#746: Tachanun (Part 16)

In fact, he soaks his bed in his own tears.

He is so, uh, infirm, ill, in pain.

The meforshim debate why.

Is it a physical ailment? Is he being pursued by enemies? Is it the experience generally of Galus or some combination, all of the above? But David HaMelech describes Chanini Hashem ki mulal ani, as we mentioned, uh, last night.

He says, "Show me favor, Hashem, I'm broken.

Heal my limbs, ki nivhalu atzamai, because my bones are in pain," which describes physically, medically.

I'm not a doctor, to my parents' great disappointment, but I understand from doctors, sometimes a illness, a infection is the most dangerous when it enters the bones, if it goes down to the level of the bones.

So David HaMelech is invoking that imagery, that metaphor when he says, "Atzamai, my bones.

The illness, the sickness is, uh, visible, or it's palpable, measurable in my bones." "Ve nafshi nivhala meod" And David HaMelech then, uh, continues, "That not only am I describing the physical pain, the physical infirmity, but nafshi, my soul, my soul is nivhala meod".

That word nivhala, behala, is, is chaos, is confusion, is dismayed.

And then David HaMelech beseeches Hashem and therefore the ata Hashem ad masai.

So Hashem, how long? Until when? How long will this go? So what is he referring to? Nafshi nivhala meod means that not only am I weakened, not only am I in a s- am I in a state of physical pain, but my emotional, mental, spiritual energy, my spirit, my spirit is suffering.

It's entered my bones.

It's not only on the surface of my flesh, it's entered my bones.

And then beyond the bones, it's not only physical and material, gam nafshi nivhala.

Even my nefesh, a layer of my soul is suffering from this pain, this loneliness, this fear, whatever the, uh, whatever it's describing.

The ata Hashem, and therefore you, Hashem, ad masai.