Tehillim 22 at Ayelet HaShachar before Ta'anit Esther
Tehillim 22 at Ayelet HaShachar before Ta'anit Esther
Chazal teach that Esther's principal prayer was Tehillim 22.
They explain why this particular psalm opened the Gates of Prayer during those perilous days for the Jewish people.
- “Lamenatzeach al Ayelet HaShachar” - (For the conductor, upon the appearance of the morning star).
In the time of King David, Venus was called the morning star. Therefore, it is especially fitting to recite this psalm before dawn (the time of tefillat Vatikin), when Venus appears.
This time of day—the predawn hours—was chosen by our Sages as the best time to pray for forgiveness. Ayelet HaShachar is an “et ratzon”—a time of favor, a time when the Heavens look favorably upon us as we call out to them. The morning prayer is the prayer of one who is in the “darkness of despair” and longs for the “dawn of salvation.” (Or Chadash)
“...At the break of dawn” - this refers to the generation of Mordechai and Esther.
At night, even the darkest night, one can find the light of the stars and moon in the Heavens. When does true darkness descend? At the break of dawn. The entire sky goes dark in the few minutes before it is illuminated with brilliant light. And the L-rd, responding to the anticipation of the entire world, brings the morning forth from darkness and illuminates the world. (Talmud, “Megillah,” 12).
- “Eli, Eli, lama azavtani, rachok mishuati divrei shaagati” - (My G-d, my G-d, why have You forsaken me? I call to You by day, but You do not answer; by night, I am not silent).
Midrash Pil'ah (The Wondrous Midrash)—a collection of midrashim that do not lend themselves to rational explanation or interpretation, composed in the form of riddles, ciphers, charades, and puzzles—says that Queen Esther posed the following question to the Heavenly court:
- “Why were the enemies of Israel sentenced to destruction?”
She was referring to Israel itself, but in Jewish tradition, even the thought that the chosen nation could be destroyed is considered blasphemous.
The answer was: “Because Israel became “mach”—“mem”—“kaf”—(meager), and “rash” - “resh”—“shin”—(poor, destitute).
And Esther immediately began reciting the words of Psalm 22:
- “Eli, Eli lama azavtani” - (My G-d! My G-d! Why have You forsaken me?)
Rabbi Shimshon of Ostropoli offered the following explanation of this passage from the Midrash:
“It is known that the names of angels are theophoric, meaning that each contains letters that form one of the Names of G-d. These letters give the angel the life force through which it exists. If the Divine energy within it is depleted, it can no longer carry out the spiritual activity appropriate to its place in the angelic hierarchy. According to the Zohar, one of the highest angels, Michael—the great protector of Israel—is constantly ready to speak in our defense before the Heavenly court.
His name, in its full spelling, consists of the letters “mem,” “yud,” “kaf,” “alef,” and “lamed.” The letters “alef,” “lamed,” and “yud” form the word “Eli” (“my G-d”). “E-l” is one of the seven holy Names of the Creator, signifying, according to Kabbalah, His kindness. Sometimes the sinful actions of people cause the angel Michael - מיכאל - to lose the energy conveyed to him by the letters אלי “alef,” “lamed,” and “yud”; then only the letters “mem” and “kaf” remain of his name—מכ. He then becomes “mach.”
In the name “Israel” ישראל, by which the entire Jewish people are called, there are the letters “alef,” “lamed,” and “yud”— אלי. But when the Jewish people behave unworthily, the Divine light contained within them dims, and only the letters “shin” and “resh” remain from the name “Israel,”—שר, forming the word “rash.” This is the meaning of the answer Esther received from Heaven.
That is why, upon hearing this, she immediately began the prayer in which the word “Eli” אלי is mentioned twice: “Eli, Eli! Why have You forsaken me?”—to restore the light contained in the letters אלי “alef,” “lamed,” and “yud” to both the angel Michael and Israel.
This psalm is the prayer of a person surrounded by troubles. It is recited when one feels that there is nothing left to hope for. Yet even in such a situation, there is room for prayer and hope. (Nachum-Ze'ev Rapoport)
Segula:
A beneficial segula is to rise for the prayer of “Ayelet HaShachar” (the predawn prayer) and recite Psalm 22 seven times. The goal is to catch the moment before dawn when the darkness turns the color of tekhelet (blue—the same shade used in talleitim).
Before this, it is good to light two candles in honor of Mordechai HaYehudi HaTzadik and Esther HaMalka bat Avichayil, after first giving tzedakah.
When reciting Psalm 22, one should have kavana regarding the Name of Ha-Shem repeated twice—Eli, Eli (giving strength to the names Israel and Michael);
We ask Ha-Shem, in the merit of the tzadikim (Mordechai and Esther), to remove all gezerot and dinim from our people and from every Jew.
The following passages in Tehillim 22 are marked for kavana:
2) Eli, Eli (in the names Israel and Michael);
21) “Atzila me-cherev nafshi”—the first letters form the name Haman;
25) “Ki lo vaza velo shikatz enut ani velo histir panav”—(the name Esther);
Tehillim 22 in Hebrew/transliteration here:
Теилим перек 22
(Based on material from “Sila Tehillim” on “Odnoklassniki,” 2012)
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Tags: Tehillim 22, Queen Esther, Ayelet HaShachar, Fast of Esther, Tehillim 22 for Ayelet HaShachar
