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How goodly are your tents, Jacob, your dwelling places, Israel! As for me, through Your abundant kindness I will enter Your House; I will prostrate myself toward Your Holy Sanctuary in awe of You. O HaShem, I love the House where You dwell, and the place where Your glory resides. I shall prostrate myself and bow; I shall kneel before HaShem my Maker. As for me, may my prayer to You, HaShem, be at an opportune time; O God, in Your abundant kindness, answer me with the truth of Your salvation. |
Mah Tovu is a mixture of verses from different places. The first is from BaMidbar 24:5, and the others are from different chapters of Tehillim (Psalms 5:8, 26:8, 95:6 (a paraphrase), and 69:14).
The theme of Mah Tovu is expressing our recognition of the great privilege we have in praying in a synagogue - a "makom kadosh" (holy place). The custom is to recite Mah Tovu as one enters the synagogue or shortly thereafter.
However, the theme of Mah Tovu also applies to the Jewish home. It is the task of every Jew to make his into a dwelling place of God on the level with a beis haknesses (synagogue).
© Eliezer C. Abrahamson
