Tanach
Melachim I 8:22-34 מלכים א ח׳:כ״ב-ל״ד
Part of: Chapter 8
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by sideRashi
וַיַּעֲמֹד שְׁלֹמֹה לִפְנֵי מִזְבַּח יְהֹוָה נֶגֶד כׇּל־קְהַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּפְרֹשׂ כַּפָּיו הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃
Shlomo stood before the Altar of Adonoy in the presence of the entire congregation of Yisroel, and spread out his hands to the heavens.
Shlomo stood before the Altar of Adonoy in the presence of the entire congregation of Yisroel, and spread out his hands to the heavens.
Rashi
וַיֹּאמַר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵין־כָּמוֹךָ אֱלֹהִים בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִמַּעַל וְעַל־הָאָרֶץ מִתָּחַת שֹׁמֵר הַבְּרִית וְֽהַחֶסֶד לַעֲבָדֶיךָ הַהֹלְכִים לְפָנֶיךָ בְּכׇל־לִבָּֽם׃
And he said, “God of Yisroel, there is none like you, Oh God in the heavens above and on the earth below; Preserver of the Covenant and the kindness for your servants who walk before You with all their hearts.
And he said, “God of Yisroel, there is none like you, Oh God in the heavens above and on the earth below; Preserver of the Covenant and the kindness for your servants who walk before You with all their hearts.
Rashi
שמר הברית. ממתין וגונז לשמור הברית והחסד, לקיים הבטחתו:
Preserver of the covenant. He waits and stores away [reward] to keep the covenant and [is based on] mercy, to fulfill His promise.17Which He made with our Patriarchs.—Radak
אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַרְתָּ לְעַבְדְּךָ דָּוִד אָבִי אֵת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּרְתָּ לוֹ וַתְּדַבֵּר בְּפִיךָ וּבְיָדְךָ מִלֵּאתָ כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
You preserved for Your servant, Dovid, my father that what You spoke to him. You spoke with Your mouth and filfilled with Your hand as You have done this day.
You preserved for Your servant, Dovid, my father that what You spoke to him. You spoke with Your mouth and filfilled with Your hand as You have done this day.
Rashi
אשר שמרת. לשון אמנת הבטחה:
You preserved. [שמרת is] a expression meaning the fulfillment of a promise.
וְעַתָּה יְהֹוָה ׀ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁמֹר לְעַבְדְּךָ דָוִד אָבִי אֵת אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ לּוֹ לֵאמֹר לֹא־יִכָּרֵת לְךָ אִישׁ מִלְּפָנַי יֹשֵׁב עַל־כִּסֵּא יִשְׂרָאֵל רַק אִם־יִשְׁמְרוּ בָנֶיךָ אֶת־דַּרְכָּם לָלֶכֶת לְפָנַי כַּאֲשֶׁר הָלַכְתָּ לְפָנָֽי׃
And now Adonoy, God of Yisroel, preserve for Your servant, Dovid, my father, that what You spoke to him; saying, ‘Not one of yours will be cut off from before Me to sit on the throne of Yisroel, provided your sons preserve their way to walk before Me as you walked before Me.’
And now Adonoy, God of Yisroel, preserve for Your servant, Dovid, my father, that what You spoke to him; saying, ‘Not one of yours will be cut off from before Me to sit on the throne of Yisroel, provided your sons preserve their way to walk before Me as you walked before Me.’
וְעַתָּה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יֵאָמֶן נָא (דבריך) [דְּבָרְךָ] אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ לְעַבְדְּךָ דָּוִד אָבִֽי׃
And now God of Yisroel, please ratify Your words that You spoke to your servant, Dovid, my father.
And now God of Yisroel, please ratify Your words that You spoke to your servant, Dovid, my father.
כִּי הַֽאֻמְנָם יֵשֵׁב אֱלֹהִים עַל־הָאָרֶץ הִנֵּה הַשָּׁמַיִם וּשְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם לֹא יְכַלְכְּלוּךָ אַף כִּֽי־הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר בָּנִֽיתִי׃
For will God really dwell on earth? Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You; how then will this Beis Hamikdosh that I have built [contain You]?
For will God really dwell on earth? Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You; how then will this Beis Hamikdosh that I have built [contain You]?
Rashi
האמנם. לשון תימה:
Will. [This is] an expression of wonder.
לא יכלכלוך. לא יכילוך:
Cannot contain You. Cannot contain You.18The root of יכלכלוך is “כול”, meaning to contain, as in, “each basin could hold [=יכיל],” in 7:38 above.
וּפָנִיתָ אֶל־תְּפִלַּת עַבְדְּךָ וְאֶל־תְּחִנָּתוֹ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהָי לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶל־הָֽרִנָּה וְאֶל־הַתְּפִלָּה אֲשֶׁר עַבְדְּךָ מִתְפַּלֵּל לְפָנֶיךָ הַיּֽוֹם׃
[Therefore] turn to the prayer of Your servant, and to his plea, Adonoy, my God; to listen to the song and to the prayer that Your servant prays before You this day:
[Therefore] turn to the prayer of Your servant, and to his plea, Adonoy, my God; to listen to the song and to the prayer that Your servant prays before You this day:
לִהְיוֹת עֵינֶךָ פְתֻחֹת אֶל־הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה לַיְלָה וָיוֹם אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְתָּ יִהְיֶה שְׁמִי שָׁם לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶל־הַתְּפִלָּה אֲשֶׁר יִתְפַּלֵּל עַבְדְּךָ אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
That Your eyes be open toward this Beis Hamikdosh night and day, to the place of which You said, ‘My Name will be there; to listen to the prayer that Your servant will pray at this place.
That Your eyes be open toward this Beis Hamikdosh night and day, to the place of which You said, ‘My Name will be there; to listen to the prayer that Your servant will pray at this place.
וְשָׁמַעְתָּ אֶל־תְּחִנַּת עַבְדְּךָ וְעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר יִֽתְפַּלְלוּ אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה וְאַתָּה תִּשְׁמַע אֶל־מְקוֹם שִׁבְתְּךָ אֶל־הַשָּׁמַיִם וְשָׁמַעְתָּ וְסָלָֽחְתָּ׃
And listen to the plea of Your servant, and of Your people, Yisroel, that they will pray toward this place; and You will listen in the place of Your dwelling, in the heavens, and You will listen and forgive.
And listen to the plea of Your servant, and of Your people, Yisroel, that they will pray toward this place; and You will listen in the place of Your dwelling, in the heavens, and You will listen and forgive.
אֵת אֲשֶׁר יֶחֱטָא אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ וְנָשָׁא־בוֹ אָלָה לְהַאֲלֹתוֹ וּבָא אָלָה לִפְנֵי מִֽזְבַּחֲךָ בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּֽה׃
Should a person sin against his fellow man, and is liable that a curse be upon him, and the curse comes before Your Altar, in this House;
Should a person sin against his fellow man, and is liable that a curse be upon him, and the curse comes before Your Altar, in this House;
Rashi
אשר יחטא איש לרעהו. בועל אשת איש:
Should a person sin against his fellow man. One who has intimate relations with a married woman.
ונשא בו אלה. כשם שהמים בודקין אותה, כך המים בודקין אותו (סוטה כז ב):
And is liable that a curse. Just as the water examines her, so does the water examine him.19Rashi explains אלה as “a curse,” i.e., the waters examines “him” i.e., the husband, as well. In this instance, אלה does not mean “oath”, because the husband of a Sotah is not subject to an oath.
ונשא בו. לשון נושה:
And is liable. An expression of a creditor.
ובא אלה לפני מזבחך. והעמיד הכהן את האשה לפני ה' (במדבר ה יח):
And the curse comes before your altar. “And the Kohein shall stand the woman before Adonoy.”20Bamidbar 5:18
וְאַתָּה ׀ תִּשְׁמַע הַשָּׁמַיִם וְעָשִׂיתָ וְשָׁפַטְתָּ אֶת־עֲבָדֶיךָ לְהַרְשִׁיעַ רָשָׁע לָתֵת דַּרְכּוֹ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ וּלְהַצְדִּיק צַדִּיק לָתֶת לוֹ כְּצִדְקָתֽוֹ׃
May You listen from the heavens, and act and judge Your servants, to condemn the wicked one, to set his [evil] way upon his head; and to justify the righteous one, to give him according to his righteousness.
May You listen from the heavens, and act and judge Your servants, to condemn the wicked one, to set his [evil] way upon his head; and to justify the righteous one, to give him according to his righteousness.
Rashi
לתת דרכו בראשו. וצבתה בטנה וגו' (שם פסוק כז):
To set his [evil] way upon his head. “And her abdomen will swell, etc.”21Ibid. v. 27.22Alternatively, if one swears falsely in the Beis Hamikdosh, his punishment should be swift and obvious, so that people recognize the unique level of sanctity of the Beis Hamikdosh, and they would perceive that the Beis Hamikdosh as God’s chosen place.—Radak
ולהצדיק צדיק. ונקתה ונזרעה זרע (שם פסוק כח) כך נדרש בתוספתא דסוטה (א ג):
And to justify the righteous one. “Then she will be cleared, and shall bear seed.”23Bamidbar 5:28. Thus it is expounded in the Tosefta of Maseches Sotah.24 1:3.
בְּֽהִנָּגֵף עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי אוֹיֵב אֲשֶׁר יֶחֶטְאוּ־לָךְ וְשָׁבוּ אֵלֶיךָ וְהוֹדוּ אֶת־שְׁמֶךָ וְהִתְפַּלְלוּ וְהִֽתְחַנְּנוּ אֵלֶיךָ בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּֽה׃
When Your people, Yisroel are defeated by an enemy because they sinned against You; and they turn to You and praise Your Name, and pray and beseech You in this Beis Hamikdosh.
When Your people, Yisroel are defeated by an enemy because they sinned against You; and they turn to You and praise Your Name, and pray and beseech You in this Beis Hamikdosh.
Rashi
והודו את שמך. שחייב אדם לברך על הרעה (ברכות נד א):
And praise Your Name. For a person is obliged to bless God for the bad.25Maseches Berachos 54a.
וְאַתָּה תִּשְׁמַע הַשָּׁמַיִם וְסָלַחְתָּ לְחַטַּאת עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל וַהֲשֵֽׁבֹתָם אֶל־הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ לַאֲבוֹתָֽם׃ {ס}
May You listen from the heavens, and forgive the sin of Your people, Yisroel; and return them to the land that You gave to their fathers.
May You listen from the heavens, and forgive the sin of Your people, Yisroel; and return them to the land that You gave to their fathers.
ויעמוד שלמה לפני מזבח ה'. כתיב (בדברי הימים ב ו יג): כי עשה שלמה כיור נחושת ויתנהו בתוך העזרה וגו', ויעמוד עליו ויברך על ברכיו:
And Shlomo stood before the Altar of Adonoy. [As] it is written, “and Shlomo made a copper basin and had set it in the midst of the court, etc. and upon it he stood, and knelt on his knees.”15Even though a king of Yisroel is allowed to sit in the Beis Hamikdosh [See II Shmuel 7:18], Shlomo chose to stand.16II Divrei Hayomim 6:13.