Psalm-119-verses-10-12
-hebraicstudies.net-
Please do NOT visit this
site on שַׁבָּת - Shabbat or on the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim -
Feasts!
Re Tanakh versions:
Throughout this site I
may use any of the following three versions of the Tanakh: 1. “Jewish Publication Society” (JPS-1917), 2. “Mechon-Mamre.org”
(MEC), and 3. “Sefaria.org”
(SEF), three brilliant versions, although JPS-1917 is my preferred version!
Colour coded
details of our beloved TaNaKh:
1. Torah = History & Law, 2. Nevi’im = The Prophets. 3. *Ketuvim = all other Writings.
*The Ketuvim - Includes, Poetical books - Psalms, Proverbs, Job,
the Megillot, or Scrolls - Song of Solomon, Ruth,
Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, and Esther, prophecy of
Daniel, and history of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles I & II.
Please Note: Some
alterations or (additions) have been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’
of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, having been
corrected like it once was pre the “Masoretic Text”.
YYYYYYY
Remember the following truth from our beloved Torah!
“Ye
shall NOT ADD
TO THE WORD which I command
you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM IT,
that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem,
which I command you”. Davarim - Deuteronomy
4:2. (JPS-1917).
YYYYYYY
With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Introduction:
Tehillim - Psalm
119 is the “Great Alphabet” of the soul, an acrostic masterpiece where every
stanza celebrates the relationship between the human heart and the Divine Will.
In these specific verses (the Bet section), we are not just reading
poetry; we are witnessing a spiritual strategy. The Psalmist is teaching us
that the Torah is not merely a book of laws to be read, but a “living internal
map”. To live a Hebraic life is to move the conversation from the mouth to the
heart, transforming “commandment” into “character”.
YYYYYYY
Let us now
read Tehillim - Psalm 119, verses 10, 11 and 12. Verses will be shown
below in Ivrit (Hebrew),
Transliteration and English. (JPS-1917
version of the Tanakh).
Ivrit (Hebrew):
בְּכָל-לִבִּי דְרַשְׁתִּיךָ; אַל-תַּשְׁגֵּנִי, מִמִּצְוֺתֶיךָ
בְּלִבִּי, צָפַנְתִּי אִמְרָתֶךָ לְמַעַן, לֹא אֶחֱטָא-לָךְ
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה לַמְּדֵנִי חֻקֶּיךָ
Transliteration:
10. ‘B’chol libi
d’rashticha; al tash’ge’ni
mi’mitz’vo’te’cha.
11. B’libi tza’fan-ti
im’ra’te’cha, le’ma’an
lo eh’che’ta lach.
12. Ba’ruch Atah Adonai; lam’de’ni chu’ke’cha.
English Traanslation:
10. “With my whole heart have I sought
Thee; O let me not err from Thy commandments. 11. Thy word have I laid
up in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee. 12. Blessed art Thou,
O יְהוָה
- LORD; teach me Thy
statutes”.
YYYYYYY
Let us discover
the Hebraic Reflection of Tehillim 119, verses 10 to 12:
Verse 10:
“With my whole heart have I sought Thee...”
In our faith, the “heart” (lev) is the seat of both
emotion and intellect. Seeking יְהוָה - the LORD with
a “whole heart” implies כַּוָּנָה -
“Kavanah” intentionality.
Please Note: כַּוָּנָה -
“Kavanah’s” full meaning is, “intention”, “direction”,
or “purpose”. In our faith, it refers to the
sincere ‘mental focus’, ‘emotional devotion’, and ‘spiritual mindfulness
brought to prayer’ and the ‘performance of mitzvot’ (commandments), as opposed to an mechanical action.
We should acknowledge
that while we strive for perfection, we are human and sadly prone to “err”. The
prayer “let me not err” is a humble admission that even with the best intentions, we need Divine guidance to keep our compass
pointed toward the Mitzvot.
Verse 11:
“Thy word have I laid up in my heart...”
The Hebrew word for “laid up” or “hidden” is “tzafanti”.
meaning “I hid”. This suggests that the Torah
must be treasured like a blessed gem within us. Why? So that when we face a
moment of ‘moral crisis’ or ‘temptation’, we do not have to go looking for a
book, as the answer is already inside us. We “internalise” the holiness so that
our natural reflex becomes one of righteousness rather than sin.
Verse 12: “Blessed
art Thou, O יְהוָה
- LORD; teach me Thy statutes”.
This is a classic Hebrew formulation. We begin with a ‘Berachah’ (blessing),
acknowledging יְהוָה - the LORD as the source of all wisdom. However, notice the request: “teach
me”. We are not asking for information; but we are asking for the “understanding”.
A statute (chok) is often a decree that transcends
human logic. By asking יְהוָה - the LORD (יְהוָה בָּרוּךְ - Bless the LORD), to
teach us, we are asking to align our logic with אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God), finding beauty
even in the things we cannot fully explain.
YYYYYYY
My Closing Message:.
The essence of these verses is the transition from ‘seeking’ to
‘storing to learning’. Our Jewish path is not about
reaching a final destination where we know everything, but about a constant, ‘heartbeat-driven’
pursuit of the Divine. When you “lay up” the word in your heart you are never
alone; you will carry the Sanctuary within you. May this brief study lead to ‘action’,
and may your action ‘lead to a deeper love for אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim, בָּרוּךְ
שֵׁם קָדוֹשׁוֹ - ‘Baruch
Shem Kadosho’ - ‘Blessed be His Holy Name!’
YYYYYYY
Please Note: “hebraicstudies”
links are located down the page!
This site was originally created, for those who
desired to return to our blessed and wonderful faith. Thus be wise and work on your
faith and pray at least two or three times a day (if possible) and always seek
our beloved אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance, for
His love is always with us, especially when we seek Him, blessed be He! However
this site has become very much a teaching site with hundreds of studies!
Remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be
He, said the following via several of our prophets...
“Hebraic Studies”
motto is as follows;
“The
More Torah, the More Life”,
For Elohim is the One who gave us our ... “Life!”
May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom =
Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD of hosts,
be with you, and please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat, as
well as the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts, and continue saying your
daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s - Prayers and
regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah’s - blessings before food
and drinks, etc!
שָׁלוֹם
עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom Aleichem - Peace be
with you!
Enter ...