תהלים, פרק ע״ד, פסוק י״א

A desperate plea rises from the depths of destruction, questioning why God restrains His power while enemies act without facing any consequences. The imagery paints a vivid picture of divine restraint, asking why God pulls back both His left hand and His right hand [תורה תמימה, רד״ק, אבן עזרא]. On a deeper level, these hands represent two distinct ways God guides the world, both of which were removed during the time of destruction. The left hand symbolizes strength and strict judgment, while the right hand represents kindness [אלשיך]. By pulling these hands back, God actively hides His power, allowing the enemy to strike without suffering a counterblow [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The cry then shifts to a powerful metaphor of inaction, comparing God's hidden hands to someone resting their hands idly in their lap [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The desperate request is for God to finally draw His hands out from this state of rest and strike back at the attackers [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם]. Commentators explain this requested action in a few ways. Some understand it as a direct call for God to actively expel His hand from hiding [רש״י], while others view it as a plea to simply stop His hands from remaining trapped in idleness [מאירי, מצודת ציון]. Another perspective sees this as a demand for total victory, asking God to completely wipe out the enemy the very moment His hand is revealed [רד״ק, מלבי״ם].

An entirely different approach suggests that this hidden space is not a metaphor for a state of physical rest at all. Instead, it serves as a direct reference to the Temple itself, God's sacred and concealed dwelling place. Through this lens, the plea is for God to destroy the enemies who are currently standing right inside the Temple walls [רד״ק, אבן עזרא, מאירי].

Looking closer at the nature of this conflict reveals that the enemy is actually inherently weak. God does not need to perform a massive, open miracle to defeat them. He simply needs to stop holding Himself back. The moment God stops hiding His strength, the enemies will collapse on their own [מלבי״ם]. Furthermore, even if God's hands have been completely withdrawn to the heavens because of the exile, He does not even need to lower them back to the world to bring justice. He can destroy the enemies directly from His hidden depths, using the unspoken thoughts and righteous vengeance carefully guarded in His heart [אלשיך].