Ashrei - part 1

אשרי יושבי ביתך – Fortunate are those who dwell in Your house,

עוד יהללוך סלה – who still praise You continuously.

We all want to get to Olam HaBa and be considered a “ben Olam HaBa” while still in this world. The Gemara in Brachos¹ teaches us that one who says Ashrei three times a day is assured to be a ben Olam HaBa.  This clearly cannot mean mere recitation. Chazal are telling us that this reward is reserved for one who thinks deeply about what the p’sukim in Ashrei are teaching us, and as a result, strengthens his emunah in Hashem.²

"אשרי יושבי ביתך" (Fortunate are those who dwell in Your house) – While some have the privilege of physically spending most of their time in a beis midrash, most of us do not have that privilege.  David HaMelech, as a king, did not have that privilege either.  Yet, he teaches us that wherever we are, we have the opportunity to be in Hashem's House.  We are wherever our minds and hearts take us.  Whether we are walking down the street, waiting for a train, driving to work, or in the kitchen, if our minds and hearts are focused on serving Hashem, we are in fact in Hashem's House at that moment.  Whether we are thinking about who could use our help, how we can honor and uplift another with a compliment or kind word, thoughts of Torah, the mitzvah of preparing for Shabbos while in the kitchen on Erev Shabbos, we will in fact be so fortunate to be in Hashem's House.  The Chasam Sofer adds that our minds can make wherever we are into a makom kadosh.³

"עוד יהללוך סלה" (who still praise You continuously) – Those who consistently thank Hashem for the goodness in their lives, for both the large and small gifts, will be fortunate to feel that they are continuously dwelling in the House of Hashem. Through thanking Hashem on a regular basis throughout the day, we gain greater clarity into the core principle that ALL that we have is from Hashem and that we are completely dependent upon Him.  Every time we thank Him, we reinforce this belief deeper inside of us.⁴

"עוד" also means that we not only thank Hashem for what we perceive as “good” but ALSO for what we perceive as “bad.” We know that in reality ALL Hashem bestows upon us is truly good.  It may feel sweet or bitter to us, but it is in fact for our benefit.  Fortunate is one who internalizes this truth.⁵

The Gemara⁶ teaches us that one who sings Hashem's praises in this world will merit to sing them in the next world as well.  Hashem does not need our praise.  Thanking Hashem and praising Him makes us better people and brings us closer to Hashem.

^{1 ברכות ד' עמוד ב}

^{2 רבינו בחיי פרשת צו פרק ז' פסוק ל"ז}

^{3 שו"ת חתם סופר אורח חיים סימן קצ"ד}

^{4 ס' נפשי חולת אהבתך, מיוסד ע"פ רוקח א עמוד קל"ט}

^{5 ס' נפשי חולת אהבתך, מיוסד ע"פ מלביםתהלים כ:ה}

^{6 סנהדרין צא: ומהרש"א שם}