The Seven Dedications and Why David's Name Crowns the Temple Song

Pesikta Rabbati 2:1

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

"A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of the House; of David" (Psalms 30:1). Let our master teach us: the Chanukah lamp, from when is its commandment? Our masters taught: from when the sun sets until the marketplace empties of most foot traffic. And where do they kindle it? One who lived in an upper room with a window facing the public domain would kindle there, and in a time of danger he kindles inside his house. [And it is forbidden to do work by its light. Rabbi Asi said] it is forbidden even to make use of its light. And why do we kindle lamps on Chanukah? Because when the sons of the Hasmonean High Priest defeated the kingdom of Greece, as it is said, "and stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece" (Zechariah 9:13), they entered the Temple and found there eight iron spits, and they fixed them and kindled lamps in them. And why do we read the Hallel? Because it is written, "the LORD is God, and has given us light" (Psalms 118:27). And why do we not read it on Purim? Because it is written, "to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish" (Esther 8:11), and we recite it only over the downfall of a kingdom, and the kingdom of Ahasuerus still stood; but over the kingdom of Greece, which the Holy One, blessed be He, made an end of, they began to give thanks and praise, saying: in the past we were slaves to Pharaoh, slaves to Greece, and now we are servants of the Holy One, blessed be He — "Praise, O servants of the LORD" (Psalms 113:1). And how many dedications are there? There are seven dedications, and these are they: the dedication of heaven and earth, as it is said, "And the heavens and the earth were finished" (Genesis 2:1); the dedication of the wall, "and at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem" (Nehemiah 12:27); the dedication of those who came up from exile, "and offered at the dedication of this house of God" (Ezra 6:17); the dedication of the priests, which is this one we kindle for; the dedication of the world to come, "I will search Jerusalem with lamps" (Zephaniah 1:12); the dedication of the princes, "this was the dedication of the altar" (Numbers 7:84); and the dedication of the Sanctuary, which is what they read in connection with "A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of the House; of David." "A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication" — thus Rabbi Tanchuma bar Rabbi Abba opened: "Let the pious be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud upon their beds" (Psalms 149:5). With what glory? With the glory that the Holy One, blessed be He, does for the righteous at the hour of their departure from the world. In the way of the world, when a person dies, if he has sons his sons attend to him; but the righteous are not so. Rabbi Isaac said: the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself attends to the righteous, as it is said, "and your righteousness shall go before you" (Isaiah 58:8). Rabbi Chiya the Great said: when the righteous departs from the world, three companies of ministering angels attend to him; one says, "He shall enter into peace" (Isaiah 57:2), one says, "they shall rest in their beds," and one goes before him. Another interpretation: David said, "I will dwell in Your tent forever" (Psalms 61:5). Did it enter David's mind that he would live forever? Rather, he said: may it be Your will that my name be spoken forever in synagogues and houses of study. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: by your life, though you die, your name shall never depart from My house; over every single sacrifice they will mention your name and recite songs of yours. And further: since you intended to build the Temple, even though Solomon your son builds it, I write it in your name — "A Psalm, a Song at the Dedication of the House; of David." One verse says, "shall you build Me the house?" (2 Samuel 7:5), and another says, "you shall not build Me the house" (1 Chronicles 17:4). How do I reconcile the two? "You shall not build" — you do not build it yourself; "shall you build" — your son builds it in your name. Another reason David did not build it: the prophet Nathan came and said, "you shall not build Me a house…because you have shed much blood upon the earth before Me" (1 Chronicles 22:8). When David heard this he was afraid and said: I have been disqualified from building the Temple. Rabbi Yehuda bar Ila'i said: the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, David, do not fear; by your life, those bloodsheds were before Me like the sacrifice of deer and gazelle. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: it is revealed and foreseen before Me that they are destined to sin, and I will spend My wrath upon the House and destroy it, and Israel will be saved, as it is written, "He poured out His fury like fire in the tent of the daughter of Zion" (Lamentations 2:4). And since you intended to build it, though Solomon your son builds it, I write it in your name.

Themes

ChanukahTempleDavid

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