On Erev Yom Kippur, my rabbi, Eli Cohen, gave a moving sermon about Psalm 23. This psalm is most often read after someone dies, so for most of us it bears a negative connotation. Yet, it is meant to offer us consolation during difficult times in general, not just when someone has passed on.
If you don’t remember the words, here is just one translation (there are many):
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He causes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul: he leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
For most of us, this prayer holds little true meaning. Reb Eli, however, dissected the psalm line by line until he came up with a totally new translation (below). I won’t go through his whole sermon, although would like to mention two parts I found most meaningful.
First, the line “You prepare a banquet before me in the presence of my enemies” when truly understood gave this psalm an every-day relevance to me that brought tears to my eyes. Reb Eli explained, “In Hebrew, neged tzor’rai. Neged means “in the presence of;’ but often with the connotation of ‘parallel to.’ You prepare a table before me in the presence of, parallel to tzor’rai.
“But tzor’rai is not ‘my enemies,’” he continues. “There is a different word for that. Tzor’rai is from the same word as tzar, narrow, tight, or restricted. Like Mitzrayim, Egypt, the narrow place. Or tzuris, the Yiddish word for troubles. Or as we sing in the El Maleh Rachamim prayer, u-tzror bi-tzror ha-chayim, to be bound up, in the bonds of life. Tz’ror. Bound, constricted. The same as the word for a ‘pebble,’ as a pebble in one’s shoe, that which oppresses.”
Thus, the word in Psalm 23 so often translated as “enemies” actually is a word for “those people or things which oppress or distress me.” According to Reb Eli, the line really means, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of, parallel to those people and those things that cause me my greatest distress.”
The next line of the psalm and Reb Eli’s explanation struck me poignantly as well. The question to ask at this point in the psalm is: “How do I respond when at the table and faced with these things that distress me most in my life?” How do we respond to life’s challenges?
The Psalm says: ‘You anoint my head with oil; my cup runneth over.’ Reb Eli explained that this means we have the opportunity to respond like the best of our ancient kings—even in the manner befitting the Messiah. We realize that we can rise to the occasion; we can take the opportunity to respond from our most noble selves, our best or highest selves, and see that we and the situation overflow with possibility.
Reb Eli’s mother, of blessed memory, died this summer of breast cancer. He shared with us that she liked to say, “Everyone is dealt a full shissel, a full dish”—of blessings and of troubles. The psalm reminds us we can behave at the most difficult times—when faced with life’s challenges—as if anointed as kings and that are cups are always full.
Later on Yom Kippur during the yizkor, or memorial service, we all read Psalm 23 together in its original translation. I still remembered Reb Eli’s translation and the meaning behind each line. I cried all the way through, not because I was mourning anyone in particular. Instead, I cried because the psalm suddenly offered me the consolation it is meant to offer. Here is Reb Eli’s translation; I hope it offers you daily consolation as well. (If you pass this along, please attribute it to Rabbi Eli Cohen.)
The Eternal G-d is my constant shepherd; I shall not lack for anything. 2 G-d brings me to rest in green pastures; and leads me beside calming waters, 3 refreshing my soul; leading me in the winding paths of right action, so that all will come to know G-d’s ways. 4 Though I will walk through the valley of the shadow of death, may I fear no evil, knowing You are with me; Your callings and Your proddings are of comfort to me. 5 You prepare a table before me corresponding to my greatest challenges; You call me to my most noble self; my life overflows with possibilities. 6 Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the House of the Sacred for the length of my days.
Copyright 2010 Eli Cohen
Thank you for sharing. Sadly, I find the English of the above 2010 translation, for all its improved accuracy, too woodenly literal and unlikely to inspire the kind of response you experienced at Yizkor. Only a very gifted translator, no matter how learned and sincere, can combine accuracy with enough poetry to arouse or open our spirits to our emotions.
Rich
Good reading, gives even more for thinking about real meanning of Psalms… Thanks!