TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 115

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1Not to us, Hashem, not to us but to Your name bring glory for the sake of Your love and Your faithfulness.

אלֹא לָנוּ יְהֹוָה לֹא לָנוּ כִּי־לְשִׁמְךָ תֵּן כָּבוֹד עַל־חַסְדְּךָ עַל־אֲמִתֶּךָ׃

2Let the nations not say, “Where, now, is their God?”

בלָמָּה יֹאמְרוּ הַגּוֹיִם אַיֵּה־נָא אֱלֹהֵיהֶם׃

3when our God is in heaven and all that He wills He accomplishes.

גוֵאלֹהֵינוּ בַשָּׁמָיִם כֹּל אֲשֶׁר־חָפֵץ עָשָׂה׃

4Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.

דעֲ‍צַבֵּיהֶם כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵי אָדָם׃

5They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see;

הפֶּה־לָהֶם וְלֹא יְדַבֵּרוּ עֵינַיִם לָהֶם וְלֹא יִרְאוּ׃

6they have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell;

ואָזְנַיִם לָהֶם וְלֹא יִשְׁמָעוּ אַף לָהֶם וְלֹא יְרִיחוּן׃

7they have hands, but cannot touch, feet, but cannot walk; they can make no sound in their throats.

זיְדֵיהֶם וְלֹא יְמִישׁוּן רַגְלֵיהֶם וְלֹא יְהַלֵּכוּ לֹא־יֶהְגּוּ בִּגְרוֹנָם׃

8Those who fashion them, all who trust in them, shall become like them.

חכְּמוֹהֶם יִהְיוּ עֹשֵׂיהֶם כֹּל אֲשֶׁר־בֹּטֵחַ בָּהֶם׃

9O Yisrael, trust in Hashem! He is their help and shield.

טיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּטַח בַּיהֹוָה עֶזְרָם וּמָגִנָּם הוּא׃

10O house of Aharon, trust in Hashem! He is their help and shield.

יבֵּית אַהֲרֹן בִּטְחוּ בַיהֹוָה עֶזְרָם וּמָגִנָּם הוּא׃

11O you who fear Hashem, trust in Hashem! He is their help and shield.

יאיִרְאֵי יְהֹוָה בִּטְחוּ בַיהֹוָה עֶזְרָם וּמָגִנָּם הוּא׃

12Hashem is mindful of us. He will bless us; He will bless the house of Yisrael; He will bless the house of Aharon;

יביְהֹוָה זְכָרָנוּ יְבָרֵךְ יְבָרֵךְ אֶת־בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל יְבָרֵךְ אֶת־בֵּית אַהֲרֹן׃

13He will bless those who fear Hashem, small and great alike.

יגיְבָרֵךְ יִרְאֵי יְהֹוָה הַקְּטַנִּים עִם־הַגְּדֹלִים׃

14May Hashem increase your numbers, yours and your children's also.

ידיֹסֵף יְהֹוָה עֲלֵיכֶם עֲלֵיכֶם וְעַל־בְּנֵיכֶם׃

15May you be blessed by Hashem, Maker of heaven and earth.

טובְּרוּכִים אַתֶּם לַיהֹוָה עֹשֵׂה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ׃

16The heavens belong to Hashem, but the earth He gave over to man.

ha-sha-MA-yim sha-MA-yim la-do-NAI v'-ha-A-retz na-TAN liv-NAY a-DAM

טזהַשָּׁמַיִם שָׁמַיִם לַיהֹוָה וְהָאָרֶץ נָתַן לִבְנֵי־אָדָם׃

 115:16   But the earth He gave over to man

Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk (1787-1859)

Though the heavens remain Hashem’s domain, He bestowed the earth to man, in order to spread His holy name. Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk, a nineteenth century Hasidic leader, explains beautifully: “The land was given to man to raise it up to the lofty level of the heavens.” This is especially true in Eretz Yisrael. The Bible warns that there is a higher standard for one’s behavior in the Land of Israel, as it says in Sefer Vayikra 18:26-28 “You must keep My laws and My rules, and you must not do any of those abhorrent things… So let not the land spew you out for defiling it, as it spewed out the nation that came before you.”

17The dead cannot praise Hashem, nor any who go down into silence.

יזלֹא הַמֵּתִים יְהַלְלוּ־יָהּ וְלֹא כָּל־יֹרְדֵי דוּמָה׃

18But we will bless Hashem now and forever. Hallelujah.

יחוַאֲנַחְנוּ נְבָרֵךְ יָהּ מֵעַתָּה וְעַד־עוֹלָם הַלְלוּ־יָהּ׃