מלכים א, פרק ח׳, פסוק נ״ט

I Kings 8:59Sefaria

וְיִֽהְי֨וּ דְבָרַ֜י אֵ֗לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֤ר הִתְחַנַּ֙נְתִּי֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה קְרֹבִ֛ים אֶל־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יוֹמָ֣ם וָלָ֑יְלָה לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת ׀ מִשְׁפַּ֣ט עַבְדּ֗וֹ וּמִשְׁפַּ֛ט עַמּ֥וֹ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל דְּבַר־י֥וֹם בְּיוֹמֽוֹ׃

King Solomon concludes his monumental prayer by asking God to maintain a constant, unbroken connection with humanity. He asks that the pleas he has just voiced, which cover anyone who turns toward the Temple in prayer, remain ever-present and desired before God [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל]. The goal is for these prayers to be accessible and accepted at all times [מצודת דוד]. On a deeper level, while the night is traditionally viewed as a time of strict judgment, the permanent resting of the Divine Presence in the Temple awakens mercy. This ensures that prayers can be favorably received even during the darkest hours [חומת אנך].

When asking God to act on their behalf, commentators differ on the exact nature of the request. The primary approach among commentators is that this refers to physical needs. It is a plea for God to provide the people with their daily livelihood, grant them goodness, and protect them from harm [מצודת ציון, רד״ק, צאינה וראינה]. Conversely, others understand this as a request for literal justice. This might mean executing judgment against Israel's enemies to avenge their suffering [רש״י]. Alternatively, it refers to a system of precise, guiding justice for Israel themselves. In this view, God punishes the people when they sin to guide them back to the right path, and He accepts them when they repent. This visible cycle of justice and forgiveness ultimately makes God's existence known to all nations [רלב״ג].

The prayer deliberately includes both the individual servant and the collective people to cover every possible situation. The servant represents the individual praying, while the people represent the broader needs of the entire community [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל]. Some also note that the servant is a personal reference to King Solomon himself, who ensures his own needs are included in this grand petition [ביאור שטיינזלץ, אברבנאל].

Finally, the prayer asks for daily, individualized providence. Rather than settling for a general blessing where sustenance is granted once a year, Solomon prays that God will supply the exact needs required for each specific day. This daily reliance mirrors the way the manna fell in the wilderness, teaching the people to look to Him constantly for their precise, everyday needs [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד].

נעזרתם בפירוש שלנו ומצאתם בו ערך?

עזרו לנו להגדיל תורה ולהאדירה. תחזוקת האתר והשבחת התוכן כרוכות בהוצאות מרובות. תרומה קטנה שלכם תסייע לנו להחזיק את הפלטפורמה ותהפוך אתכם לשותפים מלאים בהנגשת חוכמת המקרא.

תרמו עכשיו

מה דעתכם על הפירוש?

התחברתם? יש לכם חידוש או הארה על הפסוק שלמדתם כאן? נשמח לשמוע!

ההערות שלכם חשובות לנו ועוזרות לשפר את הפירוש.