Master of the Universe, what is one born of a woman doing here among us?"
The Holy One said to them:
"He came to receive the Torah."
The angels responded to God:
The Torah is a hidden treasure that was concealed by you 974 generations before the creation of the world, and you seek to give it to flesh and blood?! As it is written, “What is man that You are mindful of him and the son of man that You think of him?” (Psalms 8:5). Rather, “God our Lord, how glorious is Your name in all the earth that Your majesty is placed above the heavens” (Psalms 8:2). The rightful place of God’s majesty, the Torah, is in the heavens.
The Holy Blessed One, said to Moses: Provide them with an answer as to why the Torah should be given to the people.
Moses said before God:
Master of the Universe, the Torah that You are giving me, what is written in it?
God said to him: “I am the Lord your God Who brought you out of Egypt from the house of bondage” (Exodus 20:2). Moses turned to the angels:
Did you descend to Egypt?
Were you enslaved to Pharaoh?
Why should the Torah be yours?
Again Moses asked: What else is written in it?
God said to him: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3).
Moses said to the angels:
Do you dwell among the nations who worship idols that you require this special warning?
Again Moses asked: What else is written in it?
God said to him: “Remember the Shabbat day to sanctify it” (Exodus 20:8).
Moses asked the angels:
Do you perform labor that you require rest from it?
Again Moses asked: What else is written in it?
God answered, “Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain” (Exodus 20:7), meaning that it is prohibited to swear falsely.
Moses asked the angels:
Do you conduct business with one another that may lead you to swear falsely?
Again Moses asked: What else is written in it?
God said to him: “Honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:12).
Moses asked the angels:
Do you have a father or a mother?
Again Moses asked: What else is written in it?
God said to him: “You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal” (Exodus 20:13)
Moses asked the angels: Is there jealousy among you, or is there an evil inclination within you?
Immediately the angels admitted that the Holy Blessed One, made the right decision to give the Torah to the people, and as it is stated: “God our Lord, how glorious is Your name in all the earth” (Psalms 8:10), while “that Your majesty is placed above the heavens” is not written because the angels agreed with God that it is appropriate to give the Torah to the people on earth.
So, the conclusion here is that the difference between verse 2 and verse 10 can be explained by Moshe's successful refutation of the argument of the angels. Because it does not say (the second time) that the Hod/Torah should be placed above/in heaven, we learn that the minds of the angels were changed.
But there is a coda to this whole thing. And that is that Psalm 8:10 (without the line about heaven) is used in our Festival Musaf Kedusha, where that line is now seen to be another part of the heavenly chorus, another of the angels' praises.
Let's turn to page 345 to look at this in context.
In reciting the Kedushah, the angels' song, we too become an angelic chorus. It is as if, in this moment, heaven and earth have become as one. Therefore tradition recommends that we stand with feet together while reciting the Kedushah -- in imitation of angels (Ezekiel 1:7).
Kedusha is the Everest of Prayer, the summit of the spiritual life. It is based on the two mysitcal visions in which Isaiah and Ezekiel saw God in heaven, entrhoned in glory and surrounded by a chorus of angels singing praises. Isaiah heard them say "Holy, holy, holy... the whole world is filled with God's glory" (Is. 6:3). Ezekiel heard them say, "Blessed is the Lord's glory from God's place" (Ezek. 3:12). By saying Kedusha we join the angelic chorus, singing God's praises on earth as they do in heaven. What empowers us to do so is the declarion of Psalm 8:5-6, "What is man, that You are mindful of him, the son of man that You think of him? Yet You have made him but little lower than angels, and crowned him with glory and honor." The paradox is that through God is surrounded by angels singing praises, what God seeks is our praise -- the praise of free, fallible, finite agents for whom God is often hidden, who sometimes sin and despair and lose their faith, but who still turn their thoughts and hearts to the creative Source of the universe and the redeeming Presence of history, the Infinite before whom we stand, to whom we offer praise.
So, in our midrash the angels quote verse 5 (What is man that You should take notice of him?-- why should you give the Torah to people at all?!) but we, the Jewish people, derive our right, our obligation, our power to stand before God and sing the song of the angels, the Kedushah-- we derive that power from verse 6 (You have made him but little lower than angels)!
This Psalm is woven into this conversation about human worth yet again.