The entirety of Chapter 119 revolves around one theme: the Torah. In the passage before us, the section of the letter Nun, King David asks that the Torah serve as his guide: both as a small lamp to save him from a stumbling block right next to his foot, and as a great light to illuminate his entire path. From this standpoint, he accepts upon himself by oath to observe the judgments of righteousness, and prays regarding two obstacles that stand in his way: a lack of strength and a lack of knowledge.
נֵר־לְרַגְלִי דְבָרֶךָ וְאוֹר לִנְתִיבָתִי׃ - Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Rashi explains: When I come to issue a ruling, I look into the Torah - I delve into the holy Torah to draw the proper conclusion from it, and it keeps me away from what is forbidden, like a lamp that saves a person from pits. When someone wishes to know the right path, he should turn to the Torah. The Torah is the guide for all the dilemmas and trials a person faces.
A story is told concerning the Chofetz Chaim. During the First World War, his son-in-law, Rav Levinson, was unsure what to do with the yeshivah: whether to flee or to remain in place. He asked the Chofetz Chaim, who replied, "I am weighing the matter." He asked again after some time, and received the same response: "I am still weighing it." A few days later, he came to him joyfully and said, "Grandfather, I found an answer to our question. I opened the Goral HaGra, and came upon the verse: 'If Esav comes to the one camp and smites it, then the remaining camp shall escape' - meaning, we should divide the yeshivah." The Chofetz Chaim said to him, "Why did you need to perform the Goral HaGra? That is precisely what I intended to tell you today - that we should adopt the craft of Yaakov Avinu: 'If Esav comes to the camp and strikes it, the remaining camp shall escape.' " The Chofetz Chaim reached this conclusion simply from contemplating the Torah itself, without any lottery.
Indeed, the holy books, including the Chida and others, offer advice: A person in doubt should take counsel from the Torah. How? Let him sit and meditate on the Torah for an hour, engaging in it with effort and focus, and only afterward begin to contemplate the matter about which he was uncertain - and from Heaven they will grant him the right answer. He is consulting with the holy Torah: having studied for an hour, he has acquired a Torah perspective, and now his counsel is the counsel of the Torah. This is "A lamp to my feet is Your word" - the word of Hashem is a lamp to my feet, guiding my way and keeping me away from prohibition like a lamp saving a person from pits.
The Malbim emphasizes that the central theme in the verse is the aspect of "words" - "Your word." A traveler walking along a road needs a great light to see into the distance, to see the trail and the road ahead. On the other hand, he also needs a small lamp to illuminate the area right beside his foot, so his foot will not strike a stone. For he might possess a great light that shows the road ahead, yet fail to notice a stone lying right by his foot.
Regarding this, the Malbim explains: "Your word" is a lamp to my feet, so that I do not stumble upon any obstacle while walking in the way of Hashem. What are the obstacles right next to the foot? Studying in order to provoke or argue - that I should not reach a state where I learn Torah not for the sake of Heaven, but merely to contentious ends; as well as being "overly bold in halachic rulings" - issuing rulings without thorough analysis and contemplation. On the other hand, "and a light to my path" is the great light that guides one on the straight path, ensuring he does not stray onto ways of death.
Light is always a greater concept than a lamp. A lamp is what we refer to as a candle or lamp: the vessel, the oil, and the wick - a small, localized object. Light, however, is a powerful force that shines into the distance. Therefore it is said, "For a mitzvah is a lamp, and the Torah is light": the Torah is a higher dimension, the dimension of light, compared to the lamp which is smaller relative to the light of the Torah.
In the Pesikta, the Sages ask about this verse: If it is a lamp, why light? And if light, why a lamp? The Pesikta addresses the very same difficulty that the Malbim resolved, seeking to understand why the verse uses both terms. Rather, David said: When I begin words of Torah, I begin with just a little, but as I delve into them, many gates open before me.
This is a great secret that anyone who studies Torah knows, and whoever does not know it stumbles because of it. Often a person begins a sugya and feels as Chazal said: "The Talmud of Babylon - He has set me in dark places like those long dead." The entire sugya is darkness: he does not understand the concepts, he does not understand the difficulty, he does not understand what the Gemara wants, and he cannot grasp the matter at all. He tries again and finds it difficult, and then many give up.
Everyone starts Daf Yomi; the only question is where a person gets stuck. For some it happens in Shabbat, for others in Eruvin - Gemaras that are not simple at all - and some reach it in Yevamot. Each person has the obstacles that lead him to drop out. One who holds on all the way to Niddah, fortunate is he and fortunate is his portion! But we see that most people encounter difficulty at a certain point, and there a person quits.
And where does this stem from? From a lack of awareness of the point taught by the Pesikta: I begin with a little, and as I delve into them, many gates open before me. The conclusion: one must begin and one must exert effort, and then you will see - "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light." But if a person says, "It is a bit hard for me, so I quit," when will he learn? When will he cover ground? When will he know Shas? He will never arrive, because he will always face a bit of difficulty and drop out. Yet when a person says: "No, I am sticking with it no matter what," that very "lamp to my feet," where at first you barely understood what was happening, will ultimately become a "light to my path."
Rabbeinu Bachya states: The Torah is compared to a candle, for a lamp for one is a lamp for a hundred - everyone lights from that same candle and the candle itself lacks nothing. So too, one who joins with a sage benefits from him, "One who walks with the wise will become wise," and the sage lacks nothing at all.
At first glance, the analogy seems imperfect, for not only does the sage lack nothing, but "and from my students more than all of them" - the rebbe gains much wisdom from the students! If so, how can this be likened to a candle that merely loses nothing? The answer is that it is just like a candle: when someone comes to light another candle from a burning candle, what happens at that moment to the flame of the original candle? It grows and becomes a large flame, and afterward returns to normal. Every candle that comes to be lit from the original candle enlarges its flame at that moment, and then takes fire for itself while the original candle lacks nothing.
And this is the parable for a rebbe and his students: the students enrich the rebbe. The rebbe presents an approach, the students raise difficulties and challenge the shiur, and the rebbe revisits the matter and arrives at a new distinction - producing an additional distinction on account of the difficulty. Just as Rabbi Yochanan said of Reish Lakish, that for every statement he made, Reish Lakish would raise twenty-four difficulties, and through this the teaching was broadened and clarified. The students prompt the rebbe to delve deeper and consider how to resolve further sugyot. The candle continues to burn and grows stronger through the candles that come to kindle from it.
נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי וָאֲקַיֵּמָה לִשְׁמֹר מִשְׁפְּטֵי צִדְקֶךָ׃ - I have sworn and I will fulfill it, to keep Your righteous judgments.
From here Chazal learned that one may take vows and oaths of encouragement (nedarei zeiruzin and shevuot zeiruzin). The Torah generally opposes oaths, and there are many statements of Chazal that a person must be cautious regarding vows and oaths, and should not swear even to the truth. But there is one thing Chazal say is good: vows and oaths of encouragement - where a person swears or takes a vow to urge himself on to fulfill a mitzvah: "I have sworn and I will fulfill it, to keep Your righteous judgments."
Generally, what is more recommended, as written in the sefarim, is for a person to vow to penalize himself. For example: he commits to study Daf Yomi every day, and on any day he does not learn, he will give thirty shekels to tzedakah. Or: not to talk during tefillah, and on a day he fails, he will give twenty shekels to tzedakah. And so with every matter. Then it is truly wonderful - you take vows that sanctify you and bring you closer to the service of Hashem.
The Malbim explains that the focal point of the verse is the aspect of "mishpatim" (judgments): I have accepted upon myself with an oath, David says, and I will also fulfill my oath, to observe the judgments of Your righteousness. "The judgments of Your righteousness" refers to judging the people with righteous justice, according to the laws and judgments of the Torah. We have already explained that a "mishpat" is a precept understood through intellect and reason, unlike a "chok," which defies rational comprehension.
נַעֲנֵיתִי עַד־מְאֹד יְהֹוָה חַיֵּנִי כִדְבָרֶךָ׃ - I have been afflicted exceedingly; Hashem, give me life according to Your word.
The Malbim says: Despite this full commitment, two obstacles stand against me and hinder me. The first is a lack of strength and ability to establish justice on its firm foundation. Regarding this he pleads: "I have been afflicted exceedingly; Hashem, give me life according to Your word." According to the Malbim, "na'aneiti" (I have been afflicted) is an expression of subjugation and the draining of strength, and the central motif of the verse is the aspect of "words" - "give me life according to Your word." My request is that You grant me vitality and vigor to uphold justice, for I have been afflicted exceedingly, humbled and enfeebled, and I need the strength that You provide in order to establish law and justice properly.
There are several explanations of the term "na'aneiti" in this verse. Rashi explains: "Na'aneiti" - I have become impoverished and lowly, as in "How long will you refuse to humble yourself (la'anot) before Me?" A poor person is considered as dead, which sheds light on the continuation, "give me life according to Your word": since I have become poor, please Hashem, give me life, for a pauper is likened to one who is dead. Rashi further adds: "Na'aneiti" refers to an illness that confuses the mind, called "aniyah" in the language of the Mishna. Exactly which illness this refers to is not entirely clear, and this appears to be a distinct explanation from his first one.
The Radak writes: "Na'aneiti" is neither an expression of poverty nor of submission, but rather one of severe torment - "na'aneiti" means "I was tormented." "I have been afflicted exceedingly" - I am truly close to death from the multitude of torments that have overtaken me. "Give me life according to Your word" - in accordance with the promise You made to me. And what is that promise? Some explain that it refers to what is stated, "which a person shall do and live by them": revive me, for the Torah promised "and live by them," and I observe the judgments of Hashem and keep Your righteous judgments; therefore, please Hashem, grant me life according to the promise of "and live by them."
נִדְבוֹת פִּי רְצֵה־נָא יְהֹוָה וּמִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ לַמְּדֵנִי׃ - Accept favorably, please, Hashem, the freewill offerings of my mouth, and teach me Your judgments.
The Malbim explains: Since keeping the judgments of righteousness means judging the people with righteous justice, this also requires knowledge. And what can be done about a lack of knowledge? Regarding this he asks: "Accept favorably, please, Hashem, the freewill offerings of my mouth, and teach me Your judgments" - please Hashem, teach me Your judgments, so that through this I may know how to judge Your people and discern between good and evil. This is a vital and essential request, so that I may truly judge fairly and conduct matters properly.
Rashi explains "Accept favorably, please, Hashem, the freewill offerings of my mouth" as: a pleasing thing that my mouth freely offers to You, meaning may that which my mouth offers You be acceptable before You. The Radak elaborates: May the prayers and praises that I recite before You with a generous spirit find favor before You. "And teach me Your judgments" - for this is the primary focus of my prayer, as I desire to learn the judgments of Hashem. And this is the central theme running through this entire chapter: the desire to learn Torah.
Notice that here he pleads, "Accept favorably, please, Hashem." We have already underscored several times the words of Rabbeinu Yonah, that the greatest aspiration of the righteous before Hashem is that He have favor and desire for them. Rabbeinu Yonah says: It is quite possible for a person to do teshuvah, yet after all his repentance, Hashem has no desire or pleasure in him, and will accept no offering from his hand. In other words, the Holy One, blessed be He, says: I forgive you, but I do not want to see you. Consider how terrifying that is.
We recognize such a dynamic between people: a person severely wrongs his fellow, and later comes to ask for forgiveness, and the other says to him - "Fine, I forgive you, but let us keep our distance; keep your distance, I was deeply hurt by you." It is not truly over, because this is not genuine forgiveness. If you say, "I forgive you, but keep your distance" - that is not true forgiveness.
And to our point: there is such a state regarding the Holy One, blessed be He, as well - a person genuinely asks Hashem for forgiveness, but his teshuvah is incomplete, and then Hashem takes no pleasure in him. And the entire yearning of the tzaddikim in this world, says Rabbeinu Yonah, is "And You, in Your abundant mercy, shall delight in us and find favor in us." This is the greatest aspiration of the tzaddik: that Hashem should delight in him, that Hashem should desire him. And this is what David asks: "Accept favorably, Hashem, the freewill offerings of my mouth" - that I should be favored before You. Not merely "Fine, alright, what is done is done," but that Hashem should desire me and delight in me.
In the letter Nun of chapter 119, David HaMelech teaches us that the Torah is the guide for every doubt: a small lamp that saves from the immediate obstacle - from learning in order to provoke and from haughtiness in halachic ruling, and a great light that shows the entire path. The Pesikta reveals the secret: one begins small, and once inside, many gates open - therefore, one must not withdraw due to the difficulty. From there, David proceeds to an acceptance through an oath, an oath of motivation (shevuat zeiruzin), to observe the righteous judgments; and according to the Malbim, two obstacles stand against him: a lack of strength - "I am afflicted exceedingly; revive me according to Your word," and a lack of knowledge - "and teach me Your judgments." And above all, he asks, "Accept favorably, Hashem," which is the supreme aspiration of the tzaddikim: not just forgiveness, but that the Holy One, blessed be He, should desire and delight in us.