Nishmas Day 32 - Rabbi Yechiel Spero | Terrified at Sea
רַנְּנוּ צַדִּיקִים בַּה', לַיְשָׁרִים נָאוָה תְהִלָּה
The righteous burst into song before Hashem; the upright praise Hashem beautifully.
At first glance, רִנָּה and תְהִלָּה seem interchangeable. But Chazal teach us that they describe two very different ways of connecting to Hashem.
In the words of Rabbi Yechiel Spero:
“I was once at the pediatrician with one of my children. The doctor, Dr. Endorsky, was a Yid with a deep appreciation for Yiddishkeit, Torah, and niflaos haBorei.
As he examined my child and prescribed medication for an ear infection, he shared a story that had recently happened to him.
He said, ‘I was out sailing when dark clouds suddenly rolled in. Within moments, the skies opened up. There was pounding rain, earsplitting thunder, and I was terrified.’
‘In that moment of fear,’ he said, ‘The greatness of Hashem reminded me how small I am. And somehow, that didn’t make me feel insignificant — it made me feel safe. Because if I am so small, surely Hashem will take care of me.’”
There is joy inside every one of us. Many times, we hold it in, hesitant to let it overflow. But when someone truly recognizes the greatness of Hashem, the joy can no longer stay contained. רַנְּנוּ צַדִּיקִים בַּה׳ — it bursts forth naturally.
That is רִנָּה: spontaneous, overflowing joy.
תְהִלָּה is the praise that comes after the emotion settles and the inspiration fades.
Sometimes gratitude pours out effortlessly in moments of inspiration. But most of life is lived in the ordinary.
By mentioning both, this pasuk reminds us not only to sing when our hearts are overflowing, but to praise Hashem without thunder and earth-shattering news, even on the most ordinary of days.
