The Malbim continues his elaboration of this concept by explaining that the animal kingdom dwarfs the plant kingdom in complexity. For example the power of vision is something we take for granted but is in fact an astonishing feat. He goes on to describe the wisdom contained within the eye in some detail. The eye … More 24th Elul – An Exercise in Appreciation
The Malbim applies this principle of ‘small is beautiful’ to the universe as a whole. Whilst it is true that the universe is vast beyond our comprehension, it is based on one basic principle, namely the force of gravity. Planetary orbits are a fine balancing act between momentum and gravity. As the planets fly through … More 23rd Elul – Appreciating our Complex World
ב) ה’ אֲדֹנֵינוּ מָה אַדִּיר שִׁמְךָ בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר תְּנָה הוֹדְךָ עַל הַשָּׁמָיִם: Hashem, our Master, how mighty is Your name in all the earth, for which You should bestow Your majesty upon the heavens. The Malbim therefore reads the posuk as saying, Your mighty Name on earth is that which bestows Your majesty in … More 22nd Elul – Small is Beautiful
The author of this psalm wrote this chapter in order to counter their claims one by one, as we will see as we go through this psalm. This is a basic principle in the Torah. Through this we will see Divine providence that related to human beings, and only through this will we be able … More 20th & 21st Elul – This world is where it’s at.
The Malbim explains that this chapter of Tehillim will address a number of arguments put forward by proponents of the philosophy of the insignificance of man and will address them in turn through the coming pesukim. The vast number of stars and planets. The sheer size and vastness of the universe. The detail of the … More 19th Elul – The Pinnacle of Creation
The Malbim has an extensive commentary on this chapter and I would like to spend some time going through it. No translation can to justice to the Malbim’s commentary, his command of the Hebrew language, and his ability to convey subtleties and nuances are simply lost when rendered into English. I will try my best … More 18th Elul – More than a speck of stardust
ב) ה’ אֲדֹנֵינוּ מָה אַדִּיר שִׁמְךָ בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר תְּנָה הוֹדְךָ עַל הַשָּׁמָיִם: Hashem our master! How uniquely mighty shall Your Name be one day over all earth: You, Who constantly proclaims your being and Your might unto the heavens. This posuk outlines the central theme of this chapter and will be further explained in … More 17th Elul – A One Liner for Rosh Hashana
