A Book Like No Other S5 Ep. 2: Shir HaMaalot: Where Do a Father's Tears Go?
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Jun 17, 2025 This discussion explores the powerful imagery of dreams and tears in Shir HaMaalot and its parallels to Joseph's journey. Rabbi Fohrman delves into the emotional significance of Jacob's endless mourning and how it influences Joseph's eventual revelation. The hosts highlight the unique themes of tears as potential seeds for reunion and suggest that communal grief can lead to healing. They emphasize the importance of acknowledging our emotions, revealing how tears may hold the key to deeper connections and redemption.
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Dreams And Sheaves Echo Joseph
- Psalm 126 bookends (dreams and sheaves) intentionally echo Joseph's dream about alumot.
- The rare word alumot appears only in Genesis 37 and Psalm 126, signaling a deliberate intertextual link.
Afikim Links To Joseph's Tears
- The psalm's word afikim recalls Joseph's broken flood-like weeping in Genesis when he reveals himself.
- Afikim/lepik appears only in Joseph's scenes, tying Psalm 126's middle to Joseph's tears.
Two Modes Of Tears In The Psalm
- Psalm 126 shifts from song and laughter in its first half to tears in its second half.
- The second half describes both flash-flood sobs and slow daily weeping as distinct but related modes of grief.
