Q:
Why do we say הללו עבדי ה׳ in the beginning of Hallel? What’s the emphasis of these words?
A:
Dovid Hamelech is talking to the Jewish people and he says הללו עבדי ה׳ – You people are servants of Hashem. Every Jew should know that’s his business in life. He is in the employment of Hashem. He has hired us to do His service. You may be a doctor. You may be a street cleaner. Whatever you are, you’re working for Hashem. That’s your business in life. We are all avdei Hashem. The Jewish people are avdei Hashem. And when you see another Jew, “Ah! That’s a subject of Hashem. He’s an eved Hashem.” Any Jew who keeps the Torah is called an eved Hashem. He’s serving Hashem.
So first of all, it makes us feel important. Suppose you’re an eved let’s say of a king, the king of the South Sea Island. The island is maybe a little bit bigger than the size of this place here. And there’s a king. Once in five years a boat stops there to drop off things; once in five years. So the king comes out with his twenty subjects. The king is almost naked. But he’s different from the others. They wear a piece of cloth around their ervah. What does he wear? He wears pants. He wears an old hat that he found someplace; an old hat. It was used in Europe by somebody; they brought it and left it. He puts on the old hat and he’s the king! He marches out, the king with his twenty subjects to greet the boat coming in.
Suppose you’re a servant of that king. It’s a small yichus.
The bigger the king is, the more your honor is.
Suppose you’re a servant of the מלך מלכי המלכים הקדוש ברוך הוא, that’s the greatest honor there is. You’re more important than kings. So a Jew is more important than a king!
So we say הללו עבדי ה׳ – you servants of Hashem, praise Hashem. You’re the most fortunate people in the world; you’re servants of the King of all kings. And therefore get busy saying hallel to Him. Be excited over Him! That’s your job in life!
(September 1996)
