“Prayer does not change God, it changes the one who prays.”

1) What it is and why it matters

Midrash Tehillim it is a midrash aggádico (homiletical) on the Book of Psalms. Meets derashot (homilies), glosses verse-to-verse and narrative materials (parables, proverbs, stories) used to preach, to teach theology and ethics, and link the Psalms with the cycles of the liturgical and historical realities. From the Middle Ages was circulated under the name “Shoḥer Tov” by their incipit (Prov 11:27), and was one of the collections homiléticas most frequently cited by exegetes of the middle ages.

2) the Structure and scope textual

• Two sections differentiated by language/style, and transmission of textual:
  • Part I (Salt 1-118): is the “core” old and the only stretch present in all manuscripts, and in the princeps (Constantinople, 1512).
  • Part II (Ps 119-150): supplement backin many medieval sources missing homilies for 96-98 and there are gaps and materials taken from Yalqut Shimoni (e.g., 122-137), which explains absences as 123 and 131.
• Formal characteristics: the openings with formulas “as the Scripture says”, derash-based qeré/ketiv, spellings full/defective, gematria, notarikón and readings al-tikré; also interest in numerology (counts sections/verses).

3) Dating and provenance (what we know and what we don't)

• Editing/rewriting of Part I (Salt 1-118): final composition among the centuries-VII–IXon oldest materials (period talmudic). The critical (Zunz, Buber and successors) is the palestinian origin language and fonts.
• Supplement (Salt 119-150): compiled in the THIRTEENTH century with extracts of Yalqut Shimoni and editorial additions; its authorship is discussed in the scholarship of classical.
• Dating medieval early (s. XI) prove their circulation: Nathan of Rome, R. Isaac b. Yehuda ibn Ghayyat and Rashi quoted repeatedly.
• Conclusion methodology: is not the work of a single editor; there are layers and duplication of reasons throughout the corpus.

“When the heart is broken before the Creator, a door opens and neither the angels can close.”

4) Transmission: manuscripts and editions

• Manuscripts: Buber located six that they end up in Ps 118; only two attest to a short passage about Ps 119 prior to Abraham Provençal.
• Print:
  • Constantinople, 1512: first edition, only Salt 1-118.
  • Thessaloniki, 1515: adds the supplement 119-150 (with two psalms absent), probably compiled of foreign materials; there is debate about the workshop (some pieces may be printed in Fez).
  • Venice, 1546 and reprints later. Edition critical of Solomon Buber (Vilnius, 1891) with comparative introduction and apparatus; it continues to be a textual reference.
• Modern translation key: William G. Braude, The Midrash on Psalms (Yale Judaica Series, 2 vols., 1959) —the first complete translation into English, with notes and references.

5) Content and methods exegetical

• Homilies: connected verses of Psalms with other biblical passages, to theological issues, (providence, reward/punishment, Israel and the nations), ethics (honesty, humility, merits of the charity) and liturgical (Shabbat, holidays).
• Techniques: gematria, notarikón, variations vocálicas, comparison of readings, and proemios that open from another verse to psalm commented out (“petiḥtá” homiletics).
• Narrative: abound parables and stories (e.g., anecdotes about Hadrian and the legend of Romulus and Remus in key copy). Also proverbs exclusive (“the walls have ears”) and customary uses (e.g., drinking water on Shabbat prior to the evening, according to some traditions).
• Controversy and layersrecent studies detected strata publishing and passages with polemia-religious (e.g., around the Salt 22), useful for dating and internal socio-religious.
• Tone and language: stylistically it is considered one of the midrashim aggádicos most beautifulfor your language high and “colorful” theme.

6) Relationship with other midrashim and in the liturgy

• Dialogues with Pesiqta Rabbati, Sifré, Numbers Rabbah, Talmud Bavlí, and is source/derived with Yalqut Shimoni in several sections of the supplement.
• Use liturgical and homiletical medieval explains the imprint teaching (maximum, mashal/nimshal) and its presence in the preaching sinagogal on psalms highly prayed (e.g., 23, 27, 90).

“The song of David is not an echo of the past: the soul of Israel that keep talking in every generation.”

7) Status of the text and critical issues

• Limits of the “text true”: for many philologists, Midrash Tehillim authentic = Salt 1-118; the remainder is supplement (with materials Yalqut and reconstructions publishers later). Buber rebuilt psalms missing (e.g., 123, and 131) bringing in parts from other midrashim to cover the whole of the psalter in its edition.
• Vacancies and variants: psalmos 96-98 missing in several mss.; 119 he is just a fragment in a few witnesses; readings duplicate show compilation of layers.

8) Themes theological and ethical recurring

• Theodicy and protest reverent: the midrash legitimizes the complaint faithful to the suffering of historic Israel, expanding or relocating the protest even in the psalms is not controversial. (Balance quantitative recent: ~10,5% units with protest).
• Torah and merit: study, charity and humility as ways of protection/expío.
• Israel and the nations: readings that contrast idolatry/justice; in layers late appear resonances controversial.
• Liturgy and practice: glosses that affect customs of Shabbat and mercy everyday.

Conclusion

Midrash Tehillim it is an anthology homiletics stratified: its core (1-118) is tardoantiguo, your supplement (119-150) medieval; it combines technical exegetical classic, parable, and ethics, and left a lasting imprint on the preaching and reading jewish Psalms.