Parshat Vayeitzei
December 5, 2003

Ashrei V

“Bechol Yom Avaracheka Va’ahalla Shimcha Leolam Vaed – Every day I will bless you; and I will praise Your name forever.” This is the second verse in the acrostic Psalm 145; it begins with the letter Bet.

The Radak on Tehillim points out (like we saw in the first verse) that the two phrases relate to two worlds i.e. This World and the World To Come. Therefore, the verse means that- every day I will praise you – in This World- And I will praise You forever – in the World To Come.

The Vilna Gaon writes that this sentence refers to the divine renewal of the world every day and every part of every day as we recite – “Hamechadesh Bechol Yom Tamid Maaseh Beraishit – G-d renews the creation of the world every day”. Therefore we not only acknowledge and thank G-d for benefits He has bestowed upon us in the past, we also recognize the daily, hourly…. sustenance and strength that occurs in front of our eyes all the time (even while we are reading this essay).

Finally the Ibn Ezra explains that there is a spiritual upgrade referred to in this verse. He states that there are Mevarchim – Those that bless G-d and Mehallelim – those that praise G-d. Mehallelim are considered to be on a higher spiritual plane than Mevarchim. Our aim in life is to always be moving, growing, and building ourselves and the world around us during the years that G-d blesses us with. The verse therefore expresses our desire to rise during our lifetimes and reach the level of the Mehallelim.

As we recite “Bechol Yom…….” we should recognize the good that we constantly receive, strive to grow intellectually and spiritually, and understand that if we praise G-d properly in this world, we will have the honor of continuing to praise Him in the World To Come.

Shabbat Shalom.

Rabbi Ephraim Epstein
rabbiepstein@sonsisrael.com

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