The Tanakh Podcast

We start Mishlei today - Proverbs. What is this book about? Who wrote it? What is a "mashal" or a "proverb"? Today we introduce the sefer.

We made it! Mizmor 150! Awe, Dance, Breath! Today we speak about how our essence, our breath, reaches out to the Divine in an attempt to transcend our human limits.

This chapter has 2 stanzas. 1. The victory of the righteous, their joy and dance 2. A battle of justice against the forces of evil and regimes of violence Both are enacted by the "hassidim" - the ethical, pious and righteous.

We wake up every morning and celebrate the wonderful world we inhabit.

Chapter 147 is a weave of intersecting harmonious themes that blend to praise God.

We live in a world where celebrity, status and fame are highly prized. This mizmor challenges that impression and presents other values as central in God's perspective.

Chapter 145 a.k.a "Ashrei" is THE "Tehilla Le-David. It is the ultimate praise of God. But paradoxically, it doesn't give us earth-shattering depictions of God, but rather the image of a caring, nurturing deity.

This Mizmor celebrates a country in which wars have ceased, in which children grow up in calm and peace, and in which the economy is booming... "Happy the people who have it so;happy the people whose God is the LORD."

In this almost classic Mizmor, we draw upoon 3 themes: 1. The character of the "Servant of God" 2. The meaning of the word "nefesh" in Tanakh 3. The posture of prayer - hands extended.

Here David is on the run, hiding in a cave, and calling to God. we speak about the despair of isolation and loneliness, and the transformation - religious and social - the shift of mindset that such a situation might engender.