## Rashi on Psalms Chapter 137

###### Rashi on Psalms 137:1:1
[Rashi on Psalms 137:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/137:1:1)

**עַל נַהֲרוֹת בָּבֶל שָׁם יָשַׁבְנוּ.** כְּשֶׁיָּרַדְנוּ לַגּוֹלָה, וּשְׁאָלָם נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר שֶׁיָּשִׁירוּ לוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיוּ מְשׁוֹרְרִין עַל הַדּוּכָן (פסיקתא רבתי לא):

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat** when we went down into exile, and Nebuchadnezzar asked them to sing for him as they used to sing on the stage.


###### Rashi on Psalms 137:2:1
[Rashi on Psalms 137:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/137:2:1)

**עַל עֲרָבִים.** עַרְבֵי נַחַל (ויקרא כג:מ):

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**On willows** Willows of the brook.


###### Rashi on Psalms 137:3:1
[Rashi on Psalms 137:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/137:3:1)

**וְתוֹלָלֵינוּ שִׂמְחָה.** מִינֵי כְּלֵי זֶמֶר עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהֵם תּוֹלִין (שֶׁתּוֹלִין) אוֹתָם, כָּךְ פֵּרְשׁוּ מְנַחֵם, וְתוֹלָלֵינוּ שִׂמְחָה וְתוֹלָלֵינוּ שֶׁל שִׂמְחָה. וְיֵשׁ לִפְתֹּר תּוֹלָלֵינוּ אוֹיְבֵינוּ שֶׁהֵם מְהוֹלְלִים וּמְשַׁטִּים בָּנוּ לְשׁוֹן ״וּמְהוֹלְלַי בִּי נִשְׁבָּעוּ״ (תהלים קב:ט):

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**and our tormentors mirth** Heb. ותוללינו, kinds of musical instruments that they hang up. This is how Menachem interpreted it (p. 184): וְתוֹלָלֵינוּ שמחה, and our musical instruments of joy. וְתוֹלָלֵינוּ can also be interpreted as: our enemies who would scorn and mock and joke with us, an expression of (102: 9): “those who scorn me (מהוללי) swear by me.”


###### Rashi on Psalms 137:5:1
[Rashi on Psalms 137:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/137:5:1)

**אִם אֶשְׁכָּחֵךְ יְרוּשָׁלִָם.** כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמֶרֶת כֵּן:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**If I forget you, O Jerusalem** The congregation of Israel says this.


###### Rashi on Psalms 137:6:1
[Rashi on Psalms 137:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/137:6:1)

**אִם לֹא אַעֲלֶה אֶת יְרוּשָׁלִַם.** אֶת זִכְרוֹן אֵבֶל חֻרְבָּנָהּ אַעֲלֶה לְהַזְכִּירוֹ בְּ**רֹאשׁ** כָּל **שִׂמְחָתִי** (בבא בתרא ס:):

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**If I do not bring up Jerusalem** The remembrance of the mourning of its destruction I shall bring up to mention at the head of every joyous occasion of mine.


###### Rashi on Psalms 137:7:1
[Rashi on Psalms 137:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rashi%20on%20Psalms/r/137:7:1)

**עָרוּ עָרוּ.** לְשׁוֹן חֻרְבָּן, וְכֵן ״חוֹמוֹת בָּבֶל הָרְחָבָה עַרְעֵר תִּתְעַרְעָר״ (ירמיה נא:נח), וְכֵן ״עָרוֹת יְסוֹד״ (חבקוק ג:יג). וְאֵינוֹ נוֹפֵל אֶלָּא עַל דָּבָר שֶׁעוֹקְרִין שָׁרָשָׁיו מֵהָאָרֶץ:

**The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg:**
**Raze it** Heb. עָרוּ is an expression of destruction, and so (Jer. 51:58): “The broad walls of Babylon shall be overthrown (תתערער),” and so (Hab. 3:13): “baring (ערות) the foundation.” It is used only for something whose roots are uprooted from the ground.