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"A frog can say to a man, even if it be David the Singer of Psalms, that it praises God more than he does"

 

There is a midrashic exegesis to the effect that once David the King walked by the river and congratulated himself on being so full of praises of God.

A frog came forth and said: But I praise God more than you!

In connection with which a certain sage, Rabbi Zadok Hacohen, remarked:

It is not that the frog says prayers to God more than David the King, but that, since the frog has no evil impulse, but does the will of God, and only the Divine Will, in everything, its very existence is a song of praise to God and every croak expresses it.

So that a frog can say to a man, even if it be David the Singer of Psalms, that it praises God more than he does.

Because no matter how eloquent and inspired a person is, there are moments in life when a special effort is required to sing praises.

Whereas the frog is never in any such quandary.

 –Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz

 

From The Sustaining Utterance, p. 56, by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz