The Third Cup

I wrote many years ago a post entitled Four.  It wasn’t fully fleshed out, but I have continued to flesh it out in my head over the years.  See here https://keitzmeguleh.blogspot.com/2012/12/four.html

The Yerushalmi there speaks of Four Cups of Puranut (Punishment would seem a decent translation) for the nations of the world, and Four Cups of Nechama (Comfort) for the nation of Israel.  Today I took another look at the Cups of Puranut and I was quite simply amazed.  The third and fourth cups are united, for both the Cups of Puranut and for Nechama.  For Nechama it is the famous verse from Hallel, כוס ישועות אשא.  A great verse to expound upon, but not today.

The true wonder in my eyes is the verse given for the third / fourth Cup of Puranut.  It comes at the end of Tehillim 11.

The chapter starts with speech of the wicked sending arrows in the dark at those with righteous hearts.

Verse 5 says that Hashem tests the heart of the righteous, but Hashem’s Soul hates the wicked and those that love Hamas.

Verse 6 is the verse that mentions the cup which brought the Yerushalmi to mention it: a cup filled with fire that falls from heaven.

The wicked send their arrows at the righteous, Hashem rains fire upon the wicked.

This is the Psalm of our time.

Dedicated to the armies of Hashem.