Psalm 23

Photo by Ngo Ngoc Khai Huyen on Unsplash

Some Chassidim say Mizmor l'David, the 23rd Psalm, 'The LORD is my Shepherd,' once. Lubavitchers say it once. In Bobov and Sanz, they say it three times, but in Vishnitz, they say the passage 'Though I walk through the shadow of death I shall fear no evil' maybe a hundred times. Each time from the three times they say the Psalm, they say this one passage maybe a hundred times. Endless. I don't know, maybe not a hundred, maybe fifty. I stopped counting after a while when I was there. The Rebbe says it and the Chassidim answer back, mamash endlessly. After you hear it a hundred times, you are really getting so strong on it.

"Gam ki alach b'gai tzlmtot -- Everybody thingks the words mean, "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.  It really msays, "If also I walk through the valley of the shadow of death."  `…G…a…m' means 'also'.  

You have to realize one thing.  Nobody walks only in the shadow of death.  We also walk in the shadow of death.  We always use two feet when we walk.  We never have both of those feet in hell, only one foot.

Once, on Yom Kippur, Reb Zusya said to G-d, "Master of the world, I have seen people do right and rejoice over it.  I've never seen even the lowest creature in the world do somrthing wrong and rejoice about it.  I have sseen people make a feast to celebrate the fact that they were privileted to do somting good.  I've never seen even the lowet crateure in the world make a featst to celebrate what he did wrong."

The psalm goes on.  "Lo ayira ra" -- I am not afraid -- "ki atah amadi" -- because YOU are still with me.

Then it says "Shevtach v'msbtach" -- your staff and your rod.  In Hebrew, `staff' is called Makal.  When we we walked out of Egyptt, G-d told us, "You must have staffs in your hand." (Exodus"  )  Mklabam b'yadkam.

Ther is a holy Viznitzer Torah.  He says MKL is an acronym for M'olam Koyno L'cha, "We always hope for you."  Whst is my stafff?  I need a staff when I walk and I must hold on to something.  what am I holidng on to?  I'm holding on to, I'm leaning on, Malaom kncon l'cha, "I'm always hoping for YOU.  That is my staff.  

So {Hebrew from psalm}, "Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.  My staff, the old holy rod, keeps me going.