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What is the Reason? Unesana Tokef



In “Unesena Tokef” it talks about who dies at the destined time and their predestined time. How can people die at their predestined time? Yossi Quint

(Exodus 23:26) “I shall fill the number of your days.” The Talmud (Yebamot 49b) explains: “This refers to two possible lifetimes for a person. If the person is meritorious he will complete his destined lifetime. If the person does not merit his full life, he can lose some of his days. The Sages say that he will live his destined days. However, with great merit he can extend his life.”

Rabbi Akiva and the Sages would answer your question in opposite ways.

There are halachic implications to this debate. Rav Hai Gaon (Otzar HaGeonim; Yebamot 49) discusses how can a murderer be responsible for someone’s death if that person was destined to die? The Rashba (Responsum 1409) discusses which part of our lives are determined by merit and which are only destiny.

Why is there Kiddusha only in a shul, if G-d is everywhere, what’s special about certain things? Y.Q.

Kiddusha needs a quorum not a synagogue. It is not a simple prayer, but rather a tool that connects us with the praises the angels sing to God.

God does not need the praises of the angels. They were created in order to create spiritual influence that would empower our prayers. The angels do not sing alone. Each is limited by its perspective and needs to join with others in order to express its devotion to God and joy in Serving the Creator. (See i-pray: Songs of Praise; Ashrei 2) We recreate the Angels’ song by joining with a community of people attempting to empower each other with their prayers and devotion.

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