Table of Contents

Overview.................................................................................................................................................2

Prologue. Preparing for a Conversation with G-d...........................................................................3

Introduction. Structured Prayer or Informal Expression?..............................................................6

Chapter One: The Introductory Berachot of Praise.......................................................................10

Berachah 1. ‫ – אבות‬Forefathers............................................................................................10
Berachah 2. ‫ – גבורות‬G-d’s Might........................................................................................27
Berachah 3. ‫ – קדושת השם‬Holiness of G-d’s Name..........................................................38

Chapter Two: The Middle Berachot of Request.............................................................................47

Introduction to the Middle Berachot..................................................................................47
Berachah 4. ‫ – בינה‬Insight.....................................................................................................50
Berachah 5. ‫ – תשובה‬Repentance.........................................................................................55
Berachah 6. ‫ – סליחה‬Forgiveness..........................................................................................61
Berachah 7. ‫ – גאולה‬Redemption..........................................................................................65
Berachah 8. ‫ – רפואה‬Healing.................................................................................................69
Berachah 9. ‫ – ברכת השנים‬Year of Prosperity....................................................................76
Berachah 10. ‫ – קיבוץ גלויות‬Ingathering of the Exiles.......................................................84
Berachah 11. ‫ – דין‬Restoration of Justice............................................................................90
Berachah 12. ‫ – ברכת המינים‬Against Heretics.....................................................................96
Berachah 13. ‫ – צדיקים‬The Righteous................................................................................102
Berachah 14. ‫ – בנין ירושלים‬Rebuilding Jerusalem...........................................................106
Berachah 15. ‫ – מלכות בית דוד‬Davidic Reign.....................................................................115
Berachah 16. ‫ – שמע קולינו‬Acceptance of Prayer ............................................................122

Chapter Three: The Concluding Berachot of Thankfulness.......................................................126

Introduction to the Concluding Berachot........................................................................126
Berachah 17. ‫ – עבודה‬Temple Service...............................................................................128
Berachah 18. ‫ – הודאה‬Thanksgiving..................................................................................136
Berachah 19. ‫ – שלום‬Shalom..............................................................................................146

Chapter Four: Closing Prayers and Personal Requests (Elokai Netzor).....................................153

Conclusion: We Count Big-Time in G-d’s Master Plan..............................................................158

1
 The Amidah Prayer Experience Companion
Explaining the Blessings of the Shemoneh Esrei
Overview
Tefillah (prayer) is one of our most powerful spiritual connectors. In The World of Prayer (p.13), Rabbi
Eliyahu Munk, citing the Zohar, explains that the Shemoneh Esrei is the climactic moment of
tefillah. It is during this tefillah, as we stand in silent prayer in the presence of G-d, that we reach the
highest rung on the Heavenly ladder, the ‫ – עולם האצילות‬the world of pure spirit.

The wording of the Amidah, composed by Prophets and Sages, is far more profound than what
anyone today could compose. Each word of these berachot bears great importance, and we invest
valuable time expressing them and responding “amen” to their repetition daily. As such, this
handbook comes to offer insight into each of the nineteen berachot, helping us appreciate them and
heighten our overall prayer experience.

The Amidah Prayer Experience Companion is divided into three chapters that lead us through the
three main sections of the Shemoneh Esrei, as categorized by the Talmud and Rabbinic codifiers: (1)
the opening three blessings of praise, (2) the thirteen middle blessings of requests, and (3) the three
concluding blessings of thanks. Educators can print out the Companion in installments or in its
entirety to pace their classes and/or chavrutah study.

The Olami Morasha classes entitled “The Jewish View of Prayer,” “Overview of the Amidah I - The
Establishment, Structure, and Purpose of the Amidah,” and “Overview of the Amidah II - The Way
to Pray – In Thought and Action” are suggested prerequisites to this Companion. Rabbi Avraham
Edelstein’s comprehensive Commentary on the Weekday Siddur informs much of the material in
this Companion. To elucidate his Commentary, Rabbi Edelstein includes extensive quotations from
the Talmud, Rishonim and Acharonim in Hebrew footnotes; we have often incorporated both,
adding English translations to the Hebrew text.

2
 Prologue
Preparing for a Conversation with G-d
I grew up in Milwaukee, which in those days was a minor-league town. But never mind, I still loved baseball. It cost a
quarter to get in to Borchert Field.

My hero was Ted Gullic, number 22. He batted cleanup and was known as “old reliable.” After the game we would
rush down to catch the players before they went into the clubhouse and try to get an autograph. One time I actually
caught Ted Gullic and asked for his autograph. “Will you hit a home run for me tomorrow?” I asked.

Ted looked me over, noticing my yarmulke (skullcap) and said, “You pray for me, and I’ll hit for you.”

The next day I listened to the game and waited for the announcer to say, “There he goes!” hailing Ted Gullic’s homer,
but it didn’t happen. Ted got a double and a single that day, that’s all. In the postgame broadcast from the clubhouse,
called Tenth Inning, Ted said, “I tried my hardest. I guess the kid that prayed for me didn’t pray hard enough.”

I have never forgotten Ted Gullic’s reprimand. Today I pray for things much more important than a home run, such as
for sick people to get well, and since I believe in the power of prayer, I try to pray even harder. This incident was a
defining moment in my spirituality; it taught me that people do count on our prayers and that it matters to pray with
all your heart for the person who needs you. (Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski, M.D., Do Unto Others, Andrews
McMeel Publishing, pp. 163-164.)

Whether our heartfelt prayers are for others or ourselves, one thing is true: It’s all about having a
conversation with G-d. And creating dialogue with G-d takes work.

1. Rabbi Reuven Leuchter, Creating Dialogue with Hashem, pg. 7 – Because of the times
we live in, we are not used to the spiritual work that proper prayer requires.
Our day and age can aptly be described as an era of unprecedented scientific and technological
advancements. While many of these advancements have benefited mankind, they have also spoiled
us somewhat by fostering an “instant everything” mentality. We have become accustomed to getting
things instantly, from global travel and communications to microwaves and fast-food chains to
instant pain relief. Our attention span, patience and imagination have dwindled, to the point where
we mistakenly believe that the end result is infinitely more significant than the process it took to get
there.

As a result, we’ve lost the meaning of what it means to “work.” A young child growing up these days
does not know all the mechanics involved in, say, operating an elevator – he learns that by simply
pushing a button, the elevator takes him where he wants to go. This example can be taken as a
metaphor for how ignorant we are about what it means to work hard; we push buttons, and are
oblivious to the effort which should be exerted.

This is antithetical to the spiritual work ethic of Judaism. We are rewarded – and held
accountable – for the effort we exert in something, regardless of its outcome. The Mishnah (Avot
5:27) states, l’fum tza’ara agra, “the reward is given according to the effort exerted.” We are here to
work, as the verse in Iyov/Job (5:7) states, adam l’amal yulad, “man was created to toil.” The process

3
is just as important as – if not more than – the end result.

Part of this process is learning to expand our perspective.

2. Ibid., pg. 8 – Praying correctly demands that we look beyond ourselves and realize that we
are part of a larger picture.
…With the advent of so many innovations in telecommunications, it is very easy to send out
messages to anyone and everyone, harder still to hear – and listen to – what anyone else has to say.
There is such a cacophony of information out there that we don’t know how to receive the messages
intended for us – specifically, the messages G-d sends us through His world.

Meaningful prayer requires us to take some time out from our fast-paced lives, to rise above our
“me”-ness and to connect to a higher plane, and to recognize that our needs, and the role we play in
this world, are an integral part of a much larger picture: G-d’s Master Plan.

Once we see ourselves as part of a bigger picture, we can view prayer as a means to connect to G-d.

3. Ibid., pp. 9-12 – Effective prayer does not mean that our requests have been fulfilled,
rather that we have interacted with G-d.
When we insert money into a vending machine, we expect immediate results. If we’re disappointed
because the machine malfunctions, we file a complaint with the company and in response get a letter
of apology and a caseload of free drinks. We assume that prayer works in a similar fashion – we pray,
and get what we want; if we don’t, we conclude that our prayers didn’t work and that we must simply
pray harder…

This view is as limited as it is limiting because by maintaining that all we need to do is put our
requests before G-d, we are attributing much too much power to ourselves, not realizing that,
ultimately, the power is in G-d's hands, not ours. The goal of prayer is not merely to obtain the
fulfillment of our needs. Rather, the goal is to interact with G-d, which in turn will lead to personal
transformation…

When we pray, we enter into a masa u’matan, an exchange or discourse, with G-d. When we make our
requests, we state our needs from our perspective, and G-d listens. But we also relate to His
perspective and thereby come to see our own requests in a different light. It is no longer a selfish
expression of our personal needs, but a genuine dialogue with G-d. Imbued with the awareness that
G-d is interested in what we need and ask for, our prayers take on a new meaning and significance…

Prayer is a dynamic and transformational encounter with G-d, anchored in the expression of our
concrete, earthly needs and at the same time is extraordinarily elevating, allowing us to transcend our
limited realities and connect to the Divine Plan for the world. It is not merely about putting our wish
list before G-d, but is actually a dialogue taking place between us and G-d, a vehicle of open
communication, premised on the recognition that our well-being is a matter of mutual concern – our
concern and G-d's concern. Acknowledging this leads to personal transformation through prayer,
whereby we can now see ourselves and our needs as part of a much larger, infinitely more complex
picture of the world.

4
Unlike other efforts people make in order to achieve a goal, prayer has a guaranteed successful
outcome, because the goal is the connection with G-d.

4. Ibid., pp. 13 and 17 – The difference between effort and prayer.

We have many ambitions and aspirations, both in the short and long term. We exert much effort to
actualize these ambitions and aspirations and reach our goals. This often leads to a widespread error
in how we approach prayer. We tend to think of prayer as merely another type of hishtadlus, effort,
grouping it together with all the various efforts we exert in order to achieve our life’s goals.

Imagine a businessman who undertakes numerous tasks to ensure the success of his business. He
researches market opportunities, obtains expert advice, launches a marketing campaign, hires a group
of talented professionals, and so on – all the while maintaining that his greatest effort and greatest
hope lies in praying to G-d. Prayer, he asserts, is the real reason for his success. We would be
impressed by such a person – and rightfully so – for he appears to have reached a high level of faith
and a deep understanding of the power of prayer, as evidenced by the fact that he attributes more
value to the effort invested in prayer than to any other type of business acumen.

The truth, however, is that prayer and hishtadlus, effort, are not synonymous, and in fact are very
different in nature. Prayer is not in the realm of effort, and bears no resemblance to it. All the efforts
we exert in pursuing our aspirations and goals are shrouded in doubt. The nature of the world is such
that our efforts may or may not make a difference, they may or may not achieve the intended result.
In contrast, prayer is completely free of doubt; it is an act based on certainty…

Prayer…is nothing like effort which may or may not prove fruitful. Prayer has a guaranteed outcome
because G-d is interested in our needs, and wants to bestow His goodness upon us. It isn’t just
another address to approach in an effort to fulfill our needs. Prayer is engaging G-d in, so to speak, a
face-to-face dialogue – a personal and dynamic encounter. We present G-d with our requests from
our perspective. We discuss them with Him, we even argue with Him over them. In turn, G-d's
presence is evident in our lives, and when we feel His presence, the outcome will definitely be the
best possible bestowment of goodness upon us, because His ultimate desire is to bestow goodness
upon His creatures.

5. Ibid., pg. 25 – Prayer requires preparing for a meeting with G-d Who absolutely cares
about us.
Praying with such consciousness requires adequate preparation. Before praying, one needs to reflect
on the essence of the prayer experience, namely, that he has an appointment with the One Who
cares about his needs and unquestionably wants to provide for him. It is recommended that this
preparation be done by reflecting on oneself and one’s personal life rather than the usual
“textbook” learning of prayer, for prayer is an individual matter, based on one’s own life experience
and not a repetition of some standardized presentation of a wish list.

To further understand how to change prayer from a mere wish list to a dialogue with G-d, including
insight to G-d’s perspective, see Rabbi Reuven Leuchter, Creating Dialogue with Hashem.

5
 Introduction
Structured Prayer or Informal Expression?
We are about to embark on an exploration of Judaism’s most seminal prayer, the Shemoneh Esrei.
This prayer takes center stage in all three weekday prayer services, Shacharit, Minchah, and Maariv.
The first question we must address before we begin this journey is why structured prayer is
necessary in the first place. Why doesn’t Judaism tell us to pray in our own words? Why should we
repeat over and over again a standardized text written thousands of years ago? Doesn’t such rigidity
stifle the free-flow expression of our thoughts to G-d?

The truth is that both praying to G-d informally and praying to G-d within the formal structure of
the Shemoneh Esrei are encouraged. (Moreover, there is plenty of room for personalized expression
within the Shemoneh Esrei itself, as we will see.) Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler explains that the essence of
a person’s inner yearnings is considered prayer.

1. Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler, Michtav M'Eliyahu, Volume III, p. 68 – Essence of the soul is
prayer; all of one’s aspirations are expressed in prayer.
What is meant by the term nefesh? This is prayer, ‫ שנאמר ואשפוך את נפשי לפני‬,‫ זו תפלה‬,‫ומה היא הנפש‬
as it is stated, “And I will pour out my soul ‫ כל‬:‫ וביאור ענין זה‬.‫ הרי שמהות הנפש היא תפלה‬.'‫ה‬
(nafshi) before G-d” (Shmuel/Samuel I 1:15). ,‫ כי כך היא תכונת האדם‬,‫שאיפה הרי היא ממילא תפלה‬
Therefore the essence of the human soul is - ‫ששאיפתו החזקה מתבטאת בפנים לבבו וגם בשפתיו‬
prayer. And the explanation of this subject is as .‫בתפלה‬
follows: Every aspiration of a person is
intrinsically prayer because it is characteristic of a
person that any strong aspiration he has is
expressed within his heart and also by his lips in
prayer.

Consequently, even when a person speaks informally to G-d, that too is an expression of prayer.
Rabbi Berkovitz suggests that depending upon the type of person, one form or the other will be
easier for a person. Nevertheless, both means should be utilized to reach out to G-d.

2. Rabbi Yitzchok Berkovitz, The Jerusalem Kollel, Class on Real Emunah, October 2013 –
Speaking informally and praying formally to G-d.
How do you connect emotionally to your Torah and mitzvos? You can’t really connect emotionally
to your Torah and mitzvos unless you first have a relationship with G-d. Meaning, when you’re
davening (praying), you feel you’re talking to Him.

There are two approaches to developing an emotional relationship with G-d, depending on what
you’re made of. The first approach is outside of the structure of the Shemoneh Esrei – have a good
(informal) schmooze with Him. Talk your heart out. In the Shemoneh Esrei it is more difficult to do
that because you didn’t write the script. Talk to Him. I’m sure you have something to cry to Him
about, maybe even something to thank Him for. In the olden days you had to hide to do this
because people thought you were crazy (seemingly talking to yourself), but today they’ll just think
you have a Bluetooth in your ear. If you do this regularly enough, it becomes clear to you that He’s
really there. And He listens. How to catch His response is another issue.

6
For some people, they feel awkward doing that – they need something formal, within a structure or
framework. So they should learn the parts of davening, using the venue for prayer for which it was
made. The easiest part of davening to do that is Pesukei D’zimra. Sing to Him. But you have to study
it first. Ultimately, do the same with Shemoneh Esrei.

Really, a wise approach is that you can do both: you can speak to G-d informally throughout the day
and daven (pray) to Him (formally) in the Shemoneh Esrei. That is going to develop an emotional
relationship with G-d – and it really works.

When one davens the Shemoneh Esrei, following the basic format for prayer is crucial – without
this structure our minds might wander onto frivolous and trifle matters. The Shemoneh Esrei keeps
us focused on matters of eternal importance. Most importantly, they were redacted with prophetic
knowledge and Divine wisdom.

3. Rabbi Yitzchok Kirzner and Lisa Aiken, The Art of Jewish Prayer, pg. 10 – The prayers in
the Amidah are of eternal, universal relevance for the Jewish people.
When the Men of the Great Assembly redacted the prayers of the Amidah, they did so with
prophetic knowledge and Divine wisdom. This granted them the ability to see what would happen
to the Jewish people throughout history until the time when the Mashiach (Messiah) would come.
This foreknowledge allowed them to compose the prayers that Jews would need to say in all future
generations in order to maintain their vital connection with G-d, both individually and as a nation.
They were able to discern, in ways that we frequently are not, what Jews in every generation would
require in order to flourish emotionally, intellectually, materially and spiritually.

Additionally, we might struggle to formulate the precise thoughts we wish to express, whereas a
standardized text provides a springboard for our own expression. As Rambam writes, “The fixed
prayer was established to enable those who had difficulty expressing themselves, to pray with
clarity.”

Furthermore, we must not forget that the words of the Shemoneh Esrei were composed by no
ordinary people. The composers of the prayer’s text were great sages, some of them even prophets.
Focusing upon these holy words, we have the opportunity to delve into their meaning and find our
own deepest thoughts there below the surface.

4. Rabbi Chaim Volozhin, Nefesh HaChaim, pp. 327-328 (See also Ruach Chayim 1:2.) –
The wording of the Amidah, composed by Prophets and Sages, is far more profound than
what anyone today could recite.
Our Divine service today consists of prayer ‫ והדברים‬,‫ במקום זבח ומנחה‬,‫עבודתנו היא רק התפלה‬
instead of sacrifices. Prayer stands at the most ‫ וכל תבה ותבה עולה למקום‬.‫עומדים ברומו של עולם‬
exalted place of the universe, and each word ‫ ומהם כמה‬,‫ וכי לא לחנם ק”ך זקנים‬....‫גבוה מעל גבוה‬
rises to an exceedingly high place… For this ‫ שתהיה‬,‫ על אופן‬,‫ ותקנוה‬,‫ המה כוונו בה‬...‫נביאים יסדוה‬
important purpose, 120 elders, among them ‫ כל אחד מתפלל כפי‬,‫ וכל איש ישראל‬.‫הכל כלול בה‬
several prophets, composed it… They put ...‫הבנתו‬
particular kavanot (intentions) into the prayers
and established them in such a manner that
everything would be included in them, so that

7
each Jewish person may pray according to his
understanding.

From the day the prayers were established, the ‫ לא היה בעולם ב’ תפלות שיעשו רושם‬,‫מיום שנתקנה‬
world has not seen two similar prayers that have ‫ כי משונה בזה תפלת‬,’‫ ושיעלו למדרגה א‬,‫שוה למעלה‬
had the identical effect Above and risen to the .‫ והכל תלוי בתבות אלו‬,‫היום מתפלת אתמול כי יעבר‬
same level. For today’s prayer is different from .‫ולכך הוצרך נבואה לזה‬
that of yesterday, and everything is dependent
on these words [which were fixed for us for
every prayer]. Therefore, prophecy was necessary
for this.

5. Rabbi Avraham Edelstein, Commentary on the Weekday Siddur, Ner Le’Elef Books, pg. 4
– Prophecy and Ruach Hakodesh (Divine Inspiration) enabled the Great Assembly to
establish the prayers.
The Nefesh HaChaim reveals to us the incredible depth of meaning contained within the prayers of
the Siddur. It is true that we have many commentaries and explanations written by the Rishonim
through to the Arizal, who revealed to us an amazing depth of the meaning of the prayers, and we
are fortunate to understand something of what they have written. But all of their explanations are
but a drop in the ocean compared to the true depth that the Men of the Great Assembly inserted
into the prayers. For there were 120 of these Sages, all of them with deep understanding and several
of them prophets. No one man could ever have achieved their wondrous and awesome achievement
to include and embed in the format of a permanent and orderly single version of prayer all the
tikunim (spiritual impact) of all the upper and lower worlds and all the contents of the Holy Chariot
in such a way that every time one prays one causes new tikunim and effects changes in the order and
forces of the universe.

The Sages of the Great Assembly had to take into account that from the time they made these
prayers until the coming of Mashiach, no prayer would ever be repeated in exactly the same way.
Each person is different every time of the day and every day of the year. Our moods are different;
our needs and our spiritual level are different as well. Therefore, any time we wouldn’t fully capture
the potential of that moment through the prayers would be lost forever.

Knowing all of this, it was only possible for the Sages to make fixed prayers because of the high
levels of prophecy and Ruach HaKodesh which they merited to have at that time. It was literally a
case of G-d placing in their mouths the specific words of the prayers with all the tikunim embedded
within them.

Our words may be the same every time we recite the Shemoneh Esrei, but no two prayers are ever
the same. The thoughts and feelings that we allow these berachot to evoke and the meaning we
invest within them will be different every time. The goal of this handbook is to explain the structure
and meaning of the weekday Amidah, in order to help us express ourselves through the ancient and
holy words of the Shemoneh Esrei. (For more insight into why prayer became standardized with the
flexibility of personal expression and requests, see the Morasha shiurim on “The Jewish View of
Prayer,” Section IV, Part A. and “Overview of the Amidah I - The Establishment, Structure, and
Purpose of the Amidah,” Sections I and IV.)

8
“Shemoneh Esrei” means eighteen, in reference to the original eighteen blessings of which this
prayer is composed. Since numbers are not considered arbitrary in Judaism, it is worthwhile to
examine why the composers of this most significant prayer chose to establish eighteen blessings.
The Gemara cites three parallels: 1) In Tehillim (Psalms) 29, King David mentioned G-d’s Name
eighteen times, 2) The Shema also mentions G-d’s Name eighteen times, and 3) The spinal column
contains eighteen vertebrae. (The nineteenth blessing, which was added later in Jewish history when
many heretic factions had proliferated, will be discussed in its place.)

Getting Started: Taking Three Steps Forward:

Each time we stand up to pray the Shemoneh Esrei, we first take three steps back, beginning with
the left foot, and then three steps forward, beginning with the right foot, modeling ourselves after
Yehuda (Judah) who boldly approached Yosef (Joseph) in Egypt, in order to protect his younger
brother, Binyomin (Benjamin). The commentators explain that we are demonstrating our wish to
imitate Yehuda, who taught us that when there is an issue that needs to be taken care of, one must
step forward. Furthermore, the Rokeach explains that the steps forward relate to the Hebrew word
‫ויגש‬, to approach, which appears three times in Tanach:

6. Ibid., pg. 116 – Taking three steps forward is based on Avraham, Yehuda and Eliyahu
HaNavi (Abraham, Judah and Elijah the Prophet).
Three times a day, at the beginning of each Shemoneh Esrei, we take Yehuda’s step as one of three,
illustrating that his step was not only towards Yosef but provides us with a permanent model of
how to approach spiritual greatness at the same time.

The Rokeach points out that the word vayigash, to approach, appears three times in Tanach. Each one
involves an appeal:

a- Avraham appeals to G-d to save the people of Sedom (Bereishit/Genesis 15:23)

b- Yehuda appeals to Yosef not to take Binyamin into captivity (Bereishit 42:18)
c- Eliyahu on Har HaCarmel: (Melachim I: Chapter 18)
Each one of these three approaches gives us another foundational principal of prayer:
a- Avraham Avinu teaches us that we have to daven even for evil people;
b- Yehuda teaches us that all Jews are responsible for one another, and that this principle must be
reflected also in our davening;
c- Eliyahu HaNavi teaches us that we have to daven for Kiddush Hashem, sanctifying the Name of
G-d, i.e. we need to realize that even Kiddush Hashem, which seems dependent on our actions,
comes from G-d. He gives us the strength and inspiration to go through with such an act to begin
with.

Each one of these three learned from the previous one and added a dimension. Each one added an
approach:

Yehuda learned from Avraham Avinu to take responsibility for others, but he added that it is not
only the Gadol HaDor (the leader of the generation, i.e., Avraham Avinu) who is responsible; rather,
we are all responsible for one another. (Eliyahu learned from Avraham and Yehuda but added that,
ultimately, when we take responsibility for each other, it is rooted in the responsibility we are taking
to produce Kiddush Hashem in the world.)

9
 Chapter One
The Introductory Berachot of Praise
The nineteen blessings of the Amidah are divided into three sections: praise, requests, and thanks.
The Talmud (Berachot 34a) states that in the first three blessings we liken ourselves to a servant
praising his master (upon whom he is dependent for everything) before he dares request anything
from him (which are the middle blessings). In the last three blessings we act like a servant thanking
his master for what he has received (or with complete confidence that the master will fulfill his
requests) and then taking leave of him.

As we begin reciting the Shemoneh Esrei, we recognize that without G-d’s assistance, it is
impossible to accomplish anything in life, let alone pray to G-d.

)‫יז‬:‫שפָתַ י תִּ פְׂתָ ח ּופִּי יַגִּיד תְׂ ִּהלָתֶ ָך (תהילים נא‬

ְׂ ‫אֲדֹנָי‬
My G-d, open my lips so my mouth may declare Your praise. (Tehillim/Psalms 51:17)

Rabbi Avraham Chaim Feuer, Shemoneh Esrei (ArtScroll), pg. 40 – The key to effective
prayer.
This introductory verse is the key to effective, successful prayer. It did not appear in the original
version of the Amidah, because in earlier generations even simple Jews were capable of
concentrating intensely on their prayers. However, with the passage of time people paid less and less
attention to G-d throughout the workday, and so they had to struggle to focus their minds on Him
at prayer time. Therefore, the Sages of later times inserted this verse from Psalms as a special prayer
to be able to pray (Kedushas Levi, Parshas Va’eschanan).

Berachah 1. ‫( אבות‬Avot) – Forefathers

‫ הָּ אֵ ל הַ גָּדֹול הַ גִבֹור‬.‫ וֵאֹלהֵ י יַעֲ ק ֹב‬.‫ אֱ ֹלהֵ י יִצְ חָּ ק‬.‫ אֱ ֹלהֵ י ַאבְ ָּרהָּ ם‬.‫בָּ רּוְך אַ תָּ ה יקוק אֱ ֹלהֵ ינּו וֵאֹלהֵ י אֲ בֹותֵ ינּו‬
‫ ּומֵ בִ יא גֹואֵ ל לִ בְ נֵי בְ נֵיהֶ ם לְ מַ עַ ן שְ מֹו‬.‫ וְזֹוכֵ ר חַ סְ דֵ י ָאבֹות‬.‫ וְקֹונֵה הַ כֹל‬.‫ גֹומֵ ל חֲ סָּ דִ ים טֹו בִ ים‬.‫ּנֹורא אֵ ל עֶ לְ יֹון‬
ָּ ַ‫וְה‬
:‫בְ ַאהֲ בָּ ה‬
:‫ מָּ גֵן ַאבְ ָּרהָּ ם‬.‫ בָּ רּוְך אַ תָּ ה יְהֹוָּה‬:‫מֶ לֶ ְך עֹוזֵר ּומֹושִ יעַ ּומָּ גֵן‬
Blessed are You, L-rd, our G-d and G-d of our forefathers, G-d of Avraham, G-d of Yitzchak, and G-d of Yaakov;
the Great, Mighty, and Awesome G-d, the Supreme G-d, Who bestows beneficial kindnesses and creates everything,
Who recalls the kindnesses of the Patriarchs and brings a Redeemer to their children’s children, for His Name’s sake,
with love.
O King, Helper, Savior, and Shield. Blessed are You, G-d, Shield of Avraham.

We begin the Shemoneh Esrei by invoking the names of our forefathers, the founding fathers of the
Jewish religion: Avraham (Abraham), Yitzchak (Isaac), and Yaakov (Jacob).

10
Part A. ‫ – אֱ ֹלהֵינּו וֵאֹלהֵי ֲאבֹותֵ ינּו‬Our G-d and G-d of Our Forefathers

Why was this berachah (blessing), which focuses on the forefathers, designated to introduce the
Shemoneh Esrei?

1. Rabbi Avraham Chaim Feuer, Shemoneh Esrei (ArtScroll), pg. 53 – We must relate to G-d
in two ways, with our own intellect and through our received heritage.
Our G-d and the G-d of our forefathers. First we call Him our G-d because we are obligated to serve and
know Him to our fullest capacity. But there is much about His ways that we cannot understand. In
response to this lack of clarity we proclaim that He is the G-d of our forefathers, and we have complete
faith in the tradition they have transmitted (Dover Shalom). Similarly, the Israelites sang G-d’s praise
after witnessing the wondrous splitting of the Sea of Reeds: This is my G-d and I shall praise Him, the
G-d of my father and I shall exalt Him (Exodus 15:2).

While it is important to relate to G-d as our own personal G-d, the focus of this introductory
blessing is clearly on the heritage of our forefathers. Why is the connection to our ancestors so
important that they need to be mentioned at the outset of the Amidah prayer?

Relating to G-d in a personal way as a descendant of our Avot has a long history. When our
ancestors sang to G-d in appreciation of the Splitting of the Sea they mentioned this connection.

2. Shemot (Exodus) 15:2 with Commentary of Rashi – The Jewish people crossing the sea
refer to G-d as the “G-d of my father.”
My strength and song is G-d, and this is my ‫עזי וזמרת יה ויהי לי לישועה זה אלי ואנוהו אלהי אבי‬
deliverance; This is my G-d and I will glorify :‫וארממנהו‬
Him, the G-d of my father and I will exalt Him.

The G-d of my father: I am not the beginning of the ‫ אלא מוחזקת ועומדת‬,‫ לא אני תחלת הקדושה‬,‫אלהי אבי‬
sanctity [i.e., I am not the first to recognize His :‫לי הקדושה ואלהותו עלי מימי אבותי‬
sanctity], but the sanctity has been established
and has remained with me, and His Divinity has
been upon me since the days of my forefathers.
— [from Mechilta]

3. Rabbi Zev Leff, Shemoneh Esrei, pg. 21 – We must relate to G-d in light of our Jewish
heritage.
The function of the introductory praise of G-d before commencing our supplications is to acquaint
ourselves with G-d, to be able to recognize and appreciate to Whom we are directing our prayer.
This recognition begins with our Avot and their relationship with G-d. At the Red Sea, where Bnei
Yisrael came to a profound recognition of G-d and declared, “This is my G-d, and I will glorify
Him,” they immediately continued with “the G-d of my father, and I will extol Him.” Rashi explains
that this implies that the recognition of this greatness did not begin with me, but rather is a tradition
that began with my forefathers. Any authentic appreciation of G-d, any genuine relationship with
Him, cannot be removed from the context of the unbroken chain of Jewish history and tradition.
Hence, Avot forms the foundation of our Amidah.

Even G-d refers to Himself as the G-d of the Avot. That is how He tells us we should refer to Him.

11
4. Shemot 3:15 – G-d says He should be addressed as the G-d of the Avot.
And G-d then said to Moshe, “So shall you say ‫ויאמר עוד אלהים אל משה כה תאמר אל בני ישראל יקוק‬
to the Children of Israel, ‘The L-rd G-d of your ‫אלהי אבתיכם אלהי אברהם אלהי יצחק ואלהי יעקב‬
forefathers, the G-d of Abraham, the G-d of :‫שלחני אליכם זה שמי לעלם וזה זכרי לדר דר‬
Isaac, and the G-d of Jacob, has sent me to you.’
This is My Name forever, and this is how I
should be mentioned in every generation.”

5. Mechiltah, Parshat Bo – G-d tells Moshe that the Jewish people should address Him as
the G-d of the forefathers.
From where do we derive that we must say, ‫ומנין שאומרים ברוך אתה יי אלהינו ואלהי אבותינו אלהי‬
“Blessed are You, G-d, our G-d and G-d of our ‫אברהם אלהי יצחק ואלהי יעקב שנאמר ויאמר עוד אלהים‬
fathers, G-d of Abraham, G-d of Isaac, and G-d ‫אל משה כה תאמר אל בני ישראל ה’ אלהי אבותיכם אלהי‬
of Jacob”? From the following verse: G-d then ‫אברהם אלהי יצחק ואלהי יעקב ]שלחני אליכם זה שמי‬
said to Moshe, “So shall you say to the Children .)‫לעלם וזה זכרי לדר דר[ (שמות ג טו‬
of Israel, ‘The L-rd G-d of your forefathers, the
G-d of Abraham, the G-d of Isaac, and the G-d
of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My Name
forever, and this is how I should be mentioned
in every generation.” (Shemot 3:15).

As we mentioned above, the first three blessings of the Amidah come to offer praise to G-d before
we express our requests of Him. But how is this berachah in which we call upon the names of the
Avot considered praising G-d? What aspect of G-d are we praising by calling Him “the G-d of our
forefathers”?

6. Rabbi Yitzchak of Volozhin, Peh Kadosh – By invoking the Avot we are praising G-d for
the kindness He showed them.
Imagine a pauper who is ignorant of Torah. His ‫משל לעני אחד ע״ה גדול שהולך בבגדים קרועים ובלוים‬
clothes are old and tattered and he also is ‫שפרחה בו הצרעת ותגדל עניו מאד וירא איש עשיר אחד‬
suffering illness. In the pauper’s hometown lives ‫וילך אליו ויבקש מאתו כי ישכור בעדו מלמד ללמדו תורה‬
a very wealthy and generous man, but the pauper ‫ורופאים לרפאותו מצרעתו ויען העשיר ויאמר מה לך ולי‬
is afraid to approach him for help. “How can I ‫ אבל‬.‫כי באת אלי הכי קרובי אתה בן משפחתי או מחותני‬
ask him to hire a teacher for me so that I can ‫ הן אתה‬.‫אם כה ידבר אליו העני אז יהיו דבריו נשמעים‬
learn Torah? How can I ask him to pay for a ‫אדוני זה דרכך לעשות צדקה וחסד וגם לאבי ולזקיני‬
doctor to cure my illness, and for new clothes ‫עשית טובות רבות ועצומות ע״כ בקשתי מרוב טובך‬
and my other needs? He is liable to answer that .‫שתעשה גם עמדי אות לטובה‬
he is not my relative, and I should first seek help
from members of my family!” Chances for a
positive response are greater if the pauper
introduces his request by saying, “I have heard
that it is in your nature to open your hand to the
needy and generously supplied their needs. In
many ways, you helped my father and my
grandfather. I respectfully request that you
continue with such heartfelt kindness and help
me, as well, in my difficult times.”

12
The meaning of the verse: “So shall you say to ‫וזה שאמר הכתוב כה תאמר לבני ישראל אלהי אבותיכם‬
the Children of Israel, ‘The L-rd G-d of your .‫אלהי אברהם וגו׳ זה שמי לעולם וזה זכרי לדור דור‬
forefathers, the G-d of Abraham...’ this is My ‫פירוש כשאדם רוצה שיזכר שמי עליו ושאעשה בקשתו‬
Name forever, and this is how I should be ‫יזכיר לפני שמי זה לאמר שאני האלהים שעשיתי חסד עם‬
mentioned in every generation,” is that when ‫אבותיו ובכל דור ודור כשמתפללים לפני יזכירו זכות‬
someone wants My Name to be mentioned in .‫אבות‬
connection to him, and that I should fulfill his
request, he should mention this Name in prayer,
saying that I am the G-d Who was kind to his
forefathers. In every generation people should
mention the merit of the forefathers in their
prayers to me.

Part B. The G-d of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov

The institution of structured prayer was based on two sources: 1) the establishment of the prayers by
the Avot, and 2) as a replacement for the Tamid (daily) sacrifices which ceased after the destruction
of the Second Temple. In the beginning of our discussion of Berachah 19 below, the Temple
Service, we will explain the significance of the establishment of prayer by the Avot and the
relationship between prayer and avodah (sacrifices). Here, we specifically explore how understanding
and identifying with the spiritual accomplishments of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov are key to
utilizing the Amidah to communicate one’s needs to G-d and to actualize one’s personal mission.

1. Rabbi Avraham Chaim Feuer, Shemoneh Esrei (Artscroll), pg. 51, 55 – Each of the Avot
perfected a unique path to G-d.
The mission of the Avot was to attract mankind to G-d’s service, and each Patriarch had a unique
approach. Abraham showered people with hospitality to give them a taste of G-d’s boundless
lovingkindness. Isaac trembled in incessant prayer and penitence and gave mankind a glimpse of
G-d’s awesomeness. Jacob was profoundly scrupulous in revealing G-d’s attribute of truth.

Abraham represents chesed (kindness), the desire to seek out the welfare of others. Such a person
takes G-d Himself as his role-model and, like the Creator, desires to give and share everything he
possesses. This trait is similar to mercy, but there is a difference between the two terms. The merciful
person is aroused to help only after he learns of another’s suffering. The chesed-oriented person, on
the other hand, is self-motivated, constantly searching for new opportunities to benefit others. The
merciful person seeks merely to solve problems and alleviate suffering. The kind person wants to help
every man achieve success and good fortune, even if he has not been suffering.

Isaac represents the attribute of gevurah, strength, or as it is often called, “fear” of G-d. Whereas
Abraham’s service was outwardly directed, Isaac’s mission was internal. Such a person is driven by a
fear of transgression and a powerful drive for self-perfection. Isaac constantly subjected his every
deed and desire to an exacting standard of purity and excellence.

Jacob dedicated himself to the characteristic of truth, which seeks to combine chesed and gevurah,
kindness and strength, in the proper balance. Indulgent kindness and love can lead to undesirable

13
excess, while self-critical strength can lead to stifling despair. The man of truth finds the middle course
between these two extremes, creating a harmonious mixture.

What do the Avot have to do with our prayers?

2. Rabbi Noson Weisz, Prayer Works, pg. 99 – Identifying with the Avot is the first of two
pillars of prayer.
Identifying with the Patriarchs is fundamental to our relationship with G-d. It is one of the pillars
that uphold the efficacy of our prayers, for it is through the efforts of the Avot that the channels of
prayer were opened. The Talmud hints at this concept when it informs us, “The prayers were
established (tiknum) by the Patriarchs” (Berachot 26b). The rough translation of the word tiknum as
“established” omits an important nuance of the Hebrew word’s meaning.

Tiknum is a verb form of the word tikun, which can mean to repair something that is broken or, as
more commonly used, it can mean rabbinic ordinances, called takanos. The latter meaning actually
draws from the same root as the first, since rabbinic ordinances are intended to maintain the Jewish
nation in good repair. As used in the Talmudic passage, the word tiknum refers to the first meaning.
The Avot did not issue an ordinance mandating prayer. Rather, they repaired the disrupted
connection with the Almighty through which prayer flows (interrupted by the generations after
Adam HaRishon who either defied G-d or were misguided by pursuing avodah zarah - idol worship).

All prayer is based on relationship. Unlike Psalms, the Amidah is based on our relationship with the
Almighty as subjects of Malchus Shamayim (Kingdom of Heaven). We have crowned Him King, but
He does not relate to us solely in that role, for He is called Avinu Malkeinu – our Father, our King.
He doesn’t just rule as a monarch, but rather, He listens to our pleas as a Father. He is a King, but a
loving King Whose power defines His relationship with us and provides the governing principle of
His Malchus. Nevertheless, we still call upon Him as our King, and in doing so, we acknowledge that
He not only has the loving desire to help us, but the limitless power to do so.

This loving relationship between G-d and the Avot preceded the establishment of Malchus Shamayim,
and is in fact the foundation upon which the Malchus was built. From what does this love spring? A
hint of its essence is revealed when G-d decides to disclose to Abraham His plans to destroy the
sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah:

“And G-d said, ‘Shall I conceal from Abraham what I do, now that Abraham is surely to become a great and mighty
nation, and all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by him? For I have loved him, because he commands his
children and his household after him that they keep the ways of G-d, doing charity and justice in order that G-d might
then bring upon Abraham that which He had spoken of him’” (Genesis 18:17-20).

Avraham’s spiritual accomplishments created our capacity to achieve them as well.

3. Ibid., pp. 101-102 – The paradigm of Avraham enables us to influence G-d in running the
world.
G-d loves Abraham, the individual, but G-d’s reasoning for including Abraham in this momentous
decision is that “he commands his children and his household after him.” In cultivating the next
generation’s relationship with G-d, Abraham demonstrates that he considers the relationship to be
everlasting. He devotes his life to ensuring that this unique bond will endure long after Abraham, the

14
mortal man, has left the world.

To establish everlasting relationships that can change the world in a permanent way, we must teach
our children to carry on the tasks that we only have time to begin during our brief life span.
Abraham’s commitment to teach his children G-d’s ways is much more than a normal parental
desire to raise fine, upright, and moral children; it is essential to the relationship he wants to
establish with G-d.

The exchange between Abraham and G-d regarding the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
provides a paradigm for the way our daily prayers function. The striking characteristic of this
exchange is that the omnipotent, eternal G-d consults a mere mortal – Abraham – about his
decision to destroy the cities, and more outrageous still, this mere mortal fights like a lion in
opposition to G-d’s decision:

Abraham came forward and said, “Will You then obliterate the righteous with the wicked? Perhaps
there are fifty righteous people in the midst of the city; would You then obliterate and not spare the
place for the sake of the fifty righteous people who are within it? It would be sacrilege for You to do
such a thing, to bring death upon the righteous with the wicked; so the righteous will be like the
wicked. It would be sacrilege to You! Shall the Judge of all the earth not do justice?” (Ibid, 23-25).
How could Abraham, the great believer, have called G-d’s wisdom into question? Because Abraham
was the first person since Adam to fully recognize himself as a tzelem Elokim (created in the image of
G-d), along with all that title entails, he also realized that G-d had endowed human beings with the
power to exercise a certain amount of input into Divine decisions before they are executed.

4. Ibid., pp. 102-103 – The license to express ourselves in the Amidah flows from our being
descendants of Avraham.
Had the Almighty made a unilateral decision to destroy Sodom, and Abraham had read about it in
the next day’s newspaper, he would have accepted the decision with perfect faith that it reflected the
ultimate wisdom. Before that point, however, man as G-d’s partner in the running of the world, has
a say. This is all the more so when G-d Himself comes to consult man regarding His decision.
Abraham was essentially saying, “Since You asked me for my opinion, I have to tell You that I am
opposed.”

The remainder of the passage is a record of a breathtaking bargaining session. In the end, the
Almighty agrees to all of Abraham’s demands and requests for mercy. He will not carry out the edict
of destruction unless all of Abraham’s conditions are fully met, for He wants Abraham to accept His
decision as perfectly just.

It is this same license to influence G-d’s running of the world that defines the purpose of the
Amidah and makes it the essential and powerful prayer that it is. Although G-d does not come to
consult us regarding His decisions, as He did Abraham, He solicits our input. This He does by
commanding us to pray. Through the specific supplications we are commanded to recite within the
context of the Amidah, we express our opinions to G-d about what this world needs in order to run.
We utilize the license G-d has granted us out of His love for Abraham. It is a license that never
expires, because Abraham’s commitment to G-d extends throughout the generations of his
descendants, whom he “commanded after him.”

15
5. Ibid., pp. 104-105 – Reciting the Amidah acknowledges Divine guidance of the world and
is our input into G-d’s decision-making.
Although we do indeed ask for practical, personal benefits when we recite the Amidah, the purpose
of those petitions is to acknowledge that G-d is the sole source of everything we need, and that His
Hashgachah Pratit – Divine supervision of every facet of life – is the sole cause of everything that
happens.

We – Abraham’s children – have a job to do, which is to perform our generation’s part in perfecting
the world, and our prayers to G-d are the only way we can acquire all we need to complete the task.
We are commanded to pray as a means of guaranteeing us input into the Almighty’s decision-making
process, and thereby fulfilling our Divinely appointed role.

6. Ibid., pp. 130-132, 137 – Tefillah is the means to activate Divine Guidance, which will
provide the resources necessary to enable our personal Tikun Olam.
The world as we now know it is called Olam Hazeh – This World. The world as it will be when the
Almighty’s chesed is able to pour forth upon it without limit is called Olam Haba – the World to
Come. We know that the pain and evil present in Olam Hazeh are necessary tools in G-d’s plan to
create a relationship with the tzelem Elokim based on free choice...

Our task in life is to draw fresh Divine energy into this world by penetrating the iron curtain of
“Mother Nature” and choosing to acknowledge and call upon G-d as the Master of the Universe.
This is the work of tikun haolam – repairing the broken world of Olam Hazeh.

Each time we ignore and reject the attraction of evil, pierce the veil of G-d’s concealment, and apply
our energies to reconnecting the physical world to its spiritual source, we accomplish this task in a
small way. Our effort brings a new supply of chesed into the universe, healing its wounds and filling
its voids. As we gradually draw the unobstructed flow of fresh chesed energy into Olam Hazeh, we
provide the remedy for the problems built into it, helping to transform it into Olam Haba...

Olam Haba is not a destination somewhere beyond. It is here, where we stand, we must build it
from the raw material of Olam Hazeh by constantly seeking to enrich and uplift our physical world
with fresh supplies of Divine chesed. The greater our effort, the greater is the flow of chesed, and
the closer the world comes to reaching complete tikun haolam...

If Olam Hazeh comprises the building materials for Olam Haba, then it is clear that the size and
quality of this eternal structure depends on the size and quality of the materials we are allotted for
the job. Tefillah is the means by which we requisition these supplies.

Tefillah activates Hashgachah Pratit, the Divine Providence with which G-d orchestrates each
individual’s life. Each person’s prayers are answered according to his individual needs for his unique
task in life. One who is using those resources to carry out his assigned tikun haolam receives from
G-d all he needs to do the job.

What is meant by the expression Elokei Yitzchak, the G-d of Isaac? Elokei Yitzchak, the G-d of Isaac,
represents full, wholehearted dedication of oneself to fulfilling one’s purpose. This is symbolized by
the Akeidah, or the sacrifice of Isaac, when Isaac was fully aware and agreeable to the mission.

16
7. Ibid., pp. 139-140 – Elokei Yitzchak enables us to plead our case before having achieved
tikun haolam.
Isaac symbolizes the idea of dedicating everything you are, totally and without reservation, to the
accomplishment of your assigned task. When Isaac was a young man of 36, with his entire life
ahead of him, his father Abraham informed him that the Almighty wanted Isaac to sacrifice his life.
Isaac not only consented to surrender his life, he consented with utter joy.

What was the source of his joy? It was so clear to Isaac that the only purpose of life in Olam Hazeh
was to accomplish his assigned tikun haolam that he delighted in the news that he had already
accomplished his task and G-d was ready to receive him into Olam Haba. In fact, he understood
that his tikun was this very episode – his demonstration of a human being’s willingness to give up
his life at the Almighty’s command.

Isaac was the perfect exemplar of this principle, for he was a person of such quality, influence, and
lineage that he might easily have felt that his death would set back, rather than advance, G-d’s goals
for the world. He had been sent into this world equipped for the exalted position of the second
Patriarch of Judaism. Nevertheless, the moment the Almighty directed him to play a different role,
he dropped his other aspirations. Only he could successfully demonstrate that the purpose of life
was not to actualize one’s ambition, no matter how lofty and seemingly virtuous, but to accomplish
one’s assigned tikun.

This gives Isaac unique moral authority to plead the case of one who has not yet achieved the tikun
haolam the Almighty expects of him. It is as if Isaac were saying to G-d, “For your sake, I was
willing to give up my expectations for my own life’s achievements, and I am only a man. Surely You,
the Almighty, can defer Your expectations of Your children’s achievements.”

Through the channel established by Isaac, we can come before G-d and offer our side of the
argument; we are trying, but we are imperfect, and our lives are beset by pain and confusion.
Through Isaac, we are able to plead that our case be considered with understanding and mercy, with
the focus on the obstacles we face rather than on the talents we were given.

The Almighty is called Elokei Yitzchak because when we interact with Him in His aspect of din
(judgment), we do it through Isaac. Isaac’s perfect manifestation of the meaning of din opened the
channel that allows us to request our daily needs from G-d even though we rarely make perfect use
of what we are given. Once Isaac made his mark on the world, G-d no longer made unilateral
decisions regarding din. Rather, He listens to our side of the story before deciding how much chesed
we deserve to receive.

What is meant by the expression Elokei Yaakov, the G-d of Jacob?

8. Rabbi Noson Weisz, Prayer Works, pp. 146-147, 159 – Prayer demonstrates that we accept
the model of Divine Providence epitomized by Jacob.
Elokei Yaakov describes the relationship to Hashgachah Pratit that Jacob epitomizes. We must be
able to discern G-d’s hand in the events of our lives if we are to remain focused on the spiritual
realities that operate behind the scenes to create our physical reality. Through the revelation of the
Divine Presence that is designated by the name Elokei Yaakov, we avoid being sidetracked by cause-
and-effect thinking, and turn our attention instead to the issues that truly determine the outcome of

17
our efforts...

To help us to successfully engage with hashgachah, the Almighty gave us two spiritual tools. These
are emunah – belief in G-d – and bitachon, the willingness to entrust one’s life to His hands. The
greater one’s emunah and bitachon, the more clearly one sees G-d’s hand operating behind the
scenes. Hashgachah is visible to the person who believes in it, for the Almighty has no need to hide
from someone who already lives with an awareness of His presence. To the person who lacks
emunah and bitachon, however, hashgachah is nearly invisible.

Nevertheless, every member of the Jewish people comes into the world with the seed of emunah
already implanted within him. We are fully formed in the Almighty’s image (tzelem Elokim) and
therefore, the knowledge of His existence is an integral part of our self-awareness. We need not
create our emunah from scratch; we must merely labor to nurture it and bring it to full bloom...
When we pray, we display our acceptance that the principle of hashgachah determines every aspect
of our lives. While one may not have arrived at the spiritual level to perceive hashgachah in every
instance, our tefillah proves that we accept that this is the way the world operates. By reaching out to
G-d to request what we need, we prove that we know He is the source of it all. Our prayers travel
along the other side of the two-way bridge built by Jacob (symbolized by the ladder in
Bereishit/Genesis 28:12). G-d’s message comes to us in hashgachah, and our opinion of what we
need to respond to His hashgachah goes back to Him through tefillah. Without the attributes of
Elokei Yaakov, the act of prayer would be a futile exercise.

Now that we have seen the importance of tapping into the spiritual accomplishments of the
forefathers, which helps us focus on communicating our needs to G-d via the Amidah, we can ask a
further question: Why does the Amidah repeat the phrase “G-d of” for each of the Avot rather than
simply stating, “the G-d of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov?”

If the purpose of these words was to communicate that each one of these three generations of Avot
faithfully served G-d, then indeed it would have been enough to write: “the G-d of Avraham,
Yitzchak, and Yaakov.” But the full expression as we have it comes to teach us that each one of the
Avot approached G-d from a different angle. Each one had a relationship with G-d which started
from his own unique personality and character – and yet each, despite his different starting point,
achieved a holistic perspective of G-d.

9. Rabbi Meir Eisenstadt, Panim Meirot 1:39 (Translation by Yissachar Dov Rubin, Talelei
Orot Prayer Anthology, Volume II, pg. 629) – Each of the Avot found his own way to G-d.
Why is the word “G-d” repeated? Why not say it ’‫למה אנו אומרי’ אלהי אברהם אלהי יצחק ואלהי יעקב ג‬
just once – “G-d of Avraham, Yitzchak and ‫פעמי’ אלהי והי’ סגי בפעם אחד לומר אלהי אברהם‬
Yaakov?” ?‫יצחק‬

The answer lies in the instructions that Dovid ‫אמרתי להשיב לך טעמו של דבר ע”פ נגלה דהא מצינו‬
HaMelech (King David) gave to his son, Shlomo ‫דאמר דוד לבנו בדברי הימי’ סי’ כ”ח פסוק ט’ ואתה‬
(Solomon). We read (Divrei HaYamim/ ‫שלמה בני דע את אלהי אביך ועבדהו הפירוש הפשוט‬
Chronicles 1:28:9), “And you, Shlomo, my son, ‫שאין לאדם להאמין באלוה מצד מנהג אבותיו כי זה מנהג‬
know the G-d of your father, and serve Him ‫האומות אלא מצד החקירה ע”פ תורתינו הקדושה שהוא‬
wholeheartedly, with a soul full of desire.” A Jew ‫אל הבורא יתברך ויתעלה שמו ולכך אמר דע את אלקי‬
is not to believe in G-d simply because his father .‫אביך מצד החקירה‬

18
did. That is the way of the gentiles. Rather, every
Jew is obligated to use his intellect to seek out
G-d according to the wisdom and guidelines of
the Torah. So said Dovid to his son, “Know the
G-d of your father,” and thereby “serve Him” as
is fitting.

Avraham is known as the first to use his intellect ‫ומצינו באברהם שהוא היה חוקר ראשון אלהותו והוא‬
to reach recognition of the One G-d. Everyone .‫הודיע אלהותו בעולם כי בימיו היו עובדים לעכו"ם‬
around him worshipped idols, but he exposed
the false deities and taught humanity the true
belief about Creation and reality.

If the Amidah were to identify the Holy One as ‫ואם היינו אומרים אלהי אברהם יצחק ויעקב הייתי יכול‬
“G-d of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov,” it ‫לומר שאברהם הי’ חוקר ראשון שחקר אלהותו ויצחק‬
would leave room for a mistaken impression – ‫ויעקב בניו סמכו על אמונת אבות ומנהגם ולכך אנו‬
that Avraham succeeded in coming to know G-d ‫אומרים אלהי אצל כל אחד ואחד כדי להודיע שכל אחד‬
through his intellect, but Yitzchak and Yaakov ‫מצד עצמו עמד על החקירה ומצא שאין אחד אלא אלהינו‬
did nothing more than mimic him. They .‫והוא חיזוק אמונתינו הקדושה‬
contented themselves in following in his ways,
trusting that he was right. To belie this notion,
our Sages instituted that we say in the blessing
about the Avot, “G-d of Avraham, G-d of
Yitzchak, and G-d of Yaakov” – to emphasize
that each of the Patriarchs, through his own
efforts, achieved clear recognition of the Holy
One. Each one pondered, reasoned and
investigated, using his own mental faculties, and
served the Holy One accordingly.

We should reflect upon the fact that each of the Avot served the One G-d out of clear knowledge of
Him, having investigated the matter thoroughly using his own talents and faculties, and not as a
matter of dogma and mimicry (Talelei Orot).

Part C. ‫ – האל הגדול הּגּבֹור והנורא‬The Great, Mighty, and Awesome G-d

1. Devarim (Deuteronomy) 10:17 – Moshe used these three terms to describe G-d.
G-d your L-rd is the ultimate Supreme Being and ‫כי יקוק אלהיכם הוא אלהי האלהים ואדני האדנים האל‬
the highest possible Authority. He is the great, …‫הגדל הגבר והנורא‬
mighty and awesome G-d…
These three terms refer to three of G-d’s traits that we are praising at this point.

2. Recanati, Commentary to Devarim 10:17 – Three attributes of G-d.

“The great” refers to the attribute of kindness, ‫ והנורא‬,‫ הגבור למדת הגבורה‬,‫הגדול רמז למדת החסד‬
“the mighty” refers to the attribute of strength, .‫למדת הרחמים‬
and “the awesome” refers to the attribute of
mercy.

19
Moshe had used these terms to praise G-d, but later in history the last two – mighty and awesome –
were omitted by the prophets. In light of the tragedies of Jewish history, the destruction of the
Temple and the dispersal of the Jewish people to foreign lands, it became difficult to see G-d’s
might and awesomeness. In composing the Amidah, the Men of the Great Assembly reestablished
the use of these praises of G-d by viewing these aspects of G-d in a new light.

3. Talmud Bavli, Yoma 69b – The Men of the Great Assembly earned their title by finding
new meanings to the ancient terms Moshe used to praise G-d.
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, “Why were they ‫ למה נקרא שמן אנשי כנסת‬:‫אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי‬
called the Men of the Great Assembly? Because ‫ אתא משה אמר (דברים‬.‫ שהחזירו עטרה ליושנה‬- ‫הגדולה‬
they restored the crown of G-d’s glory to its ‫ נכרים‬:‫ אתא ירמיה ואמר‬,‫י) האל הגדל הגבר והנורא‬
original luster. Originally, Moshe had said, ‘the ‫מקרקרין בהיכלו [שראה שרי נבוכדנצר נכנסין להיכל‬
great, powerful, and awesome G-d’ (Devarim ‫ איה נוראותיו? לא אמר נורא‬,]‫ומריעים בו ככל רצונם‬
10:17), but then Jeremiah came along and said, ‫ אתא‬.[)‫]”האל הגדול והגבור ה’ צבאות שמו” (ירמיהו לב‬
‘Behold, strangers are croaking in His sanctuary ‫ איה גבורותיו? לא‬,‫ נכרים משתעבדים בבניו‬:‫ אמר‬,‫דניאל‬
(a reference to Nebuchadnezzar entering the .‫אמר גבור‬
Temple – Rashi). Where then are the displays of
His awesomeness?’ (and hence in Jeremiah 32:18
he leaves out the word awesome – Rashi); then
Daniel came along and said, ‘Behold, strangers
are enslaving His children, the Jewish people, so
where then is His power?’ He therefore did not
say ‘powerful’ when he prayed.

“But then the Men of the Great Assembly came ‫ זו היא גבורת גבורתו שכובש‬,‫ אדרבה‬:‫אתו אינהו ואמרו‬
along and said, ‘To the contrary! This is the - ‫ ואלו הן נוראותיו‬.‫ שנותן ארך אפים לרשעים‬,‫את יצרו‬
magnificent display of His strength, for He ‫שאלמלא מוראו של הקדוש ברוך הוא היאך אומה אחת‬
restrains Himself in that He shows forbearance ?‫יכולה להתקיים בין האומות‬
to the wicked (all the years that His people are
subjugated and despite all the oppressive decrees
issued against them, and does not punish them –
Rashi); and these are indeed the great displays of
His awesomeness, for were it not for His
awesomeness how could one nation survive
amongst all the other nations of the world?!’ The
Men of the Great Assembly, therefore, reinstated
mention of these attributes in their prayer.”

4. Based on Audio Class by Rabbi Yochanan Zweig, Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) 1:1 –
The Men of the Great Assembly saw G-d’s greatness “behind the scenes” of history.
Yirmiyahu and Daniel stopped praising G-d for being mighty and awesome because in their
circumstances they could not perceive these aspects of G-d. They had lived during a period of
prophecy, open miracles, and a more direct relationship with G-d. When G-d went into hiding, as it
were, after the destruction of the Holy Temple and the dispersal of the Jewish people into exile,
G-d’s might and awesomeness were no longer apparent to them.

20
Nevertheless, the Men of the Great Assembly were able to reinstate these praises by reinterpreting
how they applied to this new reality. Although they could no longer perceive open revelations of
G-d, they were able to see G-d’s hand in Jewish history, restraining Himself from punishing the
wicked and protecting the Jewish people in exile.

Part D. ‫ – וזוכר חסּדי אבות ומביא גואל לבני בניהם‬Remembering the Kindness of the Forefathers
and Bringing a Redeemer to their Children’s Children.

Why do we ask that G-d recall the chesed of the forefathers?

1. Rabbi Avraham Edelstein, Commentary on the Weekday Siddur, Ner Le’Elef Books, pp.
125-6 – The chesed of the Avot stands in our merit and serves as an impetus to emulate
them.
G-d remembers the chesed which our Avot did, and this stands as a merit for us – i.e. zechut Avot.
The trouble with this is that, on the surface, Shmuel in the Gemara in Shabbat says that zechut Avot
no longer helps us in this way. However, Tosafot say that Shmuel’s limitation applies only to evil
people – they can no longer draw on zechut Avot to protect them – but other people can. (In
addition, Rabbeinu Tam says that the covenant of the Avot is still with us.) Therefore, we invoke
G-d’s memory of the chesed of the Avot in our merit. This is partly so that G-d’s investment in the
Avot will not go to waste, so to speak; their descendants inherit the berachah earned by their
spiritual investment.

Meshech Chochma has a different approach to this issue. According to him, when we invoke the
chesed of the Avot it is to remind ourselves, not as an appeal to G-d, that it is this power of spiritual
chesed which was what made the Avot into what they became to begin with. We draw on this zechut
whenever we express our passion for Torah and mitzvot or succeed in transmitting a love of Torah
and mitzvot to the next generation. But zechut Avot is no longer so powerful that it can act as our
guarantor for ourselves and our children. Whenever we see a weakening we should understand that
zechut Avot is no longer working for us and it is now up to us to become Avot anew, i.e. to imitate
what the Avot did by becoming spiritual and material givers ourselves. This will reactivate the zechut
of chesed which the forefathers initiated. Now if the mekatreg (Prosecutor) will want to claim that
we are merely drawing on our natural genetic endowment of chesed from the Avot and deserve no
reward for this, G-d will respond by remembering the original chesed of the Avot.

What does it mean that G-d “remembers” the kindness of the forefathers? And what is their
connection to our redeemer, the Mashiach?

2. Rabbi Avigdor Nebenzahl, Thoughts for Rosh HaShanah, pp. 204-5 – In calling upon G-d
to remember certain events, we are asking Him to activate the merit of those events in His
dealings with us.
When referring to “remembrance” as applied to G-d, we must realize that we are merely borrowing a
term from our own experience to aid our understanding. Thus, when we mention reminding G-d of
the covenant that He made with our forefathers, we realize that He always “remembers” it. Instead,
we are referring to G-d’s presently activating this idea that is in His constant memory and putting it
into action by applying the efforts of our ancestors’ meritorious acts in today’s world…

21
While G-d perpetually remembers everything, nevertheless He chooses to act on the basis of specific
memories that will then influence the way He will run the world. Hence, we invoke the memory of the
Avot as a prayer that G-d should bring the Mashiach in light of their good deeds.

3. Rabbi Zev Leff, Shemoneh Esrei, pp. 40-41 – G-d considers the acts of our forefathers
worthy enough to justify treating us kindly and ultimately sending us the Mashiach.
The act of remembering, when referring to G-d, does not just imply that He exercises His power to
recollect, but rather it connotes that which G-d considers substantial and worthy of existing and
enduring. This is evident from the angels’ response to G-d’s inquiry of whether man should be
created: “Mah enosh ki tizkerenu – What is man that You should remember him?” (Tehillim 8:5).
Obviously, “remember” here does not mean to recollect, since man had not been created yet, but
rather, “What is man that You should even consider him?”

We are made aware of G-d’s presence by observing G-d’s reward in this world for the kindnesses of
our forefathers. This reward is manifested by the miraculous Divine Providence that has
accompanied the Jewish people throughout history. The ultimate manifestation of that reward for
the kindnesses of our forefathers will be realized when, as the next phrase in the berachah relates,
G-d will “bring a redeemer to their children’s children.”

In part, it is the remembrance of our forefathers’ deeds and kindnesses that forms the zechut Avot,
the merit that we enjoy until today. As Chazal comment, “If our forefathers had used up all the
reward coming to them, what would have been left to sustain us?” (Talmud Yerushalmi, Sanhedrin
10: 1). The good that one does in his lifetime creates a spiritual entity that continues to exist even
after one’s death. That spiritual reality affects one’s descendants and leaves its mark on the world.

The qualitative and quantitative dimensions of our forefathers’ merit are so intense that they will last
until the final redemption and help ensure that the redemption will ultimately happen.

Why do we mention only the kindness of the Avot and not their other qualities of strength and
truth?

4. Rabbi Avraham Chaim Feuer, Shemoneh Esrei (Artscroll), pg. 61 – The kindness of the
forefathers was their concern for what G-d wants.
Abraham excelled in kindness, Isaac in fear, and Jacob in truth, yet here we mention the lovingkindness
of [all] the Patriarchs, because this trait is the root of all Divine service.

The most accurate definition of chesed is “selflessness” - to live for others, to live for a cause outside
and greater than oneself. An egocentric person always serves himself, even when he appears to serve
others. The Avot taught the world how to breach the constraints of selfishness. Because the Avot
were selfless in their service of G-d, they earned the title “chassid,” selfless one. Mesillat Yesharim
(chapter 18) describes this level: Unlike the servant who fulfills his obligation by rote, the chassid has
a vibrant love for G-d, like that of a son for his beloved father. The chassid studies the ways of G-d
constantly in order to discover new opportunities to please his Creator.

We devote much effort to please important people. We strive in myriad ways to ingratiate ourselves
to our clients, customers, congregants, patients, employers, and teachers. But no one is more
important to our success than G-d. How much time do we spend trying to please Him?

22
First and foremost the Avot were “G-d-pleasers.” They shared good fortune with others because
they knew it pleased G-d. Therefore, G-d never forgot them and graciously remembers us, their
descendants, to this very day.

Note that the blessing does not state that G-d will bring a redeemer, i.e. the Mashiach, but rather that
He brings the redeemer, in the present tense. Why?

The reason this phrase is written in the present tense is to emphasize that redemption is not an
event that will occur abruptly in the future; rather, it is a steady, ongoing process that is happening
right now, for G-d is constantly protecting us from our enemies by virtue of His relationship with
our forefathers.

5. Rabbi Yitzchak Maltzan, Siddur HaGra: Siach Yitzchak – G-d’s remembering the Avot
keeps the Jewish people going throughout the generations.
The notion that G-d remembers the kindness of ‫וכמו שכתוב‬, ‫וענין זכירת חסדי אבות הוא בכל עת וזמן‬
the forefathers is relevant at each and every ‫והיא שעמדה לאבותינו ולנו שלא אחד בלבד עמד עלינו‬
moment in time, as it is written (in the Haggadah .‫אלא שבכל דור ודור וכו’ והקב״ה מצילנו מידם‬
of Pesach), “this (covenant with G-d) has
preserved our ancestors and us, for not only one
nation has risen against us (to destroy us); rather,
in every generation (they rise against us to
destroy us), yet G-d saves us from their hand.”

And He brings a redeemer to their children’s ‫כי‬, ‫הוא גם כן בכל זמן‬, ‫ומביא גואל לבני בניהם‬
children – this is also an ongoing process ‫הם הכנה לגאולה ולאושר‬, ‫הענינים המתגלגלים עלינו‬
because every event that occurs to us paves the .‫הנצחי האמיתי‬
way for the redemption and true, eternal
happiness.

Rabbi Zev Leff sees a contradiction in the words of this berachah: Will G-d bring the redeemer
l’ma’an Shemo, for His own sake, or b’ahava, out of love? The first implies that G-d will act in a certain
way without regard to His relationship with us while the other implies that He will act precisely
because of it?

Rabbi Leff’s answer is based upon the following idea:

6. Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 60:22 and Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 98a – Mashiach will come at the
appointed time, but if we are worthy he may come sooner.
The smallest shall become a thousand and the ‫הקטן יהיה לאלף והצעיר לגוי עצום אני יקוק בעתה‬
least a mighty nation; I am the L-rd, in its time I :‫אחישנה‬
will hasten it.

Rabbi Alexandri said: Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi ‫ כתיב‬,‫ רבי יהושע בן לוי רמי‬:‫אמר רבי אלכסנדרי‬
contrasted [the words in the verse]. It is written ,‫ אחישנה‬- ‫ אחישנה! זכו‬,‫ וכתיב‬,‫כ"ב[ בעתה‬:‫]ישעיהו ס‬
[Yeshayahu 60:22], “In its time,” and it is .‫ בעתה‬- ‫לא זכו‬
written, “I will hasten it”! If they are worthy,

23
then “I will hasten it”; if they are not worthy, it
will come “in its time.”

The Redemption can come either b’itah, in its pre-designated time, at the final deadline, or achishenah,
hastened before that time if we so merit it. Hence, the Redemption will come “l’ma’an Shemo.”
Whether we merit it or not, it will come for the sake of G-d’s Name because the world must reach
its culmination. Or it may come “b’ahavah,” with love, and it will be brought sooner in response to
our merit.

Part E. ‫ – מלך עוזר ומוׁשיע ומגן‬G-d Helps, Saves, and Protects

What is the difference between each of these accolades of G-d: Helper, Savior, Protector?

1. Rabbi Yitzchak Maltzan, Siddur HaGra: Siach Yitzchak – G-d helps us with what we try
to do but acts on His own to save and protect us.
A helper is conjoined with the effort of the one ‫ומושיע הוא בלא‬, ‫עוזר הוא בצרוף השתתפות הנעזר‬
being helped; a savior acts without help from .‫השתתפות כח אחר ומגן הוא קודם בוא הצרה‬
anyone else; a shield serves to protect even before
the misfortune starts.

2. Rabbi Zev Leff, Shemoneh Esrei, pp. 47-48 – G-d is involved in our lives on many levels.
Ozer, “helper,” applies to those areas where man initiates an effort toward a goal, and it serves as the
prerequisite for G-d’s Divine assistance - such as the Divine aid one receives in earning a living,
finding a mate, or conquering one’s evil inclination. All begin with man’s hishtadlus, his own initial
effort that opens the way for G-d’s assistance, in fulfillment of “G-d will bless you in all that you will
do” (Devarim 15:18).

The second designation, moshia, “saves,” refers to those situations where man is helpless to even
initiate an effort. Circumstances prevent him from being able to act in any significant manner to
resolve his problem or achieve his goal. Here G-d takes an active part, saving and delivering the one
who remains a passive recipient of that salvation and deliverance.

Finally, the third designation, magen: G-d protects and shields one in a situation where one actively
functions in a manner detrimental to his well-being, counterproductive to achieving his goal. An
example of this is someone forced to put himself under threat of being killed for Kiddush Hashem
(lit. to sanctify G-d’s Name, i.e. simply for being a Jew). G-d will then function as a shield that
protects him from his own potentially physically harmful actions.

An illustration of this concept is seen in the story of Avraham. G-d was the “Magen Avraham,” the
Shield of Avraham, when Avraham permitted himself to be thrown by Nimrod into the fiery furnace
rather than renounce his belief in G-d. We learn that when G-d shielded Avraham from death, the
angels resounded with this berachah: “Blessed are You, G-d, the Shield of Avraham.”

Part F. ‫ – מגן אברהם‬The Shield of Avraham

Our first encounter with Avraham is when G-d appears to him and tells him ‫לך לך‬, “go for yourself”
to the land that I will show you, and there shall you be blessed. Our Sages understood these words

24
to mean that the end of the first blessing of Shemoneh Esrei should end only with his name and not
those of Yitzchak and Yaakov as well. Avraham’s spirituality was so encompassing that it reflected
the spiritual reality of the whole nation. When we say “Magen Avraham” we therefore mean the
whole Jewish nation.

1. Rabbi Avraham Chaim Feuer, Shemoneh Esrei, pg. 65 – G-d protects the core of the
Jewish soul.
One of the primary teachings of the Chassidic masters is that although evil influences may corrupt a
Jew and alienate him from his roots, a Jew is never completely lost. In the deepest recesses of the
soul there survives a tiny spark of Jewishness, pure and untainted. From such a spark a brilliant
flame of faith can be rekindled. This indestructible pinteleh Yid [lit. tiny dot of the Jew] was implanted
into the genetic design of our people by Abraham, and G-d promised to protect and preserve it
forever when He assured Abraham: “I am your shield.”

Key Themes of ‫ – אבות‬Forefathers.

 We begin the Shemoneh Esrei with a prayer recalling our forefathers. The fact that
this berachah is the first to be recited highlights the central role of tradition in the act
of prayer. We do not stand alone but on the shoulders of those who came before us.

 Recognizing that G-d is the G-d of our ancestors also helps us relate to Him more
personally.

 Invoking the Avot is a way of praising G-d because we are focusing on the kindness
G-d showed them by revealing to them the path of truth.

 We mention that G-d is the G-d individually of each of the Avot because each of
them forged a new path towards G-d. Avraham’s path was that of kindness,
Yitzchak’s that of inner strength or restraint, and Yaakov’s that of truth – combining
chesed and gevurah, kindness and strength, in the proper balance.

 Understanding and identifying with the spiritual accomplishments of Avraham,

Yitzchak, and Yaakov are essential in order to utilize the Amidah to communicate
one’s needs to G-d and to actualize one’s personal mission.

 Although in earlier times of our history, G-d’s strength and awesomeness were
obvious, these days we have to look for these qualities “behind the scenes.” We seek
out the instances throughout history when G-d withholds punishing sinners and
keeps the Jewish people alive in exile.

 In this berachah we call upon G-d to activate His memory of the Avot in order to
advance the world toward the ultimate redemption in the times of Mashiach.

 We praise G-d for helping us and for protecting us, both physically and spiritually.

25
Berachah 2. ‫( גבורות‬Gevurot) – G-d’s Might

: ַ‫ מְ חַ יֵה מֵ תִ ים אַ תָּ ה ַרב לְ הֹושִ יע‬.‫אַ תָּ ה גִבֹור לְ עֹולָּ ם אֲ דֹנָּי‬

:‫ּומֹוריד הַ גָּשֶ ם‬
ִ ַ‫ מַ שִ יב הָּ רּוח‬- ‫ בחורף‬:‫מֹוריד הַ טָּ ל‬ ִ - ‫בקיץ‬
‫ ּומְ ַקיֵם אֱ מּונָּתֹו‬.‫סּורים‬
ִ ֲ‫ וְרֹופֵ א חֹולִ ים ּומַ תִ יר א‬.‫ סֹומֵ ְך נֹופְ לִ ים‬.‫ מְ חַ יֶה מֵ תִ ים בְ ַרחֲ מִ ים ַרבִ ים‬.‫מְ כַ לְ כֵ ל חַ יִים בְ חֶ סֶ ד‬
:‫ מֶ לֶ ְך מֵ מִ ית ּומְ חַ יֶה ּומַ צְ מִ יחַ יְשּועָּ ה‬.‫ מִ י כָּ מֹוָך בַ עַ ל גְבּורֹות ּומִ י דֹומֶ ה לָּ ְך‬.‫לִ ישֵ נֵי עָּ פָּ ר‬
:‫ בָּ רּוְך אַ תָּ ה יקוק מְ חַ יֵה הַ מֵ תִ ים‬:‫ְונֶאֱ מָּ ן אַ תָּ ה לְ הַ חֲ יֹות מֵ תִ ים‬
You are eternally mighty, my L-rd, You are the One Who resurrects the dead; abundantly able to save.
[In the winter say:] He makes the wind blow and He makes the rain descend.
[In the summer say:] He makes the dew descend.
He sustains the living with kindness. He resurrects the dead with abundant mercy, supports the fallen, heals the sick,
releases the confined, and maintains His faith to those asleep in the dust. Who is like You, O Master of mighty deeds,
and who is comparable to You, O King Who causes death and restores life and makes salvation sprout!
And You are faithful to resurrect the dead. Blessed are You, G-d, Who resurrects the dead.

We continue our praise of G-d in the second berachah of Shemoneh Esrei. Here we focus not on
G-d’s relationship with our ancestors or the Jewish people, but on His power over nature and the
good that He does for us with that power. In this second berachah, we affirm that our connection to
G-d transcends our finite physical life in Olam Hazeh (This World), and is eternal through Olam Haba
(The World to Come).

Part A. Resurrection of the Dead

Although many people are familiar with Resurrection of the Dead from other religions, it may be
surprising to discover that this concept is central to Jewish thought. But Techiyat Hameitim (the
Resurrection of the Dead) in the future World to Come is indeed one of the most fundamental
principles of Judaism.

The World to Come is the time and place in which we will experience closeness to G-d
commensurate with the actions and choices we made during our lifetime. The first stage of this
reward is in the entirely spiritual World of the Souls. But that is not the highest level of existence.
Ultimately, the body will be resurrected, and the soul will be reunited with the body to experience a
new dimension of reality and attachment to G-d.

1. Ramchal (Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto), Derech Hashem (The Way of G-d) 1:3:9,
translated by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, Feldheim Publishers, pp. 51-53 – Since Adam’s
transgression, man is in a non-perfect state. To re-attain the perfection for which man was
destined, his body and soul each undergo a purification process.
[After Adam’s mistake] justice decreed that ,‫ שלא יוכלו‬,‫ואולם מלבד כל זה גזרה מידת דינו יתברך‬
neither man nor the world will ever be able to ‫ עודם‬- ‫ הגיע אל השלמות‬,‫לא האדם ולא העולם מעתה‬
rise to perfection while still in their current fallen ‫ דהיינו הצורה שיש להם עכשיו שבה‬,‫בצורה שנתקלקלה‬
state. Because they remain in this spoiled, non- ‫ אלא יצטרך להם בהכרח עבור מעבר‬.‫נתרבה הרע‬
ideal condition, and evil in the meantime has ‫ וההפסד לכל שאר ההווים‬,‫ דהיינו המיתה לאדם‬,‫ההפסד‬
increased, both man and the world must go .‫שנתקלקלו עמו‬
through a stage of destruction before either can

26
arrive at perfection.

Man must therefore die, and everything else that ‫ אלא אחר שתצא ממנו‬,‫ולא תוכל הנשמה לזכך הגוף‬
was corrupted with him also must perish. The ‫ ואז יחזור ויבנה בניין חדש‬,‫ וימות הגוף וייפסד‬,‫תחילה‬
soul cannot purify the body until the body dies ‫ ועל כן נגזר על האדם שימות‬...‫ותכנס בו הנשמה ותזככהו‬
and deteriorates and a new structure is ...‫ והוא עניין תחיית המתים‬,‫ויחזור ויחיה‬
composed, that the soul can enter and purify…It
was therefore decreed that man should die and
then be brought back to life. This is the concept
known as the Resurrection of the Dead…

The true time and place of reward will therefore ‫ דהיינו זמן קיבול‬,‫ זמן הגמול האמיתי‬,‫והנה לפי שורש זה‬
be after the Resurrection in this renewed world. ,‫ ומקומו הוא אחר התחייה בעולם שיתחדש‬...‫השכר‬
Man will then enjoy his reward with both body ‫ בהיות גופו מזוכך על ידי‬,‫והאדם ייהנה בו בגופו ובנשמתו‬
and soul. The body will be purified by the soul, .‫ ומוכן על ידה להיות נהנה בטוב ההוא‬,‫נשמתו‬
and will therefore also be in a proper state to
enjoy that good.

Death is the process by which the soul and body are temporarily separated and returned to their
sources. The soul returns to the World of the Souls and the body returns to the ground. This is so
that a new, purified structure can be built at the time of the Resurrection, when the soul will
reinhabit the body, free from the deficiencies caused by Adam’s transgression.

The Resurrection of the Dead is also the time when everything in existence reaches its tikun
(perfected state), fulfilling its ultimate purpose in G-d’s plan. At this time, the whole physical
creation will join the spiritual world in a new unity.

2. Rabbi Ehud Rakovski, Da’at Tefillah: Kedushah – The entire world will be renewed along
with man in the service of G-d.
The Resurrection of the Dead will not be for ‫ולא יהיה תחיית המתים להאדם לבד אלא כל פרטי הכחות‬
man alone, but rather for every force in the ‫ הנה‬,‫דכל הבריאה כולה והנהגתה אשר בכל ימי עולם‬
entire universe that came into actualization at ‫ וכל ענין תחיית‬.‫כולם יתחדשו ויתוקנו בעת תחיית המתים‬
any time since Creation – they will all be ‫ הנה יתנהג כמו כן‬.‫המתים אשר להאדם שהוא עולם קטן‬
renewed and perfected at the time of the ‫ [ב]הדעה‬,]‫ רב שלמה אלישיב [כתב‬.‫לכל העולם כולו‬
Resurrection of the Dead. The whole idea of ‫ “כי הרי עיקר הענין דתחיית המתים נודע‬:‫ח”ב דרוש ב‬
man being resurrected is that he is a microcosm, ‫הוא מדברי האריז”ל שהוא נוהג באמת תמיד בכל‬
but the whole world will likewise experience the ‫רגע…והוא מה שאנו רואים גם בעולם הזה שיוצא תמיד‬
same thing. This is what Rabbi Shlomo Elyashiv ‫ חי‬,‫ צומח‬,‫פעולות חדשות בכל חלקי הדצח”מ [דומם‬
wrote in HaDe’ah (Vol. II, Ch. 2), “The central ‫ וכל פעולתם הרי הוא‬.‫מדבר] שבה ומתקנים לצורך האדם‬
principle of the Resurrection of the Dead, as it ‫לצורך האדם…וכשמשתמש האדם בהנאתם המגיע לו‬
has been revealed to us by the Arizal, is ‫מהם לעשות רצון קונו…עולה כל חלקי נפשו עם כל‬
continuously taking place even in this world as ‫ כל כח וכח לשרשו‬,‫כחות…הללו למעלה למעלה‬
we find more and more of the physical world ...‫ומקורו‬
being harnessed for the good of man. It is all to
be used in the service of man…and when he
uses the world in the service of G-d…both he
and it rise up higher and higher, each and every

27
force according to its intrinsic nature…”

What is the actual connection between Gevurah (G-d’s strength) and Techiyat Hameitim?

3. Rabbi Noson Weisz, Prayer Works, pp. 237-238 – How we achieve Olam Haba through
Gevurah (G-d’s power).
What is the actual connection between Gevurah (G-d’s strength) and Techiyat Hameitim?
Specifically, why is G-d’s power, rather than any of His other attributes, the means by which we
achieve eternal life? First, we must define what we mean by being alive. In Olam Hazeh, a living
person, metaphorically speaking, exists on life-support. Human beings cannot remain alive unless
the Almighty keeps them connected to the life-sustaining physical universe, and even in this state,
our life expectancy is severely limited. We begin the countdown to death as soon as we are born.
When the Almighty “pulls the plug” and disconnects an individual from the physical world, the
person dies. We have no independent power to remain alive.

For Techiyat Hameitim to occur, however, we must acquire the power to exist without the help of
Olam Hazeh, for although Olam Haba will have a physical component, the vast life-support system
– the entire natural world and food chain – will not be required to sustain it.

Nevertheless, that is the world in which we are destined to spend eternity. The very purpose of our
free will is to earn the right to live eternally without having to do so as dependents. Thus Olam Haba
is not some G-d-given life-support system that is more efficient than the one G-d provided for us in
Olam Hazeh. Rather, it is a place suited to those who have developed their own power to live
eternally by means of the activities they engaged in during their relatively brief earthly sojourn.
Obviously, such power must come from the Source of all power – the Almighty. He must transfer to
us the power of independent existence during the free will stage of our life spans in Olam Hazeh,
just as parents raise and educate their children to live independently from their birth family as adults.
Because the transfer of power – gevurah – is an essential component of Techiyat Hameitim, the
second berachah of the Amidah must call upon G-d’s Gevurah. Because the power we require must
be sufficient to maintain us in a state of eternal life, we require an infusion of G-d’s eternal power.
Hence “Atah gibbor l’olam.”

Why is death necessary to gain entry to Olam Haba? To answer this question, we need to first
understand the consequence of transgression and its impact on the boundary between the physical
and spiritual worlds.

4. Rabbi Noson Weisz, Prayer Works, pp. 244-245 – Man’s behavior and the interface
between the physical and spiritual worlds.
Before Adam committed the first sin, the physical and spiritual worlds were separated by a porous,
open border. Adam’s sin, however, closed the border, and man thereafter could cross from this
world into the next only by passing through death. On the day Adam sinned, G-d told him that he
would be condemned to die.

Through Adam’s sin, the wide-open passage between the spiritual and physical worlds, which existed
ever so briefly, was shut tight. When physicality could elevate itself to spirituality and spirituality
could descend into the physical domain, there was no need to die. Sin closed the gate. Indeed,
closing the gate between the physical and the spiritual is the definition of sin:

28
“It is not the hand of Hashem that is too limited to help you. It is not His hearing that is impaired. Rather it is your
sins that erected the barrier between you and your G-d, it is your iniquities that hide His face from you, so that it
appears that He cannot hear you” (Isaiah, 59:1-2).

This is the nature of all sin, whether it involves harming another human being or violating a law of
the Torah which seems to have no earthly impact. With our eyes trained to see only the physical, we
are unable to perceive the spiritual repercussions of violating Torah prohibitions. An emotionally
healthy person can see how affronts against others harm both the perpetrator and the victim in
terms of their physical and emotional well-being, yet the impact of such acts in the invisible realms
of the spiritual are either brushed aside or believed to be non-existent by all but the most G-d
fearing individuals.

More elusive yet is our grasp of the impact of transgressions of the more ritualistic commandments
that are strictly a matter between man and G-d. Modern, secular minds cannot perceive that eating
shellfish would have any consequences beyond a full stomach; a Shabbos afternoon drive to the mall
would seem to cost nothing more than the gas and expenditures for shopping. If that were the case,
however, the Torah would not prohibit these acts. Anything G-d prohibits is by definition harmful
to one’s soul. We go through life much like the smokers in the days before the harm of smoking was
known. We destroy our spiritual health, but because we do not feel the impact right away, we do not
connect the cause with the result.

The harm created by sin comes in the form of an impenetrable barrier it erects between the physical
and spiritual worlds. Nothing physical can get through to the spiritual realm, and therefore, the body
must be shed through death.

How can we open the barrier to Olam Haba?

5. Rabbi Noson Weisz, Prayer Works, pg. 246 – Opening the barrier to Olam Haba.
If man is to ultimately enjoy an existence that is a perfect synthesis of soul and highly refined
physicality in Olam Haba, the junction must be reopened. This means that man’s physical
component must be repaired and rebuilt into a structure pure enough to harmonize perfectly with
the soul. This purification is the work achieved through death. While our neshamot are dwelling
temporarily in Gan Eden, our bodies return to the dust from which they were fashioned and from
which a purified version of them will be rebuilt in preparation for Techiyat Hameitim (Nefesh
Hachaim, 1). That is the only way we can engage in life in Olam Haba. All of this – the process of
death and Techiyat Hameitim – takes place at the junction of heaven and earth.

If the Resurrection will occur in the future, why is the berachah of Techiyat Hameitim expressed in
the present tense?

6. Rabbi Noson Weisz, Prayer Works, pp. 247-248 – Preparing now for Techiyat Hameitim
through challenges.
Rabbi Yitzchok Hutner asks a question that brings the concepts discussed above into sharp relief.
He notes that the second berachah is in the present tense: We are stating that the Almighty brings us
back to life, not that He will do so. If we understand that Techiyat Hameitim does not take place in
our world, but rather, opens the era of Olam Haba, then why do we describe the Almighty as the
Mechayei Meitim [the One Who resurrects the dead] in the present tense? Why is the second

29
berachah in the Amidah at all, when the Amidah is supposed to relate to fulfilling our present needs?

Rabbi Hutner explains that, whereas Techiyat Hameitim is a power rather than a state, the power
must be acquired now, while we are still alive. That is achieved by developing the soul’s strength to
overcome the tribulations that G-d’s Hashgacha Pratit sends our way.

The Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 16b) states that on Rosh Hashanah, the Book of Life and the Book of
Death are open before the Almighty, and He decides into which book He will inscribe our names.
The early Talmudic commentators explain that the Book of Death referred to here, does not
necessarily mean actual death; every tribulation we face in this world is included in this definition of
death (Rashba et al, Rosh Hashanah 16b). G-d places these mini-deaths in our lives with a precise
calculation of exactly how much challenge our souls require in order to develop the ability to
overcome sorrow and trouble. By acquiring the power to overcome the mini-deaths we encounter in
our lifetimes, we acquire the skill and the power to overcome the trauma of death itself.

Because the Almighty enables us to develop this ability now, in the physical world, He is described in
the present tense as the Mechayei Meitim. The actual Resurrection may take place far in the future,
but that is only a change in our state of being. The power to overcome death must be acquired in
the here and now. The difficulties we are sent by Hashgacha Pratit are the teachers we require to
train us to overcome our deaths, and live forever.

(See this idea further below in Part E below.)

What do the words “maintain His faith” come to teach us about Techiyat Hameitim?

7. Rabbi Avraham Chaim Feuer, Shemoneh Esrei (Artscroll), pg. 76 – G-d keeps track of
every molecule.
Rabbi Avigdor Miller observes that G-d will maintain His faith to resurrect even those whose graves
are lost and whose bodies have disintegrated. Some bodies have drowned in the ocean, etc.
Nevertheless, G-d is faithful; He keeps account of every molecule of dust and ashes, and will collect
them all, despite the passage of thousands of years.

For more on the Resurrection of the Dead see the Morasha Class entitled “World to Come, Part
III.”

Part B. ‫ – רב להושיע‬Abundantly Able to Save

G-d can do whatever He wants, so of course He is “rav lehoshiya – abundantly able to save”! What do
these words come to illustrate?

In this context the word rav is difficult to translate. According to the Yalkut Katan, it should be
taken literally to mean “many,” for the Amidah is drawing a contrast between the extent of G-d’s
salvations and those of flesh of blood; G-d’s involvement in our lives is plentiful.

30
1. Talelei Orot citing Yalkut Katan, Prayer Anthology, Vol. II, pp. 626-7 – G-d has many
ways to help us.
If someone wants to save his fellow from ‫ מידת בשר ודם אף‬.‫לא כמידת הקב״ה מידת בשר ודם‬
danger, his possibilities are limited, but the Holy ‫ הרי האפשרויות העומדות‬,‫כשרוצה להושיע את זולתו‬
One is “many” to save. A human rescuer can ‫ אבל השי״ת ״רב‬,‫ אופן אחד או שניים‬,‫בפניו הן מועטות‬
find only one or two means to accomplish his ‫ בדרכים ובאפשרויות אין סוף ובלי שום גבול‬- ‫להושיע״‬
goal, but the options open to the Holy One are .‫ומידה‬
unlimited.

Another nuance involves persistence. If a human

rescuer succeeds in saving someone once, what ‫ מדת בשר ודם שאף אם נחלץ פעם להושיע את‬,‫ועוד‬
happens if the one he saved gets into the same ‫ מכל מקום אם ישוב אותו אדם למצבו‬,‫זולתו ממצוקתו‬
predicament again? The one who saved him the .‫ כל אחד יישמט מלעזרו שוב ושוב‬,‫הקשה וחוזר חלילה‬
first time is often unwilling to help him again ‫ פעם אחר פעם שב‬,‫ ״רב להושיע״‬- ‫אבל מדת השי״ת‬
and again, but the Holy One is “many” to save. ‫ אף אם‬,‫ומושיט עזרה וישועה רוחנית וגשמית לאדם‬
He rescues us repeatedly, persistently, no matter .‫שבע יפול‬
how many times we are endangered. Whether it
is physical or spiritual danger, the Holy One is
always there to save us no matter how many
times we fall.

Also, if many people are in danger, a human ‫ בשר ודם יכול להתפנות ולסייע למשאלות של אדם‬,‫ועוד‬
rescuer is able to come to the aid of only one or ‫ הן מצד האפשרויות המצומצמות‬,‫אחד או שניים בלבד‬
two of them at a time, either because that is all ‫ והן בגלל שאין לבו יכול‬,‫והמוגבלות העומדות לרשותו‬
he has the power to do or because he does not ‫להתחלק ולעשות בשלימות מוחלטת הרבה ענינים להרבה‬
want to spread himself so thin. And even if he ‫ ואם בכל זאת יתעסק בכמה וכמה ענינים ויעזור‬.‫אנשים‬
does try to help many, his effort to help one will
‫ על כרחך תיפגם איכות המעשה האחד על‬,‫לכמה בני אדם‬
come at the expense of helping another. He will
.‫חשבון השני ולא תוכל עזרתו להיות מושלמת לכולם‬
not be able to help everyone as much as
‫ בלי גבול ומידה זן את‬- ‫אבל השי״ת ׳׳רב להושיע״‬
necessary. By contrast, the Holy One is “many to
‫ ומשביע לכל חי רצון‬,‫העולם כולו בכל עת ובכל שעה‬
save,” without any limitation He sustains the
‫ וכל פרט ופרט בעזרה נעשה‬,‫בהשגחה פרטית ומדוקדקת‬
whole world at all times and satisfies everyone’s
needs with precise providence, with each part of .‫באופן מושלם‬
His help performed to perfection.

Part C. ‫ – גבורות גשמים‬The Powers of Rain

At this point in the tefillah, during the winter months of the year, we mention G-d’s power to bring
rain. We may well wonder why; what does rain have to do with the Resurrection of the Dead, the
main theme of this blessing?

The Sages tell us that rain is as great an act of providence as Resurrection of the Dead, and therefore
it is mentioned in this blessing.

1. Talmud Bavli, Berachot 33a – Rain is akin to resurrection.

The powers of rain are mentioned in the blessing ‫ גמרא מאי טעמא‬:‫מזכירין גבורות גשמים בתחיית המתים‬
of Resurrection – for what reason? Rabbi Yosef ‫אמר רב יוסף מתוך ששקולה כתחיית המתים לפיכך‬

31
said, “Since [rain] is equivalent to the .‫קבעוה בתחיית המתים‬
Resurrection of the Dead they set it in the
blessing of Resurrection.”

How is rain related to resurrecting the dead? What do the two have in common?

2. Rabbi Menachem Meiri, Commentary to Berachot 33a – The rain “resurrects” the seeds
in the ground.
Mentioning [rain] in the blessing of Resurrection ‫הותקנה להזכיר בברכת תחיית המתים ר”ל אתה גבור‬
was instituted, because the rains revive the seeds ‫מפני שהגשמים מחיים את הזרעים ואת הצמחים שכבר‬
and plants which have “died” and dried out, for .‫מתו ויבשו והיבש נקרא בלשון תלמוד מת‬
something dried out is called “dead” in the
language of the Talmud.

3. Rabbi Noson Weisz, Prayer Works, pp. 250-251 – Without rain, there would be no life.
In a seemingly improbable change of topic, the Amidah inserts into the blessing of Techiyat
Hameitim a phrase referring to the Almighty’s control of rainfall. We recite this insertion starting on
the last day of Succot and ending on the first day of Pesach. This encompasses the entire rainy
season in the Land of Israel.

The reason this phrase is inserted at this point in the Amidah is set forth in the Talmud (Taanit 7a).
Rabbi Avahu said: “A day on which it rains is greater than the day on which the dead will return to
life. Techiyat Hameitim is only for the righteous, whereas the rain is for the wicked as well as the
righteous.” This interpretation is in dispute with the interpretation of Rabbi Yosef, who said: “They
inserted ‘mashiv haruach’ into the blessing about Techiyat Hameitim because providing rain and
reviving the dead have equal weight.”

The Talmud goes further in its assessment of the value of G-d’s gift of rain, comparing it to the
giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, and even with the act of Creation. Why does this natural
phenomenon stir such awe among the Talmud’s Sages? How could the power to send rain to the
earth be compared with the power to revive the dead?

Without rain there can be no life; nothing can grow without water. It is such a key ingredient of
creation that the word meaning rain in Hebrew – geshem – shares its root with the word that
describes all physicality – gashmiyut.

4. Ibid., pp. 251-252 – The key to survival is reaching out to G-d in prayer.
Rain releases the life energy hidden in the earth. As vital as rain is to survival, however, the Almighty
did not implant any natural mechanism in creation by which we can access rain in a totally
predictable way. All man’s acquired agricultural knowledge and effort, therefore, cannot guarantee
the successful production of life-sustaining food. His most basic need is dependent on one strategy
alone: prayer.

The Torah (Genesis 2:5) teaches that this was G-d’s plan from the beginning of time: “Now all the
trees of the field were not yet on the earth and all the herbs of the field had not yet sprouted, for
Hashem had not yet sent rain upon the earth and there was no man to work the soil.” Rashi explains
that G-d had not sent rain because there was no man to work the soil; there was no one to pray for

32
it. It was only when Adam arrived on the scene, recognized the need for rain, and prayed for it, that
the trees and vegetation began to spring forth.

In His design of creation, the Almighty linked the power of life to rain, and rain to prayer. In doing
so, He informed us that the power of life – even physical life – is not in our hands. Our most basic
key to survival is something we must acquire from the Almighty through prayer. We must pray in
order to have the power to live. Thus, rainfall is the animation of that which has no innate life force.
As rain infuses a seemingly dead world with life force, it becomes an everyday, this-world mirror of
Techiyat Hameitim, just as the sages of the Talmud declare.

Part D. ‫ – מכלּכל חּיים בחסד‬G-d Provides Sustenance with Kindness

How do we see G-d’s kindness in the way that He provides sustenance?

G-d not only made a world that provides food for its inhabitants, He even made the food in a way
that is enjoyable for us. While He could have made everything that is nutritious taste like dirt or tree
bark, in His kindness He sustains us with delicious food. Let’s take oranges, for example:

Food is something that we need to maintain our energy levels and health. If it’s only function were nutrition
and nothing more, then all the foods that we eat should taste like soggy cardboard. Yet they don’t. There are
so many different types of foods, each with a unique flavor, texture, and aroma. Why create them that way?
Why not make it all taste like oatmeal? Again, for one reason: so that man should enjoy. So that eating,
which we have to do, shouldn’t be a chore, but a pleasure. Taste is something that G-d added solely for our
benefit - for our delight.

I once heard R’ Avigdor Miller describe an orange. When you peel an orange, there are wedges inside. If you
look closely, each one of these wedges is surrounded by a thin membrane. When you pull back the membrane
and look inside, you will see many tiny sacs. Inside each of those sacs is the juice of the orange.

Why did G-d create an orange in that manner, with thousands of little sacs? The reason is simple: to further
enhance our enjoyment. Did you ever see one of those children’s candies with a liquid center? They’re
advertised with the slogan, “Bite in for a burst of flavor.” When you bite into an orange, you also get a burst
of flavor. The juice of the orange is contained within those many small sacs, so when you bite into it, there is a
release of juice in the form of a burst, and that adds to the enjoyment of eating the orange. G-d created those
sacs so that there would be another dimension of enjoyment. The sensation of eating an orange would be
different without them. Oranges would still taste delicious, but this is an additional aspect that G-d wanted
us to benefit from, so He designed an orange in this way, (Rabbi Ben Tzion Shafier, The Jewish World of
Wonders, May 2011, pg. 16)

G-d does not just sustain the world; He does so with kindness.

Part E. Resurrection-like Occurrences – G-d Supports the Fallen, Heals the Sick, and
Releases the Confined

What is the connection between the other things mentioned in this blessing – such as healing and
releasing the bound – and the central theme of Resurrection?

33
Although Resurrection of the Dead is a concept we have never experienced, we do come across
resurrection-like events in our daily lives. One example we already mentioned is that of seeds
growing in the ground. The blessing of Gevurot goes on to praise G-d for other such resurrection-
like occurrences: supporting the fallen, healing the sick, and releasing the confined.

1. Rabbi Shimon Schwab, On Prayer, pg. 428 – G-d gives us a taste of the World to Come
when He lets us experience resurrection-like occurrences in our lives.
He supports the falling. There are people who experience a constant series of “falling down” in their
lives. They have one failure or disappointment after another. They see the bottom falling out from
under them. And then, suddenly, G-d lifts them up, and they experience a turnaround in their lives.
This is an example of a “resurrection-like” event.

He heals the sick. Consider the case of someone who falls seriously ill, with the doctors abandoning
all hope for his recovery, and he, himself, believing he will never get well. But then, he experiences a
sudden, inexplicable recovery, and lives for many years. This is an example of an event of
resurrection in this world, as a result of the chesed of G-d.

He releases the confined. If one is in prison – or in a concentration camp – without hope of release,
and he suddenly receives a pardon, or the American army captures the concentration camp and frees
all the prisoners, he has experienced a resurrection-like event.

In our daily cycle of sleeping and awakening we experience something of the miracle of Techiyat
Hameitim. While we are asleep, our consciousness leaves us and, upon our awakening, it returns. In
fact, Chazal call sleep “one sixtieth of death” (see Berachot 57b). If sleep is one sixtieth of death,
then awakening is one sixtieth of resurrection. The very fact that we awaken in the morning is an act
of resurrection.

These are examples of “Resurrection of the Dead” in which G-d metes out His acts of kindness in
this world which, while they are not limitless, are nevertheless a taste of the World to Come.

2. Rabbi Noson Weisz, Prayer Works, pp. 256-257 – Praising G-d for empowering us to
overcome obstacles to earn Olam Haba.
In this phrase, we are praising G-d for helping us in our times of need. Paradoxically, our prayers
declare that everything that happens in our lives – including failure, sickness, and poverty – occur
because of G-d’s Hashgachah Pratit. Thus, this phrase seems to offer strange praise; we are lauding
the very One Who imposed the difficulties on us for saving us from the troubles He imposed. It
would seem far more praiseworthy for G-d to simply refrain from creating the need for this rescue.
In this paradox lies the crux of the blessing of Gevurot. The three misfortunes mentioned here
encapsulate the three categories of all human suffering – failure, disease, and the limitations imposed
by life’s circumstances. One who could overcome these three obstacles would have overcome all
human limitations; he would also be able to overcome death.

In short, this phrase informs us that our troubles are designed to teach us how to overcome death
and to acquire the power and determination to implement what we have learned. If we are to live
forever, we cannot simply float downstream on the chesed energy of Olam Hazeh. We must develop
some inner power. We must build the gevurah within ourselves that is needed to channel the chesed
and propel us across the death barrier into Techiyat Hameitim and Olam Haba.

34
Resurrection is one of the three “keys” that G-d Himself holds on to and is responsible for their
use.

3. Talmud Bavli, Taanit 2a-b – G-d holds the keys to the things which mankind will never
control.
Rabbi Yochanan said: G-d holds three keys that ‫ שלשה מפתחות בידו של הקדוש ברוך‬:‫אמר רבי יוחנן‬
He does not give agency over to anyone else. ,‫ מפתח של גשמים‬:‫ ואלו הן‬,‫הוא שלא נמסרו ביד שליח‬
These are the key to rain, the key to life ‫ במערבא‬... .‫ ומפתח של תחיית המתים‬,‫מפתח של חיה‬
(childbirth), and the key to Resurrection of the ‫ דכתיב )תהלים קמה( פותח‬,‫ אף מפתח של פרנסה‬:‫אמרי‬
Dead…In the West (Israel), they said: also the ?‫ ורבי יוחנן מאי טעמא לא קא חשיב להא‬.’‫את ידך וגו‬
key to livelihood, as the verse states, “You open .‫ גשמים היינו פרנסה‬:‫אמר לך‬
Your hand (and satisfy the desire of every living
thing)” (Tehillim 145:16). And why didn’t Rabbi
Yochanan count it? He would explain to you
that livelihood was already included in rain.

In this berachah we mention rain, resurrection, and livelihood, but what happened to the gift of life,
i.e. childbirth? Why is there no mention of this “key” in the blessing of Gevurot?

4. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Alexander HaCohen Falk, Perishah, Commentary to Tur, Orach
Chaim 114 – Childbirth is included in “releases the bound.”
Even though the text of the blessing does not ‫אף על גב דלא הוזכר בנוסח ברכה זו חיה יש אומרים‬
mention childbirth, there are those who say that ‫הטעם שיכוין למ”ש מתיר אסורים שהוא כמו חיה שהולד‬
it was intended in the words “releases the ‫והאם היו אסורים ומטעם זה תקנו לומר בברכת המילה‬
bound” which is like childbirth in that the baby ‫הודו ליי’ כי טוב וגו’ משום דתנן (ברכות נד ע”ב) ארבעה‬
and the mother were “bound.” It is for this ‫צריכין להודות ואחד מהן מי שיצא מבית האסורין והולד‬
reason that in the blessing said at a Brit Milah we ‫והחיה כיון שהן כמו שיצאו מבית האסורים תקנו לומר זה‬
say “Thank G-d for He is good” for it is taught .‫הפסוק‬
(Talmud Bavli, Berachot 54b) that there are four
situations for which a person is obligated to
thank G-d, one of them being upon getting
released from jail. Since the mother and child are
in a situation similar to someone released from
the bonds of jail, this verse was instituted to be
said at a brit.

Parenthetically, another resurrection-like occurrence, not mentioned in this berachah is meeting up

with a long-lost friend.

5. Shulchan Aruch 225:1 – We bless G-d for resurrection when we meet up with a long-lost
friend.
Someone who sees a friend after an interval of ,‫ שהחיינו‬:‫הרואה את חבירו לאחר שלשים יום אומר‬
more than thirty days says the blessing of ‫ והוא שחביב עליו‬,‫ מחיה המתים‬:‫ואחר י”ב חדש מברך‬
Shehecheyanu [praising G-d for allowing him to .‫הרבה ושמח בראייתו‬
reach that moment]. After an interval of more
than twelve months, he blesses “He Who
Resurrects the dead,” but that is only for a very

35
close friend who he is happy to see.

Part F. ‫ – מלך ממית ומחיה‬A King that Causes Death and Makes Life

Isn’t this phrase the wrong way around? G-d first makes life and only then does He cause death!

The answer is that what we call life – this life – is not all there is. G-d causes death, but only so that
He may again give life – eternal life.

1. Pirkei Avot 4:22 – Everyone will die, but will be resurrected.

The born will die, and the dead will live. .‫הילודים למות והמתים להחיות‬

At the time of Resurrection, human dignity will be preserved.

2. Rabbi Avraham Chaim Feuer, Shemoneh Esrei (Artscroll), pg. 74 – What will people wear
upon resurrection?
The Talmud (Sanhedrin 90b) relates that Queen Cleopatra said to Rabbi Meir, “I fully believe that
the dead are destined to be resurrected, but I would like to know if they will emerge from the earth
naked or clothed?” Rabbi Meir replied, “The dead will arise fully clad and this can be logically
proved by observing nature. A naked kernel of wheat is planted in the ground, yet it emerges fully
clothed as a stalk of wheat, covered with husks and wrappings. Certainly man who is clothed in
shrouds at his burial will emerge from the earth covered with garments.” This is G-d’s mercy to the
dead. He preserves their dignity, and they return to life properly attired (Etz Yosef).

Key Themes of ‫ – גבורות‬G-d’s Might.

 Resurrection of the Dead is a fundamental of Jewish belief. Judaism maintains that

the soul is cleansed after death and will in the future reinhabit the body in a
perfected state. This process is part and parcel of the ultimate tikun olam, perfection
of the world.

 We mention the power of rain in this berachah, because it is similar to resurrection in

that it breeds life.

 We also mention other resurrection-like acts of kindness such as supporting the

fallen, healing the sick, and releasing the confined.

 In this berachah we praise G-d’s powers of providence. Specifically, we mention

those powers not controlled by mankind, namely rain, livelihood, and resurrection. A
fourth power, that of giving life, is also alluded to in the berachah.

 G-d causes death, but only so that He may grant life once again – but at that time, it
will be in the perfected resurrected state.

36
Berachah 3. ‫(קדושת השם‬Kedushat HaShem) – Holiness of G-d’s Name

:‫ׁשמְָך קָּדֹוׁש ּוקְדֹוׁשִׁים ְבכָּל יֹום י ְ ַהלְלּוָך ֶּסלָּה‬ ִׁ ‫אַתָּ ה קָּדֹוׁש ְו‬
:‫ ָּהאֵל ַהקָּדֹוׁש‬.‫בָּרּוְך אַתָּ ה י ְהֹוָּה‬
You are holy and Your Name is holy, and holy ones praise You every day, forever.
Blessed are You, L-rd, the Holy G-d.

Our task in this world is to be holy and thereby sanctify G-d. That we say this blessing after the
blessing of Gevurot, which deals with Resurrection of the Dead, is significant. With these words, we
are saying that even in this world we strive to imitate that time when everybody will naturally
sanctify G-d and His Name.

Part A. Holiness

What does it mean for us to be holy and how do we make ourselves that way?

1. Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, Mesilat Yesharim, Ch. 26 – Holiness means clinging to G-
d.
Holiness is defined as the state in which a person ‫כללו של דבר ענין הקדושה הוא שיהיה האדם דבק כל כך‬
clings so closely to G-d that in any deed he ‫ עד שבשום מעשה אשר יעשה לא יפרד ולא יזוז‬,‫באלהיו‬
might perform he does not depart or move from ‫ עד שיותר יתעלו הדברים הגשמיים אשר‬,‫ממנו יתברך‬
the Blessed One, to the point that the physical ‫ ממה‬,‫ישמשו לאחד מתשמישיו במה שהוא משתמש בהם‬
objects he uses become elevated because of his .‫שירד הוא מדביקותו ומעלתו בהשתמשו מדברים גשמיים‬
having used them, rather than him falling from ‫ואמנם זה בהיות שכלו ודעתו קבועים תמיד בגדולתו‬
his lofty spiritual state because of having ‫ עד שימצא כאילו הוא מתחבר‬,‫ ורוממותו וקדושתו‬,‫יתברך‬
occupied himself with them. This, however, only .‫למלאכים העליונים ממש עודהו בעולם הזה‬
holds true if his mind and intelligence cling so
closely to the greatness, majesty and holiness of
the Blessed One that it is as if he is united with
the celestial angels while yet in this world.

2. Rabbi Shimon Schwab, On Prayer, pg. 433 – Controlling our physical desires is a way to
be holy.
The Torah tells us, “You shall be holy” (Vayikra/Leviticus 19:2). The reason given by the Torah is,
“because I, the L-rd your G-d, am holy” (ibid.). The difficulty here is obvious. It is analogous to a
demand by a king that “You shall be a king because I am a king;” or by a philosopher that, “You
shall be a philosopher because I am one.” How can G-d ask us to be holy because He is holy? We
are human beings; G-d created us with an evil inclination and placed us in a material world with all
its attractions and enticements. But G-d is telling us here “Be holy,” which means separate
yourselves from your animal urges, “because I am holy,” I have placed within you a spark of My
own holiness, the image of G-d which is the ability of the human being to overpower and separate
himself from his evil inclination.

Just as G-d is Kadosh, above and not bound by His nature, He has imbued the human being with a
similar power of Kedushah, that of being able to transcend his own urges and inclinations, and
separate himself from them…

37
And we thank G-d for giving us this ability of transcending our animal urges, and thereby assuming
an aspect of Kedushah, by saying, “Blessed are You, G-d, the holy G-d.”

3. Rabbi Yissachar Frand, Parshat Kedoshim 5765, from www.torah.org – Being holy does
not mean being a monk.
Rabbi Moshe Sofer points out that one might draw the erroneous conclusion that the only way to
achieve sanctity is to lock oneself on the top of a mountain in a monastery. One could think that we
should ideally have nothing to do with people; we should not get married and have nothing to do
with the opposite gender at all. The Torah therefore makes clear that the “holiness” of a monk is
not desirable. This section was specifically delivered in public [to the entire nation]. Everyone was
present - the men, the women, and the children.

One must be a Kadosh [a holy person], but one must be a Kadosh in the context of the congregation
and the community. One must get married and one must raise children. One must play with his kids
and spend time with his family and be a part of the community. The Torah wants the holiness of
complete human beings.

The Kotzker Rebbe used to stress “MEN of holiness you shall be to Me” [Shemot 22:30]. “G-d is
not looking for more angels.” The Torah was not given to angels [Berachot 25b]. It was given to
human beings who have wants and desires and are social animals. In that context we are
commanded to develop holiness.

Therefore, specifically Kedoshim Tiheyu, of all mitzvot, was relayed in a mass public gathering to
emphasize that despite our obligation to achieve holiness through a certain degree of abstinence it
must be in the context of the community, together with one’s wife, one’s children, and one’s
neighbors.

4. Rabbi Zev Leff, Shemoneh Esrei, pp. 69-70 – Holiness means being in the world but not
of the world.
Kadosh means “separate and removed.” Hence, one who is holy is removed and separated from the
unnecessary indulgences of the physical materialistic world. At the same time, kadosh means
“designated.” He designates all physical and materialistic occupations totally for the service of G-d.

My teacher, Rabbi Mordechai Gifter, points out that we are exhorted to be kedoshim, holy ones, just
as G-d is holy. G-d is indivisibly involved in every aspect of the physical world – for nothing could
exist without a connection to Him – yet He is totally removed from it in the sense that the physical
world cannot affect Him. So, too, real holiness means directing and utilizing the physical world,
while at the same time being separate and aloof and thus unaffected and impervious to being drawn
down to materialism.

At the time of reciting Kedushah we should tap into our desire to cling to G-d and overcome the
limitations of our physical nature.

38
Part B. G-d’s Name

What does it mean that we will sanctify G-d’s Name? Why do we talk about His Name rather than
about G-d Himself?

1. Rabbi Shimon Schwab, On Prayer, pg. 432 – G-d’s “Name” represents the attributes of
Himself that He reveals to us.
While we have no conception of G-d, nevertheless, He has revealed to us His “Names,” His
attributes, that aspect of His Being that He wishes us to know. Rabbi Samson R. Hirsch explains
that the word shem, or name, is related to sham, meaning “there.” In the realm of the mind, by
naming and defining something, one puts it in its “proper place.” When G-d said [in the Ten
Commandments], “I am the L-rd, your G-d,” He meant: Regarding Me, you know only that I am
your G-d, and what I have revealed to you about Me. Regarding the essence of My Being, the human
mind can have no conception, I am without a beginning and without an end. However, what you
can know about Me are My “Names,” that which I revealed to you through the Torah.

This is what is meant by “the entire Torah consists of the Names of G-d” (see Zohar HaKadosh
3:13b and Ramban, Introduction to Bereishit). Every letter, every word in the Torah is another shem,
another revelation of G-d.

These are the things that He wants us to know about Him. Therefore, in the blessing upon the
Torah, we say: May we be knowledgeable of Your Name. The teachings of the Torah are Your
“Names.” G-d has revealed to us, through the Torah and the Prophets, what His will in the world is,
and we pray that we be given the proper understanding of what that will is.

Part C. ‫ – קדושים‬The Holy Ones

Who are the “holy ones” that praise G-d every day and forever?

One opinion is that it refers to the angels. Another is that it refers to the souls of those righteous
people who have passed away and after their death are called “kedoshim,” holy ones.

1. Talmud Bavli, Chulin 7b – The righteous are even greater in death than in life.
Rabbi Chama bar Chanina said: The righteous ‫ גדולים צדיקים במיתתן יותר‬:‫אמר ר’ חמא בר חנינא‬
are even greater in their death than during their .‫מבחייהן‬
lifetime.

In what way are the righteous better dead than alive?

As long as a person is alive, the evil inclination can always seduce even a Tzadik to sin. The
righteous are greater in their death than in their lives, for only then will they definitely remain
righteous forever.

2. Rabbeinu Bachaye, Commentary to Devarim 34:5 – The souls of the righteous are
guaranteed to praise G-d forever.
“And Moshe, the servant of G-d, died there.” … ‫ לא נקרא עבד עד שמת‬- ’‫וימת שם משה עבד ה‬
Moshe was not called G-d’s servant until he .‫ גדולים צדיקים במיתתן יותר מבחייהם‬,‫ומפורש אמרו‬

39
died…It is stated explicitly that the righteous are ‫ וזהו שכתוב‬,‫וכן מצינו שהאדם אינו נקרא קדוש עד שמת‬
even greater in their death than during their ‫ ורז”ל דרשוהו‬,‫(תהלים טז) לקדושים אשר בארץ המה‬
lifetime. Similarly, people aren’t called kadosh ‫ שכן אמרו במדרש תהלים‬,‫(מנחות נג) על האבות שמתו‬
until they die. This is what the verse means when ‫ לפי‬,‫אין הקב”ה קורא לצדיקים קדושים עד שינתנו בארץ‬
it states, “For the holy ones who are in the ‫שיצר הרע מצר לאדם בעוה”ז ואין הקב”ה מאמין בו עד‬
earth,” (Tehillim 16) which our Sages explained ‫ ואפילו אבות העולם לא נקראו קדושים עד שניתנו‬,‫שמת‬
to be a reference to the forefathers (Menachot .‫ עד כאן‬,‫בארץ‬
53a). Similarly, the Midrash states that G-d does
not call anyone holy until after they are buried in
the ground. The reason for all this is that the evil
inclination vexes a person during his lifetime in
this world, and G-d cannot trust [that the person
will not change] until he actually dies. Even the
forefathers were not called holy until they died.

From here we understand the wording in our ‫ ונשמת‬,‫ וקדושים בכל יום יהללוך סלה‬,‫ומזה תקנו בתפלה‬
prayers, “and holy ones praise You every day, ‫ כענין (שם קנ) כל הנשמה תהלל‬,‫הצדיקים היא המהללת‬
forever.” It is the soul of the righteous person .‫יה‬
that does the praising, as the verse states, “every
soul shall praise G-d” (Tehillim 150:6).

Part D. ‫ – קדושה‬Kedushah

During the chazan’s (cantor’s) repetition of the Shemoneh Esrei in the morning and afternoon, we
recite Kedushah, verses describing and praising G-d’s holiness. Through this recitation we sanctify
G-d.

1. Vayikra 22:32 – It is a mitzvah to sanctify the Name of G-d.

Do not desecrate My holy Name. I must be ‫ולא תחללו את שם קדשי ונקדשתי בתוך בני ישראל אני‬
sanctified among the Israelites. I am G-d [and] I :‫יקוק מקדשכם‬
am making you holy.

How do we fulfill this mitzvah? Well, one way is simply by reciting Kedushah:

2. Mishnah Berurah 125:4 – Reciting Kedushah is a fulfillment of the mitzvah to sanctify G-

d’s Name.
A person must fervently have intent during ‫וצריך לכוין ביותר בקדושה לקדש את השם ית’ ובזכות‬
Kedushah to sanctify the Name of G-d. In doing ‫זה ישרה עליו הש”י קדושה מלמעלה ויכוין לקיים הפסוק‬
so G-d will make holiness rest upon him from ‫ונקדשתי בתוך בני ישראל והאר”י ז”ל היה מזהיר מאוד‬
Above. One should also have intent to fulfill the .‫על זה‬
verse, “I must be sanctified among the
Israelites.” The Arizal was very particular about
doing this.

40
3. Rabbi Zev Leff, Shemoneh Esrei, pg. 74 – Reciting Kedushah properly requires adequate
preparation.
The weekday Kedushah begins with “nekadeish” or “nakdishach,” – let us sanctify – a call to prepare.
This signifies the fact that Kedushah needs preparation and requires one to focus his attention on
this sanctification. Since Kedushah, holiness, means to designate and separate, one must properly
prepare and designate his intentions before saying Kedushah. Furthermore, without the proper
preparation and designation, Kedushah is impossible. Making something holy refers to the proper
usage of all mundane things in subjugation to G-d. If one does not plan and prepare to
systematically control all of his functions, he will inevitably not be able to successfully control his
actions with purely holy intentions.

Part E. ‫ ברוך‬...‫ –קדוש‬Holy, Holy, Holy… Blessed is the Glory of G-d from His Place

There are various forms of Kedushah recited during different prayer services, such as the weekday
Amidah, Shabbat morning and Mussaf Amidahs, and the Yom Tov Mussaf Amidah. While we have
these various forms, nevertheless two verses are common to them all:

.‫ָּקדֹוש ָּקדֹוש ָּקדֹוש יקוק צְ בָּ אֹות מְ ֹלא כָּ ל הָּ ָא ֶרץ כְ בֹודֹו‬
.‫בָּ רּוְך כְ בֹוד יקוק מִ מְ קֹומֹו‬

Holy, holy, holy is the L-rd of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.
Blessed is the glory of the L-rd from His place.
The first verse of the Kedushah is from the prophecy of Yeshayahu (Isaiah):

1. Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 6:1-3 – The prophet has a vision of the angels praising G-d.
In the year of the death of King Uzziah, I saw ‫בשנת מות המלך עזיהו ואראה את אדני ישב על כסא רם‬
the L-rd sitting on a high and exalted throne, and ‫ שרפים עמדים ממעל לו‬:‫ונשא ושוליו מלאים את ההיכל‬
His lower extremity filled the Temple. Seraphim ‫שש כנפים שש כנפים לאחד בשתים יכסה פניו ובשתים‬
stood above for Him, six wings, six wings to ‫ וקרא זה אל זה ואמר קדוש‬:‫יכסה רגליו ובשתים יעופף‬
each one; with two he would cover his face, and :‫קדוש קדוש יקוק צבאות מלא כל הארץ כבודו‬
with two he would cover his feet, and with two
he would fly. And each one called to the other
and said, “Holy, holy, holy is the L-rd of
Hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.”

2. Rabbi Yehuda Halevi, Kuzari 4:3 – “Holy” is repeated to emphasize that G-d’s holiness is
beyond that of anything else.
“Holy” expresses the notion that G-d is high ‫וקדוש כנוי שהוא נקדש ומרומם משתאות לו מדה ממדות‬
above any attribute of created beings, although ‫ ועל כן שמע‬.‫ ואם יקרא בהם הוא דרך העברה‬,‫הברואים‬
many of these are applied to Him ‫ והטעם שהוא‬,‫ישעיהו קדוש קדוש קדוש עד אין תכלית‬
metaphorically. For this reason Isaiah heard an ‫נקדש ומרומם משתשיגהו מאומה מטומאות העם אשר‬
endless: “Holy, holy, holy,” which meant that .‫ ועל כן ראה אותו על כסא רם ונשא‬,‫ישכון כבודו ביניהם‬
G-d is too high, too exalted, too holy, and too
pure for any impurity of the people in whose
midst His glory dwells to touch Him. For the
same reason Isaiah saw G-d “sitting on a high
and exalted throne.”

41
3. Rabbi Meir Leibush (Malbim), Commentary to Yeshayahu 6:3 – G-d is holy in three
distinct dimensions: spiritual, physical, and temporal.
Holy, Holy, Holy: According to the most basic ‫ לפי פשוטו הוא כענין מלך מלכי‬.‫קדוש קדוש קדוש‬
understanding, this means that G-d is the King ‫ ר”ל השם קדוש יותר ממי שהוא קדוש על כל‬,‫המלכים‬
of kings. That is, He is holier than any holy ‫ ר”ל קדוש‬...‫ ור”ל שאין קדוש כקדושתו‬,‫הקדושים‬
being, meaning there is no holiness like His. He ,‫ קדוש בארץ שנבדל מן החומר‬,‫בשמים שנבדל מן הצורה‬
is (a) holy in heaven, for He is free of any form, ‫קדוש לעלמי עלמיא שנעלה מן ההעדר‬
(b) holy in this world, for He is free of any
substance, (c) and holy forever and ever, for He
is free of any non-existence.

The second verse, common to every form of Kedushah, is from Yechezkel (Ezekiel):

4. Yechezkel 3:12 – The prophet hears the praises of the angels.

And a wind lifted me up, and I heard behind me ‫ותשאני רוח ואשמע אחרי קול רעש גדול ברוך כבוד יקוק‬
the sound of a great uproar: “Blessed is the glory :‫ממקומו‬
of the L-rd from His place.”

5. Rabbi Avraham Edelstein, Commentary on the Weekday Siddur, Ner Le’Elef Books, pg.
123 – How can G-d’s glory be “everywhere” yet have a specific “place”?
There is a contradiction here. We say that His glory is everywhere. But then we go onto say that the
glory of G-d is blessed from His (or its) place, so apparently G-d’s glory has a particular place.

The answer to this is as follows: Our understanding of G-d’s relationship to the world is limited by
our human perception.

6. Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, Handbook of Jewish Thought, Vol. I, pp. 15-16 – G-d both fills the
world and is beyond it.
Our understanding of G-d’s relationship to the world is twofold, namely, that He is both immanent
and transcendental. Thus, He both fills and encompasses all creation. This duality, however, is only
due to our imperfect understanding of G-d, since He Himself is the most absolute Unity.

This twofold concept is expressed in the song of the angels. They sing, “Holy, holy, holy is G-d of
Hosts, the whole world is filled with His glory” (Isaiah 6:3). This indicates that G-d is immanent,
filling all creation. However, they also sing, “Blessed is G-d’s Glory from His place” (Ezekiel 3:12).
Here they are speaking of G-d in His transcendental sense, where even the highest angels cannot
comprehend His “place.”

7. Rabbi Chaim Volozhiner, Nefesh HaChaim 3:4 [with commentary of Rabbi Reuven
Leuchter, Meshivat Nafesh] – From G-d’s perspective there is nothing but Him in all of
existence, but from our perspective the world exists independently, and G-d is beyond this
world.
It says in many places in the Zohar that G-d ‫כי מבואר בכמה מקומות בזוהר שאדון יחיד אין סוף ברוך‬
“fills all worlds” and “surrounds all worlds.” ‫הוא ממלא כל עלמין וסובב כל עלמין והיינו שמצדו‬
This means that from G-d’s perspective, He fills ‫יתברך נקרא בבחינת הממלא כל עלמין [ההבנה של‬
all worlds. [The meaning of “fills” here is not the ‫“ממלא” כאן אינה כענין מילוי הנשמה את הגוף שהוא‬

42
same as how the soul “fills” the body because ‫מילוי פנימיותו של הכלי כי הקב”ה ממלא וחודר את כל‬
G-d both fills and occupies all of existence at ‫המציאות כולה בבת אחת עד שניתן לומר שמבחינתו‬
once to such an extent that from His perspective .]‫המציאות אינה קיימת‬
the world does not even exist].

Yet from our Torah-oriented vantage point, we ‫ומצדנו כפי אשר נצטוינו בתורה הקדושה בענין הנהגותינו‬
see G-d as surrounding all worlds. The meaning ‫בתורה ומצוות וכפי השגתנו בחוש נקרא יתברך שמו‬
of the concept of “G-d filling all worlds” is ‫בבחינת סובב כל עלמין שבחינת ממלא כל עלמין הוא‬
concealed from us. [That is, as far as we perceive ‫ [כלומר לפי השגתנו‬.‫כבוד אלהים הסתר דבר מצדנו‬
it, the world does actually exist, while G-d is ‫העולם הוא מציאות גמורה והוא ית’ נמצא מעל ומעבר‬
above and beyond all of existence.] .]‫לכל העולמות כולם‬

The truth is that from G-d’s perspective, even ‫והענין כי ודאי האמת שמצדו יתברך גם עתה אחר שברא‬
after creating the world, He fills all the worlds ‫וחידש העולמות ברצונו הוא ממלא כל העולמות‬
and all existence; literally, “There is nothing else ‫והמקומות והבריות כולם בשיווי גמור ואחדות פשוט‬
beside Him” (Devarim 4:35). We express this ‫ וכמו שתקנו לנו‬.‫“ואין עוד מלבדו” כמשמעו ממש‬
thought before our Shacharit (morning) prayer: ‫קדמונינו ז”ל לומר קודם התפלה “אתה הוא עד שלא‬
“It was You before the world was created; it is ‫נברא העולם אתה הוא משנברא העולם” רוצה לומר אף‬
You since the world was created.” This means ‫שכבר נבראו העולמות ברצונו הפשוט יתברך עם כל זה‬
that even after the worlds were created, G-d is ‫אין שום שינוי והתחדשות חס ושלום ולא שום חציצה‬
eternal and unchanging, unaffected by time or ‫מחמתם בעצמות אחדותו הפשוט והוא הוא גם עתה כקודם‬
place. He is the same now as before Creation
...‫הבריאה שהיה הכל מלא עצמות אין סוף ברוך הוא‬
when all was filled by His Infinite Oneness,
filling also the space where the worlds are now.

8. Rabbi Zev Leff, Shemoneh Esrei, pp. 76-77 – While G-d is everywhere, He wants us to
relate to Him in human terms.
G-d’s glory fills the entire universe, as the Zohar remarks, “There is no place that is empty of G-d.”
This idea implies that G-d gives everything the power to exist and therefore His will fills all of
existence. Yet immediately we say, “Baruch kevod Hashem mimkomo – May G-d’s glory be blessed from
His place,” which seems to relegate G-d’s presence to a specific place.

This seeming contradiction is elucidated by the Shiurei Daat, which says that these two perceptions
are “ratzah vashov” - they run consecutively back and forth in one’s mind. On the one hand, we must
realize that in the ultimate truth G-d is the only true existence, and that He fills all of time and space
and nothing beyond His existence really exists. Yet we cannot function with this conception because
it leaves no place for us in our world. In fact, the Michtav MeEliyahu relates that if one were to
contemplate this absolute truth in the most intense manner and come to a perfect realization of its
implications, his soul would automatically bond with G-d and he would cease to exist in this
temporal world.

Developing this idea further, Nefesh HaChaim explains that although from G-d’s perspective His
existence pervades all of creation, we cannot function with that perception. Such an idea could lead
us to relate to all physical things as manifestations of the Divine, and thus prevent us from
differentiating between pure material things that enhance holiness, and filthy, disgusting material
things that suppress holiness. We must therefore acknowledge that from G-d’s perspective He is
absent from nowhere. At the same time, He wants us to function as if we feel and experience His

43
presence in specific places. This accounts for the many sayings attributed to Chazal relating G-d’s
presence to the Beit HaMikdash [Temple], the Beit Midrash [study hall], and the Beit Knesset
[synagogue]. This all comes from our ability to relate to G-d’s holiness and to be sensitive to it in
places conducive to that sanctity.

There are actually three times we say Kedushah in Shacharit. Why?

9. Rabbi Avraham Edelstein, Commentary on the Weekday Siddur, Ner Le’Elef Books, pp.
131-132 – The three Kedushas during the morning prayers.
There are three Kedushas during the morning davening. The first is in Birkat Yotzer Or, the first of
the blessings before Shema, and is said by the malachim (angels). The second is the Kedushah of the
Shemoneh Esrei, and the third is what is known as Kedushah DeSidra, said in Uva Letziyon after the
communal repetition of the Shemoneh Esrei. (Maharal counts three but includes the Kedushah of
Musaf and excludes Kedushah DeSidra.) On Shabbos and Yom Tov, we add the Kedushah of Mussaf.
Each has its own purpose, as we will explain, and therefore the language is different for each.
However, there are two lines common to all the Kedushas – Holy, Holy, Holy… and Blessed is the
glory of the L-rd from His place.

The first Kedushah relates what the angels say. This blessing in general comes to show our
recognition of G-d’s presence in all parts of the creation. We might err in thinking that although
G-d provides general Providence over the world there are forces of nature that, once created by
G-d, have independent roles. Therefore, we point out that all of these are but messengers, merely
enacting G-d’s will. They, in turn, accept G-d’s Kingship as much as we do, and are but tools for
reflecting His harmony in the universe. They “grant permission to one another to sanctify the One
Who formed them, with tranquility, with clear articulation, and with sweetness,” declaring, as man
does: Holy, Holy, Holy is the G-d of legions; His glory fills the whole world, etc.

In the second Kedushah, we model the angels with our own Kedushah. “Israel possesses no
Kedushah of her own as distinguished from the Kedushah of the angels” [Rabbi Munk]. We model
our own aspirations of Kedushah on the angels and therefore repeat their Kedushah. Not only in
our words, but also in our body movements we try to imitate the angels. We stand with our feet
together, rising on the tips of our feet as though striving to unite the lower host of G-d with the
Upper Host, to break the bonds of earthly restraint – like the angels – with winged alacrity.
However, since our declaration of Kedushah is freely chosen, it is ultimately higher than that of the
angels and is therefore said at a more holy part of the davening, in the Shemoneh Esrei.

But then we move on: After facing G-d directly in the Shemoneh Esrei, we must now prepare
ourselves to bring all that holiness into the world through the Kedushah DeSidra. In Kedushah DeSidra
we refer to the type of holiness which G-d only produces for the sake of the Jewish people. It is this
Kedushah which gets brought into the world, man’s unique ability to put Kedushah into the material
world and elevate it, something the angels cannot do. We say this Kedushah in Aramaic so that the
angels will not understand and be jealous of us.

The three Kedushas reflect the three times the prophet Yeshayahu said the word Kadosh. In the
Kedushah DeSidra, Targum Yonatan is cited saying that G-d is three times Kadosh – down here on
earth, up in the Heavens, and for eternity over time. In addition, in each Kedushah we also say the
word Kadosh three times, lifting our heels each time to show that our attachment to G-d’s holiness

44
leads to our separating a little from the material world and soaring upwards.

Key Themes of ‫ – קדושת השם‬Sanctity of G-d’s Name.

 Holiness means clinging to G-d in thought and deed. We become holy through using
this world as a means to relate to G-d. That effort demands that we use our spiritual
faculties to subdue our basic animalistic nature. We can do that because G-d has
placed a spark of the Divine in each of us.

 We talk about sanctifying “G-d’s Name” because we can only know about G-d what
He chooses to reveal to us by the way in which He runs the world. His essence,
however, is unknowable to us.

 The “holy ones” that praise G-d are the angels and the souls of the righteous in
Heaven.

 Reciting Kedushah is a fulfillment of the mitzvah to sanctify the Name of G-d; this
itself requires proper preparation on our part.

 The verses of Kedushah express the Jewish concept of G-d as being both immanent
– what the world is made up of – and transcendent – above and beyond what we
perceive in the world. The true essence of G-d’s holiness is beyond our
comprehension, yet G-d still wants us to be able to relate to Him through our own
terms of understanding.

45
 Chapter Two
The Middle Berachot of Request
Introduction to the Middle Berachot:
The blessings that make up the Shemoneh Esrei cover every type of prayer and respond to every human need.
I once asked a class of students who did not pray regularly in the traditional manner if they were ever moved
to utter a quiet prayer, a hope, a wish in the privacy of their hearts, and if so, to volunteer to tell the class
what it was. After a little thought and some initial embarrassment, they began to raise their hands one by
one. Everyone had, at one time or another, uttered some prayer, some wish. The content of the personal
prayers varied from student to student – some were intensely personal, others reflected more general hopes
dealing with the world at large. We then fit each personal prayer into a broader category and discovered that
they all fell within the framework of one of the blessings of the Shemoneh Esrei. (Hayim Donin, To Pray as
a Jew, pg. 73)

The middle blessings, in which we lay out our requests before G-d, were written in a way that allows
for personal expression within a structure. In a broad sense, these blessings are divided between
prayers for personal and communal needs.

1. Avudraham, Shemoneh Esrei – The middle berachot (blessings) form a pattern of two
pairs of six plus an all-encompassing concluding berachah.
It has been written that the thirteen middle ‫וכתב עוד כי י"ג ברכות אמצעיות הם ששה כנגד ששה‬
berachot form a pattern of two pairs of six, with ...‫ ששה ראשונות באדם עצמו‬.‫ושומע תפלה כנגד כולם‬
the thirteenth, Shome’a tefillah, being an all- ‫ואחר ששאל ששה בצרכי היחיד חוזר לשאול בצרכי‬
encompassing conclusion. The first six deal with .‫ ואח"כ שומע תפלה על כל הברכות‬...‫הרבים‬
personal matters…and the six personal needs are
followed by communal needs… After that
comes Shome’a tefillah, that all the prayers should
be accepted by G-d.

2. Based on Avudraham
Personal: Communal:

1) Intellect and Insight 7) Ingathering of Exiles

2) Repentance 8) Restoration of Justice
3) Forgiveness 9) Against Heretics and Traitors
4) Redemption 10) The Righteous
5) Health and Healing 11) Rebuilding Jerusalem
6) Prosperity 12) David's Dynasty
13) Acceptance of Prayer

The distinction between personal and communal needs can also be subdivided between spiritual and
physical needs as follows:

46
3. Based on Elie Munk, The World of Prayer, Vol. I, pg. 172 – Division of spiritual and
physical needs.
Personal:
Spiritual needs: Knowledge, Repentance, Forgiveness

Physical needs: End to Strife, Healing, Rain (livelihood) and Gathering

the Jews from Exile
Communal:

Spiritual needs: Restoration of Judges, Destruction of Heresy, Reward for

the Faithful

Physical Needs: Jerusalem, Mashiach (Messiah), Acceptance of Prayers

We find that even though these thirteen blessings are requests, they still each end with a berachah
praising G-d. Sefat Emet says that this structure is unique because ordinarily a request would not
end in a berachah. However, the roads and gates of Heaven that facilitate these requests for
forgiveness, healing, teshuvah (repentance), livelihood, etc. are opened anew by G-d every day. We
make the berachah in recognition of this fact – Blessed be You, O G-d, Who opens the door every
day to insight, teshuvah, etc. Our blessing G-d in this way serves to access these berachot.

4. Rabbi Yehuda Aryeh Leib Alter, Sefat Emet, Parshat Vayeishev (5643/1883) – Because
G-d continually renews the possibilities for attaining what we request in the Shemoneh
Esrei, we thank Him after each request that we make.
All of these things that we pray for are unique in ‫ כי אין‬.‫וכל אלה המה דרכים מיוחדים שמתחדשין בכל יום‬
that each day G-d renews the avenues toward .‫הדברים במקרה רק הם עמודים שהכל עומד עליהם‬
attaining them. These are not trivial matters that ‫והקב"ה פותח בכל יום אלה הדרכים והשערים שער‬
we request but rather the very foundations of the ‫ לכן נתקן ברכה בסוף‬.'‫סליחה ורפואה ותשובה ופרנסה כו‬
world. Each day G-d reopens these avenues and ‫כל בקשה ואם הי' בקשה בלבד מה ענין הברכה רק שיש‬
gates: the gate of forgiveness, of healing, of ‫להאמין כי בכל יום נותן הקב"ה אלה הברכות לעולם רק‬
repentance, of livelihood, etc. And that is why a .‫בכח בנ"י לעורר אלה הדרכים‬
berachah is placed at the end of each request, for
if it were merely a request, why should there be a
berachah? Rather, we must have faith that every
day G-d gives these blessings to the world and
that the Jewish people (through our prayers)
have the power to awaken the means of their
attainment.

One should add his own personal prayer into the Shemoneh Esrei as it pertains to the particular
blessing being recited.

5. Talmud Bavli, Avodah Zarah 8a – Each prayer can be personalized by mentioning one’s
own needs.
Said Rav Yehuda the son of Shmuel bar Shilat in ,‫אמר רב יהודה בריה דרב שמואל בר שילת משמיה דרב‬
the name of Rav: Even though it was said that ‫ אבל אם‬,‫ שואל אדם צרכיו בשומע תפלה‬:‫אע"פ שאמרו‬

47
one should pray for his private needs only at - ‫בא לומר בסוף כל ברכה וברכה מעין כל ברכה וברכה‬
Shome’a Tefillah, nevertheless, if he is disposed .‫אומר‬
to supplement any of the berachot [with
personal supplications] relevant to the subject of
each particular berachah, he may do so.

See further Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 119 for the detailed application of this idea.

48
Berachah 4. ‫( בינה‬Binah) – Insight

.‫ בָּ רּוְך אַ תָּ ה יְהֹוָּה חֹונֵן הַ דָּ עַ ת‬.‫ חָּ ּנֵנּו מֵ אִ תְ ָך דֵ עָּ ה בִ ינָּה וְהַ שְ כֵ ל‬:‫ ּומְ לַ מֵ ד לֶ אֱ נֹוש בִ ינָּה‬.‫אַ תָּ ה חֹונֵן לְ ָאדָּ ם דַ עַ ת‬

You graciously endow man (adam) with wisdom, and teach insight to a frail mortal (enosh). Endow us graciously
from Yourself with wisdom, insight, and discernment. Blessed are You, G-d, gracious Giver of wisdom.

The first thing we ask for is wisdom. Here we will explore what exactly we are asking for, why we
ask it from G-d, and why it is the first request posed in the Shemoneh Esrei.

Part A. The First Request

The first of our requests is for insight and understanding so that we will understand right from
wrong and make the correct decisions in our lives. Unlike the format of all the other requests in this
section of the Shemoneh Esrei, this one begins with praise of G-d for bestowing understanding
upon us.

1. Siddur Otzar HaTefillot, Iyun Tefillah – The first request segues from the opening praises
by starting with a statement of praise.
Because the theme of the first three berachot of ‫לפי ששלש ראשונות כולן שבח לכן התחילו גם את‬
Shemoneh Esrei is praise, [the Sages] began the ‫ כדי להסמיך שבח לשבח ולעבור‬,‫האמצעיות בשבח‬
second section of Shemoneh Esrei with words .)‫בהדרגה משבח לבקשה (מהרש״ל‬
of praise in order to create a smooth transition
from the theme of praise to the theme of
requests (Maharashal).

Why is this blessing the first of our requests of G-d? Why is insight and understanding so important
to us?

2. Rabbi Avraham Edelstein, Ner Le'Elef Booklet, Insights into the Weekday Siddur, pg.
137 – Wisdom is the essential attribute guiding mankind.
Wisdom is so important that it was fixed as the first of the requests, ahead of good health, wealth or
long life. Wisdom is the main thing which ensures the overall spiritual, emotional and physical health
and balance of a person.

3. Shulchan Aruch 115:1 – Intellect distinguishes us from the animals and is a prerequisite
for all the prayers that are to follow.
The blessing of Atah chonen was placed first ‫ קבעו‬,‫מפני שמותר האדם מן הבהמה היא הבינה והשכל‬
amongst the requests because mankind’s ‫ שאם אין בינה אין‬,‫ברכת אתה חונן ראש לאמצעיות‬
superiority over the animals is his insight and .‫תפלה‬
intellect; without intellect, prayer is meaningless.

4. Talmud Bavli, Nedarim 41a – Without wisdom we have nothing.

Abaye said: We have it as tradition that no one is :‫ במערבא אמרי‬.‫ אין עני אלא בדעה‬:‫ נקטינן‬,‫אמר אביי‬
poor save he who lacks wisdom. In the West ‫ דלא דא ביה מה ביה? דא קני מה‬,‫דדא ביה כולא ביה‬
(Israel) there is a proverb: He who has this, has ?‫חסר? דא לא קני מה קני‬
everything; he who lacks this, what has he? One

49
who has acquired this, what does he lack? One
who has not acquired this, what does he possess?

5. Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) 2:5 – Without wisdom or knowledge it is impossible to
live a fully moral and righteous life.
A boor cannot be sin-fearing; an ignoramus .‫אין בור ירא חטא ולא עם הארץ חסיד‬
cannot be pious…

Wisdom is the blessing that keeps on giving. When we have wisdom, we will also know what to pray
for, and so many other blessings will come in its wake. Similarly, we find that when G-d offered
King Shlomo (Solomon) to be granted any request, he asked for wisdom (see II Divrei HaYamim/II
Chronicles 1:7-12)

Part B. ‫ – אתה חונן‬G-d Gives Wisdom

Implicit in the wording of this blessing is that intelligence is not a given at birth but rather is a G-d-
given gift that He has the power to either withhold or to bestow upon us. No one knew this better
than the wisest man who ever lived, King Shlomo, author of the Book of Mishlei (Proverbs):

1. Mishlei 2:6 – G-d grants intelligence.

For the L-rd gives wisdom; from His mouth :‫כי יקוק יתן חכמה מפיו דעת ותבונה‬
[come] knowledge and discernment.

2. Talmud Bavli, Niddah 70b – Prayer can help us become wise when study alone fails to
produce results.
[The citizens of Alexandria asked Rabbi ‫[ מה‬:‫]שאלו אנשי אלכסנדריא את רבי יהושע בן חיננא‬
Yehoshua ben Chananya:] “What must a man do ‫ וימעט‬,‫ ירבה בישיבה‬:‫יעשה אדם ויחכם? אמר להן‬
that he may become wise?” He replied: “Let him :‫ הרבה עשו כן ולא הועיל להם! אלא‬:‫ אמרו‬.‫בסחורה‬
engage more in study and less in business.” They ,‫ שנאמר (משלי פרק ב‬,‫יבקשו רחמים ממי שהחכמה שלו‬
said, “Did not many do so, and it was of no avail :‫ו) כי יקוק יתן חכמה מפיו דעת ותבונה‬
to them?” – Rather, “Let them pray for mercy .
from the Source of wisdom, for it is said, ‘For
the L-rd gives wisdom; from His mouth [come]
knowledge and discernment’ ”
(Mishlei/Proverbs 2:6).

G-d not only gives us intelligence – He does so for free. The berachah alludes to this fact in its
choice of words for “give”: chonen.

3. Rabbi Shimon Schwab, On Prayer, pg. 440 – G-d gives intelligence for free.
The word chonen comes from chen, which means a spiritual endowment. It is related to the word
chinam, as in matnat chinam, a free gift. G-d gives knowledge to people even if they do not deserve it.
A human being – as wicked as he may be – is, nevertheless, given intelligence by G-d.

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Part C. ‫ – דעה בינה והשכל‬Wisdom, Insight, and Discernment

What do these terms mean? What is the difference between each type of intelligence? Also, what is
the difference between adam and enosh, that one should be granted wisdom and the other insight?

The commentaries offer many explanations of all these terms. Though they sometimes appear to
conflict with one another, they do essentially agree upon the basic idea behind this blessing. Here is
one explanation of the terms for wisdom and insight:

1. Shemot (Exodus) 31:1-3 with Commentary of Rashi – Definitions of Wisdom, Insight, and
Discernment.
G-d spoke to Moses, saying, “I have selected ‫ ראה קראתי בשם בצלאל בן‬:‫וידבר יקוק אל משה לאמר‬
Betzalel son of Uri son of Chur, of the tribe of ‫ ואמלא אתו רוח אלהים בחכמה‬:‫אורי בן חור למטה יהודה‬
Judah, by name. I have filled him with a Divine :‫ובתבונה ובדעת ובכל מלאכה‬
spirit, with wisdom, insight and discernment, and
with [the talent for] all types of craftsmanship.”
:‫ מה שאדם שומע מאחרים ולמד‬- ‫בחכמה‬
With wisdom: [i.e.,] what a person hears from
others and learns. :‫ מתוך דברים שלמד‬,‫ מבין דבר מלבו‬- ‫ובתבונה‬

With insight: With his intellect he understands

other things based on what he learned. :‫ רוח הקדש‬- ‫ובדעת‬

With discernment: Divine inspiration.

2. Rabbi Avraham Edelstein, Ner Le'Elef Booklet, Insights into the Weekday Siddur, pg.
137 – The interrelationship of Chochma, Binah and Daat.
These three [terms – Chochma, Binah, and Daat –] although each separate, build on each other.
They represent three levels of wisdom.

Chochma represents abstract intellectual understanding.

Binah is the emotional integration of the wisdom, where a person feels comfortable with that
knowledge, can relate to it personally and therefore also understand where it is and where it is not
relevant to his/her life.

Daat is the translation of that wisdom into action. It represents a complete unity between the
person and the knowledge; a total connection with that knowledge, and it is no longer just relevant
information which one applies. It is now the person – he/she is totally united with that knowledge
(Rashi, Shemot 31:3).

According to this explanation, the berachah is arranged in descending order: first asking for the
more ethereal daat and then the more mundane binah. Hence some commentaries say that adam
(man), for whom we ask for daat, is a higher level than the more lowly enosh (mortal), for whom we
plead for binah.

51
3. Rabbi Chaim Joseph David Azulai (Chida), Machzik Berachah – Adam is loftier than
Enosh.
In the berachah of” we must try to understand ,‫בברכה אתה חונן לאדם דעת וכו' צריך להבין‬
the use of different words seemingly for the ,‫ אדם אנוש‬,‫כפל הענין במילים שונות חונן ומלמד‬
same things: /teach, man/mortal, ‫ והוה ליה למימר אתה חונן לאדם דעת ובינה או‬,‫דעת בינה‬
wisdom/insight, for it should have just said, ?‫ומלמד בינה‬
“wisdom and insight” or “You teach insight.”

Perhaps the term adam is an honorable epithet

for man, and daat means Divine inspiration, as ‫ואפשר דאדם הוא הכינוי המובחר ודעת הוא רוח הקדש‬
Rashi explained in regard to Bezalel. Enosh, ,‫ ואנוש הוא גרוע שבשמות‬,‫כמו שפירש רש"י גבי בצלאל‬
mortal, is a more mundane title. So this is why it
‫וזה שכתוב אתה חונן כדרך מתנה לאדם שהוא המובחר‬
says, “You graciously endow” Divine inspiration
as a gift to the higher-level person, adam, ‫ ומלמד לאנוש גרוע בינה שיבין‬,‫רוח הקודש וחונן בהוה‬
“endow” being in the present tense. And He .‫איזה דבר‬
teaches insight to enosh, the lower-level person, in
order that he should understand something.

However, we also find the exact opposite explanation in other commentaries, such as the following:

4. Rabbi Yosef Albo, Sefer HaIkarim I:16 – The requests for intelligence flow in ascending
order of complexity.
Basic intelligence is called ordinary daat. The ‫ ואמר אתה חונן‬.‫המושכלות הראשונות יקראו דעת סתם‬
berachah says, “You bestow intelligence (daat) ‫ כי הדעת הזה שוה בכל אדם מבלי שום למוד‬,‫לאדם דעת‬
upon man” because this level of intelligence is ‫ על ידיעת‬,‫ ואמר ומלמד לאנוש בינה‬.‫אלא על צד החנינה‬
equal among all people without any prior ‫ ותלה זה‬.‫ שזה יקרא בינה‬,‫הוצאת התולדה מן ההקדמות‬
learning, simply by virtue of G-d’s grace. Then ‫ כי אין כל אדם משתמש‬,‫ ויחס אותו לאנוש‬,‫בלמוד טבעי‬
the berachah states, “and teaches insight to the ‫ על‬,‫ ועל כן היתה החתימה חונן הדעת‬,‫בבינה אלא האנוש‬
enosh (mortal),” referring to the ideas that emerge ‫ לא‬,‫ שהם המושכלות הראשונות‬,‫החסד הכולל לכל המין‬
from the initial information. This is called binah, ‫ אבל התפלה ראוי שתהיה על יותר מן‬,‫על החסד הפרטי‬
insight. This is dependent upon study and relates ‫ שההשכל הוא בדברים‬,‫ שהוא ההשכל‬,‫הדעת והבינה‬
to the enosh for not everyone uses insight. That is .)‫ כאמרו השכל וידוע אותי (ירמיהו ט' כ"ג‬,‫האלהיים‬
why the berachah concludes with “gracious
Giver of daat,” for it is the most general act of
kindness done for the entire species rather than a
select few. But the berachah also calls for more
than daat and binah; it also calls for haskel, which
refers to spiritual matters, as the verse says,
“Understand and know Me”
(Yirmiyahu/Jeremiah 9:23).

Other versions of this blessing use the terms chochmah, binah, v’daat. These terms and the order in
which they appear in the berachah express the same basic idea as above.

52
5. Rabbi Zev Leff, Shemoneh Esrei, pg. 85 – An explanation of chochmah, binah, v’daat
(wisdom, insight, and understanding).
We ask that G-d grant us “deah, binah v’haskel.” Here we find various words connoting wisdom. In
the Ashkenaz text we find the words daat, binah, and haskel; in the Sefard text it is chochmah, binah, and
daat.

There are many interpretations as to the specific meaning of each of these terms. Some say that
chochmah, when used in relation to binah and daat, connotes the process of integrating factual data and
analyzing that data in order to arrive at the truth while eliminating that which is erroneous and false.
It is the first step to acquiring wisdom.

Binah (insight) derives from the word boneh, to build, and connotes building onto that database by
inference, deduction, and induction, being sensitive to the implications of the data and deriving the
proper conclusions.

In this context, daat is the final stage of taking the knowledge and its implications and putting them
into a practical framework, applying them to real situations and living by them.

Key Themes of ‫ – בינה‬Insight.

 The prayer for wisdom heads the section of requests, because without insight, prayer
is meaningless; we need to understand what is good for us and for the world before
we can begin to pray for it. Furthermore, it is wisdom and understanding that ensure
our overall physical and spiritual well-being.

 Intelligence is not a given but rather a gift that G-d can bestow or withhold at will.
Hence, it is appropriate to pray to G-d for it.

 When we ask for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, we are really asking for
information, the ability to understand that information, and the capability of
applying that understanding to better our lives.

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Berachah 5. ‫( תשובה‬Teshuvah) – Repentance

‫ בָּ רּוְך אַ תָּ ה יְהֹוָּה הָּ רֹוצֶ ה‬.‫ ְוק ְָּרבֵ נּו מַ לְ כֵ נּו לַ עֲ בֹודָּ תֶ ָך וְהַ חֲ ז ִֵירנּו בִ תְ שּובָּ ה שְ לֵ מָּ ה לְ פָּ נֶיָך‬.‫תֹורתֶ ָך‬
ָּ ְ‫הֲ שִ יבֵ נּו ָאבִ ינּו ל‬
.‫בִ תְ שּובָּ ה‬
Return us, our Father, to Your Torah, and bring us near, our King, to Your service, and influence us to return in
perfect repentance before You. Blessed are You, G-d, Who desires repentance.

Once we have insight, our first task is to use it to turn inward and analyze our relationship with G-d
and with the other people in our lives.

1. Rabbi Asher Meir, Meaning in Mitzvot – Self-awareness and moral understanding are the
prerequisites to real teshuvah.
The fifth berachah requesting repentance (teshuvah) follows the fourth, a prayer for understanding
(bina) because we learn from the words of our prophets that understanding precedes repentance.
This emphasizes the fact that ideal repentance is not merely an emotion, a subjective feeling of being
born again. On the contrary: the basis for repentance is that a reasoned recognition is required of
how one strayed and why the way of the Torah is proper.

Rav Saadiah Gaon taught his disciples to examine their ways every day even if they felt certain they had not
sinned. Rav Saadiah himself had adopted this practice after an enlightening experience. Once, Rav Saadiah
lodged with an innkeeper who was unaware of his illustrious guest's true identity. He put the Rav in a simple
room and served him as he would any guest. When word circulated that the leader of the generation was
passing through town, all the townsfolk flocked to the inn to glimpse Rav Saadiah. The innkeeper suddenly
realized the greatness of his guest and approached the Rav, with tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Rebbi, please forgive me!" "Forgive you? What have you done wrong? You treated me very well," he replied.
"Rabbi, I didn't know who you were! Believe me, had I know that the great Rav Saadiah Gaon was staying
under my roof, I would have treated you like royalty!"

Hearing these sincere words, Rav Saadiah himself burst into tears. "From your words," he explained, "I now
understand the extent of our obligation towards our King, G-d. Previously, I felt I was serving G-d well, but
now I realize that I am lacking. Just as your service to me changes as you perceive my identity more clearly, so
too should be my service of G-d. With each passing day, I discover new levels of G-d's kindness towards me. I
realize that whatever respect and service I offered G-d yesterday was woefully insufficient, for had I known
then what I know now about G-d, I would have served Him with even greater devotion and intensity. Life is
indeed a constant cycle of rediscovery in which a person sheds the relative ignorance of the past. (From Rabbi
Avrohom Chaim Feuer, Shemoneh Esrei, pp. 109-109)

Part A. What is Teshuvah?

The theme of teshuvah is that of relationships. The relationship between G-d and Israel is compared to
the relationship between husband and wife (see Shir HaShirim/Song of Songs 1:1, with Rashi). Having
strayed afar, teshuvah is the means by which we can draw close once again – close to G-d, and close to
our inner selves.

54
But before we can understand what teshuvah is, we need to understand the Jewish conception of
sin.

1. Rabbi Shimon Apisdorf, Rosh HaShanah Yom Kippur Survival Kit, Leviathan Press, p.102 –
Dealing with mistakes.
One of the most common words in your prayer book is “sin.” It’s not a very pleasant sounding word.
Certainly no one wants to look at himself or herself as a sinner. In Hebrew, the generic term for sin is
chet. This term literally means “to make a mistake.” Sins, no thanks. But mistakes – sure – we all make
mistakes.

How do we correct the mistakes of our past and avoid repeating them in the future? If we can
understand this, then we possess the key to unlocking an enormous reservoir of latent potential for
greatness that would otherwise lie dormant.

This is teshuvah. The common translation of teshuvah is “repentance.” Again, a rather foreign
sounding idea. The proper translation of the word teshuvah is “to return.” Teshuvah is an animated
technique for locating the rationalizations that lie at the root of our mistakes: recognizing them, dealing
with them, and eliminating them.

This world is a place full of obstacles and stumbling blocks. Indeed, we stumble and fall, succumbing to
at least some of the pitfalls that cross our path. As the Talmud teaches, there is no human being who
never sins (Sanhedrin 46b, based on Kohelet/Ecclesiastes 7). G-d knows that our journey in this world
is precarious and has therefore given us a great gift: the gift of teshuvah, the power to return.

2. Rabbi Chaim Friedlander, Siftei Chaim – Mo’adim, Vol. I, pp. 249-250 – Transgression
creates barriers between ourselves and G-d, and sullies our soul; teshuvah removes those
barriers and impurities.
When a person transgresses, he sullies his soul. ‫ טומאה זו חוצצת‬,‫כאשר אדם חוטא מטמא הוא את נשמתו‬
This impurity cuts him off and separates him from ‫ וכל עוד החטאים קיימים מרוחק הוא‬,'‫ומרחקתו מה‬
G-d. As long as the impurity is present, he is ‫ בקשת "סלח לנו" היא מחיקת החטא כדי להסיר‬.‫מהשי"ת‬
distanced from G-d. The request “forgive us” [in ...‫את החציצה הזאת‬
the daily Shemoneh Esrei] is essentially a request
to remove the barrier [between ourselves and
G-d]…
‫ לעומת‬.'‫כל מצוה ומצוה שעושה מקרבת אותו יותר אל ה‬
Every mitzvah brings a person closer to G-d [the
...‫ האסון הגדול שבחטא הוא‬.'‫זאת החטא מרחיק מה‬
root of the word mitzvah shares the same root as
‫ מטרת התשובה היא אפוא – לשוב‬.‫בעיקר – הריחוק‬
the word tzevat, a pair of pliers, a device for
bonding two entities]. In contrast, every .‫להתקרב אליו‬
transgression distances a person from G-d. The
worst part of transgression is…mainly that it
causes him to be distant from G-d. Therefore, the
ultimate aim of teshuvah is to return and regain
our original closeness to G-d.

Jewish sources spell out four distinct steps in the process of doing teshuvah.

55
3. Rambam (Maimonides), Hilchot Teshuvah (Laws of Repentance), 2:2, 9 – The components
of teshuvah: regret, cessation, confession, resolution, and if necessary, asking forgiveness from
others.
How does one do teshuvah? ‫ומה היא התשובה‬

 The transgressor stops doing the ‫הוא שיעזוב החוטא חטאו ויסירו ממחשבתו‬ 
transgression and removes it from his
thoughts…

 He resolves that he will not do it again in ‫ויגמור בלבו שלא יעשהו עוד‬ 
the future…

 He regrets [what he did] in the past… ‫וכן יתנחם על שעבר‬ 

 He verbally expresses his wrongdoings to ‫וצריך להתודות בשפתיו ולומר עניינות אלו‬ 
G-d and makes a verbal resolution for .‫שגמר בלבו‬
the future.

Regarding wrongdoings against one’s fellow ‫ אינו נמחל לו לעולם עד‬...‫עבירות שבין אדם לחבירו‬
man…one is not forgiven until he reimburses ‫שיתן לחבירו מה שהוא חייב לו וירצהו‬
whatever he owes and attains the other person’s
forgiveness.

Part B. Asking for Repentance

Since all the steps of repentance are up to us, not G-d, how can we ask Him to make us do teshuvah?

The answer is that we initiate the teshuvah process, and we ask G-d to help us complete the task. We
need only make the first step, and the rest of the course will be met with Divine assistance.

1. Talmud Bavli, Yoma 38b – If we want to grow spiritually, then G-d will help us.
One who comes to purify himself is assisted by .‫ מסייעין אותו‬- ‫בא לטהר‬
Heaven.

2. Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, Handbook of Jewish Thought, Vol. II, 15:59 – Initiate the first move
to return to G-d, and He will return to you.
Even if one has lived a completely unG-dly life, he should not give up hope and feel that it is
impossible for him to change his way of life [Ramban/Nachmanides on Devarim/Deuteronomy
30:11]. Our Sages teach us that, “All beginnings are difficult” [Rashi on Shemot/Exodus 19:5]. G-d
thus gives a person every opportunity, and once he makes the initial effort to do teshuvah, he is
given Divine help [Shabbat 104a]. G-d told His prophet, “Return to Me, and I will return to you”
[Malachi 3:7]. Our Sages teach us that G-d says, “Make an opening for Me like the eye of a needle,
and I will open wide for you the gates of heaven” [Shir HaShirim/Song of Songs Rabbah 5:3].

56
Part C. ‫ – השיבנו אבינו לתורתך‬Back to Torah

Why do we ask to be brought back to Torah? What if we were never there – connected to Torah – in
the first place?

The answer is that at one point or another we all were.

1. Talmud Bavli, Niddah 30b – A fetus is taught the entire Torah in utero.
Rabbi Simlai delivered the following discourse: ‫ ומלמדין‬...‫ למה הולד דומה במעי אמו‬:‫דרש רבי שמלאי‬
What is a fetus like when it is in the womb of its ‫ בא‬- ‫ וכיון שבא לאויר העולם‬...‫אותו כל התורה כולה‬
mother?… it is taught all the Torah from .‫ ומשכחו כל התורה כולה‬,‫מלאך וסטרו על פיו‬
beginning to end… As soon as it sees the light, an
angel approaches, slaps it on its mouth and causes
it to forget all the Torah completely.

2. Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer, Shemoneh Esrei, pg. 111 – Without Torah, a Jew is estranged
from himself.
The plea, Bring us back, reminds us that Torah study is never a new experience for any Jew. It is
always a return to his roots, a repetition of an earlier encounter, for the Talmud (Niddah 30b)
relates, an angel teaches each Jew the entire Torah while still an embryo in his mother's womb. This
means that Torah is imprinted on our chromosomes and implanted in our genes, literally interwoven
into the fabric of our being. Just before birth, the angel strikes the babe on the mouth, causing the
Torah to disappear from his lips and recede into his sub-conscious. A Jew spends his lifetime
studying the Torah texts in order to extract the Torah treasures buried within him. He can never
really know himself until he knows the Torah. Without Torah, the Jew is estranged from himself,
stumbling from one identity crisis to another, vainly sifting through alien cultures in order to
discover his life's meaning. For this reason, we cry out, Bring us back ... to Your Torah – imbue us with
that homing instinct which brings the dove back to its nest and the Jew back to the core of his
being.

Part D. ‫ –הרוצה בתשובה‬G-d Desires Repentance

At the conclusion of this berachah, we praise G-d for desiring teshuvah. But why does G-d want
teshuvah? Wouldn’t it be better if none of us ever sinned in the first place?

Judaism teaches that our G-d is a loving G-d. Though He gives us many laws and we do make
mistakes, nevertheless He does not desire to punish us but rather that we do teshuvah.

1. Yechezkel (Ezekiel) 33:11 – G-d does not wish to punish the sinner.
Say to them: As I live, says the L-rd G-d, I do ‫אמר אליהם חי אני נאם אדני יקוק אם אחפץ במות הרשע‬
not wish for the death of the wicked, but for the ‫כי אם בשוב רשע מדרכו וחיה שובו שובו מדרכיכם‬
wicked to repent of his ways so that he may live. :‫הרעים ולמה תמותו בית ישראל‬
Repent, repent of your evil ways, for why should
you die, O House of Israel!

57
On closer examination, though, we see that the wording of our blessing is not just that G-d prefers
teshuvah, He actually desires it. Indeed, we find that teshuvah is woven into the fabric of creation.
But again, wouldn’t it be better if no one ever sinned in the first place?

2. Talmud Bavli, Pesachim 54a – Teshuvah was created before the world.
Seven things were created before the world. ‫שבעה דברים נבראו קודם שנברא העולם ואלו הן תורה‬
They are: the Torah, teshuvah… ... ‫ותשובה‬

The fact that teshuvah was created before the world itself, implies that a person can do teshuvah even
without having sinned. The world was created “at a distance” from G-d, and repentance draws it close.
Repentance, in this sense, defines the most fundamental desire of G-d for the world. Fittingly, it is the
only request of the Shemoneh Esrei prayer that is described as G-d’s desire.

But what does it mean that G-d desires teshuvah?

The Chassidic master, Rabbi Mendele of Rimanov, was once walking with his disciples when they
encountered a weeping child. “We are playing hide-and-seek,” the child cried. “I have hidden myself, but no
one is trying to find me.” Rabbi Mendele turned to his followers. “Now,” he said, “can you not appreciate the
distress of G-d, Who has concealed Himself in the universe, and commissioned man to search for and find
Him? How painful it must be to G-d that people go their own ways and do not search for Him!” (From
Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer, Shemoneh Esrei, pg. 114)

G-d desires teshuvah because the whole point of His creation is for us to freely choose to look for
Him. But creation is not simply a childish game of cosmic hide-and-seek. The process of searching
for G-d is part and parcel of our own spiritual development. (See further Rav Yitzchak Hutner,
Pachad Yitzchak, Igros U’Michtavim, Siman 9, p. 13.)

3. Rabbi Yitzchak Berkovits, Jerusalem Kollel – Teshuvah is the process of advancing

toward self-perfection.
Teshuvah in its global sense doesn’t mean rebounding from something bad. Teshuvah means coming
closer to G-d. It is a process of personal growth towards perfection. When G-d created us, He gave us
the ability for growth and to reach perfection, as well as specific times that are propitious for
accomplishing that.

In his legal compendium, the Mishnah Torah, Rambam puts the ideas of free will, reward and
punishment, even perfecting our character all into his Chapter of Hilchot Teshuvah, the Laws of
Repentance. Character traits are things we are born with, but we understand that we need to grow. The
Rambam calls that teshuvah. The growth process is called teshuvah.

We may look at teshuvah as some kind of post-hoc fix. We may mistakenly think that ideally there
should be no need for it. What can you do? If you make mistakes, you have to do teshuvah. But that is
not the understanding expressed in the Shemoneh Esrei.

“Blessed are You, our G-d, Who desires teshuvah.” G-d constantly desires our teshuvah. He wants
us to strive towards perfection and build a close relationship with Him!

58
4. Based on Rabbi Zelig Pliskin, Gateway to Happiness, pg. 378 (and Rabbi Reuven
Leuchter) – Improvement toward perfection happens in small steps.
When working on improving ourselves, it is easy to become discouraged because we do not see
sufficient progress. Keep trying and do not give up. Every small amount of improvement is a
success (Rabbi Reuven Dessler; T’nuat HaMussar, Vol.V, pg. 174).

Learn to appreciate even the minutest improvement. If you become angry one time less than before
or with less intensity, that itself is improvement. If you speak a little more kindly to others, that is
improvement. If your prayers are ever so slightly improved, that is improvement. The more pleasure
you feel with each drop of improvement, the more likely you will keep trying to improve.

(Nor should you become discouraged by failure, for every time you fail, you will have learned
something about yourself that can help you grow in the future.)

Key Themes of ‫ – תשובה‬Repentance.

 Teshuvah means developing our relationship with G-d, others, and ourselves. Sins
are mistakes, while teshuvah is the process of recognizing those mistakes and fixing
the damage they caused to these relationships.

 The basic formula for teshuvah is to stop transgressing now, resolve not to repeat the
behavior in the future, regret what you did in the past while confessing all this to
G-d. Sins toward other people require a fifth component – one must ask forgiveness
(mechilah) and if necessary reimburse the offended individual.

 It is up to us to start the process of teshuvah. In this berachah we ask G-d to help us

complete it.

 We ask to be returned to the Torah because the Torah is at the spiritual center of
every Jewish soul.

 At the conclusion of this berachah, we praise G-d for desiring teshuvah, because that
means He wants us to draw close to Him by perfecting ourselves.

See also the two Morasha shiurim on teshuvah.

59
Berachah 6. ‫(סליחה‬Selichah) – Forgiveness

‫ בָּ רּוְך אַ תָּ ה יְהֹוָּה חַ ּנּון הַ מַ ְרבֶ ה‬.‫ כִ י מֹוחֵ ל וְסֹולֵ חַ אָּ תָּ ה‬.‫ מְ חַ ל לָּ נּו מַ לְ כֵ נּו כִ י פָּ שָּ עְ נּו‬.‫סְ לַ ח לָּ נּו ָאבִ ינּו כִ י חָּ טָּ אנּו‬
. ַ‫לִ סְ ֹלח‬
Forgive us, our Father, for we have erred; pardon us, our King, for we have willfully sinned; for You pardon and
forgive. Blessed are You, G-d, the gracious One Who forgives abundantly.

Once we have turned to make an effort to improve ourselves (in the previous berachah), we realize
the extent of our past failures. Such awareness prompts us to then ask for forgiveness.

1. Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer, Shemoneh Esrei, pg. 117 – The request for forgiveness is
predicated upon having first done teshuvah.
This plea for forgiveness follows our request for repentance. First, we repent, abandon our past sins,
and commit ourselves to improvement; only then can we sincerely ask G-d to forgive and eradicate
our misdeeds. One who asks for pardon before he stops sinning is described as one who immerses himself
in purifying waters while grasping an impure creature in his hand (Taanit 16a). His immersion serves no
purpose, because he continues to contaminate himself. So, too, one cannot expect forgiveness for
sins that he continues to commit or to harbor.

Part A. Avinu Malkeinu

This blessing and the previous one are the only blessings that refer to G-d as “Avinu Malkeinu,” our
Father and King, a refrain known to many from the popular High Holidays tune. What is the
significance of this phrase and why is it only used in the blessings of teshuvah and forgiveness?

The originator of the Avinu Malkeinu prayer was Rabbi Akiva, as is told in the following Talmudic
story:

1. Talmud Bavli, Ta’anit 25b – Rabbi Akiva was the first to use the formulation of “Avinu
Malkeinu” as a prayer to G-d.
It is related that Rabbi Eliezer once [during a drought] stepped down before the Ark [in synagogue]
and recited the twenty-four blessings for fast days, but his prayer was not answered. Rabbi Akiva
stepped down after him and exclaimed: “Our Father, our King, we have no King but You; our
Father, our King, for Your sake, have mercy upon us,” and rain fell.

Why do we relate to G-d as both a father and a king in the blessings of teshuvah and forgiveness?
The reason can be derived from the following insight relating to the Avinu Malkeinu prayer recited
during the Ten Days of Teshuvah.

2. Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski, MD, Growing Each Day, 3 Tishrei on Aish.com – We want
G-d to forgive us in mercy as a father would a child; at the same time, though, we need to
treat G-d with the respect worthy of a king.
As children of G-d, we have the right to plead for mercy, just as we would expect a human father to
be kind and compassionate with his errant child. Actions that might elicit stern judgment from
strangers do not provoke a similar reaction from one’s own father. In praying for Divine forgiveness
for our misdeeds, we are therefore not asking for the extraordinary, but simply for the natural

60
response of a father toward a child. Even if our actions deserve rebuke, we ask that the discipline
should be tempered by paternal compassion.

But if we ask to be treated as children, we must relate to G-d the way the Torah expects a child to
relate to a parent, with respect and reverence. We cannot expect a parent-child relationship to be
one-directional.

The Talmud speaks harshly of someone who profanes that which is sacred, going so far as to deny
him a share in the eternal world, even though he may have performed many mitzvot (Ethics of the
Fathers 3:15). This is because although no one is perfect, and while sins can be forgiven, if one is
irreverent toward holiness and lacks the respect for G-d that should characterize a child-parent
relationship, then such a person may forfeit forgiveness. For example, halachic authorities sharply
criticize one who converses during the prayer services. While this is not a Biblical transgression, it
indicates disrespect for the Divine Presence.

During these days of penitence, as we recite the prayer of Avinu Malkeinu (our Father, our King),
we should give thought to the concept of reverence for our Father and try to behave in a manner
that befits a child of G-d.

Part B. Forgiveness and Pardon

What is the difference between the “forgiveness” that we ask of G-d as our Father and the “pardon”
that we ask of Him as our King?

1. Rabbi Yonatan Eibeschitz, Ya’arot Devash, Vol. I, pg. 8b – When we repeatedly

transgress, we deepen the rebellion against G-d and thereby perceive Him in the more
distant role, as a king, rather than the more intimate role, as a father.
When a person sins once or twice, he is still in ‫כשאדם חוטא א׳ או פעמיים עדיין הוא בבחינת בן‬
the category of a son. But when a person repeats ‫להקב״ה אבל כשריבה לחטוא אלו הי׳ בבחינת בן יהי׳ נדון‬
his sin often, granted he may still be considered a ‫ ונודע כי השב על דבר פעמיים ושלש יקר׳‬...‫כבן סורר‬
son, but only a wayward and rebellious one. For ‫ וזהו כונת אמרינו סלח לנו אבינו כי חטאנו כי אז‬...‫פושע‬
it is known that when a person repeats a sin two ‫אנחנו עדיין בבחינת בן לאב ומחל לנו מלכנו כי פשענו כי‬
or three times, he is considered a wanton sinner. ‫והוא מלכנו‬. ‫אז אנו יורדים ממדרגת בן רק במדרגת עבד‬
This is what it means when we say “forgive us, .‫ואדונינו ולא אבינו‬
our Father, for we have erred,” since at that
point we are still considered as a child to his
father. [Then we say,] “Pardon us, our King, for
we have willfully sinned,” for at this stage we
have descended [in our repeated defiance] from
the status of children to that of servants, G-d
being more like our king and master rather than
our father.

Similarly, the expressions of forgive and pardon are matched up with Father and King respectively.

61
2. Avudraham, Shemoneh Esrei – We ask for pardon when we offend and forgiveness when
we wish to wipe the slate clean.
Selichah (forgiveness) and chet (sin) are juxtaposed ‫וסמך סליחה וחטא לאב ומחילה ופשע למלך מפני שכל‬
to Father, while mechilah (pardon) and pesha ‫זדונות שעושה הבן דומות לפני האב כשגגות ונקלים יהיו‬
(willful sin) are juxtaposed to King,” because a ‫ ולפני המלך דומות‬.‫בעיניו לסלחם כמו שחטא נקל מפשע‬
son’s willful transgressions are seen by his father ‫שגגות העם כזדונות ולכן יש לומר לו כי פשענו לפי‬
as mistakes and are readily forgiven, just as chet ‫ ומחילה יש לבקש מכל אדם המקפיד‬,‫שפשע גדול מהחטא‬
is less severe than pesha. But a king will regard ‫ אבל אין לומר שיסלח לו‬,‫ומדקדק שימחול לו עלבונו‬
even the errors of his people as willful sins, and ‫ ולכן יש לומר לאב שאינו מקפיד ומדקדק כל כך‬.‫עלבונו‬
that is why we say “pashanu (willfully sinned),” .‫סלח לנו כלומר שאף הקפדה מועטת לא תשאר‬
for pesha is more severe than chet. In the same
vein, “mechilah” is something we request if we
have offended someone who is particular and
exacting; however it is not appropriate to ask
him for “selichah” for an offense (as if it was
accidental). However, to a father who is less
exacting it is appropriate to ask for “selichah,”
meaning that no trace of ill will should remain.

Mechilah implies that we cannot deny we have done wrong, just that we want to get off the hook for
it. Selichah implies that the transgression can be ignored as if nothing ever happened.

For those who daven (pray) nusach Ashkenaz (the prayer format of Jews of European, non-Chassidic
descent), why is the order of pardon (‫ ) ְׂסלַח‬and forgiveness (‫ ) ְׂמחַל‬switched when repeated later in the
same blessing? (For those who daven nusach Sefard [Chassidic format], the words are not reversed –
only pardon is mentioned again – and this is therefore not a question).

3. Rabbi Zev Leff, Shemoneh Esrei, pg. 122 – There are three reasons for reversing the order
of pardon and forgiveness.
[This means that] even though we have sinned, still You pardon and forgive consistently.

The order of the terms selichah and mechilah is reversed from the order of these terms in the
beginning of the berachah, for several reasons:

1. G-d will first pardon the rebellious acts and render them unintentional, and then forgive all the
unintentional sins and nullify them completely.

2. The beginning of the berachah was a prayer, so we began with the more lenient sin and proceeded
to the more severe sin. This part of the berachah is a praise of G-d. Therefore, we praise His
pardoning of our severe sins first, since this is a greater feat, and then mention the lesser sins.

3. In the beginning we said that perhaps we have sinned unintentionally and even possibly
rebelliously. If so, we continue, pardon the rebellions first, because those are the most damaging.

62
Key Themes of ‫ – סליחה‬Forgiveness.

 Once we have done teshuvah, we can then approach G-d for forgiveness.

 This berachah for forgiveness and the previous one for teshuvah refer to G-d as our
Father and our King. The reason is that when it comes to teshuvah and forgiveness,
we rely on G-d’s mercy, as a child would rely on his father’s mercy. At the same time,
we recognize that we must show the proper reverence for our Father in Heaven and
respect Him as the King.

 We ask for forgiveness from G-d as a Father, referring to a minor level of

transgression for which we hope to clean the slate. Pardon we ask of G-d as our King
in recognition of our undeniably greater transgressions.

 The order of forgiveness and pardon is switched in the conclusion of the berachah.
This switch might be because first we request these things and then we praise G-d
for being the One Who does them. Pardoning severe transgressions is a greater feat
than forgiving minor ones.

63
Berachah 7. ‫( גאולה‬Geulah) – Redemption

.‫ בָּ רּוְך אַ תָּ ה יְה ֹוָּה גֹואֵ ל יִשְ ָּראֵ ל‬.‫ כִ י גֹואֵ ל חָּ זָּק אָּ תָּ ה‬.‫ ּוגְָאלֵ נּו מְ הֵ ָּרה לְ מַ עַ ן שְ מֶ ָך‬.‫ ו ְִריבָּ ה ִריבֵ נּו‬.‫ְראֵ ה בְ עָּ ְניֵנּו‬
Behold our affliction, take up our grievance, and Redeem us speedily for Your Name’s sake, for You are a Powerful
Redeemer. Blessed are You, G-d, Redeemer of Israel.

This next berachah is for salvation, not for the ultimate national salvation of the Messianic era but
rather for personal salvation from day-to-day troubles. Such trials and tribulations come in many
forms, and we need G-d’s help to stand up to them. Having asked for forgiveness and release from
spiritual impediments, we now turn to G-d and ask Him to liberate us from the emotional pain and
mental anguish our problems impose upon us.

This berachah is paraphrased from the following verse in Psalms:

1. Tehillim (Psalms) 119:153-54 – The source in Tehillim for the blessing of redemption.
See my affliction and release me, for I have not ‫ ריבה ריבי וגאלני‬:‫ראה עניי וחלצני כי תורתך לא שכחתי‬
forgotten Your Torah. Fight my cause and :‫לאמרתך חיני‬
redeem me; for Your word sustains me.

Part A. Redemption from Personal Suffering

1. Rashi, Commentary to Talmud Bavli, Megillah 17b – This berachah is about personal
redemption.
The redemption (in this berachah) is not the ‫ אלא שיגאלנו מן‬,‫האי גאולה לאו גאולה דגלות היא‬
(national) redemption from exile but rather that .‫הצרות הבאות עלינו תמיד‬
we be redeemed from troubles that constantly
come upon us.

We pray to G-d to take away our suffering, but isn’t there a reason that people suffer? Aren’t there
also good things that come from it?

As we will see below, Judaism recognizes what can be gained from life’s difficulties. Yet, we pray not
to have to suffer – how can we resolve this seeming contradiction?

To understand this paradox, let us consider some positive aspects of suffering. Firstly, suffering can
be a catalyst for personal change.

2. Talmud Bavli, Berachot 5a – Suffering motivates one to introspect.

Rava, and some say Rav Chisda, stated: If a ‫ אם רואה אדם שיסורין‬:‫אמר רבא ואיתימא רב חסדא‬
person sees that circumstances of suffering have ‫מ) "נחפשה‬:‫ שנאמר (איכה ג‬,‫ יפשפש במעשיו‬- ‫באין עליו‬
befallen him, he should examine his deeds, as it ."'‫דרכינו ונחקורה ונשובה עד ה‬
is stated, “Let us search our ways and introspect
and come close to G-d” (Eichah/Lamentations
3:40).

Suffering can also purify our souls and be a source of reward in the Next World.

64
3. Ramchal (Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto), Derech Hashem (The Way of G-d) 2:2:5 –
Suffering sensitizes and purifies.
Good deeds incorporate an intrinsic quality of ‫ מציאות‬,‫ בגופו ונפשו‬,‫המעשים טובים מעצימים הם באדם‬
perfection and excellence into man’s body and ‫ והפכה המעשים הרעים מעצימים בו‬,‫שלמות ומעלה‬
soul. Evil deeds, on the other hand, incorporate ‫ והכל בשעור מדקדק כפי מה‬,‫מציאות עכירות וחסרון‬
in him a quality of insensitivity and deficiency, all ...‫שהם המעשים‬
precisely congruent with the deeds...

The Highest Mercy therefore decreed that some

sort of purification exist. This is the general ,‫ והוא כלל הייסורין‬,‫ שימצא לו צירוף‬,‫גזר החסד העליון‬
category of suffering. G-d gave suffering the ‫ששם יתברך שמו בסגולתם להסיר מאותו האדם העכירות‬
power to dispel the insensitivity in man, allowing .‫ ויישאר זך ובהיר מוכן לטובה בזמן הראוי‬,‫ההוא‬
him to become pure and clear.

Even though we can appreciate suffering as atonement and as a catalyst for introspection and
growth, we are not gluttons for punishment; we still ask G-d to take away the suffering.

4. Talmud Bavli, Berachot 5b – Some of our greatest sages would have preferred not to
suffer.
Rabbi Chiya b. Abba fell ill, and Rabbi Yochanan :‫ אמר ליה‬.‫ על לגביה רבי יוחנן‬,‫רבי חייא בר אבא חלש‬
went in to visit him. He said to him: Are your ‫ רבי‬....‫ לא הן ולא שכרן‬:‫חביבין עליך יסורין? אמר ליה‬
sufferings welcome to you? He replied: Neither ‫ חביבין עליך‬:‫ אמר ליה‬.‫ על לגביה רבי חנינא‬,‫יוחנן חלש‬
they nor their reward…Rabbi Yochanan once .‫ לא הן ולא שכרן‬:‫יסורין? אמר ליה‬
fell ill, and Rabbi Chanina went in to visit him.
He said to him: Are your sufferings welcome to
you? He replied: Neither they nor their reward.

5. Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer, Shemoneh Esrei, pg. 122 – We ask G-d to ease the burdens
that are too much for us to bear.
This blessing is a fervent plea for personal triumph over adversity; a petition to be released from the
incessant perils and problems of everyday existence. We do not ask for a life without challenges and
struggles, for such a life would lack meaning; rather we ask for relief in the areas of suffering and
stress with which we feel we cannot cope. Some people feel trapped in a difficult marriage, others
are shackled to an unsatisfying job. Some are crushed by financial burdens, others face deep trouble
with the law. Everyone is under some sort of pressure. We turn to G-d and cry for help. "Forsake
me not. Only You can soothe the pain. If You are with me, I am not alone; I will survive."

Part B. We Do Not Understand the Reasons for Suffering

Although we can appreciate the benefits of suffering and the need for it in the big picture, the
seeming randomness and lack of justice in the world is beyond our comprehension. Nevertheless,
we must have faith that everything G-d does is for the best.

1. Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) 4:14 – We cannot grasp Divine justice.
Rav Yanai taught: We cannot understand the ‫ר' ינאי אומר אין בידינו לא משלוות הרשעים ואף לא‬
peace of the wicked or the suffering of the .‫מייסורי צדיקים‬
righteous.

65
2. Rabbeinu Yonah, ibid. – We know, but do not understand.
We know that in truth there is an explanation for ‫שאנחנו יודעין באמת שיש טענה לדבר ואין אנו משיגין‬
the matter but we are not capable of .‫לדעת אותה‬
comprehending it.

Faith means trusting that G-d is just, even though we perceive injustice in the world.

3. Rambam, Mishnah Berachot 9:5 – G-d’s ways are beyond us.

The fundamental principle is that G-d rewards ‫ והכל‬,‫היסוד הוא כי הקב"ה יגמול לטובים ויענש הרעים‬
the righteous and punishes the evil; everything is ‫ כאשר‬,‫ודרך הצדק בהם אין ביכולת אדם להשיגו‬...‫משפט‬
just. However, we are incapable of ‫ וכבר‬,‫אין בכח שכל אדם להיות שכלו כולל דעת הקב"ה‬
comprehending G-d’s system of justice, since we ‫הודיענו הכתוב כי אין ביכולת רעיונינו להשיג חכמתו‬
cannot understand the “mind” of G-d. The ‫ והוא מה שאמר (ישעי'ה‬,‫וצדק דיניו בכל מה שפעל ויפעל‬
Torah teaches us that we are not capable of ‫ט) כי גבהו שמים מארץ כן גבהו דרכי מדרכיכם‬: ‫נה‬
comprehending G-d’s Wisdom or the justice of ‫ומחשבותי ממחשבותיכם‬
His judgments in all that He does. This idea is
stated in the verse, “Just as the heavens are
higher than the earth, so too are G-d’s ways
beyond your ways and G-d’s thoughts beyond
your thoughts” (Yeshayahu/Isaiah 55:9).

4. Rabbi Yitzchok Kirzner, Making Sense of Suffering, ArtScroll, pp. 5, 7 – Trust extends
beyond intellectual endeavor.
G-d in His essence is unknowable, but that does not mean He does not exist. The totality of His
ways is unfathomable, but that does not mean He has no ways. Intellectual endeavor remains
crucial, but it must be coupled with another element: trust. Trust is what we are left with when we
have gone as far as we can towards intellectual understanding and have still not obtained satisfactory
answers. Trust is the certainty that there is sense to G-d’s ways even when we are denied access to
those ways…

G-d could have created us with the intellectual capacity to understand every mitzvah (including the
chukim [Torah laws beyond human comprehension]). Or He could have limited the Torah to only
those mitzvot that we are capable of comprehending (eyduyot and mishpatim). But He did neither.
Rather, He gave us the chukim to introduce the element of trust into our relationship with Him. We
do not understand them. We observe them because we trust Him.

For more on the meaning of suffering, see the Morasha Class entitled, “Towards Understanding
Suffering & Adversity.”

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Key Themes of ‫ – גאולה‬Redemption.

 The redemption referred to in this berachah is that of personal redemption from pain
and suffering.

 There are benefits to suffering, such as the introspection it prompts and the
purification it affords the soul. Nevertheless we still ask G-d to help us out of
suffering because we are human after all.

 We do not ask for an easy life or a life without challenges. But we want those
challenges to be productive rather than debilitating.

 Even when we can sense no rhyme or reason to our suffering, we must still have faith
that everything that G-d does is for the best. Faith means trusting in G-d’s inherent
goodness even when we personally cannot perceive it.

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Berachah 8. ‫( רפואה‬Refuah) – Healing

‫ כִ י אֵ ל מֶ לֶ ְך‬.‫ וְהַ עֲ לֵ ה ְרפּוָאה שְ לֵ מָּ ה לְ כָּ ל מַ כֹותֵ ינּו‬. ‫ הֹושִ יעֵ נּו ְו ִנּוָּשֵ עָּ ה כִ י תְ הִ לָּ תֵ נּו אָּ תָּ ה‬.‫ְרפָּ אֵ נּו יְהֹוָּה ְונ ֵָּרפֵ א‬
.‫ בָּ רּוְך אַ תָּ ה יְהֹוָּה רֹופֵ א חֹולֵ י עַ מֹו יִשְ ָּראֵ ל‬.‫רֹופֵ א נֶאֱ מָּ ן ו ְַרחֲ מָּ ן אָּ תָּ ה‬

Heal us G-d – then we will be healed; Save us – then we will be saved, for You are our praise. Bring complete
recovery for all our ailments, for You are G-d, King, the faithful and compassionate Healer. Blessed are You, G-d,
Who heals the sick of His people Israel.

Once we have prayed for relief from external burdens and anguish, we then ask G-d to grant us
physical well-being.

Why do we pray to be healed? Shouldn’t we just go to a doctor for that? Is prayer in lieu of seeking
treatment? Or conversely, does going to a doctor demonstrate that we don’t really believe G-d can
heal us?

In order to appreciate what it means that we pray for healing, we will explore the Jewish view of the
roles of doctors and prayer in the healing process.

Part A. The Role of Doctors

The Torah tells us that when one person injures another, the assailant must pay his victim’s medical
expenses. The Sages derive from this law that it must, therefore, be permissible to go to a doctor for
treatment.

1. Shemot 21:19; Talmud, Bava Kamma 85a – The Torah, in requiring a damager to pay
medical bills, implies that doctors have permission to heal.
“He shall cause him to be thoroughly healed” ‫ מכאן שניתן רשות לרופא‬- )‫ י"ט‬,‫ורפא ירפא (שמות כ"א‬
(Shemot 21:19) – from here we learn that the .‫לרפאות‬
Torah has given doctors the license to heal.

What is so novel about being allowed to go to a doctor? Shouldn’t such “permission” be obvious?
Not exactly. One might think that since we believe in an all-powerful G-d Who is in control of
everything, perhaps we should not interfere with His plan when someone gets hurt or falls sick. The
verse comes to teach us that seeking treatment does not interfere with G-d’s plan.

2. Ibid., Commentary of Rashi – Healing does not interfere with G-d’s plan.
We do not fault the doctor by claiming he had .‫ולא אמרינן רחמנא מחי ואיהו מסי‬
no right to interfere with G-d’s plan that the
person get hurt.

We find two seemingly contradictory views of the role of doctors in the writings of Ramban and
Rambam (both of whom, incidentally, were practicing doctors).

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3. Ramban, Commentary to Vayikra (Leviticus) 26:11 – Ideally, people should seek prophets
rather than doctors.
When Bnei Yisrael are at peace [with G-d], their ‫ לא יתנהג‬,‫והכלל כי בהיות ישראל שלמים והם רבים‬
lives will not proceed according to the laws of ,‫ לא בכללם‬,‫ ולא בארצם‬,‫ לא בגופם‬,‫ענינם בטבע כלל‬
nature at all, whether in regard to their bodies or ‫ ויסיר מחלה‬,‫ כי יברך השם לחמם ומימם‬,‫ולא ביחיד מהם‬
their land, whether to the individual or to the ‫ עד שלא יצטרכו לרופא ולהשתמר בדרך מדרכי‬,‫מקרבם‬
nation as a whole. Rather, G-d will bless their .‫ כמו שאמר (שמות טו כו) כי אני ה' רופאך‬,‫הרפואות כלל‬
bread and their water and will remove all illness
from them such that they will not need doctors
or medicine. Thus it is written (Shemot 15:26),
“I am G-d Who heals you.”

That is in fact what the righteous did during the ‫ גם כי יקרם עון‬,‫וכן היו הצדיקים עושים בזמן הנבואה‬
times of prophecy – if they transgressed and fell ‫ אבל הדורש‬...‫שיחלו לא ידרשו ברופאים רק בנביאים‬
ill, they sought out the prophets and not the ‫ ומה חלק לרופאים בבית‬.‫השם בנביא לא ידרוש ברופאים‬
doctors. One who consults prophets does not ‫עושי רצון השם אחר שהבטיח וברך את לחמך ואת מימיך‬
consult doctors, for how can there be room for .‫והסירותי מחלה מקרבך‬
doctors in G-d's House when He has promised
(Shemot 23:25) to bless your bread and water
and remove illness from amongst you!

But people do seem to get sick from natural causes, and medicine does seem to help. Surely not all
sickness and healing are mediated by transgression and repentance. Ramban admits as such but says
that the reason nature runs its course with us is that we give in to it.

4. Ibid. – The only reason we need medicine is because we have chosen to live according to
the dictates of the natural world rather than seeing our relationship with G-d as the source
of our well-being.
This is what the Talmudic dictum means when it ‫והוא מאמרם (ברכות ס א) שאין דרכם של בני אדם‬
says that “people by rights should not seek ‫ אילו לא היה דרכם ברפואות יחלה‬,‫ברפואות אלא שנהגו‬
treatment, nevertheless such is their custom” ,'‫האדם כפי אשר יהיה עליו עונש חטאו ויתרפא ברצון ה‬
(Berachot 60a). If people did not seek treatment, :‫אבל הם נהגו ברפואות והשם הניחם למקרי הטבעים‬
then they would only get sick due to sin and ‫וזו היא כונתם באמרם (שם) ורפא ירפא מכאן שנתנה‬
would be healed by the will of G-d. However, ‫ לא אמרו שנתנה רשות לחולה‬,‫רשות לרופא לרפאות‬
since they do in fact seek treatment, G-d lets ‫ אלא כיון שחלה החולה ובא להתרפאות כי‬,‫להתרפאות‬
them be governed by the forces of nature. This ,‫נהג ברפואות והוא לא היה מעדת השם שחלקם בחיים‬
is what it means that “permission was granted ‫ אבל ברצות השם‬...‫אין לרופא לאסור עצמו מרפואתו‬
for the healer to heal.” It does not say that the :‫דרכי איש אין לו עסק ברופאים‬
sick person was granted permission to seek
treatment. Rather, if he goes to a doctor because
such is his inclination since he is not part of the
community of G-d Whose portion is life, the
doctor need not refrain from healing him…But
G-d’s will is that people not have anything to do
with doctors.

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Rambam seems to take a different approach to Ramban. His words come in his commentary to the
following Mishnah:

5. Mishnah, Pesachim 4:9 – King Chizkiyahu (Hezekiah) hid the Book of Remedies.
King Chizkiyahu did six things, three of which ‫ששה דברים עשה חזקיה המלך על שלשה הודו לו ועל‬
were approved and three of which were not… .‫ וגנז ספר רפואות והודו לו‬...‫שלשה לא הודו לו‬
He hid the Book of Remedies and it was
approved.

6. Rambam, Commentary to Mishnah, Pesachim 4:9 – Taking medicine is no different than

eating food: neither demonstrates a lack of faith. Rather, in both cases we thank G-d for
providing what we need.
It was explained to me that King Shlomo wrote ‫שמעתי וגם פירשו לי ששלמה חבר ספר רפואות שאם‬
this book, and when a person was sick, he would ‫חלה אדם באיזו מחלה שהיא פנה אליו ועשה כמו שהוא‬
follow the instructions in this book and be ‫ וראה חזקיה שלא היו בני אדם בוטחים‬,‫אומר ומתרפא‬
cured. When Chizkiyahu saw that when people .‫ עמד וגנזו‬,‫בה' במחלותיהם אלא על ספר הרפואות‬
fell ill, they no longer relied on G-d, he hid this
book away.
‫ הנה ייחסו‬,‫ומלבד אפסות דבר זה ומה שיש בו מן ההזיות‬
Now, aside from this being a nonsensical ‫לחזקיה ולסיעתו שהודו לו סכלות שאין ליחס דוגמתה‬
explanation, it also attributes to Chizkiyahu and ‫ ולפי דמיונם המשובש והמטופש‬.‫אלא לגרועים שבהמון‬
his ilk such foolishness the likes of which are ‫אם רעב אדם ופנה אל הלחם ואכלו שמתרפא מאותו‬
only attributable to the lowest rungs of the ,'‫ האם נאמר שהסיר בטחונו מה‬,‫הצער הגדול בלי ספק‬
masses. Following their silly and confused logic, ‫ כי כמו שאני מודה לה' בעת‬,‫והוי שוטים יאמר להם‬
if a person is hungry and he eats bread, is that a ‫האוכל שהמציא לי דבר להסיר רעבוני ולהחיותני‬
failure to rely on G-d? Fools! Just as I ‫ כך נודה לו על שהמציא רפואה המרפאה את‬,‫ולקיימני‬
acknowledge and thank G-d when He gives me .‫מחלתי כשאשתמש בה‬
food to assuage my hunger and strengthen me to
live and carry on, so too I thank Him when He
provides me with medicine that heals me when I
take it.

As for why Chizkiyahu hid the Book of Remedies, Rambam explains that people began misusing its
formulas to kill rather than heal.

Part B. A Divine Partnership

Rabbi Eliyahu E. Dessler explains that Ramban and Rambam are not really arguing with each other.
Both would agree that there is an ideal way of life, and there is an actual way that people live.
Ramban describes the ideal, Rambam the actual. Both would agree that people today need to seek
medical treatment, but at the same time they must turn to G-d in prayer.

1. Rabbi Eliyahu E. Dessler, Michtav Me’Eliyahu, Vol. III, pp. 172 – Rambam and Ramban
speak about different spiritual planes.
The opinions of Rambam and Ramban are not ‫ אלא שכל אחד‬,‫ששיטות הרמב״ם והרמב״ן אינן חלוקות‬
contradictory; rather, each one speaks about a .‫מדבר על מדרגה אחרת‬
different spiritual level.

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The highest level is when a person perceives that ‫ שמבחין האדם בכל מקריו ובכל‬,‫המדרגה העליונה היא‬
everything that happens to him is directly from ‫ שאינה‬,‫אשר סובב אותו את הנהגת השם יתברך הישירה‬
G-d and not a result of any other cause. Such a ‫ והוא יפנה בכל אשר הוא צריך רק אל‬.‫תלויה בסבות‬
person turns to G-d for all his needs for He is .‫ כי הוא המקור לכל‬,‫השי״ת‬
the source of everything.

On such a level, a person who gets sick would go ‫ ילך אל הנביא לדרוש לסבה‬,‫ אם יחלה האדם‬,‫במדרגה זו‬
to a prophet to discern the spiritual root of his ‫ כדי‬,‫ לידע מה השי״ת שואל מעמו‬,‫הרוחנית של מחלתו‬
sickness and to ask what G-d expects of him in ‫ אם ילך אדם זה אל הרופא להתרפא‬.‫לתקן את אשר עיוות‬
order to correct his vice. If such a person were ‫ שכן מעשהו‬,‫ברפואה טבעית –בזה פונה לבו מהשי״ת‬
to go to a doctor for medicinal healing – that ‫מורה כאילו אפשר ח״ו לעקוף את רצון ה' ולהתרפא בלי‬
would be considered turning away from G-d, for ‫לתקן את השורש הפנימי שגרם למחלה –את אשר חיסר‬
his actions would be seen as an attempt to ...‫ אם כן בודאי חוטא הוא‬.'‫ועיוות בעבודת ה‬
bypass G-d’s will and be healed without
correcting the root cause of his illness, i.e. that
he was lax or had perverted his service to G-d.
To do that would certainly be a sin.

Rambam would agree with all this. The proof is ‫ שהרי אפילו‬,‫ והראיה‬.‫ובכגון זה גם הרמב״ם מודה‬
that even in regards to eating, which Rambam ‫ והוכיח מכאן‬,‫ שהשוה אותה הרמב״ם לרפואה‬,‫באכילה‬
himself equated with healing and used to prove ‫ כמדרגת‬,‫ מצינו מדרגות בהן אין צורך באכילה‬,‫כשיטתו‬
his point, we find spiritual levels that do not ‫ ״לחם לא‬:‫ עליה נאמר‬,‫משה רבנו ע״ה בקבלת התורה‬
require food. An example would be Moshe when
‫ הרי שיש מדרגה בה אין צורך‬...‫אכלתי ומים לא שתיתי״‬
he went up Mount Sinai to receive the Torah, as
.‫להשתמש בדרכי הטבע‬
it says, “neither did I eat bread nor drink water.”
…Thus, there is a spiritual level in which a
person need not partake of the natural means of
survival.

On the lower spiritual level, a person perceives

‫ לכן אף‬,‫במדרגה תחתונה מבחין האדם בסבות טבעיות‬
natural causes and therefore even G-d hides His
‫ ומנהיגו באמצעות סבות‬,‫השי״ת מסתיר את הנהגתו ממנו‬
ways from him and guides him in accordance
with these natural forces, as Ramban says, “G-d .‫ ״וה' הניחם למקרה הטבעים״‬:‫ כדברי הרמב״ן‬,‫טבעיות‬
lets them be governed by the forces of nature.” ‫ אף שבודאי מוטל עליו להתפלל אל השם יתברך‬,‫אדם זה‬
Even though it is still incumbent upon such a ‫ ולהודות‬,‫ צריך להשתמש ברפואות טבעיות‬,‫לרפאותו‬
person to pray to G-d for recovery, he must seek ‫ ומתוך זה‬,‫להשם יתברך על שהמציא לו רפואה לחליו‬
medical treatment and then thank G-d when it ‫ וללמוד להטיב את‬,‫להכיר את הנהגת השי״ת וחסדיו עמו‬
works. Through this process he will come to …‫ הרמב״ן גם הוא מודה בזה‬.‫דרכיו‬
recognize the ways of G-d and His kindness to
him, and he will learn to better his ways. Ramban
agrees with this…

Rabbi Dessler goes on to say that a person must be honest with himself and recognize the true level
of his own spiritual sensitivity. There is no use simply acting as if one is as holy as Moshe –
expecting his physical body to be sustained by spirituality – when in fact that is not how he really

71
lives his life. Therefore, someone who refuses medical treatment and relies solely on G-d is most
likely being irresponsible and negligent according to both Rambam and Ramban.

Even though we are not on the spiritual level described by Ramban where we could rely directly on
G-d for our healing, nevertheless we must not lose sight of G-d’s role in the healing process. We go
to doctors, to be sure, but we must put our faith in G-d. Therefore, our prayers for healing must
accompany our appointments with the doctor.

2. Rabbi Shlomo ben Aderet, Teshuvot HaRashba 1:413 – Trust in G-d that He will send
healing through the doctor.
Someone who gets sick should not rely on a ‫ומי שהשיגו החולי אינו סומך על הנס שלא לשאול‬
miracle to get better rather than asking a doctor ‫ברופאים ולהתעסק בדברים המועילים בין בדברים‬
or seeking whatever kind of treatment may help, ‫ והוא אמרו ורפא ירפא ואמרו ז"ל‬.‫הטבעיים בין בסגולות‬
whether natural or mystical. That is what it ‫ ואמרם נתנה רשות‬.‫מכאן שנתנה רשות לרופא לרפאות‬
means when it says “he shall heal,” that ...‫לומר שאין זה הפך מה שהזהירה התורה בהשגחה‬
permission has been granted to doctors to heal,
meaning that such is not inconsistent with the
concept of Divine Providence…

It is permissible to put one’s faith in another ‫ אך‬...‫ומותר לבטוח באדם והוא שלא יסור לבו מן השם‬
person (such as a doctor) as long as one does not ‫לבטוח בשם ושיעשה לו תשועה ע"י האיש הפלוני מותר‬
remove G-d from his heart…But to trust in G-d .‫ומצוה‬
that He will send salvation through such and
such a person is permissible and is a mitzvah.

3. Rabbi Yisroel Meir Kagan, Mishnah Berurah, Orach Chaim 230:6 – Trust that G-d will
make the medicine work.
In all forms of treatment, one should not ‫בכל מידי דרפואה יאמר זה ולא יחשוב שתהיה איזה דבר‬
consider that any particular treatment will heal ‫לו רפואה אלא ע"י הבורא ית"ש ולכן ע"י תפלה זו ישים‬
him but rather that G-d will. Therefore, by way :‫בטחונו בו ויבקש ממנו שתהיה לו לרפואה‬
of prayer one puts his trust in G-d and requests
that the treatment heal him.

The proper path for people today is to seek treatment, but not to rely on it alone. We must pray that
the treatment work and thank G-d when it does.

Part C. Even the Healthy

In this blessing we pray for G-d to heal the sick. If we ourselves are healthy, we can offer this prayer
on behalf of someone we know who needs a speedy recovery. However, our Sages teach us that we
should not take our own health for granted. The healthy also need to pray to G-d that He maintain
their health for them.

1. Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 32a – The healthy should pray for health.
Rabbi Yitzchak bar Rav Yehuda said: Let one ‫ לעולם יבקש אדם רחמים‬:‫אמר רב יצחק בריה דרב יהודה‬
always pray for mercy not to fall sick; for he who .‫ הבא זכות והפטר‬:‫ אומרים לו‬- ‫ שאם יחלה‬,‫שלא יחלה‬
falls sick is told, “Show your merits [why you

72
deserve to be healed] and be acquitted” [i.e. it is
easier to pray for continued good health than to
ask to be healed, which requires special merit].

Part D. ‫ – כי תהילתנו אתה‬For You are Our Praise

What does praising G-d have to do with asking Him for health?

1. Rabbi Zev Leff, Shemoneh Esrei, pg. 157 – Getting sick helps us appreciate G-d.
In addition to being a supplication, this phrase can also be understood as a statement: G-d, I
recognize that unless You heal me, I cannot be healed; unless You save me, I cannot be saved. This
intention connects to the next phrase, “Ki tehillateinu Attah - For You are our praise.” One purpose
of illness is to give an incentive to recognize G-d’s presence and seek Him out, and thus to intensify
our awareness of His greatness and be more capable to praise Him properly. Thus, my recognition
that You alone, G-d, can heal and save achieves the purpose of Your being my object of praise and
hence my deserving of being healed.

Part E. G-d’s Power to Heal

1. Rabbi Yitzchak Maltzin, Siach Yitzchak – G-d lacks none of the resources needed to heal
us.
G-d, King, the faithful and compassionate Healer – The ‫ כי העדר רפואה הטבעית‬,‫אל מלך רופא נאמן ורחמן‬
lack of a natural cure could be for any of the ‫ או שהמכה אנושה מאנה הרפא מצד‬:‫יתכן באחת מאלה‬
following reasons: The wound could be fatal ‫או‬, ‫הטבע או שצריכים לזה סמים יקרים ממדינות רחוקות‬
since there is no natural cure or the only cure is ‫שהרופא איננו מומחה באמת או שהוא אכזרי ואין רצונו‬
expensive medicine from a far-off land, or the .‫לרפאות החולה מאכזריותו‬
doctor might not be expert enough, or he could
be so cruel as to not want to treat the patient.

None of these reasons apply to G-d, for You are ‫וכל אלה הסבות אינם אצל ה' כי אתה אל ולא נמנע מכחך‬
G-d, and You do not lack the power to heal any ‫ ואתה מלך ואין נמנע מכחך‬,‫לרפאות כל מחלה שבעולם‬
illness in the world; and You are King, and do ‫להשיג כל ענינים היקרים שהם בקצה תבל ואתה רופא‬
not lack the power to get any expensive .‫ואתה רחמן ודרכך לרחם ולהטיב‬. ‫נאמן המומחה האמיתי‬
treatment from any part of the world; and You
are a reliable Healer, the true expert; and You
are compassionate, to be gentle, sympathetic,
and benevolent.

2. Rabbi Avraham Edelstein, Ner Le'Elef Booklet, Insights into the Weekday Siddur, pg. 139
– Include your sick together with the whole nation.
The Gemara relates that when one davens for another Jew's well-being, he should include them
amongst the other ill people in the Jewish nation, for, as a result, this person will be included in the
merits of the broader nation. This will increase his friend's chance of receiving a refuah (recovery). In
addition, the Jewish people is all one body, and therefore, if anyone is sick (even someone who is a
stranger to us), we should all feel a certain lack of wholeness.

73
Many siddurim include an insertion for praying for specific individuals who need a refuah among
everyone else requiring a complete healing in the Jewish nation.

Key Themes of ‫ – רפואה‬Healing.

 On the one hand, belief in an all-powerful G-d implies that we should not go to
doctors but should rely entirely on our prayers for healing. If we are sick then G-d
wants us that way; if He wanted us better, He would heal us Himself. However, the
Torah allows us to seek medical treatment and does not view such treatment as
contrary to G-d’s plan.

 One reason for the necessity of doctors, says Ramban, is that we do not live in an
ideal world where everyone trusts in G-d wholeheartedly enough to rely solely upon
Him for healing. Since we have chosen to live according to the dictates of nature,
G-d lets nature run its course with us as well.

 Rambam, however, sees no contradiction between faith and healing. Taking

medicine for recovery is no different than eating food to survive. In either case we
put in the effort and trust in G-d for the desired result.

 These two great Sages do not disagree with each other. Both would admit that
ideally we should trust entirely in G-d but that practically most people do not
function on that exalted spiritual level.

 Therefore, we go to doctors, but we must not rely on them completely. Every visit to
the doctor should be accompanied by a prayer to G-d for the success of the
prescribed treatment.

 The prayer for health is not only appropriate to say for a sick person; the healthy
should say it as well in order not to take their own good health for granted.

 Getting sick and experiencing recovery helps us appreciate G-d and that is why we
tell G-d in this berachah that He is “our praise.” As the All-powerful G-d and King of
the universe, His ability to heal knows no bounds. As a compassionate and reliable
healer, He heals us gently with the greatest expertise imaginable.

 Many siddurim include an insertion to pray for specific individuals who need a
refuah among everyone else requiring a complete healing in the Jewish nation.

74
Berachah 9. ‫ – ברכת השנים‬Year of Prosperity

‫ טַ ל‬- ‫ בְ ָּרכָּ ה) (בחורף‬- ‫ וְתֵ ן (בקיץ‬.‫בָּ ֵרְך עָּ לֵ ינּו יְהֹוָּה אֱ ֹלהֵ ינּו אֶ ת הַ שָּ נָּה הַ זֹאת וְאֶ ת כָּ ל מִ ינֵי תְ בּוָאתָּ ּה לְ טֹובָּ ה‬
‫ בָּ רּוְך אַ תָּ ה ְיהֹוָּה מְ בָּ ֵרְך‬.‫ ּובָּ ֵרְך שְ נָּתֵ נּו כַ שָּ נִים הַ טֹובֹות‬.‫ּומָּ טָּ ר לִ בְ ָּרכָּ ה) עַ ל פְ נֵי הָּ אֲ דָּ מָּ ה וְשַ בְ עֵ נּו מִ טּובֶ ָך‬
.‫הַ שָּ נִים‬
Bless on our behalf – O L-rd, our G-d – this year and all its kinds of crops for the best, and give (in the summer: a
blessing) (in the winter: dew and rain for a blessing) on the face of the earth, and satisfy us from Your bounty, and
bless our years like the best years. Blessed are You, G-d, Who blesses the years.

While in the second berachah of the Shemoneh Esrei we praised G-d for sending the life-giving
force of rain, here we actually petition G-d to send it to us at the right time. We find divergent
customs between the Land of Israel and outside the land as to when to start making this request.

Part A. The Key to Livelihood

As we mentioned in our commentary on the second berachah, Gevurot, livelihood is one the things
to which only G-d holds the key.

1. Talmud Bavli, Taanit 2a-b – G-d holds the keys to livelihood.

Rabbi Yochanan said: G-d holds three keys that ‫ שלשה מפתחות בידו של הקדוש ברוך‬:‫אמר רבי יוחנן‬
He does not give agency to anyone else. These ,‫ מפתח של גשמים‬:‫ ואלו הן‬,‫הוא שלא נמסרו ביד שליח‬
are the key to rain, the key to life, and the key to ‫ במערבא‬... .‫ ומפתח של תחיית המתים‬,‫מפתח של חיה‬
Resurrection of the Dead… In the West (Israel), ‫ דכתיב )תהלים קמה( פותח‬,‫ אף מפתח של פרנסה‬:‫אמרי‬
they said: also the key to livelihood, as the verse ?‫ ורבי יוחנן מאי טעמא לא קא חשיב להא‬.'‫את ידך וגו‬
states, “You open Your hand (and satisfy the .‫ גשמים היינו פרנסה‬:‫אמר לך‬
desire of every living thing)” [Tehillim/Psalms
145:16]. And why didn’t Rabbi Yochanan count
livelihood as the fourth key? He would say to
you that livelihood was already included in rain.

We tend to think that our career choices and the effort we put into our work will determine the
standard of our livelihood. Judaism teaches that such is not the case. We only succeed where G-d
wants us to.

2. Talmud Bavli, Kiddushin 82a with Commentary of Tosafot – Profession is no guarantee

of wealth.
One should always try to teach his child a clean ‫ ויתפלל למי‬,‫לעולם ילמד אדם את בנו אומנות נקיה וקלה‬
and easy profession and pray to the One to ‫ שאין אומנות שאין בה עניות‬,‫שהעושר והנכסים שלו‬
whom all wealth and possessions belong, for ‫ שלא עניות מן האומנות ולא עשירות מן‬,‫ועשירות‬
there is no profession that does not have in it ‫ [פירוש לפי מזלו דבני וחיי‬.‫ אלא הכל לפי זכותו‬,‫האומנות‬
those who are poor and those who are rich. ‫ומזוני לאו בזכותא תליא מילתא אלא במזלא תליא מילתא‬
Poverty does not come from the profession, and ]‫ – תוספות‬.).‫(מ"ק כח‬
neither does wealth. Rather everything depends
upon one’s spiritual merits [meaning his mazal –
fate, for “length of life, number of children, and

75
the extent of one’s sustenance do not depend on
one’s merit, but on one’s mazal” (Moed Katan
28a)].

Wealth affects different people in different ways, and therefore cannot be granted on the basis of
merit alone. For this reason, the key to wealth remains in G-d's hand alone, and even the righteous
have no promise of livelihood.

3. Talmud Bavli, Niddah 16b – A person’s economic fortunes are largely determined from
the time of conception.
Rav Chanina bar Pappa taught: The angel ‫דריש ר' חנינא בר פפא אותו מלאך הממונה על‬
appointed over pregnancy…takes the drop ‫ ונוטל טפה ומעמידה לפני הקדוש ברוך‬... ‫ההריון‬
(of sperm) and brings it before G-d and ‫הוא ואומר לפניו רבונו של עולם טפה זו מה תהא‬
says: “Master of the World, what will .‫ עשיר או עני‬... ‫עליה‬
become of this drop? Will he be…rich or
poor?”

Divine Providence determines each person’s economic fortune and how it will fit it into G-d’s
overall plan. The degree of providence required to set each individual in his economic station is as
great as that required to produce a miracle.

4.Talmud Bavli, Pesachim 118a with commentary of Rashbam – Livelihood requires a

miracle.
A person’s livelihood is as difficult (for G-d) .‫קשין מזונותיו של אדם כקריעת ים סוף‬
as the splitting the Sea.

As the splitting of the Sea – That is, the ‫ כלומר נס גדול עושה לו הקדוש‬:‫כקריעת ים סוף‬
incredible miracle that G-d does for people ‫ברוך הוא למי שנותן לו מזונות כאשר עשה לישראל‬
by providing their livelihood is comparable :‫שקרע להם ים סוף‬
to when He split the Sea before the Jewish
people.

The chain of events governing a person's economic fortunes is largely determined from the time of
his conception. That is the meaning of mazal, the specific constellation of circumstances a person
will face in life. Besides this, however, each person is constantly judged, and his financial fortunes
are determined, over periods of time. To this end, G-d calculates on Rosh HaShanah what a
person’s livelihood will be for the upcoming year.

5. Talmud Bavli, Beitzah 16a – One’s livelihood is determined by the judgment of Rosh
HaShanah.
The entire sustenance of man [for the year] is ‫כל מזונותיו של אדם קצובים לו מראש השנה ועד יום‬
fixed for him between Rosh HaShanah and Yom .‫הכפורים‬
Kippur.

At the beginning of each year, G-d determines a person’s livelihood for the year. This is part of what
it means that Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur are days of judgment, for it is at this time that G-d

76
decides how to allocate funds for the upcoming year. If that’s the case, why do we pray every day for
sustenance? If it has already been determined, why pray for it?

The answer is that even though the amount we earn cannot change, whether our income will be a
blessing for us or not still depends on how we act throughout the year.

6. Talmud Bavli, Rosh HaShanah 17b – G-d will match the outcome of our judgment on
Rosh HaShanah to our conduct during the course of the year.
“The eyes of the L-rd, Your G-d are upon [the .‫ עתים לטובה עתים לרעה‬- ‫עיני ה' אלהיך בה‬
Land of Israel] (from the beginning of the year
until the end)” (Devarim 11:12). Sometimes for
the better, and sometimes for the worse.

What is an example of this for the better? If the ‫עתים לטובה כיצד? הרי שהיו ישראל רשעים גמורין‬
Jewish people were completely wicked on Rosh ‫ לסוף חזרו‬,‫ ופסקו להם גשמים מועטים‬,‫בראש השנה‬
HaShanah and were decreed to have a small ‫ אלא‬.‫ שכבר נגזרה גזרה‬,‫ אי אפשר‬- ‫ להוסיף עליהן‬.‫בהן‬
amount of rain, but in the end changed their ,‫הקדוש ברוך הוא מורידן בזמנן על הארץ הצריכה להן‬
ways – to give them more rain would be .‫הכל לפי הארץ‬
impossible as it had already been decreed.
Rather, G-d makes that rain fall in the proper
time in the places that need it, according to each
place’s particular need.

What is an example of this for the worse? If the ‫עתים לרעה כיצד? הרי שהיו ישראל צדיקים גמורין‬
Jewish people were completely righteous on ‫ לסוף חזרו‬.‫ ופסקו עליהן גשמים מרובין‬,‫בראש השנה‬
Rosh HaShanah and were decreed to have ‫ אלא‬.‫ שכבר נגזרה גזרה‬,‫ אי אפשר‬- ‫ לפחות מהן‬,‫בהן‬
abundant rain, but in the end changed their ways ‫הקדוש ברוך הוא מורידן שלא בזמנן על הארץ שאינה‬
– to give them less would be impossible for it .‫צריכה להן‬
had already been decreed. Rather, G-d makes
that rain fall unseasonably and in places that do
not need it.

G-d makes only a basic calculation on Rosh HaShanah as to what a person’s livelihood will be for
the coming year. However, this can be altered based on actual daily performance and our prayers,
particularly this berachah of the Shemoneh Esrei.

Since G-d runs the world, what difference does it make if we pray? It seems strange to ask G-d for
things that He already knows we want. Furthermore, if He hasn’t given us what we want yet, He
must have a good reason; can prayer really change G-d’s mind?

While we cannot change G-d with our prayer, we can change ourselves. This is one way in which
prayer can change our lives.

77
7. Rabbi Yosef Albo, Sefer Ikarim (translated by Isaac Husik), from Rabbi J. David Bleich,
Ed., ֹWith Perfect Faith, pp. 267-269 – If G-d has already decreed that one will receive a
certain benefit, why should he pray? Alternatively, if G-d has not decreed that this should
happen, can prayer change His plan?
Either G-d has ordered that a person shall ‫ ואם נגזר אין‬.‫אם נגזר מהשם טוב מה על איש או לא נגזר‬
receive a certain benefit or He has not. If He ‫ ואם לא נגזר איך תועיל התפלה לשנות רצון‬,‫צריך תפלה‬
has, there is no need for prayer; and if He has ‫ שלא ישתנה השם‬,‫השם לגזור עליו טוב אחר שלא נגזר‬
not, how can prayer change G-d’s will so that He ‫ ובעבור זה‬,‫ ולא מלא רצון אל רצון‬,‫מן הרצון אל לא רצון‬
will decide to benefit the person when He had ‫יאמרו שלא יועיל כשרון המעשה אל שיגיע לאדם מהשם‬
not wanted to originally? For G-d does not ‫ וכן שאמרו שלא תועיל התפלה להשיג‬,‫בעבורו טוב מה‬
change from a state of willing to a state of not .‫טוב מה או להנצל מרע שנגזר עליו‬
willing, or vice versa. For this reason, they say
that the worthiness of an action does not help a
person receive any benefit from G-d. And
similarly, they say that prayer does not help one
to receive a benefit or to be saved from
something bad which has been decreed against
him.

But this approach is not true, for the influences ‫ שההשפעות העליונות יושפעו על‬,‫וזה הדעת איננו נכון‬
from above come down upon the recipient when ‫ ואם‬,‫המקבל בהיותו במדרגה ידועה והכנה ידועה לקבלם‬
he is on a certain spiritual level and state of ‫לא יכין האדם עצמו לקבל השפע ההוא הנה הוא המונע‬
preparation to receive them. And if a person ‫ שאם נגזר על איש מה על דרך משל‬,‫הטוב מעצמו‬
does not prepare himself, he withholds this good
‫שיצליחו תבואותיו בשנה פלונית והוא לא יחרוש ולא‬
from himself. By way of allegory, if it has been
‫יזרע בשנה ההיא אף אם ימטיר השם מטרות עזו על פני‬
determined from on High that a person’s crops
‫תבל ארצו לא תצלחנה תבואותיו אחר שלא חרש וזרע‬
shall prosper in a given year, and he neglects to
...‫והוא המונע מעצמו הטוב ההוא שלא הכין עצמו לקבלו‬
plow or sow his land that year, then G-d may
‫וכן כשנגזר עליו רע מה הנה הוא נגזר בהיותו במדרגה‬
bring the most abundant rain upon the land but
his crops will not prosper, seeing that he has not …‫ידועה מהרוע או בהכנה ידועה‬
plowed or sowed. He withheld the good from
himself because he did not prepare himself to
receive it… Likewise, when a certain evil is
ordered upon someone, it was ordered when he
was on a certain level of wickedness, or he had a
particular quality [that did not allow him to
receive a particular form of goodness].

As for the objection that the Divine Will cannot

be changed by prayer, the answer is that it is the ‫ואין להקשות ולומר איך ישתנה רצון השם יתברך על ידי‬
Divine Will in the first place that the decree ‫ שכך היה רצון השם מתחלה שתתקיים הגזירה‬,‫התפלה‬
should be realized if the person in question ‫ ואם תשתנה ההכנה‬,‫בהיותו באותה מדרגה ואותה הכנה‬
continues in the same state, and that the decree .‫תשתנה הגזרה‬
should be changed if the person’s state changes.

Changing ourselves changes the world. When we prepare ourselves for G-d’s blessing, we will
receive the goodness He wishes upon us.

78
Part B. Kosher Money

We are not just asking to have what we need. We want it to be from “G-d’s bounty.” Part of what
this means is that we want to have what we need in a kosher way as opposed to ill-gotten gain.

1. Rabbi Yonatan Eibeschitz, Ya’arot Devash, Vol. I, pg. 10 – Sustenance acquired in a

kosher way nourishes the soul.
It is fitting that at least during the morning ‫ראוי בתפלת שחרית עכ״פ לשום אל לבו לה׳ שיטריף לו‬
prayers a person should wish that G-d provide ‫לחם חקו בהיתר ולא באיסור כי אם יש נדנוד איסור במזון‬
his daily sustenance in a permissible rather than ‫מטמא כל גופו ואין בו מזון לנשמה אבל אם המזון כולו‬
forbidden manner, for if there is the slightest ‫בהיתר יש בו מזון לנשמה כי מעלה כל ניצוצות שיש‬
trace of the forbidden in his food it will sully his ‫במאכל כדכתיב כי לא על הלחם לבדו יחיה האדם כי על‬
whole body and not provide sustenance for the ‫ ולכן יתפלל אדם מאוד בכונה שיהי׳ המזון‬, '‫כל מוצא פי ה‬
soul. But if the food is [acquired] completely in a .‫מסטרא דדכיא וטהרה ולא חס ושלום מסטרא דמסאנא‬
permissible way, then it does provide sustenance
to the soul for it raises all the sparks of holiness
in the food, as it is written, “it is not by bread
alone that man lives, but by all that issues from
G-d’s mouth.” Therefore, a person should pray
with the utmost intention that his food be from
a clean and pure source and not, G-d forbid,
from an unclean one.

Kosher in this regard is not just about the ingredients; our food must be acquired with money that
we procure in ways that conform to the Torah’s laws, i.e. “all that issues from G-d’s mouth.”
Included in this prayer is not only our personal means of acquisition but also that of the world. We
want G-d to bless everyone with real wealth, not fake and fleeting prosperity.

2. Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer, Shemoneh Esrei, pg. 142 – We ask that G-d save us from
unscrupulous market manipulators.
We request that G-d grant us true prosperity, not false prosperity. Sharp upturns in the business
cycle may inflate property values, launch corporate takeovers, and cause stock prices to skyrocket.
Unscrupulous speculators may take advantage of this situation to drive up optimism to unrealistic
levels. Suddenly, everyone is investing in stocks, junk bonds, and real estate, and it seems as if instant
wealth is within anyone's reach. Then the bubble bursts and countless investors and innocent
bystanders are the victims of yet another recession. To help prevent this scenario, we beseech G-d
to protect us from the false prosperity created by selfish manipulators. We desire lasting prosperity
which can only come as a gift from G-d.

79
Part C. Avoiding the Pitfalls of Prosperity

Aside from avoiding non-kosher sources of money, we also need to recognize the pitfalls of
prosperity itself, such as arrogance, worry, and greed.

 Arrogance

1. Devarim 8:11-17 – The Torah warns us not to let our prosperity go to our heads.
Be careful that you not forget G-d your L-rd, not ‫השמר לך פן תשכח את יקוק אלהיך לבלתי שמר מצותיו‬
keeping His commandments, decrees and laws, ‫ פן תאכל ושבעת‬:‫ומשפטיו וחקתיו אשר אנכי מצוך היום‬
which I am prescribing to you today. You may ‫ ובקרך וצאנך ירבין וכסף וזהב‬:‫ובתים טבים תבנה וישבת‬
then eat and be satisfied, building fine houses ‫ ורם לבבך ושכחת את יקוק‬:‫ירבה לך וכל אשר לך ירבה‬
and living in them. Your herds and flocks may ‫ ואמרת‬.... ‫אלהיך המוציאך מארץ מצרים מבית עבדים‬
increase, and you may amass much silver and :‫בלבבך כחי ועצם ידי עשה לי את החיל הזה‬
gold – everything you own may increase. But
your heart may then grow haughty, and you may
forget G-d your L-rd, the One Who brought you
out of the slave house that was Egypt… [When
you later have prosperity, be careful that you
not] say to yourself, “It was my own strength
and personal power that brought me all this
prosperity.”

 Worry

2. Pirkei Avot 2:7 – Increasing our possessions can increase our anxiety.
One who increases possessions, increases worry. .‫מרבה נכסים מרבה דאגה‬

3. Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) 5:11 – Riches bring their own worries.

The sleep of the laborer is sweet, whether he eats ‫מתוקה שנת העבד אם מעט ואם הרבה יאכל והשבע‬
little or much, but the satiety of the rich does not .‫לעשיר איננו מניח לו לישון‬
allow him to sleep.

 Greed

4. Ibid., 5:9 – The pursuit of money is insatiable.

Whoever loves money will not be sated with ...‫אהב כסף לא ישבע כסף‬
money…

5. Kohelet Rabbah 1:13 – If we desire money too much, then we will never be satisfied.
Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Aibu: ‫אמר ר' יודן בשם ר' איבו אין אדם יוצא מן העולם וחצי‬
Nobody departs from the world with half his ‫תאותו בידו אלא אן אית ליה מאה בעי למעבד יתהון‬
desire gratified. If one has a hundred he wants to ‫ ואן אית ליה תרתי מאוון בעי למעבד יתהון‬,‫תרתין מאוון‬
turn them into two hundred, and if he has two .‫ארבעה מאה‬
hundred he wants to turn them into four
hundred.

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Part D. Getting Satisfaction

As we saw above, sustenance coming specifically from G-d’s bounty nourishes the soul. Hence we
are not necessarily praying for a lot of sustenance, for abundance is not the be all and end all; we are
also praying to be satisfied by what G-d sends us. In fact, having very little is not a problem in and
of itself. If the little we have satisfies us, then that too is a blessing. In fact, G-d’s blessing of
sustenance is viewed in Jewish sources as less a blessing for abundance than a supplication for
satisfaction.

1. Vayikra 26:5 with Commentary of Rashi (Citing Torat Kohanim 26:6) – G-d’s blessing is
not in the abundance but in the satisfaction it provides.
…you will eat your food to satiety… ,‫ואכלתם לחמכם לשבע‬

One will eat only a little [food], but it will .‫אוכל קמעא והוא מתברך במעיו‬
become blessed in his innards.

2. Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer, Shemoneh Esrei, pg. 143 – Pray for satisfaction every day.
The Baal Shem Tov teaches that every day G-d decides how much pleasure and satisfaction each
person will derive from the possessions that he already has, and so we must constantly pray for daily
satisfaction.

3. Rabbi Shimon Schwab, On Prayer, pg. 446 – Being satisfied helps to cure human greed.
Our Sages tell us (see Sanhedrin 97a and Sotah 49b) that before the coming of Mashiach (Messiah)
there will be such greed that despite the fact that the grape crop will be abundant, the wine
producers will demand high prices for it; they would rather waste it than sell it cheaply. People will
have huge appetites for riches which can never be satiated.

Despite the fact that the world overproduces food, millions of people are still starving. If it would
not be for greed, all the food in the world would be properly distributed among the population, and
everybody would have enough to eat. However, since the “goodness of G-d” is missing, people are
never satisfied; they can never get enough. And therefore we ask Hashem Satiate us with Your goodness.
Give us enough food and money and possessions for our needs, and give us that feeling of being
satisfied, which will obviate our greed and lust for more and more – a desire that can never be
satisfied.

Key Themes of ‫ – ברכת השנים‬Year of Prosperity.

 We like to think that our salaries are for the most part our own doing. We decide
what job to take and what to do with our money, but profession is no guarantee for
wealth.

 The chain of events determining our livelihood starts as early as the time of
conception. Annual income is also predetermined based on the judgment of Rosh
HaShanah at the beginning of each year.

 Although our livelihood is largely out of our hands, we can affect it through personal
growth and prayer.

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 Part of this prayer is asking that everything we earn should be with blessing from “G-
d’s bounty.” We ask to avoid the dangerous pitfalls that prosperity itself can bring:
unscrupulous behavior sometimes involved in money-making, the arrogance bred by
success, the worry that comes with acquisition, greed fed by having more and more
of what we want.

 What we really want, what we pray for, is nothing external to ourselves but rather the
internal satisfaction with everything that G-d has graciously granted us.

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Berachah 10. ‫( קיבוץ גלויות‬Kibbutz Galuyot) – Ingathering of the Exiles

‫ בָּ רּוְך אַ תָּ ה יְה ֹוָּה‬.‫ָארץ‬

ֶ ָּ‫ַארבַ ע כַ נְפֹות ה‬
ְ ֵ‫ ְוקַבְ צֵ נּו יַחַ ד מ‬.‫ וְשָּ א נֵס לְ קַבֵ ץ גָּלֻ יֹותֵ ינּו‬.‫תְ קַע בְ שֹופָּ ר גָּדֹול לְ חֵ רּותֵ נּו‬
:‫מְ קַבֵ ץ נִדְ חֵ י עַ מֹו יִשְ ָּראֵ ל‬
Sound the great shofar for our freedom, raise the banner to gather our exiles and gather us together from the four
corners of the earth. Blessed are you, G-d, Who gathers in the dispersed of His people Israel.

We already prayed for redemption in the seventh berachah, so why are we talking about it again
now? The answer is that there are significant differences between what we prayed for then and what
we ask for now.

1. Rabbi Nosson Sherman, The Siddur, pg. 62 – The differences between this berachah and
the earlier one of Redeemer of Israel.
This prayer for freedom and redemption is unlike the earlier one Redeemer of Israel in three ways. (1)
The earlier blessing refers to G-d's daily help in all sorts of crises and suffering; this one refers to the
future redemption from exile; (2) the earlier blessing refers only to physical salvation, while this one is
a plea for spiritual deliverance; (3) this one specifies not only freedom from oppression, but the
ingathering of all exiles to Eretz Yisrael.

Part A. The Ingathering of the Exiles

The Torah predicts that the Jewish people will be sent into exile as a consequence of not living up to
our covenant with G-d. But it also promises that eventually we will be brought back to our land.
This “ingathering of the exiles” and this return to the land is seen as part of the process of national
redemption that will usher in the Messianic era.

The first reference to the ingathering of exiles is mentioned in the Torah itself. Later in Jewish
history, when exile became not just a prophecy but a reality, the ingathering became a major theme
of the prophets, in particular Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah), Yeshayahu (Isaiah), and Yechezkel (Ezekiel).
Many of these prophecies refer to the ultimate redemption of the Jewish people in the time of the
Mashiach. Although in recent times we see many Jews moving to the Land of Israel after the
Holocaust and the founding of the State of Israel, this prayer refers to the final return of all the
Jewish people to the Land of Israel that will accompany the Messianic era.
1. Devarim 30:3-5 – G-d promises to return the exiled Jews to their land.
G-d will then bring back your remnants and ‫ושב יקוק אלהיך את שבותך ורחמך ושב וקבצך מכל‬
have mercy on you. G-d your L-rd will once ‫ אם יהיה נדחך‬:‫העמים אשר הפיצך יקוק אלהיך שמה‬
again gather you from among all the nations :‫בקצה השמים משם יקבצך יקוק אלהיך ומשם יקחך‬
where He scattered you. Even if you are ‫והביאך יקוק אלהיך אל הארץ אשר ירשו אבתיך וירשתה‬
dispersed to the ends of the heavens, G-d your :‫והיטבך והרבך מאבתיך‬
L-rd will gather you up from there and He will
take you back. G-d your L-rd will then bring you
to the land that your ancestors occupied, and
you too will occupy it. G-d will be good to you
and make you flourish even more than your
ancestors.

83
2. Yechezkel 37:21 – The prophet speaks of Israel’s return to the Land.
And say to them, “So says the L-rd G-d: Behold ‫ודבר אליהם כה אמר אדני יקוק הנה אני לקח את בני‬
I will take the Children of Israel from among the ‫ישראל מבין הגוים אשר הלכו שם וקבצתי אתם מסביב‬
nations where they have gone, and I will gather :‫והבאתי אותם אל אדמתם‬
them from every side, and I will bring them to
their land.”

3. Yirmiyahu 23:7-8 – Another prophecy of return.

Therefore, behold days are coming, says the ‫לכן הנה ימים באים נאם יקוק ולא יאמרו עוד חי יקוק‬
L-rd, when they shall no longer say, "As lives the ‫ כי אם חי יקוק‬:‫אשר העלה את בני ישראל מארץ מצרים‬
L-rd, Who brought up the Children of Israel ‫אשר העלה ואשר הביא את זרע בית ישראל מארץ צפונה‬
from the land of Egypt," But rather, "As lives :‫ומכל הארצות אשר הדחתים שם וישבו על אדמתם‬
the L-rd, Who brought up and Who brought the
seed of the House of Israel from the northern
land and from all the lands where I have driven
them, and they shall dwell in their land."

4. Rambam, Hilchot Melachim (The Laws of Kings) 11:1,4 – Gathering the dispersed Jews is
one of the functions of the Mashiach.
In the future, the Messianic king will arise and ‫המלך המשיח עתיד לעמוד ולהחזיר מלכות דוד ליושנה‬
renew the Davidic dynasty, restoring it to its ...‫ ובונה המקדש ומקבץ נדחי ישראל‬,‫לממשלה הראשונה‬
initial sovereignty. He will build the Temple and
gather the dispersed of Israel…

If a king will arise from the House of David ‫ואם יעמוד מלך מבית דוד הוגה בתורה ועוסק במצוות‬
who, like David, his ancestor, diligently studies ‫ ויכוף כל‬,‫ כפי תורה שבכתב ושבעל פה‬,‫כדוד אביו‬
the Torah and observes its mitzvot as prescribed ‫ הרי זה‬,'‫ וילחם מלחמות ה‬,‫ישראל לילך בה ולחזק בדקה‬
by the Written Law and the Oral Law, and [this ,‫בחזקת שהוא משיח‬
king] will compel all of Israel to walk in (the way
of the Torah) and rectify the breaches in its
observance, and fight the wars of G-d, we may,
with assurance, consider him Mashiach.

If he succeeds in the above, builds the Temple in ‫אם עשה והצליח ונצח כל האומות שסביביו ובנה מקדש‬
its place, and gathers the dispersed of Israel, he is .‫במקומו וקבץ נדחי ישראל הרי זה משיח בודאי‬
definitely the Mashiach.

Part B. Beacon of Freedom

1. Yeshayahu 27:13 – The final Redemption will be initiated with a great shofar blast.
And it shall come to pass on that day that a great ‫והיה ביום ההוא יתקע בשופר גדול ובאו האבדים בארץ‬
shofar shall be sounded, and those lost in the land ‫אשור והנדחים בארץ מצרים והשתחוו ליקוק בהר הקדש‬
of Assyria and those exiled in the land of :‫בירושלם‬
Mitzrayim shall come and they shall prostrate
themselves before the L-rd on the holy mount in
Jerusalem.

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The Midrash understands the words of Yeshayahu literally, that the coming of the Mashiach will be
heralded by the blast of an actual shofar, just as other events in Jewish history were accompanied by
the sound of this instrument.

2. Tanna d’Bei Eliyahu Zuta 22:8 – A shofar will herald the coming of the Mashiach and the
ingathering of the exiles.
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korcha says, “The shofar ‫רבי יהושע בן קרחה אומר לא נברא שופר אלא לטובה‬
was only created for the benefit of the Jewish ‫ ובשופר נפלה‬...‫לישראל שבשופר נתנה התורה לישראל‬
people, for [with the blowing of] the shofar, the ‫ ובשופר עתיד הקב"ה לתקוע בעת שיתגלה‬...‫חומת יריחו‬
Torah was given to them… and through [the ‫ ובשופר עתיד הקב"ה לתקוע בשעה‬...‫בן דוד צדקנו‬
blowing of] the shofar, the walls of Jericho ...‫שמכנס גליות ישראל למקומן‬
collapsed… and in the future, the Holy One,
Blessed be He, will sound the shofar at the time
when the Son of David, our righteous one, will be
revealed… and in the future, the Holy One,
Blessed be He, will sound the shofar at the time
of the ingathering of the exiles…”

The Biblical commentator Rabbi David Kimchi (Radak) understands the sound of the shofar in a
metaphorical sense. People will gather together as if they had all been called by a shofar.

3. Commentary of Radak to Yeshayahu 27:13 – Everyone will hear the news of the redemption.
People with gather together as if there had been a ‫כך יתקבצו כאלו היה נתקע בשופר גדול להשמיע הקול‬
great shofar sounded throughout the world, as it ‫בכל העולם כמו שאמר גם כן וה' אלהים בשופר יתקע כך‬
is also said, “The L-rd, G-d, will blow a shofar” – .‫יבאו מכל פאה כאלו תקעו להם בשופר‬
they will come from every corner (of the world)
as if they were called by a shofar.

This berachah speaks about freedom because freedom is an obvious precondition to the ingathering of
the exiles. This fact is easily recognizable in terms of political freedom, as the twentieth century taught
us with the immigration restrictions of the British Mandate and the emigration constraints of the
Soviet Union. However, freedom is to be understood in a spiritual sense as well: We need the personal
integrity and freedom of thought to follow a path to truth.

4. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, The Jewish Year, pp. 76-77 – Freedom from confinement
is only a neutral state. But to allow one’s Divine Image to shine forth and to take the next
step, one has to acknowledge G-d as the source of that freedom.
Freedom, by which we mean deliverance from burdens and the breaking of chains, is only a negative
good. This freedom is merely a state in which the impediment standing in the way of fulfillment of
the human vocation has been removed. It is merely a state in which room has been made for the
Divine likeness to shine forth in man.

If this vocation is to be fulfilled, if this likeness is to be realized, then the person who has become
liberated and has been freed from his burdens must acknowledge Him to Whom he owed this
liberation from his burdens and this freedom. The freed, unburdened person must accept his
freedom from burdens and his liberty as a gift from G-d. He must recognize in G-d the source of his
freedom, and must feel himself eternally bound to G-d and in service to Him precisely because of his

85
freedom.

A fundamental concept in Judaism is that a person’s freedom is determined solely by one’s ability to
make free-willed moral choices. Judaism understands that a person is composed of a yetzer hatov,
which is the inclination to act positively, productively, and build oneself as a refined human being,
and a yetzer hara, which is the inclination to act negatively and unproductively. The goal of life is to
choose to act in accordance with one’s yetzer hatov, and minimize the control of the yetzer hara
over one’s actions.

5. Talmud Bavli, Berachot 17a – There are two spiritual impediments to following G-d.
When R. Alexandri concluded his prayer, he used ,‫ רבון העולמים‬:‫ורבי אלכסנדרי בתר דמצלי אמר הכי‬
to add the following: Master of the Universe, it is ?‫ ומי מעכב‬,‫גלוי וידוע לפניך שרצוננו לעשות רצונך‬
known full well to You that our will is to perform )‫ המחמיצנו – רש"י‬,‫שאור שבעיסה (יצר הרע שבלבבנו‬
Your will, and what prevents us? The yeast in the ‫ ונשוב‬,‫ושעבוד מלכיות; יהי רצון מלפניך שתצילנו מידם‬
dough (a euphemism for the evil inclination in .‫לעשות חוקי רצונך בלבב שלם‬
our hearts – Rashi) and the subjection to the
foreign powers. May it be Your will to deliver us
from their hand, so that we may return to
perform the statutes of Your will with a perfect
heart!

Our own evil inclinations as well as our subjugation to the dominant cultures of the lands in which we
have lived keep us from fulfilling G-d’s will. The personal strength needed to achieve freedom from
these spiritual impediments will be facilitated by the Mashiach as he leads the Jewish people in the
observance of the Torah, as Rambam stated above.

Part C. The Sound of Perfection

The shofar is used as a symbol of freedom. It also the symbol of tikun olam, the ultimate rectification
of the world by the triumph of good over evil. That is why the Torah was given with the sound of
the shofar and the Mashiach (Messiah) will be heralded by its sound.

1. Shemot 19:16, 19 – The Revelation at Mount Sinai was accompanied by the sound of the
shofar.
The third day arrived. There was thunder and ‫ויהי ביום השלישי בהית הבקר ויהי קלת וברקים וענן כבד‬
lightning in the morning, with a heavy cloud on :‫על ההר וקל שפר חזק מאד ויחרד כל העם אשר במחנה‬
the mountain, and an extremely loud blast of a
shofar. The people in the camp trembled.

There was the sound of a shofar, increasing in ‫ויהי קול השופר הולך וחזק מאד משה ידבר והאלהים יעננו‬
volume to a great degree. Moshe (Moses) spoke, :‫בקול‬
and G-d replied with a Voice.

86
2. Ramchal, Ma’amar HaChochmah (An Essay on Wisdom) – The shofar initiated the
process of perfecting the world when the Torah was given; it will again be present when that
process comes to its completion.
The first major step toward the perfection of the ‫החיזוק הא' שנעשה לטוב נעשה על ידי השופר דמתן‬
world was accompanied by a shofar blowing, ,'‫תורה והוא ענין ויהי קול השופר וכו‬
when the Torah was given at Mount Sinai, as it
says, “The sound of the shofar was increasing in
volume.”

[And it will accompany] the final completion of ,‫והשלמת התיקון לעתיד לבא שהטוב ינצח נצחון גמור‬
the world in the future, when good will ‫גם הוא יהיה על ידי השופר והוא ענין יתקע בשופר‬
completely triumph over evil, as it is written [in ...‫גדול‬
the prophecy describing the coming of
Mashiach], “He will blow a great shofar blast…”

We are commanded to blow the shofar on Rosh ‫ואולם נצטוינו לתקוע בשופר בראש השנה לחזק התיקון‬
HaShanah to reinforce the perfection that began ‫העשוי כבר במתן תורה ולהזמין העתיד ליעשות לעתיד‬
at the giving of the Torah, and to prepare for .‫לבא‬
what will be done in the future.

Part D. Raise the Banner

Why does the berachah talk of two different symbols of freedom: one, the sound of the shofar and
the other, the raising of a banner?

One answer to this question is that there are two different ways of relating to the ingathering of the
exiles. When the time comes, some Jews will go to Israel right away, while others will need more
convincing to give up their comfortable footing in lands outside Israel.

1. Rabbi Meir Simcha of Dvinsk (Daugavpils), Meshech Chochmah to Devarim 30:3 – Some
Jews will strive to return while others will be comfortable in exile.
G-d will then bring back your remnants and have mercy ‫ושב יקוק אלהיך את שבותך ורחמך ושב וקבצך מכל‬
on you. G-d your L-rd will once again gather you from :‫העמים אשר הפיצך יקוק אלהיך שמה‬
among all the nations where He scattered you.

Those captive Jews who pine for the Land of ‫ישראל אשר המה בשבי שמשתוקקים אל ארץ ישראל‬
Israel and want to escape from other lands as if ‫ורוצים לברוח מחוצה לארץ כמבור השבי המה ישיב‬
from prison, they will return first. [And when it ‫מקודם ורחמך ושב וקבצך מכל העמים כו' המה‬
says,] “…and have mercy on you and once again ‫הישראלים אשר מצאו קורת רוח בארץ נכריה ובטל מהם‬
gather you from among all the nations, etc.” – ‫התשוקה לארץ הצבי גם הם יקבצם השם וישיבם אחרי‬
this refers to the Jews that found it pleasant in .‫זה‬
the foreign lands and have lost the desire to
return to the Land. They too will be gathered
and returned after (the first wave of return).

87
Based on this source, Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer suggests that there are two types of people
being referred to in this berachah: those that respond to the sound of the shofar and those that need
something more, a sign that it is time to return to the Land.

The word for banner here is nes, which in Hebrew also means “miracle.” It may be that this word is
used in this berachah in order to imply that the ingathering of exiles will be accompanied by
miracles.

2. Rabbi Chaim Elazar Shapiro, Divrei Chaim V’Shalom, pg. 63 – The final ingathering of
the exiles will be miraculous.
We pray “Raise the nes to gather in our exiles” ‫אנו מתפללים ושא נס לקבץ גליותנו שקיבוץ גלויות תהיה‬
[asking] that the ingathering of the exiles only ‫רק בדרך נס מן השמים ולא בדרך הטבע כלל וכלל וזהו‬
happen in a miraculous way, not by any natural .‫שלימות האמונה בגאלה שלימה‬
way at all. This is the correct way to have faith in
the final redemption.

Key Themes of ‫ – קיבוץ גלויות‬Ingathering of the Exiles.

 In this berachah we pray for the national spiritual salvation of the Jewish people to
take place in the future with the coming of the Mashiach.

 The Torah predicts both the exile and the return of the Jewish people to their land.
Gathering the Jews back to Israel will be one of the functions of the Mashiach.

 The final redemption will be heralded by the sound of a shofar, the symbol of
freedom. We will need not only political freedom to return to the Land, but the
spiritual freedom to follow the dictates of the yetzer tov, the good inclination.

 The shofar is also a symbol of tikun olam, rectification of the world. The process of
that rectification started with the sounding of the shofar at Mount Sinai when the
Torah was given and will end with the shofar of the Mashiach.

88
Berachah 11. ‫( דין‬Din) – Restoration of Justice

‫ ּומְ ֹלְך עָּ לֵ ינּו אַ תָּ ה יְהֹוָּה לְ בַ דְ ָך בְ חֶ סֶ ד‬.‫ וְהָּ סֵ ר מִ מֶ ּנּו יָּגֹון וַאֲ נָּחָּ ה‬.‫הָּ שִ יבָּ ה שֹופְ טֵ ינּו כְ בָּ ִראשֹונָּה ְו יֹועֲ צֵ ינּו כְ בַ תְ חִ לָּ ה‬
:‫ בָּ רּוְך אַ תָּ ה יְה ֹוָּה מֶ לֶ ְך אֹוהֵ ב צְ דָּ קָּה ּומִ שְ פָּ ט‬.‫ וְצַ דְ קֵנּו בַ מִ שְ פָּ ט‬.‫ּובְ ַרחֲ מִ ים‬
Restore our judges as in earliest times and our counselors as in the beginning; remove from us sorrow and groaning; and
reign over us – You, G-d, alone – with kindness and compassion, and justify us through judgment. Blessed are You,
G-d, the King Who loves righteousness and judgment.

Returning to the Land is not enough on its own; we also pray that the state established on that land
be a just one, where the integrity and values of the Torah will reign with righteousness and justice.

1. Rabbi Chaim HaLevy Donin, To Pray as a Jew, pg. 91 – After praying for the return of the
Jews, we pray for the return of Jewish law.
The return to the Land of Israel is to be followed by the realization of yet another Biblical prophecy:
“I will restore your judges as at first” (Isaiah 1:26). The eleventh blessing, paraphrasing this verse, is
a prayer for still another step toward full redemption.

Throughout most of history, Jews had little faith in the “justice” that was dispensed by courts in the
lands where they lived. The restoration of their own courts with judges who would follow the
teachings inherent in G-d's law makes possible the implementation of what had previously been only
theoretical Hebrew civil and criminal law. This blessing means that not only the people, but also
Torah law is being returned from its exile.

Part A. Paving the Way for Mashiach

The restoration of justice according to Torah law is one of the key elements of the Messianic era.
Indeed, justice can help to hasten the redemption.

1. Yeshayahu 1:26-27 – The Messianic era will be defined by a return to justice.

And I will restore your judges as at first and your ‫ואשיבה שפטיך כבראשנה ויעציך כבתחלה אחרי כן יקרא‬
counselors as in the beginning; and afterwards ‫ ציון במשפט תפדה ושביה‬:‫לך עיר הצדק קריה נאמנה‬
you shall be called City of Righteousness, :‫בצדקה‬
Faithful City. Zion shall be redeemed through
justice and her penitents through righteousness.

2. Rambam, Commentary on Mishnah, Sanhedrin 1:3 – Our righteousness will pave the way
for Mashiach.
I hold that the Sanhedrin (Jewish Supreme ‫ואני סבור שהסנהדרין תשוב לפני התגלות המשיח וזה‬
Court) will return before the Mashiach is ‫יהיה מסימניו אמר ואשיבה שופטיך כבראשונה ויועציך‬
revealed, and this will be one of the signs of his ‫ וזה יהיה בלי ספק‬,‫כבתחלה ואחרי כן יקרא לך עיר הצדק‬
coming, as it says, “And I will restore your ‫כאשר יכשיר ה' לבות בני אדם וירבו במעשה הטוב ותגדל‬
judges as at first and your counselors as in the ‫תשוקתם לה' ולתורתו ויתרבה ישרם לפני בוא המשיח‬
beginning; and afterwards you shall be called City .‫כמו שנתבאר בפסוקי המקרא‬
of Righteousness.” This most certainly will take
place after G-d has prepared the hearts of man

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and they have increased their good deeds and
developed their desire for G-d and His Torah.
Their righteousness will increase before the
coming of the Mashiach as is clear from the
verses of Scripture.

The ultimate level of righteousness will be ushered in by the Mashiach himself.

3. Rambam, Hilchot Melachim 11:1 – The Mashiach will restore justice.

In the future, the Messianic king will arise and ‫המלך המשיח עתיד לעמוד ולהחזיר מלכות דוד ליושנה‬
renew the Davidic dynasty, restoring it to its ,‫ ובונה המקדש ומקבץ נדחי ישראל‬,‫לממשלה הראשונה‬
original sovereignty. He will build the Temple ...‫וחוזרין כל המשפטים בימיו כשהיו מקודם‬
and gather the dispersed of Israel. Then, in his
days, the observance of all the statutes will return
to their previous state…

4. Rabbi Avraham Edelstein, Ner Le'Elef Booklet, Insights into the Weekday Siddur, pg. 143
– The Sanhedrin will create peace in the world ushering in Mashiach.
By saying ‫( מלך אוהב צדקה ומשפט‬the King Who loves righteousness and judgment) we express our
faith in reward and punishment. We now pray for the return of the Sanhedrin, for through them the
honor of G-d is reflected, His Shechinah (Presence) is brought into the world and all disputes are
resolved. Hence Mashiach will only return after Eliyahu HaNavi restores the Sanhedrin, thereby
creating peace in the world.

Part B. The Judges of Old

To be a member of the Sanhedrin one had to have a constellation of sterling qualities such as
wisdom, integrity, and refined character.

1. Rambam, Hilchot Sanhedrin 2:7 – Torah scholars who served on the Sanhedrin (Supreme
Court) were held to the highest moral standards.
Each [judge] had to possess these seven traits: ‫צריך שיהא בכל אחד מהן שבעה דברים ואלו הן חכמה‬
wisdom, humility, fear of Heaven, contempt for ‫וענוה ויראה ושנאת ממון ואהבת האמת ואהבת הבריות‬
money, a love of truth, love for all people and a .‫להן ובעלי שם טוב‬
good reputation.

Note: “Contempt for money” as used here means that the judges had contempt for any influence of
money in rendering their decisions, such as bribery or favoring the rich and powerful.

2. Sefer Chassidim – Judges had to be Torah scholars par excellence.

A Torah scholar who cannot answer questions ‫תלמיד חכם שאינו יודע להשיב בכל מקום שישאלוהו אינו‬
on any Torah subject that he might be asked is .‫ראוי לישב בסנהדרין‬
not fit to serve on the Sanhedrin.

3. Yoma 72b – A Torah scholar must possess genuinely exemplary character traits.
Any Torah scholar whose inner character does .‫ אינו תלמיד חכם‬- ‫כל תלמיד חכם שאין תוכו כברו‬
not match his external behavior is not a genuine

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Torah scholar.

Part C. Tzedek and Tzedakah

In this berachah we ask G-d to ‫צדקינו במשפט‬, justify us through judgment, and we call G-d ‫מלך אוהב צדקה‬
‫ומשפט‬, the King Who loves righteousness and judgment. To what do these terms refer? Many of us are
familiar with the term ‫ צדקה‬as charity, but that does not seem to be appropriate here. We’re not
asking G-d for charity. So what are we asking for?

Rambam in Moreh Nevuchim (cited below) explains that the root of the word tzedakah is tzedek which
means justice, or righteous conduct. Tzedek connotes doing what ought to be done. We tend to
think of tzedakah as charity, something nice and good that goes beyond the letter of the law. In
reality, when a poor person needs help, it is an absolute obligation incumbent upon every Jew.
Tzedakah is not just a “nice thing” to do; it’s the “right thing” to do.

1. Yaakov ben Asher, Tur, Yoreh Deah 247 – It is G-d’s will that we distribute His money to
the poor.
Never allow your mind to entertain the ‫ואל יעלה בלבו עצה לומר איך אחסר ממוני ליתנו‬
perverse thought, “I can't afford to give ‫לעניים כי יש לו לדעת שאין הממון שלו אלא פקדון‬
charity to others, for it will diminish what I ‫לעשות בו רצון המפקיד וזה רצונו שיחלק לעניים‬
have for myself!'” Because one must never
forget that his money does not belong to ‫ממנו וזהו החלק הטוב שיהיה לו ממנו כדכתיב והלך‬
him in the first place – it all belongs to G-d, .‫לפניך צדקך‬
Who has temporarily deposited His money
with you to handle it according to His
wishes. And it is G-d’s will that you
distribute of it to the poor. Indeed, the most
precious part of your wealth is what you give
to the poor, as it says (Isaiah 58:8): “And
your charity shall go before you [to your
eternal reward].”

2. Rabbi Mordechai Becher, Gateway to Judaism, p. 357 – Tzedakah is rooted in the concept
of tzedek – justice and righteousness.
The Hebrew word tzedakah is usually translated as charity, but there is a crucial difference
between the two concepts. When we understand the word tzedakah, we learn a profound
lesson about the Jewish attitude toward giving. The root of the word tzedakah is tzedek,
which means justice or righteousness. The word charity, however, carries intimations of
benevolence. When we give tzedakah we do not believe that we have gone above and
beyond the call of duty; rather, we have simply fulfilled the demands of justice; we’ve done
the right thing. This belief is based on the concept that everything we possess is a gift from
G-d, and He has specified that we should share it with others. Surely, if we share this gift we
cannot claim to be doing anything extraordinary, merely that which is morally correct.

The concept of tzedakah is drawn from tzedek, but the two remain distinct terms and separate
concepts. The basic difference between the two is that tzedek is systemic, addressing the core issue
of social justice on a societal level. Tzedakah, on the other hand, is individual, consisting of local acts

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that help the beneficiary in an immediate way, and simultaneously improve the character of the
giver. Acts of tzedakah by community members contribute to the overall rule of tzedek in that
society.

Whereas tzedakah entails the positive, proactive fulfillment of an obligation to be virtuous, tzedek is
an absolute obligation which members of a society are compelled to pursue. Lack of tzedek means
injustice, which is morally wrong.

3. Rambam, Moreh Nevuchim (Guide of the Perplexed), Part III, Ch. 53 – Tzedakah is an
act of justice to our own soul, fulfilling its need for character refinement.
The term tzedakah is derived from tzedek, ‫ והיושר‬,‫ והוא היושר‬,‫ היא נגזרת מצדק‬,‫ומלת צדקה‬
righteousness. It denotes the act of giving ‫ ולתת לכל נמצא מן‬,‫הוא להגיע כל בעל חק לחקו‬
everyone his due, of showing kindness to ‫ ולפי הענין הראשון לא‬,‫הנמצאות כפי הראוי לו‬
every being as is appropriate. In Scripture, ‫יקראו בספרי הנבואה החוקים שאתה חייב בהם‬
however, the expression tzedakah is not used ‫ כי כשתפרע לשכיר שכרו‬,‫ צדקה‬,‫לזולתך כשתשלמם‬
in the first sense, and does not apply to the ‫ אבל החוקים הראוים‬,‫או תפרע חובך לא יקרא צדקה‬
payment of what we owe to others. ‫ כרפואת מחץ כל‬,‫עליך לזולתך מפני מעלות המדות‬
Therefore, when we give the hired laborer ‫ ומפני זה אמר בהשבת המשכון‬,‫ יקרא צדק‬,‫לחוץ‬
his wages, or pay a debt, we do not perform .(‫יא‬:‫"ולך תהיה צדקה" )דברים כב‬
an act of tzedakah. But we do perform an act
of tzedakah when we fulfill our duties
towards our fellow men; these duties develop
within us a virtuous character: e.g., when we
heal the wound of the sufferer. Thus,
Scripture says, in reference to the returning
of the pledge [to the poor debtor]: “And it
shall be considered as tzedakah for you”
(Devarim 24:11).

Hence, tzedek refers to the fulfillment of the basic demands of justice upon which society functions:
equality before the law, sanctity of private property, provision of food and shelter for the needy, fair
wages for work, etc. These are the kind of services usually provided by communal organizations or
government agencies (in democratic societies). Hence, this berachah is a plea that G-d restore justice
through the rule of Torah law by the morally scrupulous judges and leaders of the Jewish people.

It is important to note that Judaism maintains that true social justice can only be achieved by
implementing Divine law. People have come up with many notions, created different forms of
government, and advanced various economic systems in an attempt to promote social and economic
justice. Judaism has its own vision of the just society and that vision relies on the wisdom of the
Torah given to us by G-d.

4. Rabbi Elie Munk, The World of Prayer, Vol. 1, pg. 140 – Only with G-d’s help can we
create a perfectly just society.
Many thousands of years of the history of law have proven to us only too clearly that a truly just
social order will hardly ever be achieved by human effort alone. Scholars and philosophers have
been laboring incessantly to create a system of legislation which would guarantee a just and equitable
balance between the conflicting claims of all members of society, and thus would achieve peace and

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security on earth. Their failure reveals the human insufficiency in the face of this problem. It can be
solved only by Divine act, and within a social system founded by Him. In this berachah we pray for
the establishment of such an ideal system of justice. The abolition of injustice and oppression of
tyranny and intolerance, will achieve, as an immediate result, the abolition of sorrow and sighing.
Only within such a society living in serenity and peace will G-d reign in sovereign supremacy.

See further the Olami Morasha Class entitled, “The Power of Tzedakah.”

Part D. Sorrow and Groaning

People have many different kinds of problems, and we pray that G-d take these problems away.
Each one of the thirteen middle berachot addresses a basic human need. Yet only in this berachah
do we ask G-d to remove the “sorrow and groaning” associated with the problem at hand. Why?

1. Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 33a – Lack of justice is the source of many social ills.
As a punishment for delay of judgment, ‫בעון עינוי הדין ועיוות הדין וקלקול הדין וביטול תורה‬
perversion of judgment, spoiling of judgment, ‫ ובני אדם אוכלין ואינן‬,‫ ודבר ובצורת בא‬,‫חרב וביזה רבה‬
and neglect of Torah, sword and spoil increase, .‫ ואוכלין לחמם במשקל‬,‫שבעין‬
pestilence and famine come, people eat and are
not satisfied, and eat their bread in rations.

2. Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 139a – G-d’s presence will not be with us until corrupt judges are
removed.
It was taught: Rabbi Yosi ben Elisha said: If you ‫ אם ראית דור שצרות‬:‫ רבי יוסי בן אלישע אומר‬,‫תניא‬
see a generation overwhelmed by many troubles, ‫ שכל פורענות‬.‫ צא ובדוק בדייני ישראל‬- ‫רבות באות עליו‬
go forth and examine the judges of Israel, for all ‫ ואין‬...‫שבאה לעולם לא באה אלא בשביל דייני ישראל‬
retribution that comes to the world comes only ‫הקדוש ברוך הוא משרה שכינתו על ישראל עד שיכלו‬
on account of the Judges of Israel… And the .‫שופטים ושוטרים רעים מישראל‬
Holy One, blessed be He, will not cause His
Divine Presence to rest upon the Jews until the
wicked judges and officers are eradicated from
among them!

3. Mishnah, Sotah 48a – Without justice there is little to sing about.

When the Sanhedrin ceased [to function], song :‫ שנאמר‬,‫ בטל השיר מבית המשתאות‬- ‫משבטלה סנהדרין‬
ceased from the places of feasting; as it is said, .'‫)ישעיהו כד( בשיר לא ישתו יין וגו‬
“they shall not drink wine with a song etc.”
(Yeshaya/Isaiah 24:9).

Key Themes of ‫ – דין‬Restoration of Justice.

 After praying for the Jews to return to their Land, we then pray for the Torah to
return to its rightful place: at the center of a just society.

 The righteousness we pursue will pave the way for the Mashiach to establish this just
society.

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 We pray that our judges be honorable people like those of ancient Israel, great
scholars and people of the highest moral caliber.

 This berachah is a plea for G-d to help us fulfill the basic demands of justice that
helps society function, such as equality before the law and the sanctity of private
property – moral and legal principles founded on Torah law.

 In the meantime, we lack a perfectly just society. As such, we suffer a host of

personal and social ills that stem from this lack of justice.

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Berachah 12. ‫( ברכת המינים‬Birkat HaMinim) – Against Heretics

‫ וְהַ זֵדִ ים מְ הֵ ָּרה תְ עַ קֵר‬.‫ וְכָּ ל אֹויְבֵ י עַ מְ ָך מְ הֵ ָּרה ִיכָּ ֵרתּו‬.‫ וְכָּ ל הָּ ִרשְ עָּ ה כְ ֶרגַע ת ֹאבֵ ד‬.‫וְלַ מַ לְ שִ ינִים ַאל תְ הִ י תִ ְקוָּה‬
:‫ בָּ רּוְך אַ תָּ ה יְהֹוָּה שֹובֵ ר אֹויְבִ ים ּומַ כְ נִיעַ זֵדִ ים‬.‫ּותְ שַ בֵ ר ּותְ מַ גֵר וְתַ כְ נִיעַ בִ מְ הֵ ָּרה בְ יָּמֵ ינּו‬
And for the slanderers let there be no hope; and may all wickedness perish in an instant; and may all Your enemies be
cut down speedily. May You speedily uproot, smash, cast down, and humble wanton sinners – speedily in our days.
Blessed are You, G-d, Who breaks enemies and humbles wanton sinners.

The blessing against heretics was not part of the original eighteen berachot of the Shemoneh Esrei
composed by the Men of the Great Assembly; it was added later out of historical necessity.
Nevertheless it is placed here because the primary purpose of a judicial system is to eradicate evil
from the world. Hence, after praying for the restoration of justice, we ask G-d to rid the world of
evil.

Part A. The Origin of Birkat HaMinim

The turmoil at the end of the Second Temple (and its subsequent destruction) was accompanied by
the rise of a number of heretical movements among the Jewish People. Sensing the threat that these
groups posed to the survival of traditional Judaism, an additional blessing was incorporated into the
Amidah with the goal of preventing their intermingling within Jewish society. Birkat HaMinim, the
blessing against heretics, served to make those groups no longer feel comfortable praying in
synagogues where the new blessing to the Amidah was added. This addition was also instituted
under the auspices of the leader Rabban Gamliel in Yavneh.

1. Meir Holder, History of the Jewish People: From Yavneh to Pumbedisa, pg. 26 – The rise
of various heretical groups geared at undermining Jewish tradition led to the need for a
public berachah to denounce them.
During the final period of the Second Temple the Jewish people was split into various groups. While
most of the people followed the Perushim (Pharisees), there were many sizable heretic factions,
including the Tzedukim (Sadducees), Beitusim (Boethusians), Hellenists, Essenes, Judeo-Christians,
etc. – all claiming to be Jews while flagrantly denying the authority of the Oral Law and fighting and
denouncing each other. In fact, even during the rebellion against Rome (66-70 CE /3826-3830),
when unity was essential to success, these various groups spent more time and energy battling each
other than fighting the Romans.

The Sages, with Rabban Gamliel at their head, now decided that this fragmentation was an
intolerable state of affairs. The members of these dissenting sects associated freely with their fellow
Jews and were almost indistinguishable from them. At the same time, however, they were dedicated
to the destruction of the Jewish religion and its institutions, and many of the sect members felt
personal hatred toward loyal Jews. Because they knew what their fellow Jews were doing and
thinking, the members of these sects were dangerous traitors who often gave damaging information
to the Romans. This was doubly dangerous in the unsettled times which followed the Destruction,
when the Romans punished any suspicious act with bloody and ruthless reprisals. Also there was the
serious danger that the growth of these heretical sects would cause more and more people to falsify
the teachings of Judaism.

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In order to purify the nation of all these dangerous heretical groups, the Sages gave Shmuel
HaKatan the task of composing one additional blessing to be added to the Shemoneh Esrei, the
"Eighteen Blessings" that had been formulated many centuries before by the Men of the Great
Assembly. Shmuel HaKatan undertook the task. The powerful composition which resulted is known
as the Birkat HaMinim, the "blessing against the heretics." It became the twelfth benediction of the
Shemoneh Esrei.

The Birkat HaMinim, like the rest of the Shemoneh Esrei, was recited in public three times a day.
Everyone knew perfectly well against whom this benediction was directed. The slanderers and
sectarians, who did not wholeheartedly identify with the Jewish people and its traditions, could not
easily bring themselves to utter this prayer. Thus it made them much easier to identify and exclude.
This may well have had the effect of diminishing the numbers of people who called themselves
Jews, but the resulting unity added immeasurably to Israel's strength.

As mentioned above, Shmuel HaKatan (Samuel the Small) was appointed to author this 19th
blessing. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 11a) relates that he was called “the Small” not because of his
physical stature but rather in comparison to the prophet with the same name: Shmuel HaNavi. While
the term implies that he was the lesser of two great men, the comparison itself is a tribute to his
greatness, perhaps a tribute to his great humility.

Below we shall explore the significance of his authorship.

2. Talmud Bavli, Berachot 28b – Shmuel HaKatan was selected to compose a new blessing,
known as the blessing against the heretics, to be added to the eighteen blessings of the
Amidah.
Rabban Gamliel said to the sages, “Is there no ‫אמר להם רבן גמליאל לחכמים כלום יש אדם שיודע לתקן‬
one who knows how to establish a prayer against .‫ברכת הצדוקים? עמד שמואל הקטן ותקנה‬
the heretics?” Shmuel HaKatan stood up and
established it.

Who was Shmuel HaKatan? Pirkei Avot, which records the main teachings of many Jewish leaders
from Moshe Rabeinu through the time of the Mishnah, states that Shmuel HaKatan was known for
repeating a particular verse from Mishlei (Proverbs). Considering his authorship of the blessing
against heretics, his personal motto is surprising.

3. Pirkei Avot 4:19 – Shmuel HaKatan did not believe in rejoicing over the downfall of one’s
enemy.
Shmuel HaKatan would say: "When your enemy ‫שמואל הקטן אומר (משלי כד) בנפול אויבך אל תשמח‬
falls, do not rejoice; when he stumbles, let your ‫ובכשלו אל יגל לבך פן יראה ה' ורע בעיניו והשיב מעליו‬
heart not be gladdened. Perhaps G-d will see, :‫אפו‬
and it will be displeasing in His eyes, and He will
turn His anger from him [to you]" (Proverbs
24:17-18).

The truth is that Shmuel HaKatan was not chosen to compose the blessing against heretics despite
his attitude toward enemies, but because of it.

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4. Rabbi Irving M. Bunim, Ethics from Sinai, Vol. II, pg. 615 – Only Shmuel HaKatan could
have authored the blessing against heretics.
[T]he Sages found it vitally necessary to add this paragraph. The infidel heretics had simply become
too much. But only a man who bore no trace of personal animosity in his heart could set forth the
words. In a prayer before the portals of Heaven, seeking Divine protection for the people of Israel
in its historic destiny, that its life and faith might be safe, there was no room for personal
vindictiveness or malicious hatred. Only Shmuel the “Little One,” humble and unassuming, formed
it – the man who could not rejoice if a personal enemy fell. His words of prayer could flow from a
pure love for his people, a yearning for their safety, and a desire to see their living Judaism guarded
against inner destruction.

Part B. Praying for Repentance

Judaism maintains that it is always preferable for sinners to repent than be destroyed. That is always
plan A. Praying for their destruction is only appropriate under dire circumstances which we will
discuss below. Our primary hope is that wickedness itself should “perish from the earth.”

1. Talmud Bavli, Berachot 10a – Pray first that the sinners repent.
There were once some thieves in the ‫הנהו בריוני )פריצים( דהוו בשבבותיה דרבי מאיר והוו‬
neighborhood of Rabbi Meir, and they caused ‫ הוה קא בעי רבי מאיר רחמי עלויהו‬,‫קא מצערו ליה טובא‬
him a great deal of trouble. Rabbi Meir ?‫ מאי דעתך‬:‫ אמרה ליה ברוריא דביתהו‬.‫כי היכי דלימותו‬
accordingly prayed that they should die. His wife ‫ מי כתיב‬,‫ (תהלים ק"ד) יתמו חטאים‬:‫ משום דכתיב‬-
Beruria said to him: How do you maintain [that :‫ שפיל לסיפיה דקרא‬,‫חוטאים? חטאים כתיב! ועוד‬
such a prayer should be permitted]? Because it is ‫ ורשעים עוד‬- ‫ כיון דיתמו חטאים‬,‫ורשעים עוד אינם‬
written “Let sins cease”? Does it says “sinners”? ‫ ורשעים‬- ‫ בעי רחמי עלויהו דלהדרו בתשובה‬,‫אינם? אלא‬
No, it only says “sins”! Furthermore, look at the .‫ בעא רחמי עלויהו דלהדרו בתשובה‬.‫עוד אינם‬
end of the verse: “and let the wicked men be no
more.” Since the sins will cease, there will be no
more wicked men! Rather, pray for them to
repent, and there will be no more wickedness.
He did pray for them, and they repented.

But how can we pray for people to repent, when they have their own free will? Are we asking G-d to
take it away?

2. Rabbi Shmuel Eidels (Maharsha), Chiddushei Agadot to Berachot 10a – How can prayer
affect what is seemingly out of G-d’s hands?
It is difficult to understand how praying for ‫לבקש רחמים על חברו להחזירו בתשובה קשה מה יועיל‬
someone else to repent is supposed to work .'‫בקשתו הא אמרי' (לקמן לג) הכל בידי שמים כו‬
when (as is stated below, Berachot 33),
“Everything is in the hands of Heaven [except
for the fear of Heaven itself]”?

Through Hashgachah Pratit, Divine Providence, G-d gives each of us unique attributes and life
circumstances within which to exercise our free will. Whether or not we choose to listen to the word

97
of G-d is the one thing that that He leaves entirely up to us. So what good is it to pray to G-d to
make someone else listen to Him?

While G-d generally chooses not to make people repent, He can nevertheless help people to repent
without infringing upon their free will.

3. Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe, O.C. Vol. IV, 40:13 – We can pray that G-d help the
transgressors find their way to repentance.
It must be that [Rabbi Meir’s] prayer was that ‫צריך לומר שהתפלה היתה שלא יהא להם נסיונות וממילא‬
these people should no longer have the ‫ וגם‬,‫ישובו שלא היו חוטאים אלא מחוסר פרנסה וכדומה‬
temptation (to transgress) and then they would ‫שייך להתפלל שהשי"ת יזמין להם שישמעו דברי מוסר‬
automatically repent because the only reason .‫מאנשים צדיקים וישובו עי"ז בתשובה‬
they sinned was because of a lack of livelihood
and the like. It is also feasible to pray that G-d
arrange for them to hear words of moral
instruction from righteous people and thus come
to repent.

In respect to our free will, G-d will not “force” someone to repent. However, He certainly can
“arrange” the circumstances that make repentance more amenable to people. The right word spoken
by the right person at the right time can have a powerful effect. So, we can always pray that the
wicked be afforded the chance to see things differently. The actual choice whether to heed that
message or not is still up to the autonomous individual.

Part C. Praying for Evildoers to be Uprooted

Sometimes praying for repentance is not enough. Sometimes we simply have to pray that the
evildoers themselves disappear. There are several scenarios in which such a prayer might be
appropriate.

One example is the category of those who purposely lead others to sin with no remorse. For such
people, G-d is not likely to arrange the circumstances for them to be able to correct the damage they
have done.

1. Talmud Bavli, Yoma 87a – Making others transgress cuts a person off from repentance.
And whosoever causes the community to sin, he ‫ כמעט אין מספיקין בידו לעשות‬- ‫וכל המחטיא את הרבים‬
will have almost no opportunity to repent. .‫תשובה‬

2. Rambam, Hilchot Teshuvah (Laws of Repentance) 4:1 – Some sins are so grave that even
G-d will not facilitate the repentance of those who commit them.
There are 24 deeds which hold back Teshuvah: ‫ ארבעה מהן‬,‫ארבעה ועשרים דברים מעכבין את התשובה‬
Four of them are severe sins, and G-d will not ‫עון גדול והעושה אחד מהן אין הקב"ה מספיק בידו לעשות‬
grant the person who commits such deeds to :‫ ואלו הן‬.‫תשובה לפי גודל חטאו‬
repent because of the gravity of his
transgressions. They are:

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a) One who causes the masses to sin; included in ‫(א) המחטיא את הרבים ובכלל עון זה המעכב את הרבים‬
this category is one who prevents the public ,‫מלעשות מצוה‬
from performing a positive command;

b) One who leads his colleague astray from the .‫(ב) והמטה את חבירו מדרך טובה לרעה כגון מסית ומדיח‬
path of good to that of bad; for example, one
who proselytizes or serves as a missionary.

c) One who sees his son becoming associated ,‫(ג) הרואה בנו יוצא לתרבות רעה ואינו ממחה בידו‬
with evil influences and refrains from rebuking ‫הואיל ובנו ברשותו אילו מיחה בו היה פורש ונמצא‬
him. Since his son is under his authority, were he ,‫כמחטיאו‬
to rebuke him, he would have separated himself
[from these influences]. Hence, [by refraining
from admonishing him, it is considered] as if he
caused him to sin.

Included in this sin are also all those who have ‫ובכלל עון זה כל שאפשר בידו למחות באחרים בין יחיד‬
the ability to admonish others, whether an ,‫בין רבים ולא מיחה אלא יניחם בכשלונם‬
individual or a group, and refrain from doing so,
leaving them [to perpetuate] their mistakes.

d) One who says: "I will sin and then, repent." ‫(ד) והאומר אחטא ואשוב ובכלל זה האומר אחטא ויום‬
Included in this category is one who says: "I will .‫הכפורים מכפר‬
sin and Yom Kippur will atone [for me]."

3. Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer, The Shemoneh Esrei pg. 181 – We pray that G-d neutralize
enemies and wanton transgressors.
The enemies are the heretics who abandoned Judaism and make every effort to lead others astray…
The wanton sinners, however, are not enemies of the faith, but rather captives of their Evil Inclination
(Yetzer Hara) that incites them to rebel against the Torah and G-d's will. We pray that they be
humbled and their evil impulse subdued, so that they will repent from their sinful ways.

These were the types of wickedness prevalent around the time this berachah was composed.
Unfortunately, Jewish history has seen many forms of wickedness directed at undermining our faith
and traditions.

4. Rabbi Shimon Schwab, On Prayer, pg. 479 – Christianity and Communism, each in their
time, threatened the stability and survival of Judaism.
May you uproot, break, cut up, and humble the evildoers quickly, in our time. Before explaining the
meaning of these various words – which all have the general meaning of "elimination" – it is
important that we know that ‫והזדים‬, meaning criminals, or purposeful evildoers, as used here, refers to
another kind of enemy. It relates to those who attempt to influence Jews away from our emunah, and
convert these Jews to their religion.

One of the tenets of Fundamentalist Christianity is that as long as there are "nonbelievers" who have
not converted to their religion, the "second coming" of their "messiah" will not take place.

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Consequently, proselytizing was widely practiced in the Middle Ages by the Church, often by means
of forced conversions. Sometimes, Jews were forced to sit in their shuls and listen to hours of
preaching about the Christian religion. Many of the preachers who delivered these "sermons" were
converted Jews themselves. And even today, there are missionaries of various types, especially the
group called "Jews for J-s," who, unfortunately, are very successful at their evil craft.

Another form of purposeful evil was Communism. Under its rule, Jews were not permitted to study
Torah or practice their religion. People who were caught teaching students under the age of 18 were
either sentenced to death or to exile in Siberia, which was sometimes even worse.

5. Ibid. – We pray that those who design evil against us will be disbanded and neutralized.
The terms uproot, smash, cast down, and humble were chosen very carefully:

 To uproot means to prevent any future growth. It is our prayer that any movement that
attempts with evil intent to take Jews away from Judaism - either by force or by persuasion -
shall be uprooted, and grow no further;

 To smash means here that they may break into various factions, each with differing
approaches to converting Jews, thus rendering them ineffective in their evil objective;

 [Cast down, alternatively] cut them up into small pieces. We ask that these factions be divided into
individuals who, while not as effective as a group, are nevertheless still dangerous on their
own;

 And humble them. We ask that these remaining individual evildoers be humbled and rendered
harmless.

Key Themes of ‫ – ברכת המינים‬Against Heretics.

 The berachah of ‫ ברכת המינים‬was added to the original Shemoneh Esrei soon after the
destruction of the Second Temple. At that time the Land of Israel was rife with
heretical splinter groups that sought to undermine traditional Judaism and to incite
the Romans against those who adhered to it. This berachah was a plea to G-d to save
us from their hands. It also served a practical function – to distinguish between the
heretics and the true believers.

 We do not generally rejoice at our enemies’ downfall, nor pray for them to be killed.
Our foremost hope is that they repent of their own accord so that wickedness will
vanish automatically. We even pray that G-d help our enemies to realize the error of
their ways.

 Nevertheless, certain transgressions are so dangerous and pernicious that we cannot

wait for their perpetrators to repent, nor does G-d even help such people to do so. In
such a case we have to pray that the wicked people themselves meet their demise as
soon as possible.

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Berachah 13. ‫( צדיקים‬Tzadikim) – The Righteous

‫ יֶהֱ מּו‬.‫ וְעָּ לֵ ינּו‬.‫ וְעַ ל ג ֵֵרי הַ צֶ דֶ ק‬.‫ וְעַ ל פְ לֵ יטַ ת סֹופְ ֵריהֶ ם‬.‫ וְעַ ל זִ ְקנֵי עַ מְ ָך בֵ ית יִשְ ָּראֵ ל‬.‫עַ ל הַ צַ דִ יקִים וְעַ ל הַ חֲ סִ ידִ ים‬
‫ וְשִ ים חֶ לְ קֵנּו עִ מָּ הֶ ם ּולְ עֹולָּ ם ֹלא נֵבֹוש כִ י‬,‫ וְתֵ ן שָּ כָּ ר טֹוב לְ כָּ ל הַ בֹוטְ חִ ים בְ שִ מְ ָך בֶ אֱ מֶ ת‬.‫ַרחֲ מֶ יָך יְהֹוָּה אֱ ֹלהֵ ינּו‬
:‫ בָּ רּוְך אַ תָּ ה יְהֹוָּה מִ שְ עָּ ן ּומִ בְ טָּ ח לַ צַ דִ יקִים‬.‫בְ ָך בָּ טָּ חְ נּו וְעַ ל חַ סְ דְ ָך הַ גָּדֹול בֶ אֱ מֶ ת ּובְ תָּ מִ ים נִשְ עָּ נְנּו‬
On the righteous, on the devout, on the elders of Your people the Family of Israel, on the remnant of their scholars, on
the righteous converts and on ourselves – may Your compassion be aroused, G-d our L-rd, and give goodly reward to
all who sincerely believe in Your Name. Put our lot with them forever, and we will not be ashamed, for we trust in
You. Blessed are You, G-d, Mainstay and Assurance of the righteous.

Once we have prayed for the destruction of wickedness and all the pain it causes, we now turn to
pray for the righteous, for they are the source of blessing in this world.

Part A. ‫ – צדיקים‬A Source of Blessing

On the righteous, on the devout – tzaddik (righteous) and chassid (devout) refer to spiritual levels of serving
G-d and displaying ethical conduct of the highest order.

1. Mishlei (Proverbs) 10:25 and Talmud Bavli, Yoma 38b – The world carries on in the merit
of the righteous.
When the storm passes, the wicked man is no :‫כעבור סופה ואין רשע וצדיק יסוד עולם‬
more, but the tzaddik is the foundation of the
world.

Rabbi Chiya bar Abba said in the name of Rabbi ‫ אפילו בשביל צדיק‬:‫רבי חייא בר אבא אמר רבי יוחנן‬
Yochanan: The world endures on account of ‫ כה) וצדיק יסוד‬,‫ שנאמר (משלי י‬,‫אחד העולם מתקיים‬
even one righteous individual, as it says, “the .‫עולם‬
tzaddik is the foundation of the world” (Mishlei
10:25).

2. Rabbi Yehonatan Eibschitz, Ya’arot Devash, Vol. 1, pg. 21 – The righteous are a source of
blessing for us all.
In the blessing concerning the righteous, a ‫בברכת על הצדיקים ישים אל לבו להתפלל בטובת‬
person should concentrate on praying for the ‫הצדיקים כי בטובתם אנו חיים וכל זמן שצדיקים בעולם‬
welfare of the righteous, because we live off of .‫ברכה וטובה וחיים בעולם‬
their goodness. As long as there are righteous
people in the world, there is blessing and
goodness and life in the world.

Part B. ‫ – זקני עמך‬Elders and Leaders

“Elders” in this context do not necessarily mean old people. A zakein refers to a wise person,
particularly one who is a leader of the people.

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1. Talmud Bavli, Kiddushin 32b – Elder refers to wisdom rather than age.
Rabbi Yossi HaGalili said: The only “elder” is .‫ אין זקן אלא מי שקנה חכמה‬:‫רבי יוסי הגלילי אומר‬
the person who has acquired wisdom.

2. Rabbi Yehuda ben Yakar, Peirush HaTefillot ve’HaBerachot, pg. 50 – Elders refers to
communal leaders.
Also, “and upon the elders of Your people ‫ ואלו אותם המתמנים על‬...‫ועוד ועל זקני עמך ישראל‬
Israel…” – these are the people who are ‫ ולכך יש‬,‫הציבור או להתפלל או להיות דיין או גבאי‬
appointed over the community whether to pray, .‫להתפלל עליהם שהם ערבים על הציבור‬
or judge, or organize. That is why we need to
pray for them, for they take responsibility for the
community.

Part C. ‫ – פליטת סופריהם‬Rabbis and Teachers

Sofrim is a general reference to scholars. In a sense these are the same people, i.e. the judges, who we
prayed would return to us with the re-establishment of the Jewish court system and the adjudication
of Torah law (See Berachah 11). Additionally, this phrase includes all those who teach the Torah to
others, particularly the school teachers.

1. Eitz Yosef, Siddur Otzar HaTefillot, pg. 169 – We pray for the Jewish school teachers.
On the remnant of their scholars – these are the ‫ועל פליטת ספריהם הם ספרים ומלמדי תינוקות עם‬
scholars and teachers of Jewish children about ‫ישראל שעליהם נאמר ומצדיקי הרבים ככוכבים לעולם‬
whom it is said, “those who bring the multitudes .)‫ ג‬,‫ועד (דניאל יב‬
to righteousness like the stars forever and ever”
(Daniel 12:3).

Part D. ‫ – גרי הצדק‬Righteous Converts

Once someone converts to Judaism, he is a full-fledged Jew, so why do we single out converts to
pray specifically for them? One reason may simply be that even after conversion, life is not all that
easy for converts. However, their inclusion in this blessing and in the list of the righteous stems
from something more – an appreciation of their inner greatness.

1. Rabbi Yehonatan Eibschitz, Ya’arot Devash, Vol. 1, pg. 21 – Appreciation of converts

issues from a love of G-d.
We particularly pray for the welfare of righteous ‫וביחוד להתפלל על טובת גרי צדק וישים ללב לאהוב‬
converts and pay close attention to love them as ‫אותם כנפשו ולקיים מצות ואהבתם את הגר ומכ"ש בזמן‬
ourselves and to fulfill the mitzvah that “you ‫הזה שאנו בתכלית השפלות ושחים עד לעפר כמעט לא‬
shall love the convert.” All the more so these ‫נשאר בנו עוד רוח חיוני ורשעים בתכלית הרוממות והוא‬
days when we are so lowly and have such little '‫הכיר האמת הרי זה ממש מעשה אברהם אבינו שהכיר ה‬
spirit left in us, while the wicked have the ‫בתוך עולם חשוך והאיר ממזרח צדק ואף הוא כמוהו הלא‬
uppermost hand. And despite all this, the ‫חיוב עלינו לאהבו ולנשק רמיסת רגלו והמרבה לאהוב‬
convert recognizes the truth! This is no less a ‫הגר אוהב ה' ותורתו כי אהבתו לגר תלוי באהבת המקום‬
feat than that of our forefather Abraham who .‫ותורתו כי הלא זה סיבת אהבתו‬
recognized G-d amidst a world of darkness and
“illuminated the east with righteousness.” The

102
convert is just like him. It is our duty to love him
and to kiss the dust of his feet. The person who
loves a convert demonstrates his love of G-d
and His Torah, for the love of a convert
emanates from a love of G-d and the Torah.

Part E. ‫ – ותן שכר טוב‬Give Goodly Reward

How can we ask G-d to reward us for believing and trusting in Him? Doesn’t that make our
religious life selfish and superficial?

The answer is that while we must believe in reward (and punishment), at the same time we may not
let it be the motivation for doing what it intrinsically right.

1. Rabbi Yechiel Michel Stern, Siddur Iyun Tefillah, pg. 467 – Only those who serve G-d
sincerely can actually ask for their due reward.
In his book “Lechem Shamayim” on Pirkei ‫ביאר היעב"ץ בספר לחם שמים על אבות אע"פ שאמרו‬
Avot,” Rabbi Yaakov Emden (the Yavetz) , ‫באבות אל תהיו כעבדים המשמשים על מנת לקבל פרס‬
explains that even though it states in Pirkei Avot, ‫כמו עבד שאם לא‬, ‫זהו רק אם הפרס הוא תנאי לעבודה‬
“Do not be like servants who serve for the sake , ‫אבל לעבוד את ה 'בלא תנאי‬, ‫יתנו לו פרס לא יעבוד‬
of receiving reward,” that is only if the reward is ‫'לזה‬, ‫דהיינו שגם אם לא יקבל שכר טוב ג"כ יעבוד את ה‬
a proviso for the service, like a servant who does ‫'ואדרבא מצינו שמעיקרי אמונה‬, ‫מותר לבקש שכר מה‬
not work when he is not paid. However, if one ‫וכמו שאמר דוד שמרה נפשי כי‬, ‫הוא להאמין בשכר ועונש‬
serves G-d without this proviso, that is to serve
‫חסיד אני וגו 'ופירשו חז"ל (ילקוט שמעוני תהלים רמז‬
G-d whether or not there is reward for such
service, then it is permissible to ask for the ‫תשז) שכך אמר דוד לפני הקב"ה יודע אני שיש שכר טוב‬
reward. On the contrary, one of the pillars of our ‫לצדיקים לעתיד לבוא אבל איני יודע אם יש לי חלק‬
faith is to believe in reward and punishment. ' ‫ומשום שמי שעובד ה‬. ‫ולכן אני מבקש שכר‬, ‫עמהם‬
This is just as King David said, “Guard my soul ‫לבקש‬ ‫הוא בודאי יכול‬, ‫"באמת "אע"פ שלא יקבל שכר‬
for I am devout”(Tehillim 86:2), which our Sages ‫וזהו שאמר כאן" ותן שכר טוב לכל הבוטחים בשמך‬, ‫שכר‬
interpret to mean that David was saying to G-d, .‫באמת "ולא עושים רק על מנת לקבל פרס‬
“G-d, I know that there is a generous reward
awaiting the righteous in the World to Come,
but I do not know if I have a portion with them.
That is why I am asking for reward.” And
because the one who serves G-d “sincerely,”
although he might not be rewarded, can certainly
ask for it, therefore we say here, “and give
goodly reward to all who sincerely believe in
Your Name,” and are not acting only to receive
the reward.

103
Key Themes of ‫ – צדיקים‬The Righteous.

 We pray for the righteous because they are a source of blessing in this world. In fact,
it is in their merit that the world continues to exist.

 In this prayer we pray for the benefit of many types of righteous individuals,
including communal leaders, school teachers, and converts.

 Converts deserve to be counted among the righteous in recognition of their amazing

feat of recognizing the truth amidst a world of falsehood.

 We ask to be rewarded for our faith along with all these righteous people, because we
know they serve G-d whole-heartedly, not merely to receive that reward.

104
Berachah 14. ‫( בנין ירושלים‬Binyan Yerushalayim) – Rebuilding Jerusalem

‫ ְוכִ סֵ א‬.‫ ּובְ נֵה אֹותָּ ּה בְ קָּרֹוב בְ יָּמֵ ינּו בִ ְניַן עֹולָּ ם‬. ָּ‫ וְתִ שְ כֹן בְ תֹוכָּ ּה כַ אֲ שֶ ר דִ בַ ְרת‬.‫וְלִ ירּושָּ לַ יִם עִ ְירָך בְ ַרחֲ מִ ים תָּ שּוב‬
:‫ בָּ רּוְך אַ תָּ ה יְהֹוָּה בֹונֵה יְרּושָּ לַ יִם‬.‫דָּ וִד מְ הֵ רָּ ה לְ תֹוכָּ ּה תָּ כִ ין‬
And to Jerusalem, Your city, may You return in compassion, and may You rest within it, as You have spoken. May
You rebuild it soon in our days as an eternal structure, and may You speedily establish the throne of David within it.
Blessed are You, G-d, the Builder of Jerusalem.

Having prayed for the welfare of the righteous, we now turn our attention to the place where they
will ultimately dwell in the Messianic era: Jerusalem.

Part A. Rebuild Again?

Modern Jerusalem is a thriving metropolis with hundreds of thousands of people. It has a modern
infrastructure and all the amenities of contemporary culture. Why then do we still pray for it to be
rebuilt? It already is!

1. Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer, Shemoneh Esrei, pp. 208-209 – Only Jerusalem’s spiritual
structure gives it permanence.
Visiting the modern city of Jerusalem, one beholds a beautiful urban complex replete with every type
of structure and institution necessary for quality living. The rebuilt Jerusalem of our times serves all
the physical and spiritual needs of her citizens. So the obvious question arises: Why do we continue
to plead for the rebuilding of Jerusalem?

This question can be answered with an analogy to the patient whose heart is diseased and who
receives an artificial heart. The patient is up and around and appears to be healthy, but inside he is
filled with anxiety lest the artificial device be rejected or malfunction. The transplant patient is
extremely vulnerable to infection, and distressingly susceptible to unexpected, lethal side effects. As
advanced as technology may be, artificial is not the real thing.

Similarly, the heart of mankind in general and the Jews in particular is the Beit HaMikdash, the Holy
Temple. In that location Adam, the father of mankind, was created and there G-d breathed life into
his nostrils. G-d continued to pump vitality into mankind through the Temple until it was destroyed.
Now, we are maintained artificially, but it is not the same! We are weak and fragile, susceptible to
spiritual and moral contamination and disease. We are easily worn out. The whole system can
collapse at any time.

All the yeshivas, schools, shuls and other holy places we see today in Jerusalem are wonderful, but
they are not the Temple. They [no less than the modern State of Israel itself – ed.] are weak and
fragile and can easily fall. There is no guarantee of their permanence. Therefore, we fervently pray
for the rebuilding of Jerusalem with the Temple at its center – for that alone will be an eternal
structure.

105
2. Rabbi Chaim Friedlander, Siftei Chaim (Rinat Chaim), pg. 185 – If we understood what
Jerusalem once was, then we would know why we pray for it to be rebuilt.
Only when we know and understand what the ‫ הגשמית‬- ‫כאשר יודעים ומבינים מה היתה גדלותה‬
greatness of Jerusalem in its built state used to be ‫ חשים היטב‬,‫ של ירושלים בבניינה‬- ‫ובעיקר הרוחנית‬
– both physically and more importantly ‫ וזו תשובה‬.‫באיזה מידה רע ומר מצבה בחורבנה כיום‬
spiritually – can we appreciate how terrible and ‫ איך אפשר לומר ״העיר החרבה והשוממה‬,‫לאלו הטוענים‬
bitter its state of ruin is today. And this will form ‫ כאשר ירושלים מלאה בבנינים‬,)‫וכו׳״ (תפילת ״נחם״‬
the response to all those who question the ‫ כי מי שמרגיש כך אינו מבין את‬.‫ ורבו תושביה‬,‫נאים‬
pertinence of calling Jerusalem “the desolate and ‫ שהיתה מלאה‬,‫מהותה של ירושלים האמיתית בבניינה‬
ruined city” (from the Nacheim prayer for Tisha ,‫ אך מי שיודע מה היתה ירושלים‬.‫ברוחניות ובקדושה‬
B’Av), when today it is filled with beautiful ‫ וזה צריך‬,‫מרגיש היטב שכיום אנו עדיין בבירא עמיקתא‬
buildings and many inhabitants. Whoever feels .‫ וזהו ״ברחמים תשוב״‬,‫לעורר רחמים גדולים מהשי״ת‬
this way does not understand the true essence of
Jerusalem when it was full of spirituality and
holiness. But the one who knows what Jerusalem
once was, feels all too well that today we are
indeed in a deep pit and that for this we need to
awaken great mercy from G-d – and this is what
we mean by “return in mercy.”

Part B. Jerusalem of Old

What did the Jerusalem of old have that we lack in modern-day Jerusalem? How was it different, and
how would we like it to be once again?

Jerusalem of old was a city of great physical beauty.

1. Talmud Bavli, Kiddushin 49b – Jerusalem is the site of the greatest beauty in the world.
Ten measures of beauty came into the world; ,‫ תשעה נטלה ירושלים‬,‫עשרה קבים יופי ירדו לעולם‬
Jerusalem took nine of them and the rest went to .‫ואחד כל העולם כולו‬
the whole world.

2. Talmud Bavli, Sukkah 51b – Jerusalem’s beauty was par excellence.

Someone who never saw Jerusalem in her ‫מי שלא ראה ירושלים בתפארתה לא ראה כרך נחמד‬
splendor never saw a delightful city in his life. .‫מעולם‬

Despite its physical beauty, the main virtues of Jerusalem were spiritual in nature. It was a city of
awe-inspiring spirituality and wisdom of the Divine.

3. Talmud Bavli, Pesachim 8b – G-d did not bless Jerusalem with the virtue of every physical
amenity so as not to distract its visitors from the main attraction in the city – its spirituality.
Rabbi Avin son of Rabbi Adda said in Rabbi ‫ מפני מה אין‬:‫אמר רבי אבין בר רב אדא אמר רבי יצחק‬
Yitzchak’s name: “Why are there no fruits of ‫ כדי שלא יהו עולי רגלים‬- ‫פירות גינוסר בירושלים‬
Ginossar in Jerusalem? So that the Festival ‫ אלמלא לא עלינו אלא לאכול פירות גינוסר‬:‫אומרים‬
pilgrims should not say, ‘Had we merely ‫ כיוצא בו‬.‫ נמצאת עלייה שלא לשמה‬,‫ דיינו‬- ‫בירושלים‬
ascended in order to eat the fruits of Ginossar in ‫ מפני מה אין חמי טבריא‬:‫אמר רבי דוסתאי ברבי ינאי‬

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Jerusalem it would have sufficed us,’ with the ‫ אלמלא לא‬:‫ כדי שלא יהו עולי רגלים אומרים‬- ‫בירושלים‬
result that the pilgrimage would not be for its ‫ ונמצאת עלייה‬,‫ דיינו‬- ‫עלינו אלא לרחוץ בחמי טבריא‬
own sake.” Similarly Rabbi Dosetai son of Rabbi .‫שלא לשמה‬
Yannai said: “Why are the hot springs of
Tiberias not [found] in Jerusalem? So that the
Festival pilgrims should not say: ‘Had we merely
ascended in order to bathe in the hot springs, it
would have sufficed us,’ with the result that the
pilgrimage would not be for its own sake.”

Jerusalem was the spiritual heart of the Land, pumping knowledge of G-d and the Torah throughout
the Jewish world.

4. Talmud Bavli, Bava Batra 21a with Commentary of Tosafot – Jerusalem inspired the
teaching of Torah.
[At one point in Jewish history] it was decreed ‫ מאי‬,‫התקינו שיהו מושיבין מלמדי תינוקות בירושלים‬
that school teachers should settle in Jerusalem. .)‫ ג‬,‫דרוש? כי מציון תצא תורה (ישעיהו ב‬
What was the scriptural support for such a
decree? “For from Zion shall go forth Torah”
(Yeshayahu 2:3).

Tosafot: For from Zion shall go forth Torah ‫ לפי שהיה רואה קדושה גדולה‬- ‫כי מציון תצא תורה‬
– For when the teachers would see the great ‫וכהנים עוסקים בעבודה היה מכוון לבו יותר ליראת שמים‬
holiness and the Kohanim (Priests) performing '‫וללמוד תורה כדדרשי' בספרי למען תלמד ליראה וגו‬
their Divine service, they would direct their ‫גדול מעשר שני שמביא לידי תלמוד לפי שהיה עומד‬
hearts more intensely toward the fear of G-d and ‫בירושלים עד שיאכל מעשר שני שלו והיה רואה שכולם‬
Torah study. This notion is supported by the ‫עוסקים במלאכת שמים ובעבודה היה גם הוא מכוון‬
Midrashic explanation (Sifri) of the verse .‫ליראת שמים ועוסק בתורה‬
[regarding the second tithe which must be
consumed in Jerusalem], “so you will learn to
remain in awe [of G-d your L-rd for all time]”
(Devarim 14:23): Great is the second tithe for it
encourages study, for when the person who
brings it stays in Jerusalem until he has
consumed it and sees all the people there
engaged in holy matters and the Divine service,
he too directs his heart to fear of Heaven and
engages in learning Torah.

Tosafot mentions the “second tithe,” a tithe on produce that had to be eaten in Jerusalem (or
redeemed for money that had to be used to purchase food to be eaten there). This is just one of the
mitzvot that tie the Jewish people to Jerusalem. The second tithe, first fruits, first-born cattle,
fourth-year produce – all these mitzvot involved either bringing food offerings and animal sacrifices
to Jerusalem or spending their equivalent monetary value in the city. In addition to the three yearly
pilgrimage festivals when Jews would visit Jerusalem, these mitzvot helped to spread the spiritual
influence of Jerusalem to Jews everywhere.

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5. Rabbi Aharon of Barcelona, Sefer HaChinuch, Mitzvah 360 – Jerusalem was the
headquarters for learning Torah.
Either the owner of the produce/money (to be ‫או ילך שם בעל הממון עצמו ללמוד תורה או ישלח לשם‬
consumed/spent in Jerusalem) would go himself ‫ ומתוך כך‬.‫אחד מבניו שילמד שם ויהיה ניזון באותן פירות‬
and learn Torah there or he would send one of ,‫יהיה בכל בית ובית מכל ישראל איש חכם יודע התורה‬
his children to learn there and live off of that ‫ ובכן תימלא הארץ דעה‬,‫אשר ילמד בחכמתו כל בית אביו‬
produce. As such, every household in the Land .'‫את ה‬
of Israel had a wise family member who knew
the Torah, and he would teach the rest of the
family – and thus the whole land was full of the
knowledge of G-d.

Part C. ‫ – עירך‬G-d’s City

Why do we refer to Jerusalem as G-d’s city? Why not the City of the Jews or the City of Peace, etc.?

As we noted above, the central virtue of Jerusalem is its spirituality. The presence of G-d in the city,
particularly at the site of the Beit HaMikdash, the Holy Temple, is the essence of Jerusalem’s
uniqueness.

1. Bereishit Rabbah 59:5 – While Jerusalem is the spiritual source for the world, G-d is the
spiritual Source of Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is the light of the world, as it is says, ‫ ג) והלכו גוים‬,‫ירושלים אורו של עולם שנאמר (ישעיה ס‬
“Nations shall go by your light” (Yeshayahu ‫לאורך ומי הוא אורה של ירושלים הקב"ה דכתיב והיה לך‬
60:3). And who was the light of Jerusalem? G-d, .)‫יט‬:‫ה' לאור עולם (ישעיה ס‬
as it is written, “for the L-rd shall be to you as an
everlasting light” (Ibid. 60:19).

The Jerusalem that we refer to in this berachah is not only the physical site of Jerusalem; we also
mean the spiritual entity that is Jerusalem. That is why we call it G-d’s city.

2. Talmud Bavli, Taanit 5a with Commentary of Maharsha – Jerusalem on earth is paralleled

by a Jerusalem in Heaven; G-d does not enter one until He enters the other.
Further, Rabbi Nachman said to Rabbi Yitzchak: ]‫ ט‬,‫ מאי דכתיב [הושע יא‬:‫ואמר ליה רב נחמן לרבי יצחק‬
What is the meaning of the scriptural verse, ‘In ‫ משום דבקרבך קדוש לא‬,‫בקרבך קדוש ולא אבוא בעיר‬
your midst is the Holy One, and I (G-d) will not ‫ אמר הקדוש‬:‫ הכי אמר רבי יוחנן‬,‫ אמר ליה‬- ?‫אבוא בעיר‬
enter a city’ (Hoshea 11:9)? [Surely, it cannot be ‫ברוך הוא לא אבוא בירושלים של מעלה עד שאבוא‬
that] because the Holy One is in your midst that ,‫ אין‬- ?‫ ומי איכא ירושלים למעלה‬.‫לירושלים של מטה‬
He shall not come into the city!] He replied: ‫ג] ירושלים הבנויה כעיר שחברה לה‬:‫דכתיב [תהלים קכב‬
Thus said Rabbi Yochanan: The Holy One, .‫יחדו‬
blessed be He, said, ‘I will not enter the
Heavenly Jerusalem until I enter the earthly
Jerusalem.’ Is there then a Heavenly Jerusalem? –
Yes; for it is written, “The built-up Jerusalem is
like a city that was joined together with itself”
(Tehillim 122:3).

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This means to say that the rebuilt Jerusalem ‫כלומר ירושלים הבנויה למטה היא כעיר ירושלים‬
below resembles the Jerusalem that is “joined ‫שחוברה לה כו' דהיינו שהיא למעלה בשמים נגד ירושלים‬
together with itself,” meaning that in Heaven .‫שלמטה שהיא מכוונת כנגד שער השמים‬
above it is facing the Jerusalem below which
itself is aligned with the “gate of Heaven.”

Part D. ‫ – כאשר דברת‬As You Have Spoken

Where did G-d talk about returning to Jerusalem? To which prophecy does this statement refer?

The rebuilding of Jerusalem, like the ingathering of exiles, is another one of the prophecies related to
the coming of the Mashiach.

1. Talmud Bavli, Berachot 49a – The rebuilding of Jerusalem is connected to the ingathering
of the exiles.
“The Builder of Jerusalem, G-d, will gather in ,]‫ב‬:‫בונה ירושלים ה' נדחי ישראל יכנס [תהלים קמ"ז‬
the outcasts of Israel” (Tehillim 147:2), as if to .‫ בזמן שנדחי ישראל יכנס‬- '‫אימתי בונה ירושלים ה‬
say: When does G-d build Jerusalem? – When
He will gather the dispersed of Israel.

More generally, the rebuilding of Jerusalem is seen as a sign of redemption for the Jewish people.

2. Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 52:9 – G-d will rebuild the ruins of Jerusalem when He redeems the
Jewish people.
Burst out in song, sing together, O ruins of ‫פצחו רננו יחדו חרבות ירושלם כי נחם יקוק עמו גאל‬
Jerusalem, for the L-rd has consoled His people; :‫ירושלם‬
He has redeemed Jerusalem.

3. Zechariah 8:3, 8, 22-23 – The rebuilding of Jerusalem will usher in a renewal of the Jewish
people’s relationship with G-d. Jerusalem will be the world’s center of spirituality, and the
Jews will be teachers and priests to all humanity.
So said the L-rd of Legions: I have returned to ‫כה אמר יקוק שבתי אל ציון ושכנתי בתוך ירושלם‬
Zion, and I have made My dwelling in Jerusalem; ...‫ונקראה ירושלם עיר האמת והר יקוק צבאות הר הקדש‬
Jerusalem will be called, 'The City of Truth' and
the mountain of G-d, L-rd of Legions, 'The Holy
Mountain.'

And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the ‫והבאתי אתם ושכנו בתוך ירושלם והיו לי לעם ואני אהיה‬
midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be My people, ...‫להם לאלהים באמת ובצדקה‬
and I shall be their G-d, in truth and in
righteousness…

And many peoples and powerful nations shall ‫ובאו עמים רבים וגוים עצומים לבקש את יקוק צבאות‬
come to entreat the L-rd of Legions in ‫ כה אמר יקוק צבאות‬:‫בירושלם ולחלות את פני יקוק‬
Jerusalem, and to pray before the L-rd. So said ‫בימים ההמה אשר יחזיקו עשרה אנשים מכל לשנות הגוים‬
the L-rd of Legions: In those days, when ten ‫והחזיקו בכנף איש יהודי לאמר נלכה עמכם כי שמענו‬
men of all the languages of the nations shall take :‫אלהים עמכם‬

109
hold of the garment of a Jewish man, saying,
“Let us go with you, for we have heard that G-d
is with you.”

Part E. ‫ – ובנה אותה‬And Rebuild It

What does it mean that we ask G-d to rebuild Jerusalem? Do we expect G-d to actually build the
city, or are we asking for permission to build it ourselves?

In the berachah of the Ingathering of the Exiles we saw that Rambam lists the rebuilding of the Beit
HaMikdash as one of the tasks of the Mashiach. A source for Rambam’s stance can be found in the
Midrash.

1. Vayikra Rabbah, Parshat Tzav 9:6 – The Mashiach will build the Beit HaMikdash.
And I will unbridle and entice you and lead you ,‫ושובבתיך וששאתיך והעליתיך מירכתי צפון (יחזקאל לט‬
up from the utmost parts of the north (and bring ‫ מלך המשיח שנתון בצפון יבא ויבנה בהמ"ק הנתון‬:)‫ב‬
you upon the mountains of Israel) [Yechezkel .‫בדרום‬
39:2]. The King Mashiach whose place is in the
north will come and build the Beit HaMikdash
whose place is in the south.
The Mashiach will not do it alone; the entire Jewish people will also contribute to the financing and
construction of the Beit HaMikdash.

2. Rambam, Hilchot Beit HaBechira 1:1,11-12 – It is a mitzvah for everyone to contribute to

the building of the Beit HaMikdash.
It is a positive commandment to construct a ...'‫מצות עשה לעשות בית לה‬
House for G-d…

The most preferable way to fulfill the mitzvah is ‫ומצוה מן המובחר לחזק את הבנין ולהגביהו כפי כח‬
by strengthening the building and glorifying it [to ,)‫ ט‬,‫הציבור שנאמר ולרומם את בית אלקינו (עזרא ט‬
the utmost degree] within the means of the ‫ומפארין אותו ומייפין כפי כחן אם יכולין לטוח אותו בזהב‬
community, as [implied by Ezra 9:9]: “to exalt ...‫ולהגדיל במעשיו ה"ז מצוה‬
the House of our L-rd.” They must make it
beautiful and attractive according to their
capabilities. If possible, it is a mitzvah to plate it
with gold and to aggrandize it in any respect.

Everyone is obligated to build and to assist both ‫והכל חייבין לבנות ולסעד בעצמן ובממונם אנשים ונשים‬
personally and financially; [both] men and …‫כמקדש המדבר‬
women, as [they did in the construction of the]
Sanctuary in the desert.

Thus, according to Rambam, we ask G-d to rebuild Jerusalem with the Temple therein much in the
same way we ask for health or livelihood: We request that G-d bless our endeavors so we may
succeed in accomplishing these goals.

110
However, there is a prominent opinion countering that of Rambam. This view says that the third
and final Beit HaMikdash will literally be built by G-d Himself.

3. Rashi, Commentary to Sukkah 41a – The third Beit HaMikdash shall fall into place from
Heaven.
The Beit HaMikdash for which we yearn is ‫מקדש העתיד שאנו מצפין בנוי ומשוכלל הוא יגלה ויבא‬
already built and finished. It will be revealed and .‫ יז) מקדש ה' כוננו ידיך‬,‫ שנאמר (שמות טו‬,‫משמים‬
it will come from Heaven, as the verse says, “the
Sanctuary, O L-rd, [which] Your hands founded”
(Shemot 15:17).

Rashi’s opinion also seems to be supported by a Midrash that states that the Beit HaMikdash will be
built by G-d.

4. Midrash Tanchumah (Warsaw), Parshat Pekudei 11 – King David implied that the Beit
HaMikdash will be built by G-d.
King David said, “For You have made me happy ‫אמר המלך דוד כי שמחתני ה' בפעלך במעשי ידיך ארנן‬
O L-rd, with Your work; with the work of Your ,‫ כי שמחתני ה' בפעלך זה אהל מועד‬,)‫ ה‬,‫(תהלים צב‬
hands I shall exult” (Tehillim 92:5). “For You ‫במעשי ידיך ארנן זה בנין בית המקדש שיבנה במהרה‬
have made me happy O L-rd, with Your work” .‫בימינו‬
refers to the Tabernacle; “with the work of Your
hands I shall exult” refers to the building of the
Beit HaMikdash, may it be built speedily in our
days.

This building will be a ‫בנין עולם‬, an eternal and indestructible building, precisely because it will be G-
d Who has built it.

5. Midrash Tanchumah (Buber), Parshat Noach 11 – The Jerusalem that G-d will build will
be eternal.
The Jewish people said to G-d, “Have we not ‫אמרו ישראל לפני הקב"ה רבונו של עולם לא כבר נבנית‬
already built Jerusalem and it was destroyed?” G- ‫ אמר להם על ידי עונות חרבה וגליתם‬,‫ירושלים וחרבה‬
d said back to them, “Because of transgression it ,‫ ואיני מחריבה לעולם‬,‫ אבל עתה אני בונה אותה‬,‫מתוכה‬
was destroyed and you were driven away from .)‫ יז‬,‫שנאמר כי בנה ה' ציון נראה בכבודו (תהלים קב‬
her, but now I will build her and I will never
destroy her,” as the verse says, “For the L-rd has
built up Zion; He has appeared in His glory”
(Tehillim 102:17).

How are we to resolve this dispute between Rambam and Rashi as to whether the Jewish people,
with the help of Mashiach, will build the Beit HaMikdash, or whether it will descend from Heaven
already built?

Here we will present two approaches:

111
6. Rabbi Yaakov Ettlinger, Aruch LaNer to Sukkah 41a – The soul of the Beit HaMikdash
will descend into the body of the physical Beit HaMikdash that we will build.
According to Rashi it should say “speedily will ‫ ומה שאנו‬...‫ולפי דברי רש"י הל"ל מהרה יגלה ביהמ"ק‬
the Beit HaMikdash be revealed” (rather than be ‫מתפללים בכל תפלותינו יה"ר שיבנה ביהמ"ק במהרה‬
built)…And what we pray in our prayers, “May it ‫בימינו יהיו תפלות שוא כיון שכבר נבנה הוא והי' לנו‬
be Your will that the Beit HaMikdash be built .‫להתפלל שיגלה ביהמ"ק במהרה‬
speedily in our days” seems to be a prayer in vain
because it is already built. We should rather pray
that it should be speedily revealed.

Rather, it seems to me obvious that the Beit ‫ולכן הי' נלענ"ד דודאי ביהמ"ק לעתיד לבא יבנה בנין‬
HaMikdash will literally be built in the future by ‫ממש בידי אדם ומה שנאמר מקדש ד' כוננו ידיך שנדרש‬
human hands. When it says, “the Sanctuary, O ‫בתנחומא שירד למטה הוא ביהמ"ק רוחני שיבא לתוך‬
L-rd, [which] Your hands founded,” which the .‫ביהמ"ק הנבנה גשמי כנשמה בתוך הגוף‬
Midrash takes to mean that it will fall from
Heaven, it refers to the spiritual Beit HaMikdash
that will descend upon the physically built Beit
HaMikdash, like the soul into a body.

According to this approach, Rambam speaks from the physical, this-worldly perspective while Rashi
speaks from the spiritual, Heavenly perspective – but both are true.

Yet, there is another way of interpreting this dispute. This interpretation shows that both sides
present a truthful perspective. It is based on the idea that there are two possible time frames for the
coming of Mashiach, and therefore also two possible manners in which the Beit HaMikdash might
be built. The Talmud derives this idea from Yeshayahu’s prophecy about the Messianic era.

7. Yeshayahu 60:22 and Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 98a – Mashiach will come at the
predetermined time, but if we are worthy he may come sooner.
The smallest shall become a thousand and the ‫הקטן יהיה לאלף והצעיר לגוי עצום אני יקוק בעתה‬
least a mighty nation; I am the L-rd, in its time I :‫אחישנה‬
will hasten it.

Rabbi Alexandri said: Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi ‫ כתיב‬,‫ רבי יהושע בן לוי רמי‬:‫אמר רבי אלכסנדרי‬
contrasted [the words in the verse]. It is written ‫ לא‬,‫ אחישנה‬- ‫ אחישנה! זכו‬,‫ וכתיב‬,‫(ישעיהו ס') בעתה‬
“in its time,” and it is written, “I will hasten it”! .‫ בעתה‬- ‫זכו‬
If they are worthy, then “I will hasten it”; if they
are not worthy, it will come “in its time.”

8. Rabbi Moshe Schik, Teshuvot Maharam Schik – Rashi and Rambam describe two
different potential ways that the future may unfold.
It seems most logical that this [dispute between ‫ויותר נראה דזה עצמו תליא בב׳ קיצין הנזכר לעיל דאם‬
Rambam and Rashi] depends on the two time ‫יהיה קץ של בעתו יהיה הכל כסדר וכמו שכתב הרמב"ם‬
frames mentioned above. If the Messianic era ‫בהלכות מלכים הנזכר לעיל אבל אם יהיה קץ של אחישנה‬
will come “in its time,” it will all happen ‫אז יהא הכל במהירות ומהרה יבנה בית המקדש בידי‬
according to the natural order, as Rambam .‫שמים ויבוא משיח צדקינו‬
writes in the Laws of Kings mentioned above.

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But if the Messianic era will come at a hastened
time [i.e. earlier than the predestined time], then
it will all happen quickly, the Beit HaMikdash
will be built speedily by Heaven and then our
righteous Mashiach will come.

According to this way of looking at things, we can all have a personal part in the building of the Beit
HaMikdash and in hastening its arrival. The Chassidic masters have taught us that our mitzvot
contribute to the building, which will one day fall from Heaven in completed form.

Once upon a time, the Sanzer Rav, the Divrei Chaim, told his Chassidim that the Beit HaMikdash was
sitting in Heaven already completed; all it needed was the parochet, the dividing curtain, and it could be
revealed. One of the Chassidim could not contain himself and shouted out his question, “If so, Rebbe, why
don’t you complete it so that we can have the Beit HaMikdash?” The Divrei Chaim responded vehemently,
“We have made the parochet again and again! – but each time we do, it is torn to shreds by someone’s
transgression!” (Based on Rabbi Asher Zelig Weiss, Minchat Asher, Vol. 2 [Shemot], pg. 534.)

Key Themes of ‫ – בנין ירושלים‬Rebuilding Jerusalem.

 In this berachah we pray for the rebuilding of Jerusalem, a strange request

considering that modern Jerusalem is a thriving metropolis. But looks can be
deceiving – Jerusalem still lacks its true spiritual splendor.

 In ancient times Jerusalem was indeed a physically spectacular city, but its beauty
was not its main attraction. Jerusalem was the world headquarters for wisdom and
inspired all who visited it to want to learn.

 The physical Jerusalem is paralleled by a spiritual Jerusalem in Heaven. This idea

teaches us that G-d is the source of Jerusalem’s uniqueness.

 Many prophecies relate to the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the re-establishment of its
spiritual stature as a highlight of the Messianic era. According to Rambam, the
Mashiach will initiate the rebuilding of Jerusalem with the Temple as its centerpiece,
while the Jewish people on the whole will contribute to the effort.

 Rashi, however, maintains that the third Beit HaMikdash is ready and waiting to fall
into place from Heaven.

 Rambam and Rashi may be speaking from different perspectives, Rambam

describing the physical process of rebuilding while Rashi refers to its spiritual
existence. Alternatively, Rambam describes events as they will happen if history is
left to run its course until G-d sends the Mashiach at some predetermined time in the
future. Rashi, though, describes a situation in which, because of our mitzvot, the
Mashiach will come and the Beit HaMikdash will be built sooner than planned.

113
Berachah 15. ‫( מלכות בית דוד‬Malchut Beit David) – Davidic Reign

‫ בָּ רּוְך אַ תָּ ה יְהֹוָּה‬.‫ כִ י לִ ישּועָּ תְ ָך ִקּוִינּו כָּ ל הַ יֹום‬.‫ ְוק ְַרנֹו תָּ רּום בִ ישּועָּ תֶ ָך‬. ַ‫אֶ ת צֶ מַ ח דָּ וִד עַ בְ דְ ָך מְ הֵ ָּרה תַ צְ מִ יח‬
:‫מַ צְ מִ יחַ ק ֶֶרן יְשּועָּ ה‬
May you speedily cause the offspring of Your servant David to sprout, and enhance his pride through Your salvation,
for we hope for Your salvation all day long. Blessed are You, G-d, Who causes the pride of salvation to sprout.

Part A. The Centrality of Belief in Mashiach

The belief in the coming of Mashiach is one of the cornerstones of Judaism because it expresses
faith that G-d has a plan for world history.

1. Rambam, Thirteen Principles of Faith, Principle 12 – Belief in the coming of the

Mashiach is one of the Thirteen Principles of Faith.
The Twelfth Principle is the time of ‫ והוא להאמין ּו ְל ַאמֵת‬.‫ ימות המשיח‬,‫היסוד השנים עשר‬
the Mashiach (literally, the anointed). This means "‫ " ִׁאם י ִׁתְ ַמ ְהמָּּה ַחכֵה לֹו‬,‫ׁשי ִׁתְ ַאחֵר‬
ֶּ ‫ ולא יחשוב‬,‫שיבוא‬
to believe and be certain that he will come, and ‫ ולא יעשה לו סברות‬,‫ ולא ישים לו זמן‬.)‫(חבקוק ב ג‬
not to think that he is late in coming, "if he ‫ והחכמים אומרים (סנהדרין‬.‫במקראות להוציא זמן ביאתו‬
tarries, wait for him; [because he will surely ,‫ ושיאמין בו‬."‫שבֵי ִׁקצִׁין‬ ְ ‫ "תִׁ פַח רּוחָּן ׁשֶּל ְמ ַח‬:)‫צ"ו ע"א‬
come, he will not come late]" (Chabakuk 2:3). ‫ כפי מה‬,]‫ ולהתפלל בשבילו [=שיבוא‬,‫ְּו ְלגַדְ לֹו ּולְָאהֳבֹו‬
You should not set a time for him, and you .‫ׁשֶּ נִׁבְאּו עליו כל הנביאים ממשה עד מלאכי עליו השלום‬
should not make calculations in Scripture to ,‫ או נתמעט אצלו מעלתו – כפר בתורה‬,‫ומי שהסתפק בו‬
determine the time of his coming. The Sages -‫ יז‬,‫ׁשֶּ יָּעֲדָּ ה בו בתורה בפירוש בפרשת בלעם (במדבר כד‬
say, "Let despair come upon those who calculate ‫ ומכלל יסוד זה שאין‬.)‫י‬-‫ ג‬,‫כד) ו"אַתֶּ ם נִׁ ָּצבִׁים" (דברים ל‬
deadlines." [This foundation further includes] to ‫ וכל‬.‫מלך לישראל אלא מבית דוד ומזרע ׁשְֹלמ ֹה בלבד‬
believe in him (Mashiach), to magnify his ‫החולק על המשפחה הזאת – כפר בשם יתברך ובדברי‬
greatness, to love him, and to pray that he will .‫נביאיו‬
come, as was prophesied by all the prophets,
from Moshe, peace be upon him, until Malachi,
peace be upon him. One who doubts this or
who minimizes his greatness denies the Torah
that testifies explicitly to [the coming of
Mashiach] in the account of Bilaam (Bamidbar
[Numbers] 24) and in the portion
of Nitzavim (Devarim [Deuteronomy] 30:3-5).
Included in this principle is that the Jewish
people will only have a king from the House of
David and the offspring of Solomon. Anyone
who disagrees with [the status of] this family
denies G-d and His prophets.

2. Rambam, Hilchot Melachim 11:1 – So central is Judaism’s belief in the coming of the
Mashiach that one who denies it, or does not await his arrival is considered to have denied
the entire Torah.
Anyone who does not believe in the Mashiach, or ‫לא‬--‫ או מי שאינו מחכה לביאתו‬,‫וכל מי שאינו מאמין בו‬
anyone who does not wait for his arrival is not ‫ אלא בתורה ובמשה‬,‫בשאר נביאים בלבד הוא כופר‬

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only denying the validity of the Prophets .‫רבנו‬
(Nevi’im), but of the Torah [itself] and Moshe
Rabeinu.

Why should someone who rejects the concept of Mashiach be viewed as denying the validity of
Judaism?

3. Rabbi Yisroel Miller, What’s Wrong with Being Happy? Mesorah Publications, pp. 72-74
– Mashiach is the culmination of G-d’s careful orchestration and supervision of each detail
of world history. Not believing in Mashiach undermines the basic foundation of Divine
Providence, and hence Judaism itself.
The general principle is that all of us live life on two different levels. We are tested each day to see if
we choose to do what is right, and we each pass or fail the tests to a greater or lesser extent. And
each day, regardless of what we do, G-d takes what we have created, and what we’ve done and what
we are, and He finds a way to use it all to further His plan of goodness for the world. We don’t
know all the details. But we do know that no human life is totally wasted, no suffering is
meaningless, and everything that happens is somehow fitted into G-d’s plan…

Even if you recognize that you are here on earth to perform mitzvot and pass tests, if you
mistakenly believe that life in itself has no ultimate purpose, that it’s only a game and there is no
other reason for suffering and death, no plan or purpose in all that occurs, then you may be
performing mitzvot, but what you are doing is not Judaism.

Consider the enormity of the Holocaust, followed by the emergence of the State of Israel.
Contemplate the resurgence of anti-Semitism even in countries without Jews, like Poland and Japan.
Follow the amazing career of Yasser Arafat, who came to power and lost power a half a dozen
times, each time miraculously making a comeback. Look at all the ups and downs of the past
generation, like Vietnam, Watergate, Iran, Soviet collapse, intifada, hippies, race riots, energy crisis,
and a million other changes. Do you believe all that has no purpose, that G-d just lets it happen
without any reason? If so, Rambam tells us, you missed the boat. “I believe – I know – it is all part of
the plan; and though I know not the details, and it has taken longer than I anticipated, I know it is
all but a series of steps leading to the coming of Mashiach.”

Part B. Davidic Dynasty

Why is our prayer for the coming of the Mashiach expressed as a longing for the re-establishment of
the Davidic Dynasty? Why does the Mashiach have to be a descendant of King David and of what
significance is his ancestry?

1. Bereishit (Genesis) 49:10, with Targum Yonatan – The Mashiach will be descended from
the tribe of Yehuda (Judah), since all future Jewish kings will be born from descendants of
this tribe.
The sceptre shall not depart from Yehuda, or the ‫י ָּב ֹא‬-‫ עַד כִׁי‬,‫ ּו ְמחֹקֵק ִׁמבֵין ַרגְלָּיו‬,‫ׁשבֶּט ִׁמיהּודָּ ה‬ֵ ‫י ָּסּור‬-‫ֹלא‬
ruler’s staff from between his feet, until the .‫ וְלֹו י ִׁ ְקהַת ַע ִׁמים‬,‫ׁשִׁ יֹלה‬
arrival of Shiloh [Mashiach]; and the nations
shall submit to him.

115
Targum Yonatan
There will never cease to be kings and rulers ‫לא פסקין מלכין ושליטין מדבית יהודה וספרין מאלפי‬
from the House of Yehuda, and teachers of .‫אוריתא מזרעה עד זמן די ייתי מלכא משיחא‬
Torah to thousands of his children until the
King Mashiach comes [who will also be one of
his descendants].

2. Abarbanel, Commentary on Yechezkel 34:24 – The Mashiach will be a descendant of King

David or a reincarnation of him.
“My servant David” – The Mashiach will be a ‫ אבל בעלי‬... ‫מלך המשיח יהיה מזרע דוד‬... – ‫ודוד עבדי‬
descendant of David… However, the Kabbalists, ‫ אמרו שמלך‬,‫הקבלה שקיימו וקבלו דעת גלגול נפשות‬
who regard reincarnation as a fundamental ‫המשיח יהיה דוד עצמו כי הנה נפש דוד תתגלגל במלך‬
principle of Judaism, say that the Mashiach will .‫המשיח‬
be a reincarnation of King David himself.

There are numerous Jewish families today that can trace their ancestry back to King David. For
example, the Maharal of Prague (1512-1609) was able to trace his lineage to Rav Hai Gaon (939-
1038), who in turn was known to descend from King David. And there are numerous families that
still trace their lineage to the Maharal (Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, Handbook of Jewish Thought, Vol. II,
25:3).
In the next source, we reflect on the deeper meaning of the Mashiach being a reincarnation of King
David.

3. Rabbi Reuven Leuchter, Meshivat Nefesh on Nefesh HaChaim 1:20 (Gloss) – Mashiach
will embody the ideal creation of man, and will therefore be a “reincarnation” of King
David’s unique soul.
What is being explained here is that Mashiach is ‫נתבאר כאן שמשיח הוא התגשמות הרעיון של בריאת‬
the embodiment of the ideal creation of man. ‫וזהו דבר שבדרך כלל אי אפשר לומר על אדם‬, ‫האדם‬
This is not something that can be said about just , ‫כי אע"פ שכל בני האדם נבראו מכח אתו רעיון‬. ‫פרטי‬
any individual. Even though all people are ‫ואין‬, ‫עדיין הרעיון הוא הרבה יותר נעלה מהאדם בפועל‬
created in line with the original ideal, ‫בן אנוש שהרעיון משתקף בו עד שניתן להכיר על ידי‬
nevertheless that ideal is not actualized in them. ‫ אבל דוד‬.‫התבוננות בו מה היה הרעיון בבריאת האדם‬
As such, there is no one who so greatly ‫והוציא את שורש הנשמה‬, ‫המלך השלים וקידש את עצמו‬
resembles the ideal creation of man that one ‫עד שמהתבוננות בו היה אפשר להכיר ולהבין‬, ‫שלו לפועל‬
would be able to recognize it by studying him.
‫ לכן אפשר‬.‫מה היה הרעיון של הקב"ה בבריאת האדם‬
But King David perfected and sanctified himself
‫' ומשיח‬.‫לומר שהוא הוציא לפועל את הרעיון של 'אדם‬
in actual practice to such an extent that one
...‫צדקינו יוציא את שורש נשמתו לפועל לגמרי‬
could look at him and understand G-d’s purpose
in the creation of man. As such, one could say
that he brought to the fore the ideal of “Adam.”
And our righteous Mashiach will actualize the
root of this soul to the fullest extent…

116
Part C. The Sprouting of Salvation

Why does this prayer use the term “sprouting” in regard to salvation? Since we are essentially asking
G-d to make it happen, why such a strange expression that seems to imply that it will happen by
itself?

1. Midrash Shocher Tov, Tehillim 18 – The redemption will come bit by bit.
Rabbi Yudan said: The redemption of the Jews ‫א״ר יודן לפי שאין הגאולה של אומה זו באה בבת אחת‬
will not happen all at once but rather little by ‫אלא קימעא קימעא ומהו מגדיל שהיא מתגדלת והולכת‬
little. What does it mean that G-d grows ‫לפני ישראל לפי שהן עכשיו שרויין בצרות גדולות ואם‬
[salvation]? It grows slowly before the Jews who ‫תבא הגאולה בבת אחת אינן יכולין לסבול ישועה גדולה‬
are presently steeped in great troubles. Were the ‫שהיא בא מתוך צרות גדולות לכך היא באה קימעא קימעא‬
redemption to come all at once they would not .‫ומתגדלת והולכת‬
be able to handle such a powerful salvation
amidst these great troubles. Therefore, it comes
bit by bit, growing gradually.

While many of the features of pre-Messianic era seem to be coming to fruition in our time – such as
the ingathering of exiles and a renaissance in Torah learning – nevertheless the actual redemption
process will only truly be initiated by the Mashiach himself.

2. Rabbi Zev Leff, Shemoneh Esrei, pg. 335 – Redemption does not begin to sprout until the
coming of the Mashiach.
The period of Mashiach can occur as a slow process that will start with his being assumed Mashiach,
continue with his building the Beis HaMikdash and gathering in the exiles, and finally perfecting the
world. This is the concept of Chazal that the redemption will come slowly as the dawn (Yerushalmi,
Berachot 1: 1). Just as the dawn comes in gradually, so too does the redemption.

There are some who interpret this statement as implying that the redemption happens gradually and
culminates with Mashiach. They refer to various events as being the beginning of geulah
(redemption), that it is the "reishit tzemichat geulateinu" - the beginning of the sprouting of our
redemption. I heard personally from Rav Moshe Feinstein that this entire concept is erroneous.
Redemption does not come gradually and culminate with Mashiach. Redemption does not begin
until Mashiach proclaims himself. Until that point Exile is in force, even if Jews have reclaimed the
Land of Israel and settled it. It is only after someone claims to be Mashiach that the redemption will
then come gradually as the dawn, until Mashiach finally gathers in the exiles, builds the Mikdash,
fights the necessary wars, and finally influences and corrects the entire world to serve Hashem with
one clear voice.

Part D. Waiting for Mashiach

A major facet of Mashiach is the idea that we not only believe he will come eventually, but rather
that we consciously anticipate his arrival. Why is it so important to always be waiting for Mashiach?

117
1. Rambam, Thirteen Principles of Faith, Principle 12 [expressed as a personal creed] –
Belief in the coming of the Mashiach means that one awaits his imminent arrival.
I believe with complete faith in the coming of ‫ ואף על פי‬,‫אני מאמין באמונה שלמה בביאת המשיח‬
the Mashiach, and even though he may delay, :‫ עם כל זה אחכה לו בכל יום שיבוא‬,‫שיתמהמה‬
nonetheless I anticipate every day that he will
come.

2. Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 31a – In the next world we will be asked whether or not we longed
for the salvation Mashiach will bring.
Rava said: At the time a person is brought in for ‫ צפית‬...‫ בשעה שמכניסין אדם לדין אומרים לו‬:‫אמר רבא‬
judgment [in the next world], he is asked… did ?‫לישועה‬
you hope for salvation?

Interestingly, the Talmud seems to imply just the opposite, that Mashiach will only come once we
have given up on him ever arriving!

3. Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 97a – Mashiach only comes to those who don’t wait.
The Son of David [i.e. Mashiach] will not come ‫ שנאמר ואפס‬.‫ עד שיתייאשו מן הגאולה‬...‫אין בן דוד בא‬
until… people have despaired of redemption, for ‫ כי הא‬.‫ כביכול אין סומך ועוזר לישראל‬- ‫עצור ועזוב‬
it is written, “there is nothing left to keep or :‫ אמר להו‬,‫ כי הוה משכח רבנן דמעסקי ביה‬,‫דרבי זירא‬
abandon” (Devarim 32:36), as if to say Israel will ‫ שלשה באין‬:‫ דתנינא‬.‫ בעינא מנייכו לא תרחקוה‬,‫במטותא‬
have neither supporter nor helper. This view .‫ ועקרב‬,‫ מציאה‬,‫ משיח‬:‫ אלו הן‬,‫בהיסח הדעת‬
concurs with that of Rabbi Zeira, who, whenever
he chanced upon scholars engaged in calculating
the time of Mashiach’s coming, would say to
them: I beg of you, do not postpone it, for it has
been taught: Three things only come when the
mind is diverted from them: Mashiach, a lost
object and a scorpion.

4. Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky, Emet L’Yaakov, Parshat Ha’azinu 32:36 – Salvation will only
come when the Jews have given up their hope for a socio-political redemption.
In the Talmud (Sanhedrin 97a) we learn that the ‫הנה בסנהדרין [דף צ״ז ע״א] ילפינן מהכא שאין בן דוד‬
redeemer shall not come to the Jewish people ‫בא עד שיתייאשו מן הגאולה כביכול אין סומך ועוזר‬
until they have lost all hope, as if there were no ‫ וכי‬,‫ והנה מאמר חז״ל זה טעון ביאור‬.‫ ועיי״ש‬,‫לישראל‬
support or help for the Jews. This statement ‫תנאי הוא שחס ושלום ישתכח עיקר א׳ מהשלש עשרה‬
needs clarification, for how could we presume .‫ והלא הרמב״ם מנה תקות הגאולה בין העיקרים‬,‫עיקרים‬
that we are supposed to forget about one of
Rambam’s thirteen fundamentals of faith –
hoping for salvation?

The meaning behind this statement is that as ‫אבל הכוונה בזה הוא שכל זמן שכלל ישראל מצפה‬
long as the Jews hope for salvation by natural ‫ והיינו שירחמו עלינו אומות‬,‫לגאולה שתבוא באופן טבעי‬
means – that is, that the nations of the world will ,‫העולם ויתנו לנו איזה מקום לבנות לנו מולדת וכדומה‬
have mercy upon us and let us build a nation- ‫ כי חסד לאומים חטאת ובאמת‬,‫ודאי לא תבוא הגאולה‬
state, or the like – then the redemption will ‫ ורק אם נתייאש לגמרי‬,‫שנואים אנחנו מכל יושבי תבל‬
surely not come. For the [feigned] kindness of ‫מאשליות כאלו ונבין כי אין לנו לישען אלא על אבינו‬

118
the nations is sinful, since they hate us more than .‫ והבן‬,‫שבשמים אז יבוא בן דוד ויגאלנו גאולה אמיתית‬
any other people on earth. Only when we give
up such illusions and understand that the only
one we have to rely on is our Father in Heaven,
then the Mashiach will come and truly redeem
us.

5. Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg, Fundamentals and Faith, pg. 116 – Without Mashiach, life is not
complete.
In his Commentary to the Mishnah, the Rambam says, "Whoever doubts or minimizes his [the
Mashiach's] importance denies the Torah that attests to it." Instead of the need to await his coming,
which the Rambam discussed in Mishneh Torah, here he warns against minimizing the Mashiach's
importance. It would seem, then, that "awaiting him" should be understood as attributing to him so
much importance that one is aware of missing something, of lacking something every moment of
one's life. It is not enough to know and believe in his coming; one must also feel and understand
what it means not to have him in our world.

A world without the Mashiach is a world of exile, where Jews find themselves dispersed amongst
many nations. It is a world where even in the Land of Israel, Jews are subjected to the whims and
values of other nations. It is a world in which terrible barriers created by spiritual apathy deter man
from coming close to the Almighty, and where the opportunities to approach Him and to
experience His presence in His Temple are gone. Once one appreciates that the meaning of life is
determined by how close one comes to the Creator, the loss of His presence becomes an acute,
intolerable pain, a cancer, which eats away at man's spiritual core, which can only be anesthetized by
distracting ourselves through all kinds of self-delusionary pleasures. In doing so, mankind has
become callous and his senses have become dull to the ultimate pleasure this relationship would
offer.

6. Rambam, Introduction to Perek Chelek (Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin, Chapter 10) – We look
forward to a time when all the impediments to closeness to G-d will be removed.
We do not long and hope for the days of ‫ואין אנו מתאווים ומקווים לימות המשיח לרוב התבואות‬
Mashiach because of an increase of productivity ‫ ולא לשתות יין במיני‬,‫ ולא שנרכב על סוסים‬,‫והעושר‬
and wealth which may occur then, or that we ‫ אבל התאוו‬.‫שבִׁים מבולבלי הדעת‬ ְ ‫ׁש ְמ ַח‬
ֶּ ‫ כמו‬,‫הזמר‬
may ride on horses and drink wine to the ‫ ו ְָּרבְתָּ ה תשוקתם ֲאלֵיהֶּם‬,‫הנביאים והחסידים ימות המשיח‬
accompaniment of song, as some confused ‫ והנהגת הטובה‬,‫– לְמָּה שיהיה בו מקיבוץ הצדיקים‬
people think. The prophets and the pious ones ‫ והפלגת חכמתו ּוק ְֵרבּותֹו‬,‫ ְוצֶּדֶּ ק המלך ורוב יָּׁשְרֹו‬,‫והחכמה‬
looked forward to the days of the Mashiach and ...‫אל האלהים‬
yearned for them because then the righteous will
be gathered together in fellowship, and because
goodness and wisdom will prevail. They desired
it also because of the righteousness and the
abundant justice of the Messianic king, because
of the salutary influence of his unprecedented
wisdom, and because of his nearness to G-d…

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Key Themes of ‫ – מלכות בית דוד‬Davidic Reign.

 Belief in the coming of the Mashiach is one of the fundamentals of Judaism because
it affirms the basic belief that G-d is driving the world toward a perfected state.
 Mashiach will be a direct descendant of King David. He will also embody the unique
virtues of King David’s lofty soul.
 We speak of the redemption “sprouting,” because it is not something that will
happen all of a sudden. And even though it seems that features of it are already
coming into place, in reality only Mashiach himself can initiate the process of true
redemption.
 We don’t just believe that Mashiach will eventually come; we are supposed to
consciously anticipate his imminent arrival. This anticipation stems from the
awareness that life is not complete as long as we lack the kind of relationship with
G-d that we will have once Mashiach comes.

120
Berachah 16. ‫ – שמע קולינו‬Acceptance of Prayer

‫ כִ י אֵ ל שֹומֵ עַ תְ פִ ילֹות‬,‫ ְוקַבֵ ל בְ ַרחֲ מִ ים ּובְ ָּרצֹון אֶ ת תְ פִ ילָּ תֵ נּו‬,‫ חּוס ו ְַרחֵ ם עָּ לֵ ינּו‬,‫שְ מַ ע קֹולֵ נּו ה' אֱ לֹוהֵ ינּו‬
‫ בָּ רּוְך אַ תָּ ה‬.‫ כִ י אַ תָּ ה שֹומֵ עַ תְ פִ ילַ ת עַ מְ ָך יִשְ ָּראֵ ל בְ ַרחֲ מִ ים‬,‫וְתַ חֲ נּונִים אָּ תָּ ה ּומִ לְ פָּ נֶיָך מַ לְ כֵ נּו ֵריקָּם ַאל תְ שִ יבֵ נּו‬
.‫ה' שֹומֵ עַ תְ פִ ילָּ ה‬
Hear our voice, L-rd our G-d, pity and be compassionate on us, and accept – with compassion and favor – our prayer,
for You are G-d Who hears prayers and supplications. From before Yourself, our King, turn us not away empty-
handed. For You hear the prayer of Your people Israel with compassion. Blessed are You, G-d, Who hears prayers.

With this prayer we conclude the thirteen middle berachot. We have asked for many things, for
ourselves, for others, and for the Jewish people. We now ask G-d to heed these prayers and grant us
any other requests we wish to make at this point.

Part A. The Catchall Prayer

In this prayer we ask that all our prayers be answered. It is here that we can insert any of the
personal things we feel were not covered by any of the previous berachot.

1. Tur, Orach Chaim 119:1 (based on Talmud Bavli, Avodah Zarah 7b) – Shema Koleinu is
the catchall berachah.
A person may ask for anything he needs in the ‫שואל אדם צרכיו בשומע תפלה שהיא כוללת כל‬
berachah of 'Hear our Voice', because it .‫הבקשות‬
encapsulates all requests.

2. Rabbi Yehonatan Eibeschutz, Ya’arot Devash, pg. 11

Shema Koleinu, etc. In this prayer you should ‫שמע קולינו וכו׳ בו ישים כל מגמותיו לה׳ להתפלל לו על‬
put everything before G-d to pray to Him for all ‫כל צרכיו אפילו דבר קטן או גדול לא יבצר דבר מה שלא‬
needs, great or small – do not refrain from ‫יתפלל בו לה׳ אם צריך לעשות שידך א״ע או בניו ובנותיו‬
praying to G-d for anything, be it a soul-mate for ‫יתפלל לה׳ לסחורה יתפלל לה׳ שיצליחו ויוליכו בדרך‬
yourself or one of your children; pray to G-d for ‫ כללו של דבר אין דבר מה שרצונו לעשות בו ביום‬.‫הישר‬
good merchandise; pray to G-d that He grant ...‫מה שלא יתפלל לה׳ להצליחו ולהוליכו בדרך‬
you success and lead you upon the path of ‫ועל כל ענין מה שעוסק יתפלל בלשונו ואף כי לשונו לשון‬
honesty. The general rule is that there is nothing ‫עלג ואינו יכול להתפלל בלשון עברי כראוי הוא חביב‬
in daily life for which one cannot pray to G-d ‫לפני הקב״ה כאלו הרבה להתפלל בלשון רחבה שפה‬
and ask for success or advancement… For ‫ ועל ידי תפלה זו ישמע ה׳ לקולנו ויצא‬... ‫ברורה ונעימה‬
anything that you want to pray, do so in your ‫לנו תועלת כי תפלה זו ודאי בכונה ולא יהי׳ פיו ולשונו‬
own language, even if you will stammer or not .‫מדבר ולבו בל עמו‬
speak in proper Hebrew – it is as precious to
G-d as if you prayed expressively, clearly and
articulately… By virtue of this prayer, G-d will
hear our voices and our prayer will be effective,
because this prayer will certainly be sincere and
not just lip service where the mouth speaks while
the heart is elsewhere.

121
Part B. The Logic of Prayer

Judaism maintains that G-d is omniscient and omnipotent: He knows everything and can do
anything. So it stands to reason that He knows what we want and could have given it to us already.
Why then do we petition G-d for our needs? Do we expect to change His mind?

The answer is that expressing our needs to G-d is a valuable means of developing a personal
relationship with Him. Even if we cannot change Him, perhaps through the act of prayer we change
ourselves!

1. Rabbi Shimshon Pincus, Siddur Hatefillah, p. 344 – Beseeching G-d helps us to connect
to Him in a personal way.
The goal of prayer is not the requests [that we ‫ אלא החיבור‬,‫תכלית התפילה אינה הבקשות כשלעצמן‬
ask from G-d] themselves but rather the ‫ אלא שהבקשות והצרכים והרצונות‬.‫והשייכות עם הקב"ה‬
connection to and relationship with G-d. -‫של האדם הם האמצעי החזק ביותר להתקשר עם הקב"ה‬
However, man's requests, needs and wants are .‫אנו מבקשים מקבלים ומודים‬
the strongest means [for us] to connect with
G-d: we ask, receive, and give thanks.

Yet the question remains: If He hasn’t given us what we want yet, He has a good reason. Who are
we to try to change His mind?

2. Rabbi Abraham Twerski, Twerski on Prayer – Prayer is supposed to change us, not G-d.
One of the problems that many theologians have grappled with is: “Why and how does prayer
work?” If a sick person prays for recovery, he is assuming that G-d has allowed him to become sick.
Is he to believe that his prayer can make G-d change His mind?

One of the answers given is that there is a constant outpouring of Divine benevolence to the world.
Just as the sun radiates light, yet there are areas of darkness in enclosures where the sunlight does
not reach, so does the Divine benevolence not reach where there are barriers that obstruct it. These
barriers are a person’s actions that are contrary to the will of G-d.

Genuine, sincere prayer brings a person into a closer relationship with G-d. The barriers to the
Divine benevolence are thereby removed or circumvented, and the person can then receive this
benevolence. The blessing and improvement in the person’s health is not the result of a change in
G-d’s will, but of a change in the status of the recipient.

Genuine prayer brings about a transformation in a person. The newly emerging person can be
receptive of the Divine benevolence to which the former person was impervious.

It always behooves us to ask G-d for our needs even while knowing that He has withheld them until
now. Prayer is intrinsically an act of recognizing G-d in our lives, and when we do that we open the
gates of blessing.

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3. Rabbi Reuven Leuchter, Prayer: Creating Dialogue with Hashem, pg. 17, footnote 3 – It is
G-d’s will that goodness be generated through prayer.
Although G-d wants our good, He decreed for a reason known only to Him that this good would
only emerge as a result of our requesting it, of our praying with the full recognition that He wants
to bestow good on us in every possible respect. This is made clear in the Torah’s account of
Creation: “Now any tree of the field was not yet on the earth and any herb of the field had not yet
sprouted… and there was no man to work the soil” (Bereishit/Genesis 2:4-5). Rashi expounds on
this verse that there was no one to recognize the goodness of rain. When Adam came and
recognized that rain is necessary for the world, he prayed for rain. Rain came down, and then the
trees and vegetation sprouted. Certainly, G-d does not want a barren world; rather it is His will that
goodness be generated specifically through prayer.

Part C. Hear our Voice

1. Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer, Shemoneh Esrei, pg. 228 – We’re asking G-d to hear the
sound of our voice, not just the words.
Iyun Tefillah explains that the term ‫קולינו‬, our voice, does not refer to the sounds of prayer, because
Shemoneh Esrei should be whispered so quietly that it is inaudible even to the person standing at the
supplicant’s side. As we read: "Now Chana prayed in her heart, only her lips moved, but her voice
was not heard" (I Samuel 1:13). Rather, we refer here to the inner voice of the soul, which says, "I
am distressed and confused. My thoughts are in disarray. More important than the words of my
prayer – because I can't express myself adequately – hear the anguish and suffering in my voice.
Hear the sincerity with which I pour out my heart to You, for only You, O G-d, are my salvation!"

2. Rabbi Shimon Schwab, On Prayer, pg. 500 – The way a prayer is said conveys the
message more than the words.
Hear our voice, L-rd, our G-d. We do not say, “Hear our tefillah.” Rather, we ask G-d to hear our
voice. And “voice” could not mean the sound of our tefillah, because the Shemoneh Esrei is said
quietly. Rather, the voice of our tefillah refers to the intent and thought that we put into our tefillah.
We ask G-d to listen not merely to the words we say but to our intent while we say them. It is the
“voice,” the thought and emphasis, which one puts into the words of tefillah that give them their
true meaning.

An analogy for this would be a son who sends a terse telegram to his father: “Father, send me
money.” Upon receipt of this seemingly audacious note, the father becomes very upset and goes to
his Rabbi to complain about this inconsiderate and brash son, and asks him for guidance in dealing
with him. Whereupon the Rabbi asks to see the telegram. Upon reading it, he tells the father, “You
did not read this properly. Here is what it says.” And in a trembling and pleading voice, the Rabbi
imitates the tone of the words of the young son to his father: “Father ... send me money!” Upon
hearing the Rabbi’s rendition of his son's tearful and pleading request for money, the father says, “I
cannot refuse such a heartrending appeal from my son to help him with some money.”

Similarly, we ask G-d to hear the tone and meaning that we have placed into the words of our
tefillah. The words “Hear our voice, L-rd our G-d, pity and be compassionate on us” take on a
completely different meaning if they are said pleadingly and with supplication rather than if they are
merely “rattled off” as if one were reading a newspaper.

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Key Themes of ‫ – שמע קולינו‬Acceptance of Prayer.

 This berachah is an opportunity to petition G-d in our own language for anything we
feel that we need. Such prayer is particularly beloved by G-d, because it issues from
the depths of our hearts.

 We petition our needs before G-d even though we know that He knows what we
want, because the act of prayer itself draws us closer to Him. Perhaps the
strengthened relationship with G-d will help us become worthy of what we seek.

 In this berachah we focus on the tone of the prayer more closely than the words
while we ask G-d to hear the emotion in our voices.

124
 Chapter Three
The Concluding Berachot of Thankfulness

The final three berachot of the Amidah are called by the Rambam “Hoda’ah,” the section of thanks.
This classification is based on the Talmudic directive that after petitioning G-d with our requests we
then take leave by expressing our gratitude. Interestingly, only the middle of these three berachot
focuses exclusively on thanking G-d. The first berachah asks G-d to restore the Temple service and
the last berachah asks G-d for a host of blessings, most notably: peace. In this section, we begin by
explaining how these three berachot form a unit of thanks to G-d, and then we will focus on each of
the berachot individually.

Introduction to the Concluding Berachot

In the last three berachot we are to be like a servant taking leave of his master.

1. Talmud Bavli, Berachot 34a – The Amidah is arranged like a servant addressing his
master.
Rabbi Yehuda said: A man should never petition ‫ לעולם אל ישאל אדם צרכיו לא בשלש‬:‫אמר רב יהודה‬
for his needs in either the first three blessings or ‫ דאמר‬.‫ אלא באמצעיות‬,‫ ולא בשלש אחרונות‬,‫ראשונות‬
in the last three, but rather in the middle ones. ‫ דומה לעבד שמסדר שבח לפני‬- ‫ ראשונות‬:‫רבי חנינא‬
For Rabbi Chanina said: In the first blessings he ‫ אחרונות‬.‫ דומה לעבד שמבקש פרס מרבו‬- ‫ אמצעיות‬.‫רבו‬
resembles a servant who is offering tribute to his .‫ דומה לעבד שקבל פרס מרבו ונפטר והולך לו‬-
master; in the middle ones he resembles a
servant who is requesting a present from his
master; in the last ones he resembles a servant
who has received a gift from his master and
takes his leave.

2. Rambam (Maimonides), Hilchot Tefillah (The Laws of Prayer) 1:4 – The last three
berachot are categorized as “thanks.”
The first three [blessings] are praises of G-d and ‫ ואמצעיות‬,‫שלש ראשונות שבח לה' ושלש אחרונות הודיה‬
the last three are thanksgiving. The intermediate ‫יש בהן שאלת כל הדברים שהן כמו אבות לכל חפצי איש‬
[blessings] contain requests for all general ‫ואיש ולצרכי הציבור כולן‬
categories of wishes of each and every person
and the needs of the whole community.

As we noted above, only the middle one of these last three berachot is specifically about thanks,
while the other two actually do petition requests from G-d. Why then are they grouped as “thanks”
by Rambam and considered as “taking leave” by the Talmud?

3. Rabbeinu Asher (Rosh), Berachot 5:21 – Requests for communal needs is a form of praise.
Rabbi Yehuda said: A man should never petition ‫אמר רב יהודה לא ישאל אדם צרכיו לא בשלש ראשונות‬
for his needs in either the first three blessings or ‫ולא בשלש אחרונות ופר”ת ור”ח ז”ל דהיינו דוקא בצרכי‬
in the last three. Rabbeinu Tam and Rabbeinu ‫יחיד אבל בצרכי רבים שרי דהא כולהו ג' אחרונות צרכי‬
Chananel explain that this limitation refers ‫צבור נינהו ועם מה שעבד מסדר שבחו לרבו יכול לשאל‬

125
specifically to requests for the needs of the .‫צרכי צבור דשבח וכבוד הוא לרב שהרבים צריכין לו‬
individual; however, it is still permissible to
petition for the needs of the community, as we
see that the last three berachot are filled with
requests for communal needs. When the servant
is offering praises to his master he can make
requests for communal needs, because it is praise
and honor to the master [to recognize that] the
masses need him.

4. Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer, Shemoneh Esrei, pg. 238 – Asking G-d for communal
needs is indeed praising Him, because it expresses our total dependency upon Him.
In a deeper sense this teaches us that there is a fundamental difference between thanks offered to
man and thanks expressed to G-d. After receiving assistance from his fellow man, the best thanks
the recipient can offer is to say: “Thank you! You have been so helpful and generous that I no
longer need your help.” With G-d, the opposite is true. The more one receives from G-d, the more
one recognizes how utterly dependent he is on G-d, not just for the special needs he requested but
even for the simplest needs that he always took for granted. In this sense, the sincerest form of
gratitude and praise to G-d is to immediately request more of Him.

Therefore, only the middle blessing of this section solely expresses thanksgiving: We gratefully thank
You. It is sandwiched by requests for G-d’s help, demonstrating that our deepest gratitude is that we
can always depend upon Him.

126
Berachah 17. ‫( עבודה‬Avodah) – Temple Service

,‫ וְאִ שֵ י יִשְ ָּראֵ ל ּותְ פִ לָּ תָּ ם‬.‫ְרצֵ ה יְהֹוָּה אֱ ֹלהֵ ינּו בְ עַ מְ ָך יִשְ ָּראֵ ל ּובִ תְ פִ לָּ תָּ ם וְהָּ שֵ ב אֶ ת הָּ עֲ בֹודָּ ה לִ דְ בִ יר בֵ יתֶ ָך‬
‫ בָּ רּוְך‬:‫שּובָך לְ צִ יֹון בְ ַרחֲ מִ ים‬
ְ ְ‫ וְתֶ חֱ זֶ ֶֽינָּה עֵ ינֵ ֶֽינּו ב‬:‫ ּותְ הִ י לְ ָּרצֹון תָּ מִ יד עֲ בֹודַ ת יִשְ ָּראֵ ל עַ מֶ ָך‬.‫בְ ַאהֲ בָּ ה תְ קַבֵ ל בְ ָּרצֹון‬
:‫אַ תָּ ה יְהֹוָּה הַ מַ חֲ זִיר שְ כִ ינָּתֹו לְ צִ יֹון‬
Be favorable, L-rd our G-d, toward Your people Israel and their prayer, and restore the service to the Holy of Holies
of Your Temple. Accept with love and favor the fire-offerings of Israel and their prayer, and may the service of Your
people Israel always be favorable to You. May our eyes behold Your return to Zion in compassion. Blessed are You,
G-d, Who restores His Presence to Zion.

This berachah is a prayer for the restoration of the Temple service in the Beit HaMikdash. It makes
reference to sacrifices, prayer, and the dwelling of the Divine Presence. Having asked G-d in the
previous berachah to hear our prayers, we now go a step further and request to be able to serve G-d
in the most desirable manner possible. Our hope is that by doing so, we will be worthy of the open
revelation of spirituality and connection to G-d.

We explained above in Chapter One (The Introductory Berachot of Praise), Berachah 1 – (The
Avot), Part B, that the institution of structured prayer was based on two sources: 1) the
establishment of the prayers by the Avot, and 2) replacing the Tamid (continual, daily) sacrifices with
prayer after the destruction of the Second Temple. We will now explain how the latter is central to
prayer.

Part A. Drawing Closer to G-d through Sacrifices

There is no way around it. This berachah asks for the restoration of animal sacrifices in the Temple.
There is perhaps no area of the Torah that so challenges our “modern sensibilities” as that of
sacrifices. Centuries ago the Kuzari stated that had the Torah not legislated such a thing, we never
would have imagined that slaughtering and offering an animal would bring us closer to G-d. But
closeness is what it is all about.

1. Rabbi Noson Weisz, Prayer Works, pg. 109 – The Tamid sacrifices are the second pillar of
structured prayer.
The Amidah, says the Talmud, was “established as a replacement of the Tamid sacrifices.” This is
the second pillar upon which the institution of prayer stands. Tamid, which means “constant,”
describes a sacrifice that began at Mount Sinai and continued twice daily – except during the 70
years of Babylonian exile – until the destruction of the Second Temple. It was the first sacrifice
brought each morning and the last one brought in the evening. Thus, in its name and in its
execution, the Tamid sacrifice represents the constancy of our connection to G-d. Tradition teaches
that it is responsible for maintaining the constancy of Creation.

What, then, maintained Creation before the Tamid was instituted? The Talmud (Pesachim 118a)
explains that there were 26 generations between Adam and Moses, during which time G-d
supported and fed the world out of pure benevolence. Because He had not yet given the Torah,
people had no means by which to earn this benevolence. Rav Yitzchak Hutner, zt”l, explains that
they were like the poor man who has no skills or ability to earn a living. He must be given
everything.

127
However, once G-d gave the Jewish people the Torah, a new dynamic was established. Then they
were like a poor man to whom one gives a business loan which allows him to start a business and
become self-supporting. Even though he will have to pay the money back and work for his income,
this method is far superior to the first, for the man will not be forced to beg for a hand-out each
day.

In the same manner, as soon as the Jewish people developed the spiritual skills to enter into G-d’s
“family business,” we were able to earn our own way in the world by exerting our own effort. The
groundwork laid by the Patriarchs gave our nation the spiritual “skill” to receive the Torah, which
became our mission and our life’s work.

2. Ibid. – A sacrifice brought us closer to G-d by increasing our recognition of His

sustenance of the world.
The word for service in Hebrew is avodah, but in the parlance of Jewish spirituality, this word is
reserved exclusively for Divine service. That is because Divine service is the “ultimate” work, for it
maintains the world. Bringing sacrifices – is considered an avodah par excellence.

Maintaining the world is a ceaseless endeavor, which was accomplished in the Temple times through
the Tamid. When the Temple was destroyed, the Tamid sacrifice had to be replaced, for G-d was
not prepared to revert to supporting the world out of pure benevolence. The Jewish people still
required an avodah of some kind in order to merit the maintenance of the world. To fill the void left
in the absence of the Tamid, the Sages commanded the Jewish people to recite the Amidah. The
service of the Altar was replaced by service of the heart.

How can the spoken words of a prayer replace the sacrifice of an animal? The answer lies in
understanding the function the sacrifice fulfilled. In Hebrew, a sacrifice is called a korban, from the
root word karov, near. A korban brings us nearer to G-d by causing us to recognize that G-d gives us
the world anew each day.

3. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, Vayikra (Leviticus) 1:2 – G-d’s closeness, achieved by the
sacrifices, is the ultimate good.
The purpose of every sacrifice is closeness to G-d: “They will seek the closeness of G-d”
(Yeshaya/Isaiah 58:2)… For closeness to G-d is the only yardstick by which to measure the truth of
one’s worldview and one’s well-being. There, in the holy chambers of the Temple, it becomes clear
that one’s spiritual and physical well-being will only develop out of closeness to G-d under the
auspices of His law – and that this is the destiny of one’s purpose… There, the only good is found
in closeness to G-d. Furthermore, only closeness to G-d is truly good for man: “G-d’s nearness is
my good” (Tehillim/Psalms 73:28).

4. Rabbi Baruch Leff, Forever His Students, p. 90 – Sacrifice is the ultimate expression of
closeness with G-d.
Sacrifices are an outgrowth of a tremendous drive to serve and relate to a higher power. A man who
really loves his wife cannot simply tell her that he loves her. He feels compelled to buy her flowers
or chocolates to express his love and to give something of himself to her. So it is with relating to
G-d. Because we are physical beings, we are driven to show our love and passion for G-d in some
physical form. And this giving of oneself to G-d must be in an ultimate sense. I want to give my

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entire existence, my whole life to G-d. I express this with the offering of my animal’s life. This is
why the word for sacrifice in Hebrew is “Korban,” meaning closeness.

5. Rabbi Avraham Edelstein, Commentary on Sefer Vayikra, Ner Le'Elef, pp. 10-12 –
Sacrifices made a huge impact on the individuals who brought them.
When someone brought a korban (sacrifice), he would do so from the best of his possessions – an
expensive domestic animal like a prize bull or sheep. By showing that the best of what he has really
belongs to G-d, the person was educating himself that he has to serve Him with all that he has. He
would be showing his recognition that everything ultimately connects back to G-d…

This dedication of his physical possessions served as a springboard to his dedication of all of his
faculties, character traits, creativity and uniqueness to increasing spirituality, to revealing the
Oneness of G-d in the world. That blood on the altar – that ought to be my blood, my very life on
that altar. But G-d commands that I serve Him with my life, not with my death. Since the time of
the binding of Isaac, I am commanded to bring a korban in place of myself, and to learn from that
the dedication of self that is required. The arm of that animal, that really should be my arm, and I
hereby dedicate my arm to serving only G-d. The heart, the legs, the body – all call upon my body
parts to be that daily offering in my work, my family life, my joys and sorrows…

As far as this explanation goes, the Kuzari warns us that intellectual reasoning alone will never give
us the full picture of the closeness to G-d which the korbanot (or, for that matter, many other
mitzvot) gave. The korbanot are G-d's will – and doing His will connects us with elements of
spirituality which our human intellects can never anticipate. Do and you will see. There were giants
of the spirit (from the first man through to the prophets at the time of the Temple) who testified to
the deep spiritual value of the offerings – a testimony arising out of their actual sacrificing rather
than any theoretical discussion or ideas.

6. Rabbi Noson Weisz, Prayer Works, pg. 110 – By offering a sacrifice, we acknowledge that
our life is a gift from G-d.
A korban, like all the offerings required in the Torah, forces us to engage our hearts, minds, and
limbs in the essential lesson that everything belongs to G-d. When, for instance, a farmer must give
his tithes, donating the first ten percent of his harvest to the Kohen, the Levite, and the poor, he
teaches his own hand to let go of the fruits of his labors. He demonstrates to himself that even
though he tilled the fields, planted the seeds, tended the crops, and harvested them, he would have
nothing for his work had G-d not made his crops grow. It is all G-d’s, and the sacrifice shows this
by giving the first, thrilling fruits of one’s labor to those whom G-d has chosen to receive them. In
doing so, we implicitly declare that even the part we keep comes to us from G-d’s table.
The same principle applies to life in general. Life is a gift from the Almighty that we receive anew
each day. When the Temple stood, we were able to powerfully express our gratitude for this gift and
vividly sense it as a direct endowment from G-d. We reached this lofty state of spiritual awareness
through the same means as we described above – by giving a certain portion of the gift back to G-d,
thereby acknowledging that it is His in its entirety.

How could we give G-d back any portion of our life force without sacrificing our own lives? We did
it by using a living, breathing, fiercely alive proxy – a domesticated animal. In truth, the pulsating life
force that energizes us is not much different from that which animates domesticated animals. In
Hebrew, they are both called the nefesh. Rife with overpowering urges, drives, ambitions, and desires,

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this life force sometimes causes us to forget that we are G-d’s creatures, sent into G-d’s world to
accomplish the tasks He has set before us. The gift of life then loses its connection to the Giver.

Since we could not solve this problem by putting our own life force on the altar, we did the next-
best thing. We invested our energy in work, through which we acquired wealth, from which we
contributed the machatzit hashekel (half shekel) offering each year to the Temple. This money, in turn,
paid for the twice-daily Tamid sacrifice.

Part B. The Divine Presence

During the third day of the Six Day War in 1967, Israeli soldiers finally burst through into the Old City of
Jerusalem and were able to fight their way to the area of the Western Wall. As soldiers both old and young fell upon
the Wall, they wept with emotion, all the while kissing and caressing with awe the last remaining segment of the
Temple. This, in large part, was what they had been fighting for, this holy place to which Jews had not been allowed to
come for close to two decades. Now they, at the high cost of many soldiers killed and wounded, had captured it from the
enemy’s hands. The picture of those anxious weeping soldiers at the Western Wall is etched forever in the minds of
those who saw it first-hand.

Standing back from those huddled close to the Wall, were two soldiers who came from a non-observant kibbutz. They
had no religious background whatsoever, and thus the holiness and significance of the place was lost on them. They
looked around, overwhelmed by emptiness, and then suddenly one of them began to cry uncontrollably.

The second soldier, surprised by this sudden outburst, turned to the first and said, “‫ – למה אתה בוכה‬Why are you
crying?”

The first soldier looked up as tears rolled down his cheeks and replied sadly, “ ‫ – אני בוכה על מה שאני לא בוכה‬I cry
because I don’t know what there is to cry about.”
(From Rabbi Paysach Krohn, Around the Maggid’s Table, ArtScroll Publications, p. 105)

In the conclusion of this berachah we ask for the restoration of the Divine Presence to the Temple.
Having never experienced such a Presence, the concept of missing it is hard to relate to. What does
it mean to us that we lack such a Presence these days?

1. Yalkut Shimoni, Eichah (Lamentations) 996 – The destruction of the Temple means that
there is no longer a dwelling place for the palpable Presence of G-d (Shechinah).
When they burned [the Temple], the Holy One, ‫כיון ששרפוהו אמר הקב”ה שוב אין לי מושב בארץ כל‬
Blessed Be He, said, “I no longer have a resting .‫הארץ לא שלי הוא אלא אסלק שכינתי ממנה‬
place in the land. It is no longer mine. Rather, I
will remove my Presence from it.”

2. Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe, Alei Shur, Vol. II, p. 407 – The withdrawal of the Divine Presence
leaves the world and its inhabitants bereft of the Presence of their Creator.
The destruction of the Temple constitutes the ‫ עולם נחרב הוא‬.‫חורבן בית המקדש הוא חורבן העולם‬
destruction of the world, in the respect that there ‫שאין בו אף פינה אחת מטוהרה ומקודשת להשראת‬
is not even one pure and holy corner for G-d’s .‫השכינה‬
Presence to rest in.

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3. Rabbi Shraga Simmons, Eye of Jerusalem, from www.aish.com – Without the Temple we
lose the awareness that G-d is interested in this world.
The Temple was where every Jew, no matter what his situation, could meet G-d. G-d did not want
to be far away, He wanted to be next to His people and He wanted them to partake of His
goodness.

Rabbi Avigdor Miller explains that the Temple was not merely a place of prayer and service, but was
actually the dwelling place of G-d. “It was a stunning declaration of the principle that G-d’s interest
is not in the vast distances of space and in the millions of star-worlds, but in man alone.”

This idea is alluded to in the following verse: “They shall make for Me a sanctuary and I will dwell
among them” (Shemot/Exodus 25:8). The commentaries point out that the verse does not say, “I
will dwell inside it,” but rather “among them.” What is the meaning of this unusual phrasing? The
Temple was such a powerful reality that it inspired the Almighty’s Presence to dwell within each and
every Jew.

4. Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer, Shemoneh Esrei, pg. 242 – The Temple was a place of
intimate connection and communication with G-d.
The inner sanctum of the Tabernacle and the Temple, the Holy of Holies, is also called the Dvir (see
I Kings 6:20, 8:6,8 et al). Iyun Tefillah explains that the root of Dvir is Dibur, speech; i.e., the Holy of
Holies is the private chamber, the conference room where G-d talks intimately to the representatives
of the Jewish people, as it says: "And I will meet with you there [in the Holy of Holies] and I will
speak with you...of all matters which I will command you to tell the Children of Israel" (Exodus
25:22). We plead with G-d to restore His original love for Israel so that we may enjoy the most
intimate relationship with Him. We ask G-d to communicate with us directly and guide every aspect
of our lives.

Part C. The Cosmic Significance of Sacrifices

In this first of the three concluding berachot we ask for the restoration of two things: sacrifices and
G-d’s Presence in this world. What is the connection between the two? Let us explore further the
idea that sacrifices bring more spirituality into the world.

1. Mishnah, Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) 1:2 – The sacrificial service is one of the
three things upon which the world subsists.
The world subsists upon three things: On the ‫ על התורה ועל העבודה‬,‫על שלשה דברים העולם עומד‬
Torah, on avodah (service of G-d through .‫ועל גמילות חסדים‬
sacrifices), and on deeds of kindness.

Sacrifices are the force that maintains the existence of the world, drawing the “soul” of the world
into its physical “body.” Sacrifices nourish the heaven-earth connection because they draw us close
to G-d. This is the very essence of a korban, which, as stated above, means “drawing close.”

2. Rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer, Beneath the Surface, Vayikra – Sacrifices are the inner
nourishment of the world.
The Shechinah entered the Mishkan (Tabernacle), and later the Mikdash, like a soul enters the body.
Of this combination we mention in the weekly blessings of Haftorah, “Have compassion upon

131
Zion, for it is the house of our lives.” Zion, the Temple where the Shechinah resides, is the house of
our lives.

Yet, as the laws of the natural world dictate, the body-soul connection that defines life requires
constant input. Without food, without obtaining the required nutrition by the act of eating, the
connection weakens, and is finally severed. The same is true of the sacrificial order of the Mikdash.
The Shechinah's presence depended on the input of our own service. The words of the Torah
express this idea in the clearest possible terms: the Tamid (constant) offerings are described as “My
sacrifice, My bread” (Numbers 28:2).

In the book of Exodus, which describes the redemption from Egypt and the final construction of
the Mishkan, we were born our national birth, and the elevated life of the Mishkan was imbued
within us. In the book of Vayikra, which follows immediately, we are taught how to live – most
principally, the service of the Mishkan and the Mikdash that is required to maintain our inner life.

The idea that our sacrifices help to strengthen G-d’s connection to the world means that the
physical world, instead of being a barrier to the spiritual, can in fact become a vehicle for spirituality.
That is why the sacrificial services performed in the Mishkan and Temple involved every part of the
physical world.

3. Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, Ruach Chaim, Ch. 3 (s.v. shnayim) – All the elements of the
world are included in the sacrificial service.
The realms of the mineral, vegetable, animal and ‫ מלח – הוא‬.‫ בקרבן‬,‫ חי ומדבר‬,‫ צומח‬,‫חוברו כל הדומם‬
speaking [human] are all connected in the ,‫ והוא עצמו [הקרבן] – חי‬,‫ מנחה ונסכים – צומח‬,‫הדומם‬
sacrifice. The salt [of the sacrifice] represents the .‫והכהן המקריב – הוא המדבר‬
mineral, the meal offering and the [wine]
libations represent the vegetable, the sacrifice
itself is the animal, and the officiating Kohen is
the speaking.

Part D. Prayer as Service

This berachah makes mention not only of sacrifices, but also prayer: Be favorable, L-rd our G-d, toward
Your people Israel and their prayer, and restore the service to the Holy of Holies of Your Temple. What is the
connection between the two?

Without the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, we no longer have the opportunity to bring sacrifices to G-d
or to perform the sacrificial rituals outlined in the Torah. But in lieu of sacrifices we have our prayer
services.

1. Hosea 14:3 – Words replace the animals of sacrifice.

Take with you words, and turn to the L-rd. Say ‫קחו עמכם דברים ושובו אל ה' אמרו אליו כל תשא עון‬
to Him, forgive all iniquity and receive us :‫וקח טוב ונשלמה פרים שפתינו‬
graciously, so we will offer the words of our lips
instead of bulls.

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2. Talmud Bavli, Taanit 2a – Prayer is a form of Temple service that can be done without
sacrifices.
“And you shall love the L-rd, your G-d, and ‫י"ג) לאהבה את ה' אלהיכם ולעבדו בכל‬:‫(דברים י”א‬
serve Him with all your heart” .‫ הוי אומר זו תפלה‬- ‫ איזו היא עבודה שהיא בלב‬,‫לבבכם‬
(Devarim/Deuteronomy 11:13). What is the
service of the heart? This is prayer.

How did prayer come to replace sacrifices? What do prayer and sacrifices have to do with each
other?

3. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Koren Siddur, Introduction – Prayer did not come to replace
sacrifice offerings after the destruction of the Temple; rather, it is the internal dimension of
that very same sacrificial experience.
The transition from sacrifice to prayer was not a sudden development. A thousand years earlier, in
his speech at the dedication of the Temple, King Solomon had emphasized prayer rather than
sacrifice (I Kings 8:12-53). Through Isaiah, G-d had said, “My House shall be called a house of prayer
for all peoples” (Is. 56:7). The prophet Hosea had said: “Take words with you and return to the
L-rd… Instead of bulls we will pay [the offering of] our lips” (Hos. 14:3). Sacrifice was the external
accompaniment of an inner act of heart and mind: thanksgiving, atonement, and so on. Therefore,
though the outer act was no longer possible, the inner act remained. That is how sacrifice turned
into prayer.

4. Rabbi Noson Weisz, Prayer Works, pg. 111 – Like the sacrifices, our prayers express that
everything in the world comes from, and is guided by, G-d.
By placing the Tamid sacrifice on G-d’s Altar, we were able to reattach the life force within us to its
Source. This act radically altered our spiritual awareness, enabling us to live a life of full faith in the
love and guidance of the Almighty. By placing an animal on the Altar, we were able to symbolically
place the world – our lives and all that our life force could create – on the Almighty’s table. Like the
farmer with his maaser (tithes), we declared through our act that not only was the offering G-d’s, but
that which remained with us was His as well. Thus, through the Tamid we sanctified, renewed and
restored everything in the world.

The same function is fulfilled by the Amidah. Our prayers, like the sacrifices, state that everything in
the world comes to us straight from G-d. By standing before Him in prayer, we are receiving directly
from Him the new world He offers us each day. We are playing our part in a world of Hashgachah
Pratit (Divine guidance), where everything we receive or experience is tailored to foster our personal
spiritual growth and draw us into a closer connection to G-d.

5. Rabbi Chaim HaLevy Donin, To Pray as a Jew, pg. 98 – This berachah is a petition to G-
d to favorably receive our prayer service.
The blessing of Retzei (Temple Service) specifically embodies the idea that prayer is now the
sacrificial offering, the korban that we bring to G-d in lieu of the animal sacrifice. It is through
prayer that we are now drawn closer to Him, and that was, after all, the main purpose of the
korbanot. In former days, the Kohanim asked G-d to favorably receive the sacrifice. And so today,
we ask that G-d favorably receive our service of prayer as our offering to Him (Talmud Yerushalmi,
Berachot 4: 4). Although the first few words of Retzei seem to repeat what was already said in the
preceding blessing of Shema Koleinu, the difference in language between them is very significant.

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Words like retzei and leratzon are nearly always used in association with the way G-d is asked to
respond to what we bring to Him, not to what we ask of Him. And so in Retzei, which relates to our
“prayer offerings,” we ask G-d to “receive with love.” In Shema Koleinu, which relates to our
petitions, we ask G-d to “hear with mercy.”

See further the Morasha Class, Close Encounters of the Transcendent Kind: The Temple and the
Sacrifices.

Key Themes of ‫ – עבודה‬Temple Service.

 This prayer asks for the restitution of the sacrificial service in the Temple. The
Hebrew word for sacrifice is korban, which means “that which brings us close (to
G-d).” Bringing sacrifices is a physical manifestation of our love for and devotion to
G-d. The dedication of an animal served as a springboard for the dedication of the
person who brought it as a sacrifice.
 While we pray in this berachah for a return of the Divine Presence, it is difficult to
relate to what that means, since we personally never experienced it. We just know
that without the Temple and G-d’s Presence there, we lack an intimate connection
with G-d.
 Sacrifices serve to bring G-d’s Presence into this world. As such, they are likened to
the spiritual food sustaining our physical world.
 Without the Temple, our prayers take on the role that sacrifices used to hold. This is
not a poetic leap. Sacrifice was always just the external accompaniment of an inner
act of heart and mind, such as thanksgiving or atonement. Though the outer act is
no longer possible, the inner act still is.

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Berachah 18. ‫( הודאה‬Hoda’ah) – Thanksgiving

‫ מָּ גֵן יִשְ עֵ נּו אַ תָּ ה הּוא‬,‫צּורנּו צּור חַ יֵינּו‬ ֵ ,‫מֹודִ ים אֲ נַחְ נּו לָּ ְך שָּ אַ תָּ ה הּוא ה' אֱ ֹלהֵ ינּו וֵאֹלהֵ י אֲ בֹותֵ ינּו לְ עֹולָּ ם וָּעֶ ד‬
,‫סּורים בְ יָּדֶ ָך וְעַ ל נִשְ מֹותֵ ינּו הַ פְ קֻדֹות לָּ ְך‬ ִ ְ‫ נֹודֶ ה לְ ָך ּונְסַ פֵ ר תְ הִ לָּ תֶ ָך עַ ל חַ יֵינּו הַ מ‬.‫לְ דֹור וָּדֹור‬
‫ כִ י ֹלא כָּ לּו‬- ‫ הַ טֹוב‬.‫ עֶ ֶרב וָּבֹקֶר וְצָּ הֳ ָּריִם‬,‫ וְעַ ל נִפְ לְ אֹותֶ יָך וְטֹובֹותֶ יָך שֶ בְ כָּ ל עֵ ת‬,‫וְעַ ל נִסֶ יָך שֶ בְ כָּ ל יֹום עִ מָּ נּו‬
.‫ כִ י מֵ עֹולָּ ם ִקּוִינּו לָּ ְך‬,‫ כִ י ֹלא תַ מּו חֲ סָּ דֶ יָך‬- ‫ וְהַ מְ ַרחֵ ם‬,‫ַרחֲ מֶ יָך‬
.‫וְעַ ל כֻ לָּ ם יִתְ בָּ ֵרְך ְויִתְ רֹומֵ ם ְויִתְ נַשֵ א שִ מְ ָך מַ לְ כֵ נּו תָּ מִ יד לְ עֹולָּ ם וָּעֶ ד‬
,‫ הָּ אֵ ל יְשּועָּ תֵ נּו וְעֶ ז ְָּרתֵ נּו סֶ לָּ ה‬,‫ לְ עֹולָּ ם כִ י טֹוב‬,‫ וִיהַ לְ לּו וִיבָּ ְרכּו אֶ ת שִ מְ ָך הַ גָּדֹול בֶ אֱ מֶ ת‬,‫וְכֹל הַ חַ יִים יֹודּוָך סֶ לָּ ה‬
.‫ בָּ רּוְך אַ תָּ ה יקוק הַ טֹוב שִ מְ ָך ּולְ ָך נָּאֶ ה לְ הֹודֹות‬.‫הָּ אֵ ל הַ טֹוב‬

We gratefully thank You, for it is You Who are G-d, our G-d and the G-d of our forefathers for all eternity; You are
the Rock of our lives, Shield of our salvation from generation to generation.
We shall thank You and relate Your praise for our lives, which are given into Your hand and for our souls that are
entrusted to You; Your miracles that are with us every day; and for Your wonders and favors in every season –
evening, morning, and afternoon. The Beneficent One, for Your compassions have never ceased, and the Compassionate
One, for Your kindnesses have never ended – always have we put our hope in You.
For all these, may Your Name be blessed and exalted, our King, continually forever and ever.
All living beings will gratefully acknowledge You, Selah! And praise Your Name sincerely, O G-d of our salvation
and help, Selah! Blessed are You, G-d, Your Name is “The Beneficent One,” and to You it is fitting to give thanks.

Of the three concluding berachot of the Shemoneh Esrei, it is in this berachah of Hoda’ah that we
have the opportunity to truly express our gratitude to G-d and to thank Him for everything that He
gives us. Our discussion here will focus on what it really means to say “thank you” to G-d.

Part A. The Real Meaning of Thanks

The first place in the Torah that we find thanks being given to G-d is when Leah gives birth to her
fourth son, Yehuda. From this account, along with what our Sages glean from it, we can learn the
true nature of thanks.

1. Bereishit (Genesis) 29:35 – Leah thanked G-d when she gave birth to her fourth son,
Yehuda.
She became pregnant again and had a son. She ‫ותהר עוד ותלד בן ותאמר הפעם אודה את יקוק על כן‬
said, “This time I will thank (odeh) G-d,” and she :‫קראה שמו יהודה ותעמד מלדת‬
named the child Yehuda. She then stopped
having children.

2. Talmud Bavli, Berachot 7b – Leah was the first to truly thank G-d.
Rabbi Yochanan further said in the name of ‫ מיום שברא‬:‫ואמר רבי יוחנן משום רבי שמעון בן יוחי‬
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai: From the day that the ‫הקדוש ברוך הוא את עולמו לא היה אדם שהודה להקדוש‬
Holy One, blessed be He, created His world ‫ שנאמר ]בראשית‬,‫ברוך הוא עד שבאתה לאה והודתו‬
there was no one that thanked the Holy One, .'‫כ”ט[ הפעם אודה את ה‬
blessed be He, until Leah came and thanked
Him. For it is said: This time will I thank G-d.

135
What does it mean that Leah was the first to thank G-d? How could it be that all the great people
who preceded her had failed in this simple act of common decency? How could she have been the
first to do this?

Of course, others had thanked G-d. But no one truly expressed their appreciation and understanding
of their debt of gratitude to G-d until Leah gave birth to Yehuda.

Rashi tells why this occasion inspired Leah to thank G-d.

3. Rashi, Commentary to Berachot 7b – Leah thanked G-d for giving her more than her due.
This time I will thank G-d – because she saw ‫ לפי שראתה ברוח הקדש שיעקב‬- '‫הפעם אודה את ה‬
prophetically that Yaakov was to establish twelve ‫ כיון שילדה בן‬,‫מעמיד שנים עשר שבטים ולו ארבע נשים‬
tribes (through twelve sons) and he had four .‫רביעי הודית על חלקה שעלה יותר מן החשבון המגיע לה‬
wives (hence three sons to each wife). When she
bore her fourth son, she thanked G-d for her
portion that was more than her fair share.

4. Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner, Pachad Yitzchak, Chanukah 2:2 (translated and adapted by
Rabbi Pinchas Stolper, Chanukah in a New Light, pp.28-29) – Every thanksgiving is
essentially an admittance of indebtedness.
The Hebrew language often uses one word to ‫בבנין המלים של לשון הקודש נזדמנו לפונדק אחד שני‬
express two different concepts. The word hoda'ah .‫ והסכמה לדעת הצד השני‬,‫ הבעת החזקת טובה‬:‫מושגים‬
is used to thank someone. It is also used to :‫לשני המושגים הללו יש בלשון הקודש ביטוי משותף‬
acknowledge that someone else is right. This ‫ הודאת בעל דין — פירושה הסכמה לדבריו של‬.‫הודאה‬
linguistic partnership is rooted in the fact that ‫הצד השני; הודאה על העבר — פירושה הבעת החזקת‬
hidden in every person's psyche is a yearning for ‫ כי‬,‫ הסברת השיתוף הזה היא‬.‫טובה על מעשה חסד‬
independence, for not being dependent or reliant ‫בתכונת נפשו של אדם טמונה היא השאיפה לחיות סמוכה‬
on someone else. When a person thanks a friend ‫ ובשעה‬.‫ מבלי להזקק לעזרתו של הזולת‬,‫על שלחן עצמה‬
for a favor, inherent in these thanks is an ,‫שאדם מביע את הכרת טובתו לחברו ונותן לו תודה‬
acknowledgement that he wasn't able to solve or ‫באותה שעה יש כאן הודאת בעל דין כי בפעם הזאת אמנם‬
satisfy his need by himself. Every thank you is in .‫לא עלתה בידו והיה עליו להשתמש בטובתו של חבירו‬
its depth an acknowledgement of a need for the ‫באופן שהשרש הנפשי העמוק של כל הבעת תודה הוא‬
generosity of someone else. This pertains in far ‫ ועל אחת כמה וכמה שכך הוא הענין בבין‬.‫מעשה הודאה‬
greater measure when we think of the .‫אדם למקום‬
appreciation and acknowledgement an individual
owes his Creator.

“Like a wild ass is man born”(Iyov/Job 11:12). ‫ ובטבע הפרא של כל אדם גנוזה היא‬.‫עיר פרא אדם יולד‬
Every person would prefer to be able to say, “It
‫ ובשעה‬.‫ההנחה של כוחי ועוצם ידי עשה לי את החיל הזה‬
is my strength and my talent that accomplished
‫שהוא מקריב את תודתו למקום הרי זו הודאה כי לית ליה‬
all of this” (Devarim 8:17). When a person
.‫מגרמיה כלום‬
brings a thanks-offering to G-d it is an
acknowledgement that without G-d he would be
nothing and he would have nothing.

The above introduces a unique dualism in the

concept of hoda’ah (thanks, appreciation, ‫ענין זה מכניס הבלטה מיוחדת בכפילות מושג ההודאה‬
‫ המתחלת‬,‫בסגנונה של ברכת ההודאה בשמונה עשרה‬

136
acknowledgement) which is found in the text of ‫״ ותיכף במשפט הסמוך לו חוזר הוא‬,‫ב״מודים אנחנו לך‬
the blessing of thanks in the Shemoneh Esrei. ‫״ אלא שהם הם הדברים‬.‫ענין זה ״נודה לך ונספר תהלתך‬
The blessing opens with the words “Modim .‫המבוארים בכאן‬
anachnu Lach,” “we gratefully thank You that…,”
and then in the very next sentence we say,
“Nodeh Lechah,” “we thank You…,” repeating
the idea of hoda’ah. Modim and nodeh are the
same verb. [If we are using both to mean we
“thank,” then why repeat this verb? We can now
solve this mysterious formulation by positing
that “Modim” is not saying “Let us thank You,”
but rather “Let us acknowledge You.” Then
“Nodeh Lechah” adds “Let us thank You.”]

Even though our acknowledging the viewpoint

of someone else and our expression of thanks ‫אף על פי שגם הסכמה לדעתו של הצד השני וגם הבעת‬
share the same verb, when we see the ‫ מכל מקום‬,‫החזקת טובה יש להם שם הפועל משותף‬
preposition that follows the verb we are able to .‫מחולקים הם באופן קשורו של הפועל עם הבא לאחריו‬
identify which verb is intended. If your intention ‫בשעה שהכונה היא על הבעת החזקת טובה הרי הוא‬
is to give thanks, the next word is for, meaning ‫״ דהיינו‬,‫מקושר עם מה שלאחריו על ידי תיבת ״על‬
that I am grateful for your having done such and ‫ ובזה תיבת‬,‫שהחזקת הטובה היא על שעשית עמדי כך וכך‬
such for me. The word for stands in the place of
‫״על״ עומדת היא במקום עבור; ואלו כשהכונה היא‬
the Hebrew al. If your intention is to
‫ הרי הוא מקושר עם מה‬,‫הסכמה לדעתו של הצד השני‬
acknowledge that you agree with someone else,
‫״ כגון ראובן מודה שהוא חייב‬,‫שלאחריו על ידי האות ״ש‬
the word that follows is that, as when one person
‫ ומפני כן מכיון שהפתיחה של ברכת ההודאה‬.‫לשמעון‬
acknowledges that the other is correct. Since the
‫דשמונה עשרה היא במודים אנחנו לך ״שאתה״ וגו׳ הרי‬
opening of the Modim prayer in the Shemoneh
Esrei is “Modim that You are [our G-d],” we .‫פירושה של הודאה זו הוא במובן של הודאת בעל דין‬
understand it as an acknowledgement [of G-d]. ‫ואלו ההודאה במשפט השני של ברכה זו אשר תיבת ״על״‬
Afterward, we say “Nodeh… for our lives which ‫ ״נודה לך על חיינו המסורים בידך״ הרי הכונה‬,‫רצופה לו‬
are within Your power,” meaning that we are .‫היא במובן קרבן תודה‬
expressing thanks for them.

This dual nature of hoda’ah sheds light on the statement of our Sages that Leah was the first to truly
thank G-d. Others may have appreciated what G-d gave them but Leah was the first to admit it was
more than she deserved.

5. Ibid. – Leah both thanked and acknowledged G-d.

Examine the comment of Rashi to the statement ‫ויעוין עוד רש״י על אמירתה של לאה הפעם אודה את‬
of Leah when she gave birth to Yehuda. She ‫״ כלומר‬.‫ והוסיף רש״י על זה ״שנטלתי יותר מחלקי‬,‫השם‬
said, “Hapa'am odeh et Hashem,” which we ‫ענין התודה עבור לידתו של יהודה כולל בתוכו גם הודאת‬
generally translate as, “Now, I will thank G-d.” .‫בעל דין שזה אינו מגיע לה בדין‬
Rashi adds that these thanks are in appreciation
of the fact that “I received more children than
had been allotted to me” (Rashi, Bereishit 32:27).
The appreciation of Leah for the fact that she
gave birth to Yehuda also indicates an

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acknowledgement similar to that of a party to a
dispute, that under a system of equity she was
not entitled to this child.

Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe (Alei Shur, Vol. II, pp. 280-281) writes that there are two flaws that keep
people from being grateful. One is the natural human tendency toward myopia. We think that we
deserve everything in the world, that there is nothing that others could give us that we don’t already
believe should be ours anyway. The second is the feeling of owing someone for what they have done
for you. This feeling creates, ever so subtly, an uncomfortable sense of subjugation to that other
person.

In this light we can appreciate that Leah overcame both obstacles: She recognized her child as a gift
from G-d that she did not deserve and admitted her indebtedness on that account.

Part B. Thanks as a Foundation of Faith

Appreciating what G-d gives us and recognizing Him as the source of blessing in our lives is not just
a nice thing to do. In Judaism, this recognition forms the backbone of any truly religious existence.

1. Rabbi Zev Leff, Shemoneh Esrei, pg. 432-3 – We only recognize G-d through the good He
does for us.
The purpose of creation is G-d's will to bestow the absolute good, to shower that good eternally on
a creation that could receive that good (see Mesilat Yesharim, Ch. 1, and Derech Hashem, Ch. 2).
G-d therefore created souls which are a creation as close to Him as could be, capable of receiving
G-d’s splendor by cleaving to Him eternally. This is what we call “Olam Haba,” when the souls of
the righteous eternally bask in the splendor of G-d's presence; this is the ultimate pleasure and the
ultimate good.

However, in order for this pleasure to be completely appreciated, G-d deemed that it had to be
earned. Therefore He created a physical world in which He put the souls within physical bodies. He
gave them the opportunity to utilize the physical world to recognize G-d and to act in a G-dly
manner so that the souls could become more and more G-d-like and therefore create a relationship
with the Creator when it would eventually leave the body and the physical world.
Hence, our purpose in this world is to find G-d and G-dliness within a materialistic and physical
world. In order to recognize and find G-d Who is the ultimate good, one must recognize His
goodness.

Therefore one must be aware of the multitude of kindnesses that G-d constantly showers on the
world. Since G-d is invisible and His essence beyond our comprehension, it is only by recognizing
the good that emanates from Him that we can recognize Him.

Hence, hakarat hatov means first and foremost recognizing good – not necessarily being grateful, but
merely recognizing that good exists… Consequently, the root of all sins is the failure to recognize
what is really good, the substitution of bad for good, and the choice to do bad over good.

138
2. Rabbeinu Bachya ibn Pakuda, Chovot HaLevavot (Duties of the Heart) 3:6 – The good
that G-d does for us obligates us to serve Him in return.
People become more obligated in their service ‫כי תוספת העבודה על אנשיה מתחלקת מדרך הכלל‬
(to G-d) in relation to the bounty – general and .‫והפרט בטובה עליהם‬
particular – bestowed upon them.

Rabbeinu Bachya follows this statement by spelling out various levels of indebtedness to G-d,
starting with the general requirements of mankind to observe the Seven Noachide Commandments
because G-d created us, followed by the responsibility of Jews to keep mitzvot due to our special
relationship with G-d, and finally the individual’s obligation to show appreciation for the unique
gifts G-d has granted him or her.

3. Rabbi Yitzchak Maltzan, Siach Yitzchak (Siddur HaGra), pg. 139 – We must thank G-d as
human beings, Jews, and individuals.
“For our lives that are placed in Your hands… '‫ פי‬,‫על חיינו המסורים בידך וכו' ועל נפלאותיך שבכל עת‬
and for Your wonders at every moment.” Rabbi ‫הגאון מוהר״י בלאזער על פי דברי החובות הלבבות (שער‬
Yitzchak Blazar explained this berachah in light ‫פ״ה פ״ו) כי תוספת ההודאה והעבודה מתחלקת לכמה‬
of the words of the book Chovot HaLevavot, ‫ והוא‬,‫ הראשון טובת הבורא הכוללת כל האדם‬,‫אופנים‬
that gratitude and service to G-d can be divided ‫המציאם אחר שלא היו דבר נמצא והחיותם והטובה להם‬
into a few categories. The first is the goodness ‫וכו' ועל כרחך הם חייבים להבורא יתברך עבודה כוללת‬
that G-d grants to humanity insofar as He ‫וכו' והענין הב' טובת הבורא על עם מן העמים כמו שהטיב‬
created them, gave them life, and is good to ‫לבני ישראל בהוציאם מארץ מצרים וכו׳ וחייבם בזה‬
them, and thus they are beholden to serve G-d in '‫עבודה יתירה על העבודה הראשונה והענין הג׳ טובת ה‬
a general way. The second category relates to ‫על איש מאישי בני אדם נתיחד בה ועל כל טובה מהם‬
the good that G-d does for a particular nation, .‫ עכ״ד‬,'‫יתחייב בעבודה יתירה לה‬
such as the way in which He was good to the
Jewish people in taking them out of Egypt, etc.
This gratitude demands a higher level of
commitment to serving G-d than the first. The
third category is the unique good that G-d
bestows to each individual, and for each of these
favors, a person would feel more obligated to
make a further commitment to serving G-d.

Based on this classification, we can understand

this berachah (of Thanksgiving). First we say ‫ועל דרך זה הוא הכונה כאן תחלה אמר על חיינו המסורים‬
“for our lives placed in Your hand” which ‫בידך שזה כולל כל באי עולם ואחר כך אמר על נסיך‬
includes all living beings. Then we say “for the ‫שבכל יום עמנו היינו עם אומה הישראלית כענין שאמר‬
miracles that are with us each day.” This refers ‫ אזי חיים בלענו” ועל כן‬...‫הכתוב “לולי ה׳ שהיה לנו‬
to the Jewish nation of which the verse states, ‫אומרים “עמנו” ואחר כך אומרים על ונפלאותיך וטובותיך‬
“Were it not that G-d is with us… they would .‫ היינו מה שעושה עם כל אדם ביחוד‬.‫שבכל עת‬
swallow us alive” (Tehillim 124:1-3), which is
why we say “with us.” Only then do we mention
“for Your wonders and favors in every season,”
that is, what G-d does for each individual.

139
4. Rabbi Avraham Edelstein, Commentary on the Siddur, Ner Le'Elef, pg. 154 – Thanking
G-d for restoring our souls.
‫ מודים‬is the blessing of ‫הודאה‬, in which we thank G-d for all the good He does for us. Each day
miraculous events happen, events that we often don't know about or even realize their true extent.
‫ מודים‬is the time to express our gratitude to G-d for returning our souls to us each morning. The
Gemara likens the returning of our souls to collateral given for a debt one owes: if a person does
not pay his debt, the owner keeps the collateral. G-d, Who “owns” our souls and all else, overlooks
all we owe Him and returns our souls, our “collateral,” each day, even though we have not settled
our debts with Him. This thought should cause us to praise and thank G-d.

Part C. Bowing during Hoda’ah

We bow both at the beginning and at the end of this berachah. What is the significance of bowing,
and why do we specifically bow here, during Thanksgiving?

Before we explore the significance of bowing, let us ask a more fundamental question: Why do we
not bow during the entire recitation of the Shemoneh Esrei (as some other religions do during their
prayer services)? In fact, the Shemoneh Esrei is also known as the Amidah, the standing prayer! Why
do we stand upright throughout and only bow at key features in the service?

The precedent for standing during prayer goes all the way back to the first Jew and the very
beginnings of Jewish prayer.

1. Talmud Bavli, Berachot 26b – The Patriarchs introduced three prayers.

Rabbi Yossi bar Rabbi Chaninah said: The ... ‫ תפלות אבות תקנום‬:‫רבי יוסי ברבי חנינא אמר‬
prayers were instituted by the forefathers … ‫אברהם תקן תפילת שחרית שנא' וישכם אברהם בבקר אל‬
Avraham (Abraham) established the morning ‫המקום אשר עמד שם ואין עמידה אלא תפילה שנאמר‬
prayer, as it is stated… “And Avraham went in .‫ויעמד פינחס‬
the morning to the place where he had stood
(ammad) [before] G-d” (Bereishit/Genesis 19:26).
“Amidah” is a term specifically used for prayer,
as it says, “And Pinchas stood (vayaamod) and
prayed” (Tehillim 106:30).

2. Maharal, Derech Chaim, Commentary to Pirkei Avot 3:18 (translated and adapted by
Rabbi Tuvia Basser, Maharal of Prague: Pirkei Avot, pg. 184) – Mankind’s upright stature is
a facet of being created in the image of G-d.
Scripture says: “And G-d created mankind in His ‫ויש לפרש מה שאמר הכתוב ויברא אלהים את האדם‬
own image; in the image of G-d He created him; ‫בצלמו אין פירושו שיש אל השם יתברך צלם ודמות שאין‬
male and female He created them.” This passage ‫ אבל הכתוב בא לומר כי כאשר בא לרמוז‬,‫הדבר כך כלל‬
does not mean that G-d has an image or ‫בתמונה הגשמית מה שנמצא בהקב”ה בעיון נבדל מן‬
appearance, for He certainly does not. Rather, it ‫ כי בודאי יכול האדם לצייר בענין הגשמי דבר‬,‫הגשמי‬
refers to the fact that a physical image can ‫ דמיון זה כאשר בא לצייר השם‬,‫הנבדל הבלתי גשמי‬
represent the nature of something abstract. For ‫ הנה יצייר‬,‫יתברך שהוא מלך על הכל ואין עליו במציאות‬
example, a person could design a symbol, ‫ אף בודאי שאין לתת שום תמונה חס‬,‫תמונה בזקיפה‬
expressing that G-d is supreme King and none is ‫ היינו שדבר זה אסור בודאי‬,‫וחלילה אל השם יתברך‬

140
above Him, by drawing an upright figure. That ‫לאדם מצד השכל שבאדם שמשיג הדבר כפי מה שהוא‬
symbol, although expressed in a physical ‫ אבל מכל מקום מה שנמצא בהקב”ה היא‬,‫כמו שיתבאר‬
medium, would not have to imply that He has a ‫מצוייר באדם הגשמי שבריאתו של אדם בזקיפה ולא כמו‬
form. Similarly, mankind's upright stature ‫ כי מי שהולך שחוח הוא‬,‫שאר בעלי חיים הולכי שחוח‬
symbolizes that G-d is King, without implying ‫מורה על שיש עליו אדון ולפיכך הולך שחוח כמו עבד‬
that He has a form. Other living creatures are ‫ אבל השם יתברך אין עליו‬,‫שהולך שחוח לפני אדון שלו‬
bent over, symbolizing their submission to a .‫לכך האדם שהוא בזקיפה נאמר עליו שהוא בצלם אלהים‬
higher being; namely, mankind. Since G-d has no
one over Him, the upright form that was given
to mankind is fittingly described as an image of
G-d.

Praying upright expresses the Divine aspect of our humanity. However, when it comes to thanking
G-d, we need to show submission. That is why bowing is so crucial during this berachah.

3. Talmud Bavli, Bava Kamma 16a – The Talmud warns against failing to bow during
Modim.
The spine of a person turns into a snake seven ‫שדרו של אדם לאחר שבע שנים נעשה נחש; והני מילי‬
years after burial, but that only happens to .‫דלא כרע במודים‬
someone who fails to bow during Modim.

4. Rabbi Avraham Chaim Shor, Torat Chaim, Bava Kamma 16a – One who denies G-d’s
goodness subscribes to the attitude of the primeval snake.
One who maintains an upright posture and does ‫שכל העומד בקומה זקופה ככופר בדבר הוא ואין הודאתו‬
not bow while stating his gratitude is essentially ‫הודאה כדאשכחן בדתן ואבירם שכפרו בתורת משה כתיב‬
denying any gratitude. We see this in Scriptures ‫בהו יצאו נצבים בקומה זקופה ואמרו במדרש רבה על‬
(Bamidbar/ Numbers 16:27) concerning Datan ‫הנחש כשבא לפתות את חוה בא בקומה זקופה לפי שבא‬
and Aviram, who denied the authenticity of the ‫לכפור בו יתברך ולכך נענש במדה ללכת שחוח שנאמר‬
Torah; they are depicted as standing upright. ‫על גחונך תלך דרגלים היו לו ונקצצו ואפשר לומר דמהאי‬
Similarly, the Midrash depicts the primeval ‫טעמא מי שאינו כורע במודים שדרו נעשה נחש דכיון‬
serpent as approaching Chava (Eve) in an ‫שעומד בקומה זקופה ואינו כורע ומתכוין להודות לו‬
upright posture, since he denied G-d. In fact, ‫יתברך על כל חסדיו הרי הוא ככופר בו יתברך ואומר לא‬
this is why the serpent's punishment was “on ‫הוא והרי הוא כמודה לדעת הנחש הקדמוני אשר כל‬
your belly shall you crawl” (Bereishit 3:14). As .‫הכפירות והדעות החיצוניות נמשכין ממנו‬
Rashi teaches us, it had legs which were
removed. We can suggest that this is why if
someone fails to bow down during Modim,
indicating a lack of gratitude to G-d, his spine
turns into a serpent; he is espousing the
philosophy of the primeval serpent from which
all heresy and foreign ideas follow.

5. Rabbi Shimon Schwab, On Prayer, pg. 521 – The snake was cursed with losing the ability
to recognize G-d as the source of blessing in his life.
It is common knowledge that every piece of Aggadata has a profound meaning, but it is not always
simple to decipher its true explanation. In this case, it is possible that our Sages intended to convey
the idea that if one does not show his gratitude to G-d and bow at Modim, he is acting in a way

141
similar to the primordial snake, the serpent in the Garden of Eden, whose ingratitude caused it to be
downgraded from a highly intelligent animal to a lowly snake which, like other animals, does not
have the capacity to show its gratitude to the Source of its existence.

The primordial snake referred to in the Torah, in connection with the sin of Adam and Chavah, was
by no means identical with the snakes with which we are familiar. This was the one creature that was
given the highest intelligence of all the animals, including the power of speech, “Now the serpent
was cunning beyond any beast of the field” (Bereishit 3:1). However, this creature, in an act of
profound ingratitude, utilized its great intelligence against its Creator.

In meting out its punishment, G-d decreed, among other things, “You shall eat dust as long as you
live” (ibid. 3:14). And our Sages tell us (Talmud Bavli, Yoma 75a) that because of this, whatever the
snake eats – even the greatest delicacy – tastes like dust, as it says, “A snake's food will be dust”
(Yeshayahu 65:25). But, the Sages add, this curse of the snake also makes it possible for it to find
food wherever it may be, because dust is available everywhere.

We may therefore conclude that this constant availability of its food is a part of the curse and
downgrading of the primordial snake. It was reduced from a highly intelligent animal – which
recognized G-d, and could appreciate that He provides it with its food – to that of a common snake,
which does not possess this ability. Because of its ingratitude, it was condemned forever to a life of
unawareness and ingratitude similar to other animals. It lost the ability to recognize G-d as the
Source of its sustenance, and therefore to have the opportunity to be grateful to Him for it.

One of mankind’s greatest blessings is that we are able to recognize the Divine Providence of G-d in
our daily existence and express our gratitude to Him for it.

Rabbi Zev Leff illustrates the curse of the serpent with the following story:

A young man was once brought to me despondent and depressed, literally on the verge of suicide. When I
asked him what so depressed him, he told me, “My parents have been divorced for a few years, and I've been
living with my father. Recently, he met a woman he wanted to marry. She didn't like having me around the
house, so my father called me in one day and pulled out a set of keys from his pocket. He told me the keys
belonged to a fully furnished apartment he had purchased for me. He pulled another set of keys from his other
pocket and informed me that these were to a new sports car that he had bought for me. Finally, my father
gave me a credit card on his account for food, clothing, and incidental expenses. He then shook my hand and
wished me well. He made it clear that our lives were to go separate ways and that I shouldn't bother to visit
or call him, just give him and his wife their space to enjoy themselves.”

Some would say this sounds like a teenager's dream: your own apartment, a car, and unlimited credit.
However, every time this young man entered that apartment or drove that car or used the credit card, it
reminded him that no one loved him or wanted him. What could be more depressing?

In a similar vein, the serpent was given a plentiful food supply, but at the expense of a relationship with G-d.
It was as if G-d said, “I don't want to have anything to do with you. Here is your food; leave me alone and
I'll leave you alone” (Rabbi Zev Leff, Shemoneh Esrei, pp. 437-8).

142
Part D. Thanking G-d for the Everyday Miracles

The ability to thank G-d is rooted in an awareness of His involvement in our everyday lives, a
concept known as Hashgachah Pratit or Individual Divine Providence.

1. Ramban (Nachmanides), Commentary to Shemot (Exodus) 13:16 – The belief in Divine

supervision of the world is expressed in terms of Divine response to human deeds.
From knowing the revealed miracles, a person ‫ומן הנסים הגדולים המפורסמים אדם מודה בנסים‬
becomes aware of the hidden miracles – this ‫ שאין לאדם חלק בתורת‬,‫הנסתרים שהם יסוד התורה כלה‬
belief is the basis for the entire Torah. A man ‫משה רבינו עד שנאמין בכל דברינו ומקרינו שכלם נסים‬
has no share in the Torah, unless he believes that ,‫ בין ברבים בין ביחיד‬,‫אין בהם טבע ומנהגו של עולם‬
all matters and all events, whether on a ‫ ואם יעבור עליהם‬,‫אלא אם יעשה המצות יצליחנו שכרו‬
communal level or an individual level, are .‫ הכל בגזרת עליון‬,‫יכריתנו ענשו‬
miracles, and not due to “nature” or “the way of
the world.” Rather, if a person performs the
mitzvot, his reward will bring him success, and if
he transgresses, he incurs punishment, all by
decree from Above.

2. Rabbi Yehuda Aryeh Leib Alter, Sfat Emet, Parshat Behar 5637 – Nature and miracle are
one and the same.
Miracles and nature are one and the same. In ‫הנסים והטבעים הכל אחד ובאמת אין נס גדול כמו הטבע‬
truth, the biggest miracle is nature itself for it is ‫ ובאמת הדורות‬...‫שהוא הגדול שבנפלאות המושגים לנו‬
the greatest of all wonders for us to ‫שנעשה להם הנסים היה קבוע בהם האמונה והיה שוה‬
contemplate… Those generations that witnessed .‫להם הטבע והנסים‬
miracles had faith affixed to them, and for them
miracle and nature were the same.

The Talmud illustrates this principle with the following story:

3. Talmud Bavli, Taanit 25a – The lesson derived by lighting Shabbat candles with vinegar.
One late Friday afternoon, just after the sun had ‫אמר לה‬, ‫חד בי שמשי חזייה לברתיה דהוות עציבא‬
set and the Sabbath had begun, Rebbi Chanina ‫כלי של חומץ נתחלף לי‬: ‫בתי למאי עציבת? אמרה ליה‬
ben Dosa saw his daughter appearing sad and he .‫בכלי של שמן והדלקתי ממנו אור לשבת‬
asked her, “Why do you look downcast?” She ?‫אמר לה בתי מאי אכפת לך‬
responded, “I mistakenly used vinegar to light .‫מי שאמר לשמן וידלוק הוא יאמר לחומץ וידלוק‬
the Shabbat candles instead of oil [and was
worried that the candles would soon burn out].”
He said to her, “Why should that concern you?
He Who decreed that oil will light, will also say
that vinegar should light!”

We learned that in fact the candle remained lit ‫עד שהביאו ממנו אור‬, ‫תנא היה דולק והולך כל היום כולו‬
the entire Shabbat, and the flame was used to .‫להבדלה‬
light a Havdallah candle after the Sabbath (see
Rashi).

143
Just as it was miraculous that the vinegar served as fuel for that particular Shabbat, it is likewise
miraculous that oil which “normally” burns, is also a miracle. Consequently, whether we are aware of
it or not, there is no end to the things we can be thankful to G-d for, as the following story teaches
us:
Rabbi Yisrael Salanter once left his family and disciples in Eastern Europe to go to Paris (for a debate).
One day he entered an elegant restaurant to meet with some of the many Jews who frequented the
establishment. Rav Yisrael was seated at his table and ordered a glass of water. When he was ready to leave,
the waiter presented him with a bill for the astronomic sum of forty francs. “Why do you charge so much for a
glass of water?” asked Rav Yisrael. The waiter replied, “Monsieur, you must realize that you are not merely
paying for a simple glass of water. You are paying for the surroundings, the ambience. You are paying for the
gorgeous furniture, tableware, carpeting and chandeliers, not to mention the view!”

The answer struck a chord in Rav Yisrael’s heart. He hastened back to his lodgings and wrote a letter to his
disciples: “For a long time I have been puzzled by the fact that we recite a very lofty and all-inclusive blessing
for a plain glass of water, saying, “Blessed are You, G-d our L-rd, King of the universe, through Whose word
everything came to be.” But from the words of a gentile waiter in Paris I learned that we are not merely
thanking G-d for the glass of water; we are expressing our appreciation for the magnificent surroundings in
which G-d serves the water to us. We are thanking G-d for the fresh air we breathe as we drink that water,
and for the sun which gives us light, and for the tree which shades us. In short, whenever we thank G-d for
one thing, we should use it as an opportunity to thank G-d for everything” (Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer,
Shemoneh Esrei, pg. 257).

Key Themes of ‫ – הודאה‬Thanksgiving.

 Our Sages tell us that the matriarch Leah was the first to truly thank G-d. That is
because she not only recognized that she was given something – her fourth son –
that she did not deserve, but also admitted her indebtedness to G-d for it.
 Appreciating what G-d has given us forms the bedrock of our relationship with Him.
As a result of our gratitude toward Him, we feel an obligation to fulfill His mitzvot.
 While standing during prayer is an expression of our exalted human quality of
resembling the Divine, we show our submissiveness to G-d through the act of
bowing, lowering ourselves from that upright posture.
 Gratitude to G-d grows out of an awareness of His involvement in the world and in
our lives. G-d’s miracles disguised as nature surround us each day.

144
Berachah 19. ‫( שלום‬Shalom) – Peace

.‫ בָּ ְרכֵ נּו ָאבִ ינּו כֻ לָּ נּו כְ אֶ חָּ ד בְ אֹור פָּ נֶיָך‬.‫ חֵ ן וָּחֶ סֶ ד ו ְַרחֲ מִ ים עָּ לֵ ינּו וְעַ ל כָּ ל יִשְ ָּראֵ ל עַ מֶ ָך‬.‫שִ ים שָּ לֹום טֹובָּ ה ּובְ ָּרכָּ ה‬
‫ וְטֹוב‬.‫ ּוצְ דָּ קָּה ּובְ ָּרכָּ ה ו ְַרחֲ מִ ים וְחַ יִים וְשָּ לֹום‬.‫תֹורת חַ יִים ְו ַאהֲ בַ ת חֶ סֶ ד‬ ַ ‫כִ י בְ אֹור פָּ נֶיָך נָּתַ תָּ לָּ נּו יְהֹוָּה אֱ ֹלהֵ ינּו‬
:‫בְ עֵ ינֶיָך לְ בָּ ֵרְך אֶ ת כָּ ל עַ מְ ָך יִשְ ָּראֵ ל בְ כָּ ל עֵ ת ּובְ כָּ ל שָּ עָּ ה בִ שְ לֹומֶ ָך‬
:‫בָּ רּוְך אַ תָּ ה יְהֹוָּה הַ מְ בָּ ֵרְך אֶ ת עַ מֹו יִשְ ָּראֵ ל בַ שָּ לֹום‬
Establish peace, goodness, blessing, graciousness, kindness, and compassion upon us and upon all of Your people
Israel. Bless us, our Father, all of us as one, with the light of Your countenance, for with the light of Your countenance
You gave us, L-rd our G-d, the Torah of life and a love of kindness, righteousness, blessing, compassion, life, and
peace. And may it be good in Your eyes to bless Your people Israel, in every season and in every hour with Your peace.
Blessed are You, G-d, Who blesses His people Israel with peace.

Part A. The Meta-Blessing

The blessing of Shalom (peace) is the quintessential berachah in Judaism. It is how we greet each
other, how we take leave of each other, and how we bless each other. What is so special about peace
that it holds such a prominent place in our lexicon?

1. Midrash Bamidbar Rabbah 21:1 – In Judaism, peace is the universal blessing.

The world could not be maintained except by '‫אין העולם מתנהג אלא בשלום והתורה כולה שלום שנא‬
Shalom, and the Torah is wholly peace; as it says, ‫(משלי ג) דרכיה דרכי נועם וכל נתיבותיה שלום ואם בא‬
“Its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its ‫אדם מן הדרך שואלין לו שלום וכן שחרית שואלין לו‬
paths are Shalom.” If a person comes from a ‫ שמע ישראל חותמין‬,‫שלום ובאמש כך שואלין בשלום‬
journey, he is received with the greeting of ‫ בברכת‬,‫ התפלה חותמין בשלום‬,‫פורס סוכת שלום על עמו‬
Shalom. In the morning the greeting of Shalom .‫כהנים חותמין בשלום‬
is also offered, and in the evening likewise the
greeting is Shalom. The reading of the passage
“Hear, O Israel” (the Shema) concludes with the
words, “He spreads the tabernacle of peace over
His people.” The Shemoneh Esrei concludes
with peace. The priestly benediction concludes
with peace…

When we ask for peace we are not just making one last request. Having asked for so much already
we now ask G-d for something to help us receive the blessings we asked for. That “something” is
peace.

2. Mishnah, Uktzin 3:12 –Peace is the vessel for holding blessing.

Rabbi Shimon bar Chalafta said: the Holy One, ‫אמר רבי שמעון בן חלפתא לא מצא הקדוש ב”ה כלי‬
blessed be He, found no vessel better to contain )‫מחזיק ברכה לישראל אלא השלום שנאמר (תהלים כ”ט‬
blessing for Israel than peace, as it is written: :‫ה' עוז לעמו יתן ה' יברך את עמו בשלום‬
“The L-rd will give strength unto His people; the
L-rd will bless His people with peace” (Tehillim
29:11).

145
3. Sifra, Parshat Bechukotai 1:1 – Without peace what good is prosperity?
“And you shall eat your bread to satiation” ‫ שמא תאמרו הרי מאכל והרי‬...‫ואכלתם לחמכם לשובע‬
(Vayikra 26:5)… You may think to yourselves, ,‫משתה אם אין שלום אין כלום ת”ל ונתתי שלום בארץ‬
“Look, we have food, we have drink, but if there .‫מגיד שהשלום שקול כנגד הכל‬
isn’t peace, there isn’t anything [so what good is
it?]” Therefore G-d also promised, “I shall
establish peace in the Land” (Ibid. 26:6). This
teaches us that peace is more valuable than
anything else!

4. Rabbi Chaim Friedlander, Siftei Chaim: Rinat Chaim, pg. 285 – Without peace the other
berachot we ask for are worthless.
Our Sages say that “the Holy One, blessed be ‫אמרו חז״ל (סוף עוקצין) ״לא מצא הקב״ה כלי מחזיק‬
He, found no vessel better to contain blessing ‫ שה״שלום״ אינו‬,‫ נמצא‬,‫ברכה לישראל אלא השלום״‬
for Israel than peace.” Hence, peace is not just ‫ ואם‬,‫ אלא הכלי שמחזיק את הברכות‬,‫הברכה כשלעצמה‬
another berachah but rather a vessel for holding ‫יהיה לאדם כלי מלא חורים אינו יכול להחזיק בו שום‬
other berachot. Were a person to have a vessel ‫ כך כל מה‬,‫ כי הכל יפול דרך הנקבים ויאבד ממנו‬,‫דבר‬
full of holes, he would not be able to contain ‫ וכן כל ברכת הכהנים ״יברכך״‬,‫שביקשנו בתפילת שמו״ע‬
anything in it because everything would just fall ‫ יש להם קיום רק כאשר יש לאדם את כלי‬.'‫״וישמרך״ וגו‬
through the holes and get lost. So too all the ‫ אלא יש קנאה שנאה תחרות‬,‫ כי בהעדר השלום‬,‫ה״שלום״‬
berachot of the Shemoneh Esrei and Birkat ,‫ אי אפשר ליחיד ולציבור ליהנות מכל הברכות‬,‫ומחלוקת‬
Kohanim only endure if a person has the .‫ואין להם ערך כלל‬
“vessel” of peace within which to contain them.
Without peace – but rather with jealousy, hatred,
rivalry, and quarrelling – it would be impossible
for either an individual or a community to enjoy
any of the berachot. They would be completely
worthless.

Part B. Wholeness and Harmony

Shalom, the Hebrew word for Peace, comes from the word shleimut, which means completeness or
wholeness. Its opposite is machloket, dispute, which comes from the word chelek, a fragment of
something.

The natural world is a constant struggle between competing forces. Socially, too, the natural state of
mankind is that of strife. This world is a world of disparate identities where truth and the
commitment to it are not great enough to overcome the unique perspectives and inclinations
different people bring to a situation. Unless they make an effort, people naturally move away from
each other rather than draw closer together.

Were it not for G-d Himself, the world – be it the natural world or the social world of human
interrelations – would lack any semblance of unity.

146
1. Rabbi Meir Leibush (Malbim), Commentary to Bamidbar 25:12 – G-d makes a covenant
of peace which unifies the fragmented pieces of reality that comprise our world.
G-d made a pact of peace with reality as a whole, ‫ כי כל‬,‫והקב”ה כרת עם כלל המציאות ברית השלום‬
for the entire cosmos is made up of opposing ‫המציאות מורכב מכחות מתנגדים זל”ז והם מפורדים איש‬
forces and these forces also drive people apart. ‫ רק שכינת אל חי שהוא נשמת המציאות וחיותו‬,‫מאחיו‬
Only the Presence of G-d, Who is the soul of ‫וקיומו הוא המחבר כל כחות המפורדות אשר בכלל‬
the world that keeps it alive and enduring, binds .‫הבריאה ועושה שלום ביניהם‬
all the disparate forces that exist in the world and
makes peace between them.

Shalom, peace, is created by shleimut, completeness, when every unique individual element fulfills its
part in completing the whole.

2. Rabbi Chaim Friedlander, Siftei Chaim: Rinat Chaim, pg. 286 – Completeness comes
from each part fulfilling its unique role.
Certainly, when there is quarrelling and fighting ‫בודאי שאם יש מחלוקת ומריבות בעם ישראל אין זה מצב‬
amongst Jews, it is not a state of peace. But ‫ ״שלום״ מלשון‬,‫ אבל לשלום יש מובן נוסף‬,‫של ״שלום״‬
shalom has another meaning. Shalom comes from ... ‫״שלימות״‬
shleimut, completeness…

Shalom does not just mean the lack of fighting. ‫ אלא שכל אחד מכיר‬,‫״שלום״ אין מובנו רק שאין מריבות‬
Rather, it comes when each individual recognizes ‫ ממילא אין‬,‫ומבין את תפקידו וממלא אותו ומרוצה ממנו‬
and understands his own purpose and fulfills it ,‫קנאה ושנאה ותחרות כי כל אחד מסור למילוי תפקידו‬
and is pleased with it. Then, automatically there ‫וברור לו שהשלימות העצמית שלו ושלימות הכלל כולו‬
will not be any jealousy, hatred, or rivalry since ‫ ומכך נבנה‬,‫תלויה בכך שכל פרט משלים את חלקו הפרטי‬
each one is doing his part. It becomes clear to ‫ כי כך בנה הקב״ה את עם ישראל מכהנים לויים‬,‫הכלל‬
every person that his own completeness and that ‫ ולכל סוג ולכל פרט יש תפקיד‬,‫ אנשים ונשים‬,‫וישראלים‬
of the community depends upon each individual ‫ ורק כאשר כל יחיד ויחיד משלים את חלקו‬,‫מיוחד לו‬
doing his part since that is how the totality is .‫נבנה הכלל השלם‬
built. Such is the way that G-d built the Jewish
people, out of Kohanim, Levites, Israelites, men
and women – each type has its own unique task
to accomplish. Only when each individual entity
fulfills its role can the totality come to
completion.

Part C. Inner Peace

Peace is not just a concept that applies to the world at large; it also applies to each individual within
himself.

According to the Kabbalists, each human is a “small world” (Olam HaKatan), a microcosm of the
“large world” (Olam HaGadol). Each human has to struggle to maintain an integrated
wholesomeness, making peace and unity (‫ )שלום ושלימות‬between his multi-faceted self – his physical,
emotional, intellectual and spiritual aspects, all of his qualities, talents and character traits, and all of
his hang-ups and idiosyncrasies. So too, we have to struggle to put the world at large together into
one picture.

147
1. Rabbi Meir Leibush (Malbim), Commentary to Bamidbar 25:12 – Making inner peace is
our way to resemble G-d in His peacemaking capacity.
When all the forces within a person in his “small ‫ובהיות כל כחות האדם בעולמו הקטן נכנעים תחת נפשו‬
world” are subjugated to his G-dly soul then he .‫האלהית הוא דוגמת האלהות המשים שלום בעולמו הגדול‬
resembles G-d Who creates peace in the world at
large.

2. Vilna Gaon, Even Shleima, pg. 1 – Peace is the vessel for character refinement.
[Mordechai of the Purim story] “spoke peace to ...‫ודובר שלום לכל זרעו ודובר שלום הוא במידות טובות‬
all his people.” Speaking peace refers to good ‫לפי שהמידות טובות הן יותר מכולן כמ”ש בשערי קדושה‬
character traits… because good character traits ‫שלא נכתבו המידות טובות בתורה כי הן כוללין כל התורה‬
are the most important thing. This idea was ‫כמו שכתוב “כל הכועס כאילו עובד עבודה זרה” וכל‬
expressed in the work Sha’arei Kedushah (Gates .‫המספר לשון הרע ככופר בעיקר (ערכין טו) וכן כולם‬
of Sanctity, Rabbi Chaim Vital), where it states ‫ושלום הוא הכלל מכל המידות והוא הלבוש של כל‬
that good character was not written as a ‫ וזה מה שכתוב “לא מצא הקב”ה כלי מחזיק‬.‫המידות‬
commandment in the Torah because they are in ‫ברכה לישראל אלא השלום” (עוקצין פ”ג) והיינו שהכלי‬
a nutshell what the entire Torah is all about. For ‫צריך שיהיה יכול לקבל הכל ולא מצא הקב״ה מי שיהיה‬
instance, the Sages state that “anyone who gets ‫ שהוא הלבוש של כל המידות‬,‫יכול לקבל אלא השלום‬
angry, it is as if he has worshipped idolatry” and .‫והמידות הם כלל של המצוות‬
“anyone who speaks Lashon Hara
(gossip/slander) has denied the existence of
G-d,” and so too all such similar statements.
Peace, however, is the all-encompassing trait of
good character and is the external expression of
inner refinement. This is what it means when it
says that “the Holy One, blessed be He, found
no vessel better to contain blessing for Israel
than peace.” A vessel must be able to contain
something else. G-d found that only peace could
contain blessing, for it is the expression of all
character refinement, which is itself the basic
idea behind the mitzvot.

3. Rabbi Chaim Friedlander, Siftei Chaim: Rinat Chaim, pg. 286 – Inner wholeness means
employing each personality trait at the appropriate time and in the appropriate measure.
The completeness of a person comes about ‫ זוהי‬,‫כאשר כל תכונות האדם פועלות במקום ובזמן הנכון‬
when each aspect of his personality functions in ‫ שהרי לאדם יש כוחות נפש שונים‬,‫השלימות של האדם‬
the correct time and place. Every person is built ‫ רציני‬,‫ רחמן ואכזר‬,‫ קמצן ופזרן‬:‫ כגון‬,‫הסותרים זה לזה‬
of a variety of traits that contradict each other, ‫ והשלימות היא כאשר משתמש בכל‬,‫ומאידך שמח וחייכן‬
for example: stinginess and generosity, ‫ דהיינו חסד עם מי שראוי להתחסד‬,‫תכונה במידה הנכונה‬
compassion and cruelty, seriousness and ‫ כך‬,‫ ואכזריות והתעלמות ממי שאינו ראוי לרחמים‬,‫עמו‬
cheerfulness. Wholeness means using each in the ‫ ומי שמשתמש בכל מידה במשקל‬,‫גם בשאר התכונות‬
appropriate measure: being kind to those who ‫ ויש לו בעצמיותו את מידת‬,‫המתאים הוא האדם השלם‬
deserve our kindness, being harsh or ignoring .‫ה״שלום״‬
those that don’t deserve our mercy, and so on
with each trait. Someone who employs each trait

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in its proper proportion is a complete person
and personifies the trait of “shalom.”

Inner peace functions to facilitate external, or social, peace.

4. Rabbi Zelig Pliskin, Harmony with Others, pg. 19 – The blessing of peace is that of inner
and inter-personal harmony.
The Hebrew word for peace is “shalom.” And this is the way that we greet people. We greet people
with “shalom,” when we encounter them. And we bless people with “shalom,” when we say
goodbye. And the traditional greeting when seeing someone for the first time or when seeing
someone you haven't seen in a long time is, “Shalom Aleichem,” which means “peace unto you.”

The word shalom means both peace and harmony. And it is the same word as shaleim, which means
wholeness. When there is an atmosphere of harmony, we feel whole and complete. And when a
person feels whole, he is more likely to be at peace with himself and with others.

We bless people with peace. They should have inner peace and peace with others. When you have
harmony, you function at your best. When two people work in harmony, they bring out the best in
each other. And when there is harmony in an organization or a community, everyone brings out the
best in each other. And we are all very different at our best than we are at our worst.

Part D. ‫ – כולנו יחד‬Peace between Jews

On the literal level of course we wish for a peaceful existence without the need for war. But even on
this literal level, the peace we ask for here is not just the cessation of war with our enemies. Peace
between Jews is at least as important to our people as peace with our enemies.

1. Ramban, Commentary to Vayikra 26:6 – G-d’s blessing of “peace in the Land” refers to
peace between fellow Jews.
I will grant peace in the land – that there will be ‫ שיהיה שלום ביניכם ולא תלחמו איש‬- ‫ונתתי שלום בארץ‬
peace amongst you, and one brother shall not .‫באחיו‬
fight another.

2. Rabbi Yehonatan Eibeschitz, Yaarot Devash, pg. 12 – During this berachah we should
pray for the unity of the Jewish people.
One should pray for peace because there is no ‫יש להתפלל על השלום כי אין כלי מחזיק ברכה אלא‬
vessel for holding blessing other than peace. It is ‫השלום כי הוא דבר הנחמד והוא אחדות גמור של ישראל‬
a special thing as it is the complete unity of the ‫וכאשר יתפלל על השלום יתפלל שלא יהיה מחלוקת‬
Jewish people. When one prays for peace, he ‫בישראל ולא יהיה קנאה ושנאה ותחרות כי כלם יהיו‬
should have in mind to pray that there should be ‫אהובים אחוזים ואחודים בתכלית היחוד ואהבה ואחוה‬
no disputes amongst Jews, no jealousy, hatred or ‫וריעות ויהיה כל ישראל נפש אחת ויכוין לקיים ואהבת‬
fighting but rather that everyone should be .‫לרעך כמוך שהוא כלל כל התורה‬
beloved, embraced, and unified to the greatest
degree of love, brotherhood, and friendship
possible. All Jews should be as one soul. One
should intend to fulfill the mitzvah to “love your
neighbor as yourself” which is the great principle

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of the Torah.

Part E. The Torah of Peace

In this berachah we mention that “with the light of Your countenance You gave us, L-rd our G-d,
the Torah of life.” Peace is central to the Torah’s message and the kind of life it envisages.

1. Mishlei (Proverbs) 3:17 – The way of the Torah is peaceful.

Its ways are ways of pleasantness and all its paths :‫דרכיה דרכי נעם וכל נתיבתיה שלום‬
are peace.

Since peace is so basic to the Torah’s approach to life, the Torah itself could only be given to the
Jewish people while we were in a state of unity.

2. Rashi, Commentary to Shemot 19:2 – The Torah was received by the Jewish people when
they were in a state of unity with one another.
They had departed from Rephidim and had ‫ויסעו מרפידים ויבאו מדבר סיני ויחנו במדבר ויחן שם‬
arrived in the Sinai Desert, camping in the :‫ישראל נגד ההר‬
wilderness. Israel camped opposite the
mountain.

Israel camped – [Using a singular verb, indicating .‫ כאיש אחד בלב אחד‬- ‫ויחן שם ישראל‬
they were] as one person with one heart.

3. Midrash Tanchuma Yashan, Yitro 9 – We can receive the Torah (whose ways are peaceful
and pleasant) if we can embody the quality of peace.
“It’s [the Torah’s] ways are ways of ‫ ביקש הקב”ה ליתן תורה לישראל‬.'‫דרכיה דרכי נועם וגו‬
pleasantness.” G-d wanted to give the Torah to ‫ והיו חולקין זה על זה והיו אומרים‬,‫בשעה שיצאו ממצרים‬
the Jews as soon as they left Egypt. But they ‫ כשבאו לרפידים‬...‫בכל שעה נתנה ראש ונשובה מצרימה‬
were arguing with each other and continually ‫ אמר הקב”ה התורה כולה‬...‫הושוו כולם ונעשו אגודה אחת‬
saying, “Let us appoint a new leader and return ‫ הוי וכל‬,‫ ולמי אתננה לאומה שאוהבת שלום‬,‫שלום‬
to Egypt”… When they came to Rephidim they .)‫י”ז‬:‫נתיבותיה שלום (משלי ג‬
were all equal and became united… G-d said,
“The entire Torah is peace. To whom should I
give it? To a nation that loves peace.” This is the
meaning of the end of the verse, “And all its
paths are peace.”

4. Rabbi Chaim Shmulevitz, Sichot Mussar, pg. 152 (based on the Ohr HaChaim) – Part of
preparing oneself to receive the Torah is creating unity by doing acts of kindness for others.
The third component of preparation for Shavuot ‫ “ויחנו שם ישראל נגד‬,‫והכנה שלישית לקבלת התורה‬
is “The Jewish people encamped there opposite ‫ יעוד חכמים בהתחברות‬,'‫ וכ' האוה”ח וז”ל “וענין ג‬,”‫ההר‬
the mountain.” This represents the unification of ‫ וכנגד זה אמר “ויחן ישראל” לשון‬...‫בלב שלם ותמים‬
individuals with a sincere, full heart…This is ‫ והן עתה‬,]‫ שנעשו כולן יחד כאיש אחד[בלב אחד‬,‫יחיד‬
why the Torah writes, “vayichan Yisrael” (Israel .”‫ראויים הם לקבלת התורה‬
camped) in the singular to demonstrate that the

150
Jewish nation was now unified like one person
[with one heart] and as such they deserved to
receive the Torah.

For each person assisted his neighbor in finding ‫ זה היה כל‬,‫כי כל אחד עסק בהכנת מקום טוב לחבירו‬
a good encampment and in providing for his .‫ והיא היתה הכנתם לקבלת התורה‬,‫עסקם בחניה ובצרכיה‬
physical needs. This was the third aspect of their
preparation for receiving the Torah.

Key Themes of ‫ – שלום‬Shalom.

 Peace is not just a berachah; it is the vessel for holding all the other berachot we have
requested in the Shemoneh Esrei.
 Real peace is not just the cessation of hostilities or lack of dispute. That kind of
peace is only a byproduct of a deeper completeness that comes about by each
individual knowing and fulfilling his or her unique role.
 Peace is not only external, found in nature or society. It can also be achieved
internally by employing one’s own personality traits in the proper proportion, each
trait in the right time and place.
 Peace amongst Jews is at least as important as peace between us and our enemies.
 Peace is also the very essence of the Torah and its vision for a world of wholeness.

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 Chapter Four
Closing Prayers and Personal Requests

(Elokai Netzor) ‫אלוקי נצור לשוני מרע‬

)‫טו‬:‫צּורי וְׂג ֹ ֲאלִּי (תהילים יט‬

ִּ ‫יִּהְׂיּו ל ְָׂרצֹון ִּאמ ְֵׂרי פִּי ְׂו ֶהגְׂיֹון ִּלבִּי ְׂל ָפנֶיָך י ְׂהֹוָה‬
May the expressions of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart find favor before You,
G-d, my Rock and my Redeemer.

‫ פְׂתַ ח ִּלבִּי‬,‫ ְׂונַ ְׂפׁשִּי ֶכ ָעפָר לַכ ֹל תִּ ְׂהי ֶה‬,‫ ְׂו ִּל ְׂמ ַק ְׂללַי נַ ְׂפׁשִּי תִּ ד ֹם‬,‫ ּו ְׂשפָתַ י מִּדַ בֵר מ ְִּׂרמָה‬,‫אֱֹלהַי נְׂצ ֹר לְׁׂשֹונִּי מ ֵָרע‬
‫ ְׂמה ֵָרה ָהפֵר ֲעצָתָ ם ְׂו ַק ְׂלקֵל‬, ‫ ַה ָקמִּים ָעלַי ל ְָׂרעָה‬-‫ ְׂוכָל‬. ‫וְַׂאח ֲֵרי ִּמצְֹׂותֶ יָך ת ְִּׂרד ֹף נַ ְׂפׁשִּי‬, ‫ְׂתֹורתֶָך‬ ָ ‫ב‬
.‫ַמח ֲֲש ֲַב ְֲֹתֲָָ ם‬

.‫ ְׂל ַמעַן י ֵ ָחלְׂצּון י ְׂדִּ ידֶ יָך‬,‫תֹורתֶ ָך‬

ָ ‫ ֲעשֵה ְׂל ַמעַן‬,‫ ֲעשֵה ְׂל ַמעַן קְׂדֻ שָתֶ ָך‬,‫ ֲעשֵה ְׂל ַמעַן יְׂמִּינֶָך‬,‫ֲעשֵה ְׂל ַמעַן ְׁׂשמֶָך‬
.‫הֹוׁשִּיעָה יְׂמִּינְָׂך ַו ֲענֵנִּי‬
‫ הּוא‬.‫טו) עֹשֶה ׁשָלֹום ִּבמְׂרֹומָיו‬:‫צּורי וְׂג ֹ ֲאלִּי (תהילים יט‬ ִּ ‫יִּהְׂיּו ל ְָׂרצֹון ִּאמ ְֵׂרי פִּי ְׂו ֶהגְׂיֹון ִּלבִּי ְׂל ָפנֶיָך י ְׂהֹוָה‬
:‫ ְׂו ִּאמְׂרּו ָאמֵן‬.‫י ַ ֲעשֶה ׁשָלֹום ָעלֵינּו ְׂועַל כָל יִּש ְָׂראֵל‬
.‫ְׂתֹורתֶ ָך‬
ָ ‫ ֶׁשי ִּ ָבנֶה בֲֵָ ית ַה ִּמקְׂדָ ׁש ִּב ְׂמה ֵָרה ְׂביָמֵינּו ְׂותֵ ן ֶח ְׂלקֵנּו ב‬,‫ יְׂי ָ אֱֹלהֵינּו וֵאֹלהֵי אֲבֹותֵ ינּו‬,‫יְׂהִּי ָרצֹון ִּמ ְׂל ָפנֶיָך‬
‫ ְׂוע ְָׂרבָה לַיהֹוָה ִּמנְׂחַת י ְׂהּודָ ה וִּירּוׁשָל ִים כִּימֵי עֹולָם‬. ‫ְׂוׁשָם נַ ֲעבָדְׂ ָך ְׂבי ְִּׂרָאה כִּימֵי עֹולָם ּו ְׂכ ָׁשנִּים קַדְׂ מֹונִּּיֹות‬
)‫ ד‬,‫ׁשנִּים קַדְׂ מֹנִּּיֹות (מלאכי ג‬ ָ ‫ּו ְׂכ‬
My G-d, guard my tongue from evil and my lips from speaking deceitfully. To those who curse me, let me soul be silent;
and let my soul be like dust to everyone. Open my heart to Your Torah, then my soul will pursue Your
commandments. As for all those who design evil against me, speedily nullify their counsel and disrupt their design. Act
for Your Name's sake; act for Your right hand's sake; act for Your sanctity's sake; act for Your Torah's sake. That
Your beloved ones may be given rest; let Your right hand save, and respond to me. May the expressions of my mouth
and the thoughts of my heart find favor before You, G-d my Rock and my Redeemer. He Who makes peace in His
heights, may He make peace upon us, and upon all Israel. Now respond: Amen.
May it be Your will, L-rd our G-d and the G-d of our forefathers, that the Holy Temple be rebuilt, speedily in our
days. Grant us our share in Your Torah, and may we serve You there with reverence, as in days of old and former
years. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to G-d, as in days of old and in former years.

The Talmud (Berachot 16b-17a) lists eleven sages each of whom composed a personal supplication
for the end of the Amidah. Of these eleven, the prayer of Mar b’rei d'Ravina – ‫ – אֱ ֹלהַ י נְצ ֹר‬has been
universally adopted as the one to be recited after the Shemoneh Esrei. At first glance, it may not be
clear why Mar brei d'Ravina's words were preferred over the others, but a careful reading of the
Talmudic text offers a clue.

In reference to each of the other sages, the Talmud says that his supplication was “after his prayer”
implying that their prayers were separate from the just-concluded Amidah. In describing that of Mar
brei d'Ravina, however, the Talmud says, “while he was finishing his prayers,” which implies that his
supplication was a continuation of the preceding verse, “May the words of my mouth find favor.”

152
His prayer was thus an extension of the Shemoneh Esrei as he pleaded for purity of speech (Rabbi
Avrohom Chaim Feuer, Shemoneh Esrei, pg. 277).

Part A. Personal Requests in the Shemoneh Esrei

The Introduction to this Amidah Companion mentioned that there is plenty of room for
unstructured, personal expression within the Shemoneh Esrei itself. The Gemara (Avodah Zarah 7b)
teaches that one should ask G-d for one’s needs in the berachah of Shema Koleinu. The Gemara
continues and adds that although this is true, if one wants to add a relevant request at the end of
each berachah he may do so. Then the Gemara quotes another statement that although one should
ask for one’s needs in Shema Koleinu, if he has a family member who is ill, he should pray for him
in birchat Refa'einu. If he needs to earn a livelihood, he should ask for it in Bareich Aleinu. The
Gemara finishes with a statement that after Shemoneh Esrei (i.e., after the main berachot, but before
concluding with Yiheyu l'ratzon imrei fi after Elokai Netzor) one may add whatever he wants, even as
much as the entire liturgy of Yom Kippur (Rabbi Dovid Lewin, Kollel Ahavas Yehonoson, Parshat
Toldot, 2012).

1. Rabbi Chaim Friedlander, Siftei Chaim: Rinat Chaim, pg. 306 – Adding personal requests
during the Shemoneh Esrei.
After the completion of the blessings of the ‫אותם תיקנו לנו אנשי כנסת‬-‫אחר סיום ברכות השמו”ע‬
Shemoneh Esrei that the Great Assembly ‫) הוסיפו האמוראים בקשות נוספות‬.‫הגדולה (ברכות לג‬
established (Talmud, Berachot 33a), the ‫ ואנו אומרים את תפילתו של מר בריה‬,).‫ יז‬- :‫(ברכות טז‬
Amoraim added more requests (Ibid 16b - 17a),
and we recite the prayer written by Mar, the son ‫ כי כל עוד לא אמרנו “יהיו לרצון וגו'“ מצטרפות‬,‫דרבינא‬
of Ravina. Until we recite for the second time, ‫ שהרי “אם רצה להוסיף בכל ברכה‬,‫כל הבקשות לשמו”ע‬
“May the expressions of my mouth...” all the .‫מהאמצעיות מעין הברכה מוסיף‬
requests are connected to the Shemoneh Esrei.
For it is codified in the Shulchan Aruch (Aruch
Chayim 119:1): If someone wants to add
something related to any of the middle berachot,
he may do so. How? If someone is ill, one prays
for him in the blessing of ‘Refaeinu - Heal us’...
In the blessing of ‘He Who hears prayer,’ one
can ask for any need, for this blessing includes all ‫ מבקש עליו רחמים בברכת‬,‫כיצד – היה לו חולה‬
of one's requests. However, the Shulchan Aruch ‫ שהיא‬,‫וב'שומע תפילה' יכול לשאול כל צרכיו‬...‫רפאנו‬
continues (Ibid 119:2): One should not be ‫ אלא ש”יש מי‬,)‫ ס”א‬,‫ קיט‬,‫כוללת כל הבקשות” (שו”ע‬
lengthy in expressing one's personal needs. ,‫שאומר שכשמוסיף בברכה לצורך יחיד לא יאריך” (שם‬
Nevertheless, at the end of the Shemoneh Esrei
‫ יכול לשאול בין בלשון יחיד‬...‫ אבל “בסוף התפילה‬,)‫ס”ב‬
... one may make requests whether on behalf of
oneself or others, whether for his personal needs ,‫ בין צרכיו ממש בין צרכי רבים (שם‬,‫בין בלשון רבים‬
or communal needs (Ibid 119:1). As it is written ‫) “אבל אם בא לומר אחר‬.‫ וכפי שכתוב בגמ' (ע”ז ח‬,)‫ס”א‬
in the Talmud (Avodah Zorah 8a): One may ‫” לכן אנו‬.‫תפילתו אפילו כסדר יום הכיפורים אומר‬
even recite the prayers of Yom Kippur after the '.‫מוסיפים את בקשת 'אלוקי נצור' וכו‬
Shemoneh Esrei. Therefore, we add the request
of “My G-d, guard my tongue...”

153
The Tzlach explains why expressing personal prayers is especially appropriate at the conclusion of
the Amidah.

2. Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer, Shemoneh Esrei, pg. 272 – By the end of the Shemoneh
Esrei, a person is most capable of expressing personal requests.
Prayer is an experience that leaves a strong impact on the soul. When one recites the Amidah
properly, with intense feeling and devotion, he concludes this intimate encounter in a spirit of
ecstasy that elevates his soul. Before the Men of the Great Assembly composed the uniform text of
the Amidah, prayer was a spontaneous, personal outpouring of the heart. Even after they introduced
a standard prayer text, their purpose was not to stifle spontaneity but to inspire it. Every blessing of
the Amidah ignites a spark in the soul, and when all the blessings are completed, the soul is aflame
with passionate love for G-d. The tongue has been freed; the heart has been opened – now is the
time for the soul to overflow with personal petitions and praises (Tzlach, Berachot 16b).

Below are general guidelines on expressing personal prayers during the Amidah in general, during
the berachah of Shema Koleinu, and at the end of Elokai Netzor.

3. Rabbi Binyamin Forst, Halacha Hotline of the Five Towns and Far Rockaway, Making
Personal Requests during the Weekday Shemoneh Esrei – Personal requests during the
Amidah.
 Inserting personal requests in Shemoneh Esrei can enhance one’s davening immensely.
 One may make requests in a language other than Hebrew, if necessary.
 Personal requests should not be made in the first three or last three berachot of Shemoneh
Esrei.
 One may make requests in the middle berachot of Shemoneh Esrei as long as they relate to
the topic of the berachah, and the need is current.

4. Ibid. – Personal requests in Shema Koleinu.

Since the berachah of Shema Koleinu is very general in nature, one may insert therein any type of
request – for current or future needs (Mishnah Berurah 119:1), personal or public (Shulchan Aruch
Orach Chaim 119:1). One generally inserts the request before the words “ki Attah shomei’a tefillat...”
Although one may insert any request in this berachah, inserting numerous lengthy requests might
cause one to be unable to respond properly to Kedushah or Kaddish. Accordingly, it is better to
insert only short requests in this berachah and to say longer requests at the end of Elokai Netzor, as
will be explained below (Chayei Adam 24:19.; M.B. 122:8). This concern is relevant primarily for one
who is davening with a minyan; one who is davening at home (as many women do) may take more
time making personal requests in the berachah of Shema Koleinu, as missing Kaddish and
Kedushah is not a concern. Still, lengthy requests should rather be recited at the end of Elokai
Netzor (see S.A. O.C. 119:2).

5. Ibid. – Making personal requests at the end of Elokai Netzor.

In many siddurim, the pasuk (verse) of Yiheyu l’ratzon… is printed immediately before the paragraph
of Elokai Netzor. It is proper for one to recite this pasuk at that point, since after reciting it, one is
allowed to say many of the responses in Kaddish and Kedushah even before saying Elokai Netzor
(S.A. 122:2; M.B. 122:7).

As mentioned above, it is important that one not miss responding to Kaddish and Kedushah as a

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result of one’s personal tefillot. Therefore, the poskim (Halachic authorities) advise that rather than
saying the bulk of one’s personal requests in the middle of Shemoneh Esrei, one should recite them
at the end of Elokai Netzor. (Generally, one inserts the request immediately before the second pasuk
of Yiheyu l’ratzon – May the expressions of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart find favor before
You, G-d my Rock and my Redeemer.) By inserting the requests in Elokai Netzor, one is able to say
many of the responses in Kaddish and Kedushah, should the opportunity arise (M.B. 122:8); see
note. If there is no concern of missing out on responding to Kaddish and Kedushah, a few short
requests may indeed be inserted in the middle berachot of Shemoneh Esrei.

Note: One may (and should) take one’s time to recite the Shemoneh Esrei, even if doing so will
cause one to be unable to respond to Kaddish and Kedushah. There is no need to recite the
Shemoneh Esrei quickly in order to be able to respond to Kaddish and Kedushah.

Part B. Stepping Back and Looking Forward to a Rebuilt Jerusalem

1. Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer, Shemoneh Esrei, pg. 281 – Taking three steps backward.
[After completing one’s personal requests and saying the verse “Yiheyu l'ratzon imrei fi…” for the
second time] the supplicant bows like a servant taking leave from his master (Orach Chaim 123:1
Mishnah Berurah) and, while bowing, takes three steps backward. Various reasons are given for
these three steps.

- When one prays before G-d, the place where he stands becomes holy and the Shechinah (Divine
Presence) rests over it. Upon concluding his prayer, he steps out of this holy area (Shibbolei
Halekket).
- The daily payer is like a sacrificial offering. When the priests left the altar they had to step across
three rows of stones to reach the ramp back to the courtyard (Rav Hai Gaon).
- The Sages teach that Nebuchadnezzar once took three steps in honor of G-d (see Maharsha,
Sanhedrin 96a), and was rewarded by victory in his attempt to destroy the Temple. In response, we
too take three steps to pay honor to G-d’s Presence (Mishnah Berurah 123:2).

After having gone three steps backward, the supplicant bows to his left, saying, ‫עושה שלום במרומיו‬,
He Who makes peace in His heights; bows to his right, saying, ‫הוא יעשה שלום עלינו‬, may He make
peace upon us; then bows straight ahead and finishes with ‫ועל כל ישראל ואמרו אמן‬, and upon all
Israel; and now respond Amen. We first bow to the left because, with G-d before us, our left is His
right, and the right side is always honored first (Bais Yosef 123).

Rabbi Munk comments that the bow to G-d’s right (our left) symbolizes G-d’s spirit of mercy,
represented by the angel Michael who stands at the right of G-d’s throne. The bow to G-d’s left (our
right) symbolizes G-d’s spirit of exact justice, represented by the angel Gabriel, who stands to the
left of the throne. Finally we bow forward, to G-d Himself, acknowledging that ultimately He
resolves all conflicts and unifies all forces in the universe.

May it be Your will, L-rd our G-d and the G-d of our forefathers, that the Holy Temple be rebuilt, speedily in our
days. Grant us our share in Your Torah...

Why are the concluding words of the Shemoneh Esrei a prayer for rebuilding the Temple and
granting us a portion in Torah study?

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2. Ibid., pg. 283-4 – The connection between the Temple and the Torah.
Rabbi Moshe Isserles (Rama) writes in his gloss to Orach Chaim (123:1): Today our prayers are a
substitute for the sacrificial offerings in the Holy Temple. Therefore, at the very end of the Amidah
we make one final plea to G-d to rebuild the Temple, so we may actually serve Him with real
offerings and not merely verbal substitutes.

Vilna Gaon (commentary to Shir HaShirim 6:4) explains that we juxtapose our request for the
reconstruction of the Temple with a request for our share in Torah, because as long as the Temple is
in ruins and the Jews are exiled the quality and quantity of our Torah studies is drastically
diminished... With the Temple restored, we will once again be able to study Torah to the highest
degree.

Finally, we conclude the Shemoneh Esrei mentioning that sacrifices will be restored with the Temple
Service to concretize in us ‫ – שאין מציאות זולתו‬that there is no reality in the world other than G-d.

3. Maharal, Gevurot Hashem, Ch. 69 – Sacrifices demonstrate that there is nothing besides
G-d.
The entire matter of sacrifices is to ‫כל ענין הקרבנות הוא להורות כי השם ית' יחיד‬
demonstrate that G-d, may He be blessed, is ‫ כי הקרבנות כמו שהם‬... ‫בעולם ואפס זולתו‬
One in the world, and there is no power ‫ שכל הנמצאים במדרגת‬,‫להורות על אחדותו‬
besides Him… For sacrifices demonstrate His
unity, in that compared to His greatness all ,‫ והכל שב אליו‬,‫רוממותו ומעלתו נחשבים לאפס‬
things are considered nothing, and are annulled '‫שאין דבר נמצא זולת מחסדי ה' וזהו שלמותו ית‬
before Him, and everything comes back to .‫שאין מציאות זולתו‬
Him, for there is nothing that is not from His
kindness… This is [what is referred to as] His
completeness, that there is no existence
besides His.

Key Themes of ‫ –אלוקי נצור‬Closing Prayers and Personal Requests.

 The prayer of Mar b’rei d'Ravina has been universally adopted as the one to be
recited after the Shemoneh Esrei which pleads for purity of speech.
 There is plenty of room for unstructured, personal expression within the Shemoneh
Esrei itself. One may make requests in the middle berachot of Shemoneh Esrei as
long as they relate to the topic of the berachah, and the need is current. At the end of
the Shemoneh Esrei, one may make requests on behalf of oneself or others, whether
for personal needs or communal needs.
 One may (and should) take one’s time to recite the Shemoneh Esrei. There is no
need to recite the Shemoneh Esrei quickly in order to be able to respond to Kaddish
and Kedushah.

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 Conclusion
We Count Big-Time in G-d’s Master Plan
Rabbi Reuven Leuchter, Creating Dialogue with Hashem, pg. 100 – Each Shemoneh Esrei
should strengthen the realization that G-d is interested in each of us and our vital role in the
world.
Prayer is a mitzvah which accompanies us throughout life’s stages. As a person evolves over time,
maturing from self-centered adolescence to caring about the world around him, and on to
adulthood and the wisdom of old age – so do one’s prayers evolve and mature, in accordance
with one’s situation in life. Thus we find that the greatest leaders throughout the generations spent
their whole lives enhancing their prayer, because every stage in life affords new insight into our
ongoing dialogue with G-d, and a fresh perspective on His interest in us at all times.

This is also why, throughout the generations, those who prayed with devout consciousness did so
neither by rote nor by following a prescribed text of how one should pray. At times they prayed
quickly, at other times slowly; at times from a siddur and at times simply by closing their eyes. Prayer
is termed chayey sha’ah, something transient – transient not in the sense of being short-lived, but in the
sense of constantly changing and progressing. The goal is to be moved such that each time we pray it
is a unique experience, unlike any other prayer.

My intention in these essays [and ours in this Companion – Ed.] was to enable people to develop a
more mature perspective in their approach to tefillah, which in turn will enable them to see more
and more how G-d is genuinely interested in us and wants to bestow goodness upon us. Ultimately, I
hope people will emerge from prayer seeing that our lives are significant and play an integral role in
G-d’s Master Plan. For there is no greater joy than knowing that G-d is interested in us, and that we
play an indispensable role in His plan for the world.

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