Tehillim, Chapter 47

By Leslie Portnoy

There is only one Torah mitzvah that must be performed on Rosh Hashanah, namely, to hear the shofar sounded. There are differing customs as to many aspects of the ritual surrounding the performance of this Mitzvah, but one practice that is near-universal is the recital beforehand of the 47th chapter of Tehillim. We say it as a community, seven times over. When a bit of research reveals that this custom is of relatively recent origin, one is constrained to wonder why. Why do we recite any psalm communally? Why Psalm 47, and not some other chapter of Tehillim? Why seven times?

The communal recitation is clearly designed to “get us in the mood”. In many synagogues, each individual says it quietly at his own speed. However, this means that some finish early and stand waiting, while others take their time – with the almost inevitable consequence that some start talking. That is why many Rabbis say that this recital should be a communal one, with everyone joining in, word by word.

I have already mentioned that the practice is of relatively recent origin, but the association of this psalm with Rosh Hashanah is very old indeed. In Massechet Sofrim, one of the so called “Minor Tractates”, dating from the Geonic period (the eighth century of the current era), the various chapters of Tehillim that were read in the Temple on special days are enumerated. The prescribed psalm for Rosh Hashanah is given (Sofrim 19, 2) as this Mizmor, chapter 47 of Tehillim.

There were special tehillim for many other special days, but those are largely ignored in modern times. The revival of the practice to read Psalm 47 on Rosh Hashanah is relatively recent. It is mentioned in the Siddur of R. Yaakov of Emden, written in the period 1745- 1748. It is said that the earliest editions of the Roedelheim Siddur, early in the 19th century, did not mention it, while later editions did. It seems likely that the practice of saying this Mizmor before Tekiat Shofar has its origins in Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism, the study of which was becoming more and more widespread at the time when the practice seems to have taken root.

Certainly many of the words in Psalm 47, and many of the ideas expressed in it, are highly relevant to Rosh

Hashanah and to the shofar. Some parts of the wording render it especially appropriate for this time on this holy day. Verse 2 includes words with the roots “tekiah” and “teruah”. Verse 6 refers to G-d “ascending” with the teruah sound, and with the sound of the shofar. Verse 8 refers to Him as the King of the whole world, and Verse 9 to His ruling over the nations of the world while “sitting” on His holy throne. These are all anthropomorphic expressions, but their imagery is familiar to us all on Rosh Hashanah, and they are striking in their effect.

For those fond of gematria, the use of the numeric values of letters to convey hidden messages, look at the third and fourth words of Verse 2 - “tiku chaf”, usually translated as “clap hands”. However, the Hebrew word “tiku” can also mean “sound the shofar”. The word “chaf” is spelled “chaf pei”. The numerical value of “chaf” is 20, and that of “pei” 80.

Add them together, and the result is 100. Viewed in this light, these words say “Sound [the shofar] 100”, the number of times we customarily do sound the shofar on Rosh Hashanah.

As to the seven recitals, the name of G-d in the form “Elo-kim” appears seven times in the Mizmor. Multiplying 7 x 7 produces 49. This is the number of degrees of Tumah below which there can be no salvation. The name “Elokim” represents the strict judgemental aspect of the Creator. By using it 49 times, we signify our prayer that He may raise us from the depths of our Tumah to the heights of holiness. This is also the idea at the heart of the saying that the function of the shofar is to arouse G-d to move from the Seat of Judgement to the Seat of Mercy

(another anthropomorphism), so as to temper strict judgement with mercy.

The number seven also corresponds to the seven levels of heaven that the blasts of the shofar are expected to pierce to reach G-d's “ears”, another anthropomorphic concept, but one that is, again, instantly comprehensible to the human reader.

Finally, one lesson to be drawn from this Mizmor is clear. Its first words attribute its authorship to “bnei Korach”, the sons of Korach. Tradition tells us that these were at the very brink of their descent alive into the unnatural grave prepared for them when their teshuvah (repentance) made itself manifest and they were miraculously spared the terrible fate of their father and his followers (Numbers 26, 11).

R. Yaakov Culi writes (in Me'am Lo'ez) that anyone who is disconsolate as a result of taking stock of his life and past deeds on this solemn Day of Judgement should be reminded by this psalm, and its reference to the sons of Korach, that it is never too late to repent. Their story shows that even at the last moment, when all seems lost, G-d will still accept genuine teshuvah.

This year, may we all succeed in achieving real teshuvah, and be inscribed in the Book of Life. n

Another acrimonious debate was conducted in the Anglo-Jewish press in 2019 regarding the measles vaccination in the wake of a move by the Health Secretary to make measles vaccination compulsory for all school pupils in the UK. Jemma Wayne published an article in the Jewish News containing a number of arguments remarkably similar to those of J. H. Levy in relation to both the science behind vaccination and human rights. She also made two allusions to the Holocaust in her arguments against compulsory vaccination. The following week, the Jewish News published a letter by Dr. Avi Korman of University College Hospital strongly criticizing Wayne’s piece both from a scientific perspective and with respect to her “abhorrent references to the Holocaust”. His letter received the endorsement of 47 fellow doctors.

In the words of Ecclesiastes: “there is nothing new under the sun”. n

Rabbi Prof. Daniel Sinclair has been a scholar in residence on multiple occasions at McDonald. We are delighted to include his article in these pages. He is an ordained Rabbi and Emeritus Professor of Law at the Striks Law School, Israel. He is currently a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute on Religion, Law and Lawyer’s Work at Fordham University Law School, New York and Visiting Professor of Law; Adjunct Professor of Public Health Law at Tel-Aviv University and at the Sir Zelman Cowen Centre at Victoria University Law School, Melbourne, Australia where he specializes in the in the area of law and religion. Prof. Sinclair’s publications in the field of Jewish Law and Comparative Biomedical Law comprise over 60 articles and several books.