Amidah: The Proper Kavanah: Bach

The 20th of Adar is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Yoel (ben Shmuel) Sirkes of Cracow, (the Bach) (1561-1641), author of Bayis Chadash on the Tur, in which he traced each law to its source in the gemarah. In his youth, he studied under Rav Shlomo Leibush of Lublin and Rav Meshulam Feivush in Brisk. He had several rabbinic appointments throughout Poland, lastly as Chief Rabbi of Cracow in 1619. He was the teacher and father-in-law of Rav Dovid HaLevy, the Taz.

A person should have in mind that God should grant him the ability to concentrate on and direct his prayers to heaven. If not for God’s assistance, he would be unable to have Kavanah! (Bach: Orach Chaim 98:1)