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Vayakhel-Pekudei-HaChodesh 5767Volume 3 · Issue 26
Time Forward
time that leads us forward. Ultimately, the Torah brings us to destiny, but we can only reach there by first designating the current time as preparation, as budding moments from which destiny blossoms, the underlying concept expressed in the prayer, “Israel who sanctifies the Times.”
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Beshalach 5769Volume 5 · Issue 17
The Power of True Form
…round.” In other words, although no bestowal descends from on High without prayer, which is why rain did not descend before the creation of man, yet for man’s creation itself—to create his body, the Creator…
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Ki Seitzei 5768Volume 5 · Issue 2
Converging Paths
Three times each day, we pray for the Ultimate Redemption and say, “Speedily cause the offspring of Your servant David to flourish and uplift his pride with Your deliverance.” The prayer, though, does not end here. We continue and explain the reason for our request, and say, “For we hope for your deliverance throughout the day.” In other words, our right to pray for deliverance is only because we hope
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Korach 5769Volume 5 · Issue 29
Truth of Creation
Of this, we say in the Aleinu prayer, “All inhabitants of earth will recognize and know that before You every knee bends, every tongue swears.” The bending of the knee signifies complete self-negation, and an oath is truth. Ultimately, all will consider themselves null in the face
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Ki Seitzei 5769Volume 6 · Issue 1
Confident of a Miracle
“The Jewish People, however, do not behave in this fashion.” Rosh Hashanah is the Day of Judgment, fearsome and terrifying, as stated in the prayer of Unesaneh Tokef. The judgment is one of life and death, and it concerns our own lives and the lives of those closest to us. Yet we make a festival of it. We cut our hair and beard, we trim
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Miketz Chanukah 5770Volume 6 · Issue 12
Redemption of Faith
If we but live with this awareness, we are in a constant state of thanking. Essentially, this is what we must always be doing (cf. Ramban to Shemos 13:16). The Shemoneh Esrei Prayer ends with three blessings of thanks, as the Talmud refers to them and as the Rambam cites as law (Hilchos Tefillah 1:4; Berachos 34a). In them, we thank the Creator for our lives that are submitted to His hands
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Beshalach 5770Volume 6 · Issue 17
Living New
fact, though, is true; newness is the real structure of life. As we have seen, we state this in our prayers: “He is the One Who renews in His goodness every day, constantly, the work of the beginning.”
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Vayakhel-Pekudei-HaChodesh 5770Volume 6 · Issue 22
Nisan: Month of Spring
…ation was dismal. Moshe Rabbeinu cried out to God and the entire Jewish People prayed for deliverance. Yet their prayer was only focused on the three sides where the Egyptians surrounded them; they were praying for God to deliver…
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Vayeishev 5771Volume 7 · Issue 12
The Walk of Victors
But we restored its sanctity. Of this, we say in the Al HaNissim prayer, “And they purified Your Holy Temple.” The Holy Temple is not susceptible to defilement. Only people, utensils, food, and drink are susceptible to defilement, not buildings. Rather, to purify the Holy Temple means to restore it to a state that
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Vayishlach 5772Volume 8 · Issue 10
Israel Forever
The three daily prayers, according to most of the earlier commentators, are of Rabbinical origin. In essence, even the Rambam agrees to this. But according to all earlier commentators, prayer in a time of distress is Biblical. The situation today necessitates prayer—and true prayer that emanates from the depths of the heart.
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Vayeishev 5772Volume 8 · Issue 11
Exquisite Brilliance
This is precisely what happened immediately following the triumph over the Greeks, as we say in the Al HaNissim prayer, “And afterward, Your children came to the Passage of Your Temple, they cleared out Your Palace and purified Your Sanctuary, and they kindled lights in the Courtyards of Your Sanctuary.
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Ki Savo 5771Volume 8 · Issue 3
Renewing the Covenant
One of the few poems common to both Ashkenazim and Sephardim is called Achoss Ketanah. It was composed in ancient times by a man of exalted sanctity—his work indeed merited inclusion in all prayer books. It is recited by nearly every Jewish community at the onset of Rosh Hashanah.
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Yom Kippur 5772Volume 8 · Issue 5
Lifeline
In another Ashkenazic supplication (recited during the repetition of the Shemoneh Esrei Prayer on the High Holidays), the Creator is called the One Who forgives transgressions in judgment. Seemingly, this is incongruent. Where do we find forgiveness in judgment (cf. Kesuvos 84a)? In judgment, the Creator judges transgressions and punishes.
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Toldos 5773Volume 9 · Issue 10
Connection of Essence
Due to the current predicament, let us focus on prayer.
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Shemos 5773Volume 9 · Issue 16
Fathers of the World
find similar phraseology by the Great Flood, where it says (Bereshis 7:22), “All that had the breath of the spirit of life in its nostrils from all that was upon the dry land died.” Accordingly, the prayer includes whoever was destined to perish in the Great Flood. From the lowest form of humanity to the highest—all will ultimately declare, “God, Lord of Israel, is King, and His Kingship dominates over all.”
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Yisro 5773Volume 9 · Issue 19
True Focus
…we must remember the Event of Mount Sinai. This is even printed in some prayer books. In most, however, it is not. Certainly, it should have been given far more emphasis. For the Exodus, there is an entire…
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Mishpatim-Shekalim 5773Volume 9 · Issue 20
Acquisition of Honor
But one concept is crucial and indispensible—the concept of value. Without it, the world could truly not exist. Even toward the Creator, we relate with this concept, as we say in our Sabbath Morning Prayer, “Nothing is like Your value, God our Lord, in This World.”
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Acharei-Kedoshim 5773Volume 9 · Issue 26
Dignity of Man
Our masters teach us that the subject of the Omer counting lies in the attributes. This is well known; it is printed in every prayer book and posted on every bulletin board. The Counting of the Omer extends over seven full weeks (Vayikra 23:15), and there are seven attributes.
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Ki Savo 5772Volume 9 · Issue 3
Additional Covenant
…the custom in Israel was to complete the Torah only once every three years (Megillah 29b; Rambam Hilchos Tefillah 12:1). During the first year of their three-year cycle, they were nowhere near the curses of Leviticus prior to…
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Devarim 5773Volume 9 · Issue 37
Contrariwise
The Arizal, as stated in the writings of R’ Chaim Vital (Sha’ar HaKavanos, Derushei Chag HaShavuos, Derush 1), asks regarding the custom of the Jewish People subsequent to the Afternoon Prayer on the Ninth of Av to rise from the floors, sit on chairs, and generally minimize the mourning, doing things that are not done before this time. Moreover—apparently by tradition—even verses of comfort are read.
