Midrash, the art of interpreting scripture through storytelling, gives us some fascinating ways to ponder that very question. to a passage from Midrash Tehillim, a collection of midrashic interpretations on the Book of Psalms, specifically Psalm 103.
The Midrash begins with a powerful analogy. Rabbi Levi, citing Rabbi Huna, contrasts a human painter with the Holy One, blessed be He. A painter creates an image, but when the painter dies, the creation remains. But God? God created us. We die, but God remains, alive and eternal. It's a simple comparison, but it hits hard.
And it doesn't stop there. The painter's image is limited, says the Midrash. It can only start from the head or the foot. God, however, is the creator of everything. As the prophet Jeremiah (10:16) reminds us, "He is the Creator of everything." The Midrash emphasizes that God can do what the painter cannot.
Then comes another angle: we, as humans, eat, but our form, our essence, doesn't. But God is different. God doesn't eat, and God's essence remains untouched. As we read in Nehemiah (9:6), "You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all that is on it, the seas and all that are in them. You give life to all of them." God is the source of all life, the sustainer of all things.
And perhaps most profoundly, a human painter cannot create a soul. They can't create what's within. But God did. God created us with both body and soul, with inner depths and complexities.
So, what’s the Psalmist's response to all this? "Bless my soul, O Lord!" In fact, this phrase appears five times in the psalm. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, in the Midrash, connects these five blessings to the five books of the Torah. Each blessing, each utterance of "Bless my soul, O Lord," echoes the entirety of God's law and teachings. They are: "Bless my soul, O Lord, and all that is within me." "Bless my soul, O Lord, and do not forget all His benefits." "In all places of His dominion, bless my soul, O Lord." "Bless my soul, O Lord, O Lord my God, You are very great." "Let sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless my soul, O Lord. Hallelujah."
Rabbi Yochanan offers another interpretation: these five blessings correspond to five "worlds" that a person experiences. The first is when we’re in the womb: "Bless my soul, O Lord, and all that is within me." Then, there's birth: "Bless my soul, O Lord, and do not forget all His benefits." Rabbi Abbahu explains that these benefits refer to being granted judgment in a place of understanding. Rav elaborates, saying it's so we don't look at nakedness. Rav Matnah adds, so we don't suckle from the place of the womb. These are all ways of understanding the separation and development that comes with being born into the world.
Next comes our life in the world, moving "here and there," as the psalm puts it: "In all His places of dominion, bless the Lord, my soul." Then, there’s the moment of death, when we "see the Divine Presence": "Bless the Lord, my soul, the Lord my God, You are exceedingly great." Finally, there’s the future, when "sins will be eradicated from the earth." This is why, the Midrash concludes, we bless the Lord, we say "Bless the Lord, my soul."
What does this all mean? It’s an invitation to recognize God's infinite power and presence in every aspect of our existence – from the grand sweep of creation to the most intimate moments of our lives. The Midrash reminds us that God is not just a creator, but a constant presence, a source of life, and a promise of a future where good triumphs. So, take a moment. Reflect on the blessings in your life, and perhaps, whisper a "Bless my soul, O Lord" of your own.