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Thought for the Day: Why Is There Land? To Execute Justice

The last mishna of masechta Tamid lists the שיר של יום, the chapter of Psalms we say each day at the end of shacharis. For Tuesday, we say Psalm 82, which begins:

A song of Asaph. G-d stands in the congregation of G-d; in the midst of the judges He will judge.   מִזְמ֗וֹר לְאָ֫סָ֥ף אֱלֹקים נִצָּ֥ב בַּֽעֲדַת־קל בְּקֶ֖רֶב אֱלֹהִ֣ים יִשְׁפֹּֽט:

 Why that particular psalm? The Bartenura explains: because on the third day of Creation the dry land/ היבשה appeared, and on it  -- היבשה -- the judges stand to do justice.

Let's let that sink in. The entire land mass, without which human life would be impossible, came into being so we could have courts of justice. It sounds like justice is just as important to human life as dry land.

That's one thing, but there is another. Since October 7th we have been saying psalms multiple times a day; beseeching HaShem to bring a swift end to hostilities and a real, lasting peace. After we say the requisite psalms, we all recite in unison:

אַחֵינוּ כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל הַנְּתוּנִים בַּצָּרָה וּבַשִּׁבְיָה הָעוֹמְדִים בֵּין בַּיָּם וּבֵין בַּיַּבָּשָׁה הַמָּקוֹם יְרַחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם וְיוֹצִיאֵם מִצָּרָה לִרְוָחָה וּמֵאֲפֵלָה לְאוֹרָה וּמִשִּׁעְבּוּד לִגְאֻלָּה הָשָׁתָא בַּעֲגָלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב
וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן

Our brethren, the entire house of Yisrael, who have been given over to trouble and captivity, whether on the sea or the dry land, HaShem should have mercy on them, deliver them from trouble to peace, from darkness to light, from slavery to redemption. May it be soon and with all haste. And we say amen.

As I say this each day, the words are so powerful in the light of the Oct 7 massacre and the taking of hostages. "We have been given over to trouble and captivity" -- we pray that the captives and all of Klal Yisrael be delivered from trouble to peace, from darkness to light, and from slavery to redemption.

But what is the intention of the phrase בֵּין בַּיָּם וּבֵין בַּיַּבָּשָׁה/whether on the sea or the dry land? Perhaps this -- the dry land was given for justice. Whether they fight for justice, whether they stand to be judged, whether they are adrift -- please deliver them now with all haste.

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