* Translated by Janine Muller Sherr
New chapters are being written in Jewish and world history. When we, the Jewish people. know who we are - the world partners with us.
Last Friday, there was a moment when I felt a shift in our collective consciousness. Rabbanit Adina Shmidman, director of the OU (Orthodox Union) Women’s Initiative, organized a Zoom session oכ Tehillim (Psalms), as she has done over the last year and a half. Almost 1,000 American women participated in this program, I said a few words from Jerusalem, and then Adina began to recite chapters of Tehillim from her presentation that had been set up after October 7. Then she stopped in the middle and said: “I believe that it is time for us to change the format we have been using up until now. In addition to the chapters of salvation, I am spontaneously adding another chapter from Tehillim, 'Mizmor Le’Toda'— 'A Psalm of Thanksgiving'. Our reality has changed and we should express our gratitude".
Only several hours later, the world’s greatest superpower joined our small Jewish state in destroying evil in the world. So now I will also present this chapter of Tehillim, chapter 100. Since October 7, we have been reciting Tehillim tearfully, from a place of pain and distress. But today we must also recite a chapter expressing our tremendous gratitude:
מִזְמוֹר לְתוֹדָה, הָרִיעוּ לַה' כָּל הָאָרֶץ. עִבְדוּ אֶת ה' בְּשִׂמְחָה, בֹּאוּ לְפָנָיו בִּרְנָנָה. דְּעוּ כִּי ה' הוּא אֱלֹהִים: הוּא עָשָׂנוּ וְלוֹ אֲנַחְנוּ, עַמּוֹ וְצֹאן מַרְעִיתוֹ. בֹּאוּ שְׁעָרָיו בְּתוֹדָה, חֲצֵרֹתָיו בִּתְהִלָּה. הוֹדוּ לוֹ, בָּרְכוּ שְׁמוֹ, כִּי טוֹב ה', לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ; וְעַד דֹּר וָדֹר אֱמוּנָתוֹ.
A psalm of thanksgiving. Shout joyously to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with joy. Come before Him with jubilation. Know that the Lord is God. He made us and we are His. We are His people and the flock He tends. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, His courts with praise. Thank Him and bless His name. For the Lord is good, His loving-kindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness is for every generation.
May we merit very soon to thank God for more good tidings.
