19 Sep THE MESSAGES AND POWER OF L’DOVID HASHEM ORI – PART TWO

Last week we cited the
siddur of Rav Shabtai
Mei’Racksho, the Mateh
Efraim, and the Chida.
The all concur that the
twice daily saying of
L’Dovid Hashem Ori
is a powerful segulah
to emerge victorious in
judgment, to cancel harsh
and evil decrees, and to live out our years in a
wholesome way.
At what juncture in Dovid HaMelech’s life
did he compose this psalm? The Medrash
Rabbah in Vayikra Rabbah [21:3] cites the
great Reb Yehoshua ben Levi, that Dovid
HaMelech said this kapital when he was
attacked by the Amaleikis.
Here’s the story: Dovid HaMelech left the
town of Tziklag with his 600 soldiers to aid
Achish, the king of the Plishtim. While he was
away, the Amaleikis attacked the undefended
city of Tziklag. They plundered it, burned it
to the ground, and took all the women and
children as captives, including two of Dovid
HaMelech’s wives, Avidgayil and Achinoam.
When Dovid and his men returned, they saw
to their horror what had transpired. Dovid
HaMelech was confronted by dual despair:
Firstly, the worry over the wives and children
including his own wives, and secondly the
anger of his own men who, as Shmuel testifies
[in Shmuel 1 chapter 30], wanted to stone

Dovid for his mistake of leaving the women
and children of Tziklag abandoned and
undefended.
Dovid HaMelech, instead of succumbing to
despondency and despair, reacted in the correct
Jewish way. As the posuk declares, “Tzarah
v’yagon emtzah uv’Shem Hashem ekra – If I
find myself in distress and grief, I call out in
the Name of Hashem.” And this is how Dovid
HaMelech reacted in this situation. As the
verse testifies, “Vayichazek Dovid b’Hashem
Elokav – And Dovid took strength in Hashem
his G-d.” He then summoned Ev’yasar, the
Kohein Gadol, and commissioned him to
inquire of the Urim v’Tumim which was
concealed in the folds of the choshen, the
breastplate worn by the Kohein Gadol. Dovid
asked whether he should engage in a kamikaze
rescue mission against the Amaleikis. The
Urim v’Tumim answered in the affirmative
and assured him that he would be successful.
He embarked on the mission, defeated the
Amaleikis without the loss of even one soldier
and, Baruch Hashem, recovered all the women
and children without any loss of life.
(The Chofetz Chaim, zt”l, zy”a, has a critical
caveat to this fascinating story. He explains
that if Dovid HaMelech would have asked
the Urim v’Tumim the question before he
stanchly put his trust in Hashem, its answer
would have been different.)
Thus, it is regarding this period and this
episode that Dovid composed this psalm.

In the psalm, Dovid proclaims, “Hashem
Ori v’yishi,” Hashem was my light and my
salvation. “B’krov alai m’rei’im, when they
came close to me, the evil ones, namely the
Amaleikis, “L’echol es besari,” to eat of my
own flesh, referring to the terrifying capture of
his two wives, yet he said, “Im tachaneh alai
machaneh,” if they camp out against me, “Lo
yirah libi,” my heart is not afraid. “Im takum
alai milchama,” if they stand up against me in
battle, “B’zos Ani botei’ach,” in this (Hashem
‘s protection) I do trust.
The chapter concludes with the resounding
declaration of putting our trust in Hashem.
With a mantra that pulses through the
millennia, “Kavei el Hashem, hope to
Hashem (and when things look daunting and
desperate), “Chazak vya’ameitz libecha,” be
strong and courageous of heart, “V’kavei el
Hashem,” and redouble your prayers and hope
to Hashem.
Now with this backdrop of understanding,
how fitting is this message for the days of Awe?
Many of us, after making an honest and blunt
cheshbon hanefesh, a personal reevaluation
of our behavior during the past year, might
be filled with despair and despondency at our
chances for a good judgment. We might be
correctly worried about our meager Torah
output, our paltry tzedakah, our shabby
prayers, our faulty interpersonal relationships.
In this great psalm, twice daily we remind
ourselves to put our trust in Hashem’s mercy

and compassion, to be strong and courageous
of heart, and pray again and again to Hashem
to grant us another chance for the year 5784.
In the merit of our prayers, may Hashem
bless us with a gmar chasima tova, and a very
healthy, happy, and wonderful New Year.