13- Destruction, Exile and Reflection: God’s Justice in the World

Asaf Collections (50, 73-83); Focus on 77-79

As we light the Chanukah candles this week and recall the miracle of the oil lasting for 8 nights - join us in  understanding the mizmorim of Tehillim that focus on the Beit HaMikdash and the proper approach to worshipping Hashem.

How are the Asaf collections connected to each other and what is their structure? How are they embedded in the adjacent mizmorim and in Books II and III? What can we learn from their serving as the envelope around the second David collection?
     
As discussed in previous shiurim, Asaf and his family were singers in the first Temple with King David; their tradition and legacy leads Am Yisrael through the Babylonian exile and then to the second Temple. Accordingly, their locations in Books II and III of Tehillim teach the proper approach to worshipping God in the Temple and the consequences if not followed. God is a just God to the Jews and to the nations who persecute His people. Mizmorim 77-79, in the center of the Asaf collection, are also the middle of the entire book of Tehillim. Our analysis will present and discuss their messages.

Tehilim 929 #13 Handout as powerpoint

Tehilim 929 #13 Handout as pdf

Please have the file open during the class in either format so that you can enlarge.

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