Although rarely emphasized and seldom mentioned, faith is a two-way street. As much as the High Holy Days are about our faith in Hashem, where we pray that Hashem inscribes us and seals us in the heavenly Book of Life, the Days of Awe are also about Hashem’s faith in us. We pray that we are worthy to ask of Hashem for Him to have faith in us. Part of earning that faith is found in Psalm 27, which we begin reciting a full month prior to Rosh Hashanah. Below are six Yiddish words from Psalm 27 that touch on the theme of faith.
Fesstoong (shelter). Fesstoong reminds us that Psalm 27 complements Psalm 23. Whereas Psalm 23 assures us that Hashem is there to lead us, Psalm 27 assures us that Hashem will provide a safe harbor for us. There are two types of fesstoogen. There is a physical fesstoong that protects us from outside enemies; there is a spiritual fesstoong that protects us from ourselves. Human nature is such that we have much more control over a physical fesstoong than a spiritual fesstoong.
Shlechtstooehr (evildoers). In no way are compound nouns foreign to the Yiddish language, especially those derived from German. Shlecht means bad; Shlechts means evil. The prophet Isaiah reminds us that Hashem is responsible for shlechts; We remind ourselves that we are responsible for shlechtstooehr. The worst type of shlechtstooehr is one who does evil to himself. Hence the expression “He is his own worst enemy.”
Getzehlt (tent). One of the first mentions of tents in the Torah speaks of our patriarch Abraham sitting at the opening of his getzehlt in the heat of the day. Yet, a getzehlt is not limited to a human dwelling. The getzehlt foon tzoonoifkoom (tent of meeting or ohel moed) was where Moshe spoke with Hashem. The ideal getzehlt is Hashem’s getzehlt, where one fleeing from the above-mentioned evildoers can find refuge.
Geshtroichlt vehren (stumble). In its wisdom, the Yiddish language understands that stumbling is what “happens” to an individual. Stumbling is neither desired nor planned. Much like dehrhahrget vehren (drop dead), geshtroichlt vehren is something over which no human has any control. It is with more than a modicum of gratefulness, says King David, that my tormentors and foes vehrn geshtroichlt oon fahlen (stumble and fall). Of note, a stumbling block is a shtroichel shtayn.
Tzorn (wrath). Although translated as “anger” in a popular edition of Psalms, tzorn is much truer to the Hebrew word ahf rather than the Hebrew word ka’as. The difference between these two emotions is not merely a matter of degree. In addition to being ka’as (anger) in the extreme, tzorn hints at reprisal. Whereas ka’as is where the distraught emphasizes what has been done to him, tzorn is where the distraught intimates what will be done to the shlechtstooehr. Recognizing Divine tzorn, King David attempts to ameliorate the situation by reminding Hashem of how obliging Hashem had been in the past.
Bahahltn (hide, conceal). One of the results of tzorn is the theological concept of hester panim (concealment of face). Otherwise known as abandonment, Hashem warns us that He will no longer look in on us, nor will He keep a watchful eye over us. Long before the term “poetic justice” came to the fore, Hashem indicated that if we are not there for Him, then He will not be here for us. Hashem will refuse to show His face because we have been remiss in showing our faces.
With the Days of Awe soon upon us, we would profit greatly by recognizing the symbolism in Psalm 27. Few if any of us are without internal shlechtstooehr. We pray that these shlechtstooehrzollen (should) geshtroichlt vehren. We also pray that any Divine tzorn be replaced with mercy and understanding, so that if necessary Hashem’s getzehlt is available for bahahltn. Above all, let us never dismiss Hashem being the ultimate fesstoong of our lives.
Rabbi Shawn Zell has recently returned to New Jersey, after serving at a pulpit in Dallas. He possesses certification in teaching Yiddish. Rabbi Zell is the author of three books.
