Taking it With You: Ashrei: Lifting the Fallen

“God supports all the fallen ones and straightens all the bent.” This verse takes us back to Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden: when Adam sinned the entire creation “fell,” so to speak, from its lofty and elevated status. All of creation was a clear manifestation of God’s Presence in the world, and was so clearly understood by all. There was no separation between the creation and its Creator. Adam’s sin caused separation, which, in turn, led to all of creation losing its original lofty status. Our job is to raise all of creation back to its original state.

At this point of our prayers we are thanking God for empowering us to repair creation, and asking for His help in continuing to elevate the world around us. As we raise that which is fallen, we, who are considered “bent,” are straightened, so to speak, a straight line or connection from the creation to its Creator.