(א) שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת אַשְׁרֵי כָּל יְרֵא ה’ הַהֹלֵךְ בִּדְרָכָיו:
(1) [This is the ninth] song of the steps. Fortunate is every person who fears Hashem and who walks in His ways.
NOTE: For a PDF of this mizmor, please click here. This will enable you to print out the entire text of the article. [Rev. 6]
Key Concepts of Mizmor 128 – The Virtuous Life
Mizmor 128 offers a heart-warming picture of the blessings of Jewish family life. In fact, many have the minhag (custom) of singing it under the Chupah (wedding canopy) after the ceremony.
In the mizmor David shows how the virtuous family life is the source of blessing that binds together the individual and the entire nation for the present and the future.
David begins the mizmor by establishing a principle: the virtuous life is built on the fear of Hashem. On that essential basis the individual is motivated to overcome his human weaknesses and do the right thing in every aspect of his life. David then takes up the issue of building the home. This requires facing the challenge of earning a livelihood. The message here is moderation and hard work. A man should earn what he needs to feed his family, but he must be careful to avoid excess. Finally, David shows how Hashem extends the blessing of a peaceful family life to the entire nation.
In describing the ideal home life, David puts the wife and mother at its center. He compares her to a flourishing vine, whose roots are deep within the inner recesses of her home. The children that she bears are compared to vigorous olive saplings and are described as gathering around the family table where they can draw inspiration and guidance in the closeness of family love.
Exploring the Mizmor
PART 1. THE INDIVIDUAL. Because he fears Hashem the individual avoids what is forbidden to him and he fulfills what Hashem asks of him. In turn, he can count on Hashem’s blessings.
(א) שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת אַשְׁרֵי כָּל יְרֵא ה’ הַהֹלֵךְ בִּדְרָכָיו:
(1) [This is the ninth] song of the steps. Fortunate is every person who fears Hashem and who walks in His ways.
PART 2. THE FAMILY. David offers guidelines for the good life based on a moderate life style, hard work, and the serenity of a close-knit family. In contrast, a person who adopts a self-indulgent life-style or seeks to live off money that he has not earned, will be exposing himself to corrupting influences. At the core of the family is the Jewish woman. Although she finds her fulfillment within her home, her influence is visible to all in the achievements of her husband and her children as they go about their lives.
(ב) יְגִיעַ כַּפֶּיךָ כִּי תֹאכֵל אַשְׁרֶיךָ וְטוֹב לָךְ: (ג) אֶשְׁתְּךָ כְּגֶפֶן פֹּרִיָּה בְּיַרְכְּתֵי בֵיתֶךָ בָּנֶיךָ כִּשְׁתִלֵי זֵיתִים סָבִיב לְשֻׁלְחָנֶךָ:
(2) When you eat the labor of your hands, you will be happy and it will be good for you. (3) Your wife will be like a fruitful vine in the inner chambers of your home. Your children will be like vigorous sapplings round your table.
PART 3. THE NATION. David begins this part by emphasizing again the importance of fearing Hashem, which is something that each individual must do. He then describes Hashem’s blessing as originating in Tzion, symbolizing the Torah, which is the wellspring of blessing to Klal Yisrael. Starting from this origin, the blessing of a happy family brings with it the joy of children and grandchildren, which in turn are the continuity of Klal Yisrael.
(ד) הִנֵּה כִי כֵן יְבֹרַךְ גָּבֶר יְרֵא ה’: (ה) יְבָרֶכְךָ ה’ מִצִּיּוֹן וּרְאֵה בְּטוּב יְרוּשָׁלָ ִם כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ: (ו) וּרְאֵה בָנִים לְבָנֶיךָ שָׁלוֹם עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל:
(4) Indeed, for so will the man be blessed who fears Hashem. (5) May Hashem bless you from Tzion. May you witness the good fortune of Yerushalayim all the days of your life. (6) You will see children to your children; peace upon Yisrael.
Learning the Mizmor
PART 1. THE INDIVIDUAL.
(א) שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת
This is the ninth song of the steps — שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת .
אַשְׁרֵי כָּל יְרֵא ה‘
הַהֹלֵךְ בִּדְרָכָיו:
הַהֹלֵךְ בִּדְרָכָיו:
Fortunate — אַשְׁרֵי – is every person who fears Hashem — כָּל יְרֵא ה‘ , and who walks in His ways — הַהֹלֵךְ בִּדְרָכָיו .
PART 2. THE FAMILY.
(ב) יְגִיעַ כַּפֶּיךָ כִּי תֹאכֵל
אַשְׁרֶיךָ וְטוֹב לָךְ:
אַשְׁרֶיךָ וְטוֹב לָךְ:
When you eat what is produced by the labor of your hands — יְגִיעַ כַּפֶּיךָ כִּי תֹאכֵל , avoiding excesses in wealth-accumulation, you will be happy — אַשְׁרֶיךָ – in this world, and it will be good for you — וְטוֹב לָךְ – in the World to Come.
(ג) אֶשְׁתְּךָ כְּגֶפֶן פֹּרִיָּה
בְּיַרְכְּתֵי בֵיתֶךָ
בְּיַרְכְּתֵי בֵיתֶךָ
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine — אֶשְׁתְּךָ כְּגֶפֶן פֹּרִיָּה , which is rooted in the inner chambers of your home — בְּיַרְכְּתֵי בֵיתֶךָ , but whose branches reach out to the sun.
בָּנֶיךָ כִּשְׁתִלֵי זֵיתִים
סָבִיב לְשֻׁלְחָנֶךָ:
סָבִיב לְשֻׁלְחָנֶךָ:
Your children will be like vigorous olive saplings — בָּנֶיךָ כִּשְׁתִלֵי זֵיתִים – that are fresh and green throughout the year. They will gather round your table — סָבִיב לְשֻׁלְחָנֶךָ – where they can be under your guidance. Just as the oil of the olive is a source of light, so will your children light up the world with their Torah.
PART 3. THE NATION.
(ד) הִנֵּה כִי כֵן יְבֹרַךְ
גָּבֶר יְרֵא ה‘:
גָּבֶר יְרֵא ה‘:
Indeed — הִנֵּה , for so will the man be blessed — כִי כֵן יְבֹרַךְ גָּבֶר – who fears Hashem — יְרֵא ה‘ . The ordered, moderate existence based on the fear of Hashem, is in itself a blessing for one’s life in this world.
(ה) יְבָרֶכְךָ ה‘ מִצִּיּוֹן
May Hashem bless you from Tzion — יְבָרֶכְךָ ה‘ מִצִּיּוֹן , which symbolizes the Torah. The Torah is the source of blessing to the world and it is from there that Hashem commands His blessing to the entire nation.
וּרְאֵה בְּטוּב יְרוּשָׁלָ ִם
כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ:
כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ:
May you witness the good fortune of Yerushalayim — וּרְאֵה בְּטוּב יְרוּשָׁלָ ִם – all the days of your life — כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ . You will benefit from being part of the klal (community of Yisrael) and your life will be blessed by the zechus (merit) of contributing to the welfare of the klal.
(ו) וּרְאֵה בָנִים לְבָנֶיךָ
שָׁלוֹם עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל:
שָׁלוֹם עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל:
In the zechus of the mitzvos that you do, you will be granted a long life, so that you will see children born to your children — וּרְאֵה בָנִים לְבָנֶיךָ . You will have the satisfaction of seeing your children and grandchildren contribute to the nation and bring peace upon Yisrael — שָׁלוֹם עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל . They will carry forward the goodwill that they acquired in a loving home so that the entire nation will share in the virtues of Jewish family life.
Living the Mizmor
Listed below are some of the thoughts you might have in mind when you say the words of the mizmor as tefillos expressing your gratitude to Hashem and as tehillos expressing your recognition of Hashem.
Lessons for Life – Your Attitude.
[128:1] HAPPINESS. – אַשְׁרֵי כָּל יְרֵא ה’ הַהֹלֵךְ בִּדְרָכָיו – “Fortunate is every person who fears Hashem and who walks in His ways.” Consider yourself fortunate to live a virtuous life. It is the secret to happiness.
[128:3] WOMAN IS THE HEART. – אֶשְׁתְּךָ כְּגֶפֶן פֹּרִיָּה בְּיַרְכְּתֵי בֵיתֶךָ – “ Your wife will be like a fruitful vine in the inner chambers of your home.” Respect your wife for she is the heart of your home.
[128:4] BLESSING. – כִי כֵן יְבֹרַךְ גָּבֶר יְרֵא ה’ – “ Indeed, for so will the man be blessed who fears Hashem.” The fear of Hashem is the secret to a blessed existence.
Lessons for Life – Your Behavior.
[128:2] WORK. – יְגִיעַ כַּפֶּיךָ כִּי תֹאכֵל אַשְׁרֶיךָ וְטוֹב לָךְ – “When you eat the labor of your hands, you will be happy and it will be good for you.” Don’t live beyond your means.
Tefillos for Life – Your Berachah.
[128:5] TZION. – יְבָרֶכְךָ ה’ מִצִּיּוֹן וּרְאֵה בְּטוּב יְרוּשָׁלָ ִם כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ – “May Hashem bless you from Tzion. May you witness the good fortune of Yerushalayim all the days of your life.” When you ask Hashem for His blessing, think of Yerushalayim for it is the source of berachah to the world.
[128:6] GRANDCHILDREN. – וּרְאֵה בָנִים לְבָנֶיךָ שָׁלוֹם עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל – “You will see children to your children; peace upon Yisrael.” Ask Hashem to grant you the privilege of seeing worthy grandchildren in your lifetime and they be permitted to live in a peaceful world.
Sources
The primary sources used in the interpretation of the verses of this mizmor are listed below.
א – אבן עזרא, המאירי, מלבי”ם
ב – רש”י, אבן עזרא, ספורנו, מלבי”ם, נר לרגלי
ג – רד”ק, המאירי, נר לרגלי
ד – אבן עזרא, רד”ק
ה – מלבי”ם, נר לרגלי
ו – רד”ק, מלבי”ם, רשר”ה,