THE SONG OF THE BARLEY STALK
The barley stalk sings of Hashem’s attentiveness to the prayers of the poor and broken-hearted.
[Song 29] Barley Stalk (Ch. 3)
שִׁבֹּלֶת שְׂעוֹרִים אוֹמֶרֶת. תְּפִלָּה לְעָנִי כִי יַעֲטֹף וְלִפְנֵי יי יִשְׁפֹּךְ שִׂיחוֹ (תהילים קב א)
The Sheaves of Barley are saying, “A prayer of the pauper, when he swoons, and pours out his speech before Hashem.”
Commentary
The barley grain is associated with lowliness. It is bare of chaff and appears
uncovered and unprotected, resembling a poor man. It is usually grown only for
animal fodder, and not for standard human consumption. Therefore, it is not
offered in the Bais Hamikdash except to symbolize a lowly and unrefined state,
such as by the Omer offering prior the receiving of the Torah on Shavuos.
Yet, it is with this very inferiority that the barley stalk sings of the ideal stance
of prayer: humble, vulnerable, and dependent upon Hashem, like “a poor man
as he bends over, and before Hashem he pours out his supplication.”
LIVING WITH THE SONG
The lowlier a person feels, the more room he makes for Hashem. This does not imply self-effacement, but rather
recognition that all one has comes from Hashem. It appears as if we provide for ourselves but the wise and experienced
know the truth. This is illustrated in that way that one may plant seeds and then can do more other than to bend like a
poor man and pray to Hashem to provide the life-giving rain from heaven.
The highest of prayers is that of the poor man and of those that share his humble nature. Like a barley stalk that grows
unprotected, a poor man realizes clearly that he has no protection and stability in life other than Hashem. His realization
of there being none other than Hashem in his life “gives room” for Hashem to reach out to him. One who thinks his
life is all worked out and doesn’t need Hashem is sometimes taught otherwise when Hashem temporarily leaves him.
Inspirational commentary By Shmuel Ben-Tzion Kraines author of
The Song of Existence.