Woodcut by Helen Frankenthaler
From “The
Power of Psalms,” Volume V (Breslov Research Institute)
A
work-in-progress by Dovid Sears
“God is good for everything, and His
mercies are upon all His works”[1] (Psalms
145:9). “God is good for everything”—this alludes to prayer. A person
who believes in God knows that He is “good for everything”—healing, sustenance,
or whatever one needs. Therefore, he will direct his efforts primarily toward
God (such as through prayer) and not be preoccupied with various strategies.
One who doesn’t believe in God, however, will pursue all sorts of worldly
solutions to his problems. For example, if such a person becomes sick, he will
pursue all sorts of medical treatments. The herbs required may not be available
locally, or the local varieties may be of inferior quality. However, “God is
good for everything.” No matter which ailment needs healing, God is always
available.
Prayer leads to universal peace.
Thus, the verse concludes, “And His mercies are upon all His works.” When
people turn to God as the ultimate power, Divine mercy will be drawn forth to
all creatures. Consequently, all creatures will have mercy upon one another,
and there will be peace among them. As it is written, “And the wolf shall dwell
with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid. … They shall not
harm or destroy” (Isaiah 11:6, 9), for there will be peace between them. Thus, “His
mercies are upon all His works.” [In other words, God will instill mercy in
the hearts of all creatures, and they will treat each other accordingly.] As
our Sages teach, “Whoever shows mercy to God’s creatures is granted mercy from
Heaven.”[2] This is
borne out by the verse, “And [God] will give you mercy, and He will have mercy
upon you” (Deuteronomy 13:18) (based on Likutey Moharan I, 14:11).
[1] This
verse is usually rendered, “God is good to all.” However, Rebbe Nachman
homiletically interprets it as translated here.
[2] Shabbat
151b.
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