Introduction to Perek Shira

Perek Shira is an ancient text whose authorship had not been definitively determined. It is popularly attributed to King David, based upon an incident described in the text’s introduction, below. Others attribute it to his son, King Solomon, who understood the allegorical “language” of nature. (Still others attribute it to some of the Sages of the Mishna.) While Perek Shira means “A Chapter of Song,” it is actually six chapters (though the division into separate chapters appears to be a later innovation).

Perek Shira comprises a long series of praises to God that are “recited” by His various creations, both animate (birds, animals, etc.) and inanimate (bodies of water, day and night, etc.). There are a number of versions extant; a typical version has 84 or 85 such creations praising God. The idea underlying Perek Shira is that everything in God’s universe has something to teach us. Perek Shira points us in the right direction to figure out what each creation’s lesson might be.

While Perek Shira anthropomorphizes the wind, the grass, the Leviathan, etc., not everyone agrees that the intention of the work is that these things literally “sing” to God. Some attribute the songs to the angels of these creations. (The Midrash in Bereishis Rabbah 10:6 teaches that every single blade of grass has its own supervising angel.) Another idea is that these praises are metaphorically “sung” by us when our contemplation leads us to comprehend the lessons of these wonders of nature.

Clearly, when the introduction assures great rewards to one who “occupies himself” with Perek Shira, it doesn’t just mean one who recites it. Rather, it refers to one who puts in the effort to better under our Creator through His handiwork.

Rabbi Jack Abramowitz

4 Shevat, 5783

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Perek Shira - Introduction

אָמַר רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר כָּל הָעוֹסֵק בְּפֶּרֶק שִׁירָה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶה זוֹכֶה וְאוֹמְרָה לְעוֹלָם הַבָּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אָז יָשִׁיר מֹשֶׁה שָׁר לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא יָשִׁיר לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא׃

Rabbi Eliezer said: One who occupies himself with Perek Shira in this world is worthy of saying it in the Next World, as Exodus 15:1 says, “Then Moshe will sing.” It doesn’t say “he sang,” but “he will sing,” i.e., in the Next World.

וְאָמַר רַבִּי כָּל הָעוֹסֵק בְּפֶּרֶק שִׁירָה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶה מַעִיד אֲנִי עָלָיו שֶׁהוּא בֶּן עוֹלָם הַבָּא וְנִצוֹל מִיֵצֶר הָרָע וּמִדִּין קָשֶׁה וּמִשָּׂטָן הַמַשְׁחִית וּמִכָּל מִינֵי מַזִיקִין וּמֵחֶבְלוֹ שֶׁל מָשִׁיחַ וּמִדִּינָה שֶׁל גֵּיהִנֹם וְזוֹכֶה לִלְמוֹד וּלְלַמֵד לִשְׁמוֹר וְלַעֲשׂוֹת וּלְקַיֵים וְתַלְמוּדוֹ מְקַיֵים בְּיָדוֹ וּמַאַרִיךְ יָמִים וְזוֹכֶה לְחַיֵי עוֹלָם הַבָּא׃

Rebbi said: I testify regarding one who occupies himself with Perek Shira in this world that he is a (future) resident of the Next World, he is saved from the evil inclination, from harsh judgment, from the destroying accuser, from all types of damage, from the birth pangs of the messianic era, and from the judgment of Gehinnom; he merits to learn and to teach, to observe, to perform and to fulfill, his learning endures in his hand, his days are lengthened, and he merits life in the Next World.

אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ ז״ל עַל דָּוִד הַמֶלֶךְ ע״ה בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁסִּיֵים סֵפֶר תְּהִלִים זָחָה דַעַתּוֹ עָלָיו. אָמַר לִפְנֵי הַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יֵשׁ בְּרִיאָה שֶׁבָּרָאתָ בְּעוֹלמְךָ שֶׁאוֹמֶרֶת שִׁירוֹת וְתִשְׁבָּחוֹת יוֹתֵר מִמֶנִי בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה נִזְדַּמְּנָה לוֹ צְפַרְדֵּעַ אַחַת וְאָמְרָה לוֹ דָּוִד אַל תָּזּוּחַ דַּעְתְּךָ עָלֶיךָ שֶׁאֲנִי אוֹמֶרֶת שִׁירוֹת וְתִשְׁבָּחוֹת יוֹתֵר מִמֶּךָּ וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא כָּל שִׁירָה שֶׁאֲנִי אוֹמֶרֶת מְמַשֶּׁלֶת עָלֶיהָ שְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים מָשָׁל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיְדַבֵּר שְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים מָשָׁל וַיְהִי שִׁירוֹ חֲמִשָׁה וָאָלֶף וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁאֲנִי עוֹסֶקֶת בְּמִצְוָה גְדוֹלָה וְזוּ הִיא הַמִּצְוָה שֶׁאַנִי עוֹסֶקֶת בָּהּ יֵשׁ בִּשְׂפַת הַיָם מִין אֶחָד שֶׁאֵין פַּרְנָסָתוֹ כִּי אִם מִן הַמַיִם וּבְשָעָה שֶׁהוּא רָעֵב נוֹטְלֵנִי וְאוֹכְלֵנִי לְקַיֵים מַה שֶׁנֶאֶמַר אִם רָעֵב שֹׂנַֽאַךָ הַאֲכִילֵהוּ לֶחֶם וְאִם צָמֵא הַשְׁקֵהוּ מָיִם כִּי גֶחָלִים אַתָּה חֹתֶה עַל רֹאשׁוֹ וַיְהֹוָה יְשַׁלֶּם לָךָ אַל תִּקְרֵי יְשַׁלֶּם לָךְ אֶלָּא יַשְׁלִימֵהוּ לָךְ׃

The Sages said regarding King David that when he completed the book of Psalms, he was proud of himself. He said before Hashem, “Have You created any creature in Your world that recited more songs and praises than I?” Along came a frog, which said to him, “David! Don’t be so smug because I recite more songs and praises than you! Not only that, but every song I recite contains 3,000 parables, as I Kings 5:12 says, ‘He recited 3,000 parables, and his songs were 1,500.’ Furthermore, I am occupied with a great mitzvah! This is the mitzvah with which I am occupied: by the edge of the sea there is a certain species whose sustenance only comes from the water. When it hungers, it takes and eats me to fulfill what is written in Proverbs 25:21-22, ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him bread; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, because you will heap coals on his head and Hashem will reward you.’” Don’t read it as יְשַׁלֶּם לָךְ (“He will reward you”) but rather as יַשְׁלִימֵהוּ לָךְ (“He will cause him to make peace with you”).

Continue to chapter 1