Blessing 19: Light
“Barcheinu Avinu Kulanu Ke’echad B’Or Panecha”: Bless us, our Father, all of us as one, with the Light of Your Face.
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Blessing 19: Light
Blessing 19: Place Peace
Sim Shalom- Place Peace “Sim Shalom” is sometimes mistranslated as “grant peace”. The word “sim” does not mean grant. Let us look at another place where the same word is used: “V’Zot haTorah asher sam Moshe lifnei Bnai Yisrael…” Moshe is not granting...
Blessing 19: Making Peace
Sim Shalom- Making Peace When I am davening, and I feel that I am gaining perspective, I know that I am growing, and that I am attaching to what is really important. Unfortunately, I also become agitated when I realize that I will...
Prayer Training
Getting into the Practice of Praying. The Breslover Chasidim believe that the best way to train yourself to pray is to pray over every little thing. Therefore, if someone is having difficulty praying when they are really in trouble, they would advise that...
Music of Halacha: Shabbat #9
Blame it on Napoleon
Following the Napoleon Wars (1804-1815) in which Napoleon conquered much of Europe, came the emancipation of the Jews of Western Europe.
Tags: Music of Halacha, Shabbat
Weddings: The Soul’s Joy
Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, in his Kedushat Levi (Likkutim, pg. 108, #3) offers an interesting insight into the tears shed at a wedding: "The soul suffers when it is placed in this world. It has left a place of perfect happiness, rejoicing and fulfillment...
Ma’or VaShemesh-Happiness
Ma’or Va’Shemesh; Noah: The main ingredient in Service of God is Happiness. Nothing can damage one’s service of the creator more than can sadness. Be’Ha’aloticha: One must stay far away from sadness for it is that one emotion that can lead someone to...
Chafetz Chaim-Torah Study 1
The Chafetz Chaim had an interesting approach to the Talmudic statement that “Whoever forgets the Torah he has studied has forfeit part of his eternal life.” (Chapters of Our Fathers 3:8) It is commonly understood to refer to someone who does not constantly review...
Emor: Mitzvah 471 Concept 184 Part One
“Every teeming creature that teems upon the ground – it is an abomination, it shall not be eaten. Everything that creeps on its belly, and everything that walks on four legs, up to those with numerous legs, among all the teeming things that teem...
Yesod V’Shoresh Ha’Avodah-Emunah 3
The Ethical Will of the Yesod V’Shoresh Ha’avodah: My heart constantly burned with unlimited happiness and joy – the highest happiness – that I serve a Power such as This. After He created innumerable worlds – all that recognize His greatness and exaltedness –...
First Blessing 25: The Chart of The Vilna Gaon (Essay & Workbook)
Rabbeinu Avraham, the son of the Vilna Gaon, quoting his father explains the entire Shemoneh Esreh in the following novel manner. But after the third blessing, he divides up each blessing, rather than each word, according to the four headings. The more you praise...
First Blessing 24: Shield of Abraham
The end of the blessing is Magen Avraham – shield of Abraham. Why was God the shield of Abraham? – Because Abraham began a process of discovery. In a process of discovery it is very easy to make serious mistakes. That is what was...
First Blessing 23: Avot
I would like to bring to your attention a Gemara in Shabbat (30a). Rebbe Tanchum opened and said: You Solomon, where is your great wisdom? Where is your common sense? It’s not enough for you that what you say contradicts your father, but...
First Blessing 22: Commentary Part Three
Melech – “O King.” That is, ‘The One Who desires to relate to us.’ Although God is infinite, God created a relationship with us called Ozer – “A helper. This means He Who helps those with little faith recover from sorrow. U’moshia –...
First Blessing 21: Commentary Part Two
Ha’El, Ha’Gadol, Ha’Gibor, v’ha-Nora – “The great, mighty, and awesome God” refers to the Power that is great, that is strong, and that is awesome. El elyon – “The supreme God” means the Power over which no one else has power, or the...
First Blessing 20: Commentary
Hashem means God always was, is, and will be, and, He is the Master of All Things. You must keep this in mind every time you say Hashem. Elokainu – “Our Lord” means ‘The One Who guides us with direct Providence.’ In other words,...
First Blessing 19: Avot
We have explained the words “Elokainu V’Elokei avoteinu” as “The Power who is charge of the details and all of history”. What can we gain from that idea? This is the place where history and my life meet. The name of this first...
First Blessing 18: God’s Name Part Two
The text of the siddur is very carefully laid out with regard to the words that it uses. The text is concise and very well constructed. You will see patterns in the words of the prayer such as words that are always associated with...
First Blessing 17: God’s Name Part One
Think of some words for seeing or sight. Observe. Image. See. Picture. Glance. Stare. Perception. Can you tell that all these words are related? Can you even sense that they are all speaking of one quality? Is there a common root? – No. If...