[HANASHIR:6605] Re: Ki Va Moed

[Adrian Durlester <durleste...>]

Rachelle:


You are correct in that there are many levels of understanding of these
words. And I would theorize that this is deliberate. That is the power of
the Psalms - their ability to be therapeutic in any age.

The plain meaning of Ki va moed is that the time has come for the
restoration of Zion - the place where Gd has chosen dwell among Israel. It
is the time of the answer to the prayer of the afflicted, for with Zion's
restoration will come the restoration of the afflicted as well. The question
arises-is this a prayer of faith, or hope? Some classify this psalm as
"penitential."

If you examine the full text of Psalm 102, you'll see it is a very
time-oriented text. It aims to assist the one(s) for whom it was written,
the "afflicted," deal with the transient nature of human life through an
understanding and acceptance of Gd's time scale, which measures not in days
or weeks or even months, but years, generations, eternity. Examine the last
two lines:

28:But You are the same, and your years shall have no end
29:The children of your servants shall continue, and their seed shall be
established before you.

There is human time, and Gd's time. Only by finding a way to think long-term
can humanity deal with their own transient nature.

So, perhaps the appointed (or set) time has come for:

1. Gd to restore Zion and remove the pain of the afflicted.
2. Humanity to recognize that only Gd's time is permanent
3. Realize that only through embracing the long term can humanity come to
grips with the world.
4. Gd to resume Gd's throne in Zion/Jerusalem, and reassert Gd's rule over
all the earth, and raise up Gd's chosen people (and, in a more liberal
interpretation, all the afflicted of the world, Jew and gentile alike.)

Or maybe it's a psalm of complaint, saying "hey Gd! we've suffered long
enough. it is TIME for you to hear the prayers of the afflicted and restore
those who praise your name.

Interestingly enough, though labeled penitential, nowhere in the psalm does
the psalmist admit that their own transgressions, the transgressions of
Israel, are the cause of their misfortune. No, the psalmist simply blames
Gd:

11. Because of your indignation and your wrath; for you have lifted me up,
and cast me down.

Only through a twisted and subtle interpretation (keyed on the word
"z'am'cha" - "indignation") could one suggest that the psalmist was coming
close to admitting human complicity in their own misfortune by failing to
follow Gd's laws.

So perhaps the "time has come" for action on Gd's part - to listen to the
prayers of the afflicted - for the psalm suggests early on:

2. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry reach you.
3. Do not hide your face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline
your ear to me; answer me speedily in the day when I call.

as if Gd is being accused of not listening.

I don't know that Reb Shlomo necessarily had any specific intent in
repeating the words Ki va moed in the song, other than that it fit the mood
and melody that Gd put in his head. It's one thing to try and interpret the
text of Tanakh, But I'm less comfortable intepreting the songwriting of Reb
Shlomo.

I realize this only scratches the surface of interpretation of Psalm 102,
but it's a start and food for thought. I praise without end your desire to
understand the texts you are teaching and singing. You can give the Tanakh
and Gd no greater honor!

Adrian

------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Atheism is a non-prophet organization."
                          -George Carlin
Adrian A. Durlester. M.T.S.  -  durleste (at) home(dot)com
http://members.home.net/durleste/
Judaica & Music Instructor, Akiva School, Nashville, TN
Music Director, Congregation Micah, Nashville, TN http://www.micahnash.org/
Home phone (615) 646-9788 Nextel cel-phone (615) 207-2661
List-Owner for hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org; Co-Owner for L-Torah (at) 
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http://uahc.org/hanashir
Editor, Bim Bam (for Torah Aura Productions) http://www.torahaura.com/
Alternate Email: aad (at) iname(dot)com  adriand (at) aol(dot)com




> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org [mailto:owner-hanashir (at) 
> shamash(dot)org]On
> Behalf Of Rachelle and Howard Shubert
> Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2000 6:52 AM
> To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
> Subject: [HANASHIR:6603] Re: Ki Va Moed
>
>
> I would like to have a fuller understanding of the text of Ki Va Moed
> before teaching it to our Rosh Chodesh group.   I have noted the reference
> of Psalms, chapt. 102, vs. 13-14:
>
> > 13. But you, O LORD, are enthroned forever;
> >     Your fame endures throughout the ages.
> > 14. You will surely arise and take pity on Zion,
> >     for it is time to be gracious to her;
> >     the appointed time has come (Ki va Moed)
>
> However, I can think of differing interpretations and possibly layers of
> meaning to the last line, which seems to be stressed by the
> repetition of it
> in the song.  Has the appointed time come for Gd, for the poet or
> for Zion,
> and what is to be done at this appointed time?  Is it a line we
> should apply
> to our personal life changes?  Scholars, what would you say?
>
> Thanks,
> Rachelle Shubert
>
>
>

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