Paragraph Seven

“All you nations; Praise God!

Sing compliments, all you peoples!

For His kindness overpowers us,

and God’s Truth is forever.

Hallelukah!”

Rabbi Shimon, the son of Rabbeinu Hakadosh (R. Yehudah HaNassi), asked his father, “Which nations are meant by ‘All you nations; Praise God!’ and which peoples by, ‘Sing compliments, all you peoples!’? Rabbi Yehudah replied, “The nations are all those who oppressed the Children of Israel, and the peoples are those who did not oppress them.”

All these peoples said, “If they who oppressed the Children of Israel sing praise to the Holy One, Blessed is He, we, who did not oppress them should sing all the more!” Hence it is said, “All you nations; Praise God! Sing compliments, all you peoples!”

The Children of Israel also said, “Even more should we sing His praise! And they went on to say,  “For His kindness overpowers us,  and God’s Truth is forever.” True to what? True to the covenant made with the patriarchs, as it is said, “Then will I remember My covenant with Jacob…” (Lev. 26:42) – Midrash Tehillim 117:2

Rabbi Yehudah taught that this short psalm addresses the redemptions that have already taken place, i.e. ‘Those who have oppressed Israel,’ and the Final Redemption, i.e. ‘Those who have not oppressed the Children of Israel. All previous redemptions were in the merit of the Patriarchs and God’s covenant with them. We, who want to call on their merit and on the Covenant, must pray. This is the idea of “Praying before we are in trouble,” meaning we must constantly call on the Patriarch’s merit and the Covenant in order to be protected and saved.

We have just completed Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and hopefully experienced a level of Redemption and freedom. We sing this paragraph of Hallel as a prayer that the joy, redemption, and freedom we experienced over Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, will continue to showered upon us throughout the year.

Paragraph 7 – Four Species Hallel:

“All you nations; Praise God!

Sing compliments, all you peoples!

For His kindness overpowers us,

and God’s Truth is forever.

Hallelukah!”

The previous paragraph described how we can thank God. Our expressions of gratitude, when real, lead to universal gratitude. In Birchat Hamazon, the Grace After Meals, “Nodeh,” or, “We thank,” is immediately followed by, “Yitbarach shimcha bifi kol chai,” “Your Name will be blessed in the mouths of all living things. In the Amidah, “Modim,” “We are thankers,” is immediately followed by, “V’chol Hachaim yoducha,” “All living things will thank You.”

This paragraph takes the gratitude expressed in the previous chapter and expands it to the entire world. We shake the Four Species in all directions to call on all of God’s creations to join us in blessing His Name, singing His praises, and thanking Him.

Paragraph 7 – Shabbat Chol HaMoed Hallel:

“All you nations; Praise God!

Sing compliments, all you peoples!

For His kindness overpowers us,

and God’s Truth is forever.

Hallelukah!”

Although Shabbat honors the Seventh Day of Creation of all things, the Covenant of Shabbat is not universal, but particular to those who are connected with the Covenant of Torah. Torah is the path to bring all of creation to the Universal Shabbat of Olam Habbah, the World to Come.

The Succot Mussaf Offerings honor all the nations of the world and invite all to the House of Prayer for All Nations. The Succah itself reminds us of the Beit Hamikdash, the universal place that brings blessing to the entire creation.

Shabbat Succot is the time when Universal Time meets Universal Place, and we strive to become the Universal Human Being, connecting all dimensions to the Ultimate Source of Life.

We sing this paragraph today to celebrate the special opportunity offered by this day of complete connection between people, place and time.









Paragraph Eight

“I called to the Creator of Heaven and Earth from a tight spot, and He answered me broadly. God is with me, I have no fear; what can people do to me? God is with me to help me, so I can confront my enemies.”

This paragraph celebrates our successful judgment on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, when we were confronted by our accusers, our enemies, and our own mistakes. The laws of Succot demand joy, specifically the joy of confidence that we received a wonderful judgment.

Paragraph 8 – Four Species Hallel:

“All the nations surrounded me but I survived them in God’s Name.

They surrounded and encircled me but I survived them in God’s Name.

Though they surrounded me like a swarm of bees, they were snuffed out like burnt thorns.

I survived them in God’s Name. “

We shake the Four Species in all directions to fight off all those who surround and encircle us to hurt us.

Paragraph 8 – Shabbat Chol HaMoed Hallel:

“This is the day God made; let us sing and be happy with it.”  The Talmud applies this verse to the day when David, the rejected son of Yishai, was anointed as the future king of Israel. All the troubles of his past, all the fluctuations in the life of Samuel the prophet, disappeared in a moment when the future was clear and filled with expectation. It was not the end of a story, but a beginning.

The very first Shabbat would have been the beginning of the future rather than the conclusion of the week, had Adam not sinned. This concept of choice between Shabbat as a conclusion or a beginning is part of the nature of each Shabbat, as it is for Succot, the Festival of Gathering in the Harvest. We can look back on all our hard work and breathe in relief that our harvest was successful, the conclusion of the agricultural year, or, we can celebrate that we are prepared for the future. Our storehouses are full. We are ready to face the future with confidence, and say on this Shabbat-Succot Day of Beginnings; “This is the day God made; let us sing and be happy with it.”

Author Info:
Learn & discover the Divine prophecies with Rabbi Simcha Weinberg from the holy Torah, Jewish Law, Mysticism, Kabbalah and Jewish Prophecies. The Foundation Stone™ is the ultimate resource for Jews, Judaism, Jewish Education, Jewish Spirituality & the holy Torah.

Author Info:

Learn & discover the Divine prophecies with Rabbi Simcha Weinberg from the holy Torah, Jewish Law, Mysticism, Kabbalah and Jewish Prophecies. The Foundation Stone™ is the ultimate resource for Jews, Judaism, Jewish Education, Jewish Spirituality & the holy Torah.

Paragraph One

At which point did the Children of Israel recite Hallel? When the plague of the Slaying of the First Born began, Pharaoh went and knocked on the door of Moshe and Aaron’s house. Pharaoh wanted Israel to leave immediately, in middle of the night. “Fool,” said Moshe, “ are we thieves that we should sneak out in middle of the night?” Pharaoh responded with desperation: “All of Egypt is dying. You must leave!” Moshe and Aaron said, “If you want to stop this plague, say ‘you are free. You are under your own power. You are now the servants of God.’ Pharaoh began to cry out, “In the past you were my slaves, but now you are free. You are under your own power. You are now the servants of God and you must praise Him for the fact that you are His servants.” That is why the verse says, “Praise Him servants of God.” (Midrash Socher Tov)

Rav Shlomo Kluger (Tehillot Yisrael) asks; How could Moshe offer advice to Pharaoh when we have learned that one is punished for advising an enemy:

Rab Judah has said in the name of Rab (or it may be R. Joshuah b. Levi) that Daniel was punished only because he gave advice to Nebuchadnezzar, as it is written, “Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you, and atone your sins by righteousness and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, if there may be a lengthening of your tranquility etc.” (Bava Batra 4a)

He answers that Moshe was intent on speeding the redemption, as the Talmud teaches:

R. Abba said: All agree that when Israel was redeemed from Egypt they were redeemed in the evening. For it is said: “The Lord, your God brought you forth out of Egypt by night.” But they did not actually leave Egypt till the daytime. For it is said: “On the morrow after the Passover the children of Israel went out with a high hand.”

About what do they disagree? — About the time of the haste.

R. Eleazar b. Azariah says: What is meant by ‘haste’? The haste of the Egyptians. And R. Akiba says: It is the haste of Israel. It has also been taught likewise: ‘The Lord, your God brought you forth out of Egypt by night.’ But did they leave in the night? Did not they in fact leave only in the morning, as it says: ‘On the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with a high hand?’ But this teaches that the redemption had already begun in the evening. (Berachot 9a)

One of the basic concepts of Succot, stressed by the Torah regarding the Four Species, is rushing forward: “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day,” the first day after Yom Kippur that we have an opportunity to sin. We rush to busy ourselves with Mitzvot to hold on to our Yom Kippur purity. We rush to fulfill God’s wishes.

We honor Moshe’s push to speed our redemption with this first paragraph of Hallel, and with our rush to perform God’s Mitzvot.

Paragraph 1 – Four Species Hallel:

“Who is like God, our Lord,

Who lives up high, but drops down to see what happens (to us) in the (lower) heaven and earth?

Who lifts up the lowly from the dust, raises the destitute from the garbage dumps to be seated with leaders, the leaders of their people.”

The mighty Lulav, the highest of the Four Species, and therefore the one over which we recite the blessing, is combined with the lowly Aravah, willow branch, which has no taste or smell. This combination symbolizes how God connects Heaven and Earth, “Who lives up high, but drops down to see what happens,” and, “Who lifts up the lowly from the dust.”

We hold our Four Species with the special joy that comes from realizing that all we do here on earth is raised up high by God to have eternal meaning.

Paragraph 1 – Shabbat Chol HaMoed Hallel:

“Praise, you who serve God! Praise the Name of God.

Let the Name of God be blessed from now and forever.

From sunrise to sundown, the Name of God is praised.

God is above all the nations. His Glory is beyond the sky.”

The Ma’asei Hashem (Ma’asei Mitzrayim, Chapter One) explains that if the Egyptian exile was a punishment, we would not have been entitled to be called, “Those who serve God,” until we were free. However, if the exile itself was an act of service; to expand God’s Name in the world, then we were Servants of God even when servants of Pharaoh.

The only way that we were able to maintain a sense of being servants of God when in Egypt was our ability to focus on the broad picture beyond our immediate circumstances. In other words; the Shabbat.

Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky (Emet L’Yaakov, Shemot) explains that the text the slaves studied while in exile was the Psalm of the Shabbat Day.

We sing this psalm with deep appreciation for the gift of Shabbat; the gift of being able to see beyond immediate time: “Let the Name of God be blessed from now and forever.

From sunrise to sundown, the Name of God is praised.” It is through the Shabbat that we are able to relate to God, Who is, “above all the nations. His Glory is beyond the sky.”

The Succah roof with its small open spaces between the S’chach reminds us of our ability to see beyond the physical; to see with Shabbat eyes.



Paragraph Two – 1

“The Sea saw it and ran away. The Jordan River reversed course.” All the water in the world split as Israel entered the Sea. The Sefer HaChaim (Introduction) explains that had only the Red Sea split, people would have said that God split the water in order to punish the Egyptians. God therefore, split all the water in the world to demonstrate that the miracles were an expression of love for Israel.

We sing this chapter of Hallel to celebrate the countless expressions of love God gave Israel in the numerous Mitzvot of Succot.



Paragraph Two – 2

“Who turned the rock into a pool of water.” Manna, our bread that is usually produced from the earth’s harvest, fell from the heavens. Water, which usually falls from the heavens, came from the earth, a rock. God reversed the system we know to care for us. He sent us a message that there are no boundaries to His love for us.

We have moved outside into our Succot when everyone else is moving indoors to escape the cold. We too, reverse our lives to express our reciprocal love for God.

“We sing this Hallel with the same boundless love You manifested in the miracle of the water from the rock!”









Paragraph 2 – Four Species Hallel:

“Who turned the rock into a pool of water.

Pebbles into a source of water.”

God uses His creation at will to do as He wishes. The Midrash teaches that God made a condition with each creation before it assumed its form, to serve certain functions. The creations took this a step further:

“The Sea saw it and ran away.

The Jordan River reversed course.

The mountains danced like deer,

the hills like lambs.”

The creations independently respond to God’s manifestations, not only to His commands and wishes. The Four Species dance in our hands to the Hallel as if to express for all of creation, their honor of Him.

Paragraph 2 – Shabbat Chol HaMoed Hallel:

“The Sea saw it and ran away.” It is interesting how God made Moshe a public and active participant in the splitting of the Sea. God didn’t need Moshe, but wanted him to be the one who brought about the great miracle.

“And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it; because that in it He rested from all His work which God in creating had made.” (Genesis 2:3) The Sages read the conclusion of the verse, “la’asot,” as, “so that we would all participate in the making of the world.”

Shabbat is a celebration of our creativity and important role in completing and perfecting God’s creation. It was not only Moshe, but all humanity that was invited to be active participants in the Creation.

Succot, according to Rabbi Akivah, reminds us of the booths we built in the desert with materials supplied by God, just as we built His home; the Mishkan. God wanted us to be active participants in His home, and our own.

We sing this paragraph with joy over the gift of being Participants, stressed by Shabbat and Succot.



Paragraph Three

This is the paragraph of Trusters, or people who are Botchim. This paragraph celebrates our conviction that God will take care of our needs, and guide us toward perfecting our souls.

The idea of Trusters is fundament to the laws of the Succah: Lavud, Dofen Akumah, etc. (See Succot Lecture Part One: “As If.”) God will fill in the empty spaces. God will “Bend the walls,” so to speak to help our Succah be kosher.

Trusters rely on God to help them accomplish their goals and fulfill their obligations.

We sing this paragraph in honor of all the “As If” laws of Succot. God will help us, Trusters, to achieve our goals.

Paragraph 3 – Four Species Hallel:

“They have mouths but do not speak,

they have eyes but do not see,

they have ears but do not hear,

they have noses but do not smell.

A hand – but do not feel.

Legs – but do not walk.

They do not even groan.

Their makers will become like them, all who trust in them.

Israel: Trust in God! Their Help and Protection!”

We speak of physical objects that cannot be anymore than what they are, even as we hold physical objects that have become so much more by virtue of being used for a Mitzvah. Our relationship with God is real, vibrant, and most importantly, empowering. The relationship allows us to transform the physical into living spiritual realities. The Four Species give voice to God’s praises, and to our being Transformers, empowered to raise the physical into new realities.

Paragraph 3 – Shabbat Chol HaMoed Hallel:

“Not we, God, not we,

but Your Name deserves honor for Your kindness, Your truth.

How can the pagans ask, “Where is their God?”

Now our God in the heavens did just what He desired.”

The Ma’asei Hashem (Ma’asei Mitzrayim, Chapter 13) explains that two revelations of God’s power took place in Egypt: The plagues proved that God has the power to compel someone to do His will. When God instructed the Children of Israel to borrow gold and silver from the Egyptians, which the former masters willingly did, God was proving that He has the power to convince someone to change his mind, not through force, but through awareness. The Egyptians became “friends,” to their former slaves.

The second revelation is described as “Your truth.”

We change our lives each Shabbat by observing the numerous and complex laws. We change our lives on Succot when we move out of our comfortable homes into the Succah. We honor the truth of God’s Torah and Mitzvot when we are willing to make such drastic changes from pure conviction and awareness.

We celebrate the clarity God gives us to perceive “Your truth,” as we sing this psalm.



Paragraph Four

“God remembered us and will bless – Bless the ‘House’ of Israel – Bless the ‘House’ of Aaron.” This paragraph has special resonance on Succot when we change “Houses.” We made a statement when we moved out of our homes into the Succah: “We define our home by our relationship with You, not by walls and a roof.”

This echoes the teaching of the opening Mishna in Yoma: It is written, “ And he shall make atonement for himself and for his house,” “His house,” that means, ‘his wife.’ A home is always defined by relationships, for the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur, and for us on Succot.

This paragraph rejoices on the home we have constructed in our relationship with God; a boundless home that reaches the Heavens.

Paragraph 4 – Four Species Hallel:

“The heavens are God’s, while the earth has been given to people.” “Were it not for My covenant with the day and night, I had not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth.” (Jeremiah 33:25) This heaven is that of which it is said, ““The heavens are God’s,” and this earth is the “land of the living,” comprising seven lands of which David said, “I will walk before the Lord in the lands of the living.” (Zohar, Volume 1 24b)

There are actually a total of seven in the Four Species: 1 Lulav + 1 Etrog + 3 Haddasim, + 2 Aravot, corresponding to the “seven lands,” mentioned by King David. They are the celebration of the Covenant of Torah that gives continued existence to the earth that has been given to us.

We also shake the Lulav in six directions with ourselves representing the seventh world, which can reach to the Heaven, which is God’s.



Paragraph 4 – Shabbat Chol HaMoed Hallel:

“God remembered us and will bless –

Bless the House of Israel –

Bless the House of Aaron

Bless those who are in awe of God, the insignificant with the great.

God will enhance you – you and your children.

You are blessed to God Who made the heavens and the earth.

The heavens are God’s, while the earth has been given to people.”

What parable fits the creation of the world? The parable of a king who had treasuries filled with good things, and who asked, “To what end are these things laid up? I shall get me servants, give them to eat and drink, so that they will praise me.” Just so the world was waste and empty, and the Holy One, Blessed is He, rose up and created the earth, and let man rule over every thing. Therefore, what ought we to do? To bless and praise our Creator. – Midrash Tehillim, 89:3

Shabbat is when we bless and praise our Creator for sharing His world with us by allowing us to be active participants in its perfection.

Succot is when we gather in the harvest, our work, and celebrate not only the food we have successfully grown, but that we were created to achieve and participate in creation. “You are blessed to God Who made the heavens and the earth. The heavens are God’s, while the earth has been given to people.”

Author Info:
Learn & discover the Divine prophecies with Rabbi Simcha Weinberg from the holy Torah, Jewish Law, Mysticism, Kabbalah and Jewish Prophecies. The Foundation Stone™ is the ultimate resource for Jews, Judaism, Jewish Education, Jewish Spirituality & the holy Torah.

“Noah removed the covering of the Ark, and looked, and behold! The surface of the ground had tried (to see Genesis 8:13).” It is also possible to read the final phrase of the verse as, “the surface of the ground had been destroyed.”

What did Noah see when he first looked outside of the Ark after the waters of the Flood had tried? Did he he see a pristine perfect world, with everything fresh and alive? Or, did he see a beautiful world that was made possible only by the destruction of all that had existed before?

“The Lord spoke to Noah, saying. “Go forth from the Ark; you and your wife, your sons, and your sons’ wives with you. Every living being that is with you of all flesh, of birds, of animals, and moving things that move on the earth, ordered them out with you, and let them team on the earth and be fruitful and multiply on the earth (Verses 15–17).”

God understands that Noah is torn between the beautiful future laid out before him and the past that was so devastatingly destroyed. God instructs him to go forth and build and be fruitful and multiply on the earth. God wants Noah to be focused on building the future.

Noah rises to the occasion: “then no I built an altar to God and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.”

God responds to Noah’s actions: “God smelled the pleasing aroma, and God said in His heart: “I will not continue to curse again the ground because of man.” “All the days of the earth, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”

More blessing follows: “the Lord blessed Noah and his sons, and He said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the land. The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, in everything that moves on earth and in all the fish of the sea; in your hand they are given.”

Everything is moving forward as it should. This is a time of great blessing; that is, until Noah takes a slight detour:

“Noah, the men of the earth, debased himself and planted a vineyard. He drank of the wine and became drunk, and he uncovered himself with in his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside.”

One moment, Noah is the man of the future. The next moment he is the man of the earth, drunk and naked. Noah took a detour from his greatness and his mission. This detour is H’evinu.

The detour was made. Noah had to choose whether to return to what he was ordered to remain off his path: “no awoke from his wanting and realized what his small son had done to him. And he said, “Cursed is Canaan; a slave of slaves shall he be to his brothers.” And he said, “Blessed is God, the Lord of Shem; and let Canaan be a slave to them. May the Lord extend Japheth, but he will dwell in the tents of Shem; May Canaan be a slave to them.”

Noah awoke and rejected his detour and returned to his role as the builder of the future. He laid out the course of human history.

Many of us have our great and grand moments. We find ourselves on a productive path. We have a vision. We live as builders of the future. But then, all too often, we too take a detour and lose sight of our vision. H’evinu describes those people who, when they find that they have detoured from a healthy path, lose sight of their original vision and remain lost in their turn off their road to greatness.

Noah teaches us how to repair H’evinu: by taking a firm stand, making a loud declaration that we are determined to return to our original path of greatness.

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Learn & discover the Divine prophecies with Rabbi Simcha Weinberg from the holy Torah, Jewish Law, Mysticism, Kabbalah and Jewish Prophecies. The Foundation Stone™ is the ultimate resource for Jews, Judaism, Jewish Education, Jewish Spirituality & the holy Torah.

“Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. He went up to the temple of God with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets—all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of God. The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of God—to follow God and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant (II Kings 23:1-3).”

“Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to God as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses (Verse 25).”

Can this king who is so praised by the Bible ever rebel?

The Midrash teaches: Jeremiah said to Josiah, “I have received the following tradition from my teacher Isaiah: “I shall confuse Egypt with Egypt (Isaiah 19:2),” meaning, Egypt’s defeat will not come through you.” Josiah did not heed him. He said, “Did your teacher Moses not say, “The sword shall not pass through your land (Leviticus 26:6)?” Now the sword of that wicked one is passing through my land and within my border.” (Eichah Rabbati 1:53)

“After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Necho king of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah marched out to meet him in battle. But Necho sent messengers to him, saying, “What quarrel is there, king of Judah, between you and me? It is not you I am attacking at this time, but the house with which I am at war. God has told me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with me, or he will destroy you.”

Josiah, however, would not turn away from him, but disguised himself to engage him in battle. He would not listen to what Necho had said at God’s command but went to fight him on the plain of Megiddo.

Archers shot King Josiah, and he told his officers, “Take me away; I am badly wounded.” So they took him out of his chariot, put him in his other chariot and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried in the tombs of his ancestors, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him (II Chronicles 35:20-24).”

“The archers shot at King Josiah (II Chronicles 35:23).” Rabbi Mani said: They shot 300 arrows into him until his body became like a sieve. Jeremiah listened carefully to hear what he would say as he expired. What did he say? “It is God Who is righteous, for I disobeyed His utterance (Lamentations 1:18),” His utterance, and that of His messenger, Jeremiah.”

The righteous Josiah refused to obey the instruction of Jeremiah. He rebelled. He disobeyed the prophet because he was convinced that he is reading of the Bible was correct, and more significant then the tradition Jeremiah had received from Isaiah.

His intentions were perfect. His motivations were directed toward God. Yet, his actions are considered an act of rebellion.

Josiah learns from his mistake in the final moment of his life, acknowledges his error, and accepts the authority of God and His messenger, Jeremiah.

There are times when we act with the best of motivations, the purest of intentions, and yet our actions may very well be considered an act of rebellion. Whether it is to speak negatively of someone we consider wicked, or to insist on perfect decorum in prayer even at the price of embarrassing someone, or ignoring a child’s cries for attention because we need to study, or to publicly rebuke someone we consider a bad influence even if that means the person will feel cut off from the community, actions motivated by good do not necessarily mean that they are consistent with God’s wishes. In fact, they may actually be considered an act of rebellion.

I recall people who publicly declared that a halachic decision of Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l was a travesty. They were convinced that they were fighting for truth. Despite their intentions, there is no question that their actions were a rebellion against the authority of Rav Moshe.

Josiah learned from his mistake and died with and acknowledgment of God’s authority on his lips. We do not need to wait for our final moment to repair our acts of rebellion. We can repair all of the moments when we questioned God’s judgment, fairness, and justice; our Maradnu, by following our recitation of Maradnu by declaring God’s righteousness.

Author Info:
Learn & discover the Divine prophecies with Rabbi Simcha Weinberg from the holy Torah, Jewish Law, Mysticism, Kabbalah and Jewish Prophecies. The Foundation Stone™ is the ultimate resource for Jews, Judaism, Jewish Education, Jewish Spirituality & the holy Torah.

“Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. They quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before God! Why did you bring God’s community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here? Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!”

Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of God appeared to them. God said to Moses, “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”

So Moses took the staff from God’s presence, just as he commanded him. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

But God said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to sanctify Me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”

These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with God and where He was proved holy among them (Numbers 20:2-13).”

Although the verse describes the place as where God, “was proved only among them,” we are still told that God was angry with Moses and Aaron for their failure to, “sanctify Me in the eyes of the Children of Israel.” the sanctification of God’s Name was less, Taful, then it would have been had Moses spoken to the rock. That lived till bit less than what it could have been added an element of falsehood to Moses’s actions.

A rushed prayer that is less than it could have been, has this quality of Tafalnu Sheker. A Shabbat, a festival, any mitzvah that is performed with Taful, a since that it is less then what it truly is, is Tafalnu Sheker. It is similar to one person saying to another, “I love you,” when it is clear that he does not.

Moses is frustrated by his inability to repair his sin: “I implored God at that time, saying, “My Master, God, the Lord, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your strong and, for what power is there in the heaven or on the earth that can perform according to Your deeds and according to Your mighty acts? Let me now cross and see the good Land that is on the other side of the Jordan, this good mountain and the Lebanon.” But God became angry with me because of you, and He did not listen to me; God said to me, “It is too much for you! Do not continue to speak to Me further about this matter. Ascend to the top of the cliff and raise your eyes westward, northward, self word, and eastward, and see with your eyes, for you shall not cross this Jordan (Deuteronomy 3:23–27).”

Moses was frustrated, but God described His greatest prophet so that all would know forever that Moses’s mistake had been repaired: “Never again has there arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom God had known face to face, as evidenced by all the signs and wonders that God sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharoah and all his courtiers and all his land, and by all the strong hand and awesome power that Moses performed before the eyes of all Israel (Deuteronomy 34:10–12).”

God teaches us that the fixing of Moses’s sin could be found in the broader view of the life of the greatest Prophet. There will always be mitzvot we perform at less than optimal levels. Our focus must be not on the specific actions but on the message we convey by the way we live. If our actions reflect the truth of our convictions, we will have successfully repaired Tafalnu Sheker.

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Learn & discover the Divine prophecies with Rabbi Simcha Weinberg from the holy Torah, Jewish Law, Mysticism, Kabbalah and Jewish Prophecies. The Foundation Stone™ is the ultimate resource for Jews, Judaism, Jewish Education, Jewish Spirituality & the holy Torah.

In “Meditations on First Philosophy,” Descartes set out to determine how and if we can distinguish false beliefs from true knowledge. He began by noting that there is theoretically no limit to how wrong we could be, because, God could deliberately deceive us about even the most seemingly self-evident matters. People were uncomfortable speaking of God as a deceiver, so Descartes’ conceit has become known as the Evil Genius. The Evil Genius is determined to have us embrace the possibility that I am wrong. His real “genius” is when the Evil Genius makes us laugh at our perceived accomplishments or potential: Latznu. Cain was the first victim of this approach of the Evil Genius:

“Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to God. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. God looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering He did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

Then God said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. (Genesis 4:2-8)”

It was Cain’s idea to bring an offering to God. Abel simply copied his older brother. Cain’s offering meant far more than Abel’s because he worked the land God had cursed, and still wanted to acknowledge God’s role in his success! He could not understand why God did not look with favor on his offering.

God explains, “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” In other words, “You can do better!”

“You did so much. Your offering is so significant, that I desire more from you.”

“If you do not rise to what you can be you will fall in sin.”

Cain refused to hear that he could rise higher. He scoffed at what he could be. He wanted acknowledgement of what he already was. “How can I be better if You do not even look with favor at what I have already done?”

The great spiritual hero became a killer, and eventually, a scoffer of God’s greatness:

“Then God said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

God saw the two offerings and chose one over the other: Would He not know what happened to Abel?

The man who laughed at his potential made light of God’s knowledge, and eventually, perceived himself as a victim of the world – a joke:

God said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”

Cain said to God, “My punishment is more than I can bear. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” I have become a joke!

“When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you,” you, Cain, who overcame the original curse of the land and who insisted on making an offering of his work to God, have lost the greatness you had. You laughed at your potential; now you will lose what you had.

The Children of Israel fell victim to the Evil Genius when he convinced them to doubt that Moses would return from Sinai. They could not see what they had accomplished. They lost sight of their potential. They constructed the Golden Calf and partied; everything became a joke.

God guided them back by teaching them that they had the power to bring His Presence to earth, even more intensely than it was at Sinai: The people would use the same desire to build something physical with gold and silver to construct a home for the Divine Presence:

“Then Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and altar and put up the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses finished the work. Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of God filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of God filled the tabernacle. (Exodus 40: 33-35)”

The great Moses who ascended Sinai for forty days and forty nights could not enter the tabernacle constructed by the people because, “the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of God filled the tabernacle.”

How often do we fall to the Latznu of the Evil Genius that makes us scoff at our accomplishments and potential! God constantly reminds us how we can learn from our mistakes. We can build by using our belief in our potential, just as any couple that marries is building a home perfectly confident in their ability to build something lasting.

We say Latznu and beat our chest, but then we use that fist to reach forward into the future with confidence. We have learned from our mistakes. We have learned how much we hurt ourselves when we make light of our accomplishments and potential. We face the future with strength.

Author Info:
Learn & discover the Divine prophecies with Rabbi Simcha Weinberg from the holy Torah, Jewish Law, Mysticism, Kabbalah and Jewish Prophecies. The Foundation Stone™ is the ultimate resource for Jews, Judaism, Jewish Education, Jewish Spirituality & the holy Torah.

Having no theory at all and having too many theories both suggest that you are in the middle of a crisis of knowledge. A year and a half after the Millerites “Great Disappointment,” one former believer, Enoch Jacobs, exclaimed, “O what an ocean of contradictory theories is that upon which the multitudes have been floating for the last eighteen months. Do you not long for rest from these conflicting elements?”

Ti’Ta’anu is our confession of functioning despite our crisis of knowledge despite its consequences:

For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel. But in the third year Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down to see the king of Israel. The king of Israel had said to his officials, “Don’t you know that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us and yet we are doing nothing to retake it from the king of Aram?”

So he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight against Ramoth Gilead?”

Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “First seek the counsel of God.”

So the king of Israel brought together the prophets—about four hundred men—and asked them, “Shall I go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?”

“Go,” they answered, “for God, My Master will give it into the king’s hand.”

But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no longer a prophet of God here whom we can inquire of?”

The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of God, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”

“The king should not say such a thing,” Jehoshaphat replied.

So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”

Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them. Now Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns and he declared, “This is what God says: ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.’”

All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. “Attack Ramoth Gilead and be victorious,” they said, “for God will give it into the king’s hand.”

The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the other prophets without exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favorably.”

But Micaiah said, “As surely as God lives, I can tell him only what God tells me.”

When he arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or not?”

“Attack and be victorious,” he answered, “for God will give it into the king’s hand.”

The king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of God?”

Then Micaiah answered, “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and God said, ‘These people have no master. Let each one go home in peace.’”

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad?”

Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of God: I saw God sitting on his throne with all the multitudes of heaven standing around him on his right and on his left. And God said, ‘Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?’

“One suggested this, and another that. Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before God and said, ‘I will entice him.’

“‘By what means?’ God asked.

“‘I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,’ he said.

“‘You will succeed in enticing him,’ said God. ‘Go and do it.’

“So now God has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours. God has decreed disaster for you.”

Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah went up and slapped Micaiah in the face. “Which way did the spirit from God go when he went from me to speak to you?” he asked.

Micaiah replied, “You will find out on the day you go to hide in an inner room.”

The king of Israel then ordered, “Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon the ruler of the city and to Joash the king’s son, and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this fellow in prison and give him nothing but bread and water until I return safely.’”

Micaiah declared, “If you ever return safely, God has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Mark my words, all you people!” (I Kings 22:2-28)

“But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “First seek the counsel of God.” Jehoshaphat insisted on asking the counsel of God. He knew to not believe Ahab’s prophets: “But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no longer a prophet of God here whom we can inquire of?”

Jehoshaphat understood that Ahab did not follow God’s word, or the instructions of a true prophet:

“The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of God, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”

He rebukes Ahab for his cynicism: “The king should not say such a thing,” Jehoshaphat replied.”

Yet, even after he hears, “So now God has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours. God has decreed disaster for you,” he went into battle with Ahab! How did this incredibly righteous king err so disastrously?

Too many agendas and too many theories:

Too many agendas: He wanted peace in Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” He also wanted to follow God: “First seek the counsel of God.” He also wanted victory for Israel.

Too many theories: So the king of Israel brought together the prophets—about four hundred men—and asked them, “Shall I go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?” “Go,” they answered, “for God, My Master will give it into the king’s hand.”

Micaiah even includes this in his prophecy: “One suggested this, and another that. Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before God and said, ‘I will entice him.’

The process begins with, “One suggested this, and another that,” all sorts of opinions, and inevitably ends with, “I will (falsely) entice him.” Once we have numerous agendas on the table, and too many opinions and theories, we will move forward only by deceiving ourselves.

“You will succeed in enticing him,’ said God. ‘Go and do it.’” The deceiving spirit was permanently expelled from God’s Presence for its willingness to deceive.

Was Jehoshaphat able to repair his mistake?

“Now Jehoshaphat built a fleet of trading ships to go to Ophir for gold, but they never set sail—they were wrecked at Ezion Geber. At that time Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my men sail with yours,” but Jehoshaphat refused.” (I Kings 22:49-50)

Jehoshaphat refused Ahaziah’s help because he recognized that he lost his fleet as a punishment for allying himself with the wicked (See II Chronicles 20:37). He understood that he could not support his multiple agendas, nor continue to live with so many theories and opinions if he was to succeed.

I think of Ti’Ta’anu as the Post Yom Kippur Syndrome: This year I will learn Chumash, Navi, Tehillim, Mishna, Talmud, Midrash, Mussar, philosophy, Halacha…  This year I will work on my anger, my speech, my marriage, my work habits…

Many of us develop a huge list of agendas for the coming year, especially after we hear far too many theories about priorities in study and development of a relationship with God. We end up drowning in agendas and theories and losing the fleet.

We often end up deceiving ourselves with all sorts of explanations and excuses for failing to complete the extensive To-Do lists we composed on Yom Kippur.

We need not wait for after Yom Kippur to fall into Ti’Ta’anu; There are so many things we’d like to do and accomplish; more time with family, learn a new skill, take time to relax, develop friendships, become more politically active… The list grows, and we begin to drown in agendas. We get stuck.

We listen to one Rabbi speak of the importance of prayer, while another will speak of the primacy of Mussar, Ethical Development. The list grows, and we begin to be overwhelmed by theories. We cannot move forward.

Jehoshaphat had to choose his agenda: It was more important to avoid evil than to nurture peace with the wicked king of the Northern Kingdom. He set his priorities and began to move forward.

When we reflect on Ti’Ta’anu, and how we flounder in too many theories and agendas, we can declare that we have learned from our mistakes by choosing our most important goal for the coming year. The mistake will be repaired, and the year will be one of Tikkun.

Author Info:
Learn & discover the Divine prophecies with Rabbi Simcha Weinberg from the holy Torah, Jewish Law, Mysticism, Kabbalah and Jewish Prophecies. The Foundation Stone™ is the ultimate resource for Jews, Judaism, Jewish Education, Jewish Spirituality & the holy Torah.

Studies have shown that if you and another person are debating the merits of a particular idea and the other person suddenly insults you, you will instantly retreat further into your own position, and your conviction that the other person is wrong will intensify.

I admit that it is far easier to “win” an argument with an obnoxious person then it is to win in a debate with an irritatingly reasonable person. My tongue sharpens when I am on the receiving end of a series of insults. Biting sarcasm cuts off the feet of my interlocutor, and then I can zoom in for the kill. It’s quite easy to reflect on such occasions as an appropriate use of anger. However, the Vidui wants us to consider not only the appropriateness of the anger but also the element of stubbornness.

In a powerful series of events, King David is held responsible for his stubborn response to Mephibosheth. The story opens with a beautiful scene in which David searches for a descendent of the House of Saul so that he may deal kindly with him for the sake of his dear friend, Jonathan. This is one of my favorite scenes in the life of King David as he demonstrates his loyalty, generosity and kindness:

David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”

Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba. They summoned him to appear before David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?”

“At your service,” he replied.

The king asked, “Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?”

Ziba answered the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is lame in both feet.”

“Where is he?” the king asked.

Ziba answered, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.”

So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel.

When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor.

David said, “Mephibosheth!”

“At your service,” he replied.

“Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.”

Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?”

Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s steward, and said to him, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master’s grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

Then Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s[a] table like one of the king’s sons.

Mephibosheth had a young son named Mika, and all the members of Ziba’s household were servants of Mephibosheth. And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table; he was lame in both feet. (II Samuel, Chapter 9)

However, at a difficult juncture in David’s life he fails the crippled Mephibosheth:

When David had gone (as he was running for his life before the armies of his rebellious son, Absalom,) a short distance beyond the summit, there was Ziba, the steward of Mephibosheth, waiting to meet him. He had a string of donkeys saddled and loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a hundred cakes of figs and a skin of wine.

The king asked Ziba, “Why have you brought these?”

Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the wilderness.”

The king then asked, “Where is your master’s grandson?”

Ziba said to him, “He is staying in Jerusalem, because he thinks, ‘Today the Israelites will restore to me my grandfather’s kingdom.’”

Then the king said to Ziba, “All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.” (II Samuel 16:1-4)

When Ziba lies about his master Mephibosheth, the desperate David unquestionably accepts the false report. He confiscates everything Mephibosheth owns and grants it all to Ziba.

The story continues after David’s victory:

Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely.

When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?”

He said, “My lord the king, since I your servant am lame, I said, ‘I will have my donkey saddled and will ride on it, so I can go with the king.’ But Ziba my servant betrayed me. And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. My lord the king is like an angel of God; so do whatever you wish. All my grandfather’s descendants deserved nothing but death from my lord the king, but you gave your servant a place among those who eat at your table. So what right do I have to make any more appeals to the king?”

The king said to him, “Why say more? I order you and Ziba to divide the land.”

Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has returned home safely.” (19:25-31)

Mephibosheth had not bathed his feet, or trend his mustache, or even laundered his clothing from the day that King David had to run from Jerusalem. It was clear to David that Ziba had lied. And yet, King David did not restore all of his property; only half. It was as if Ziba’s false report had planted itself in David’s heart, and the kingdom was unable to let go of his suspicions of Mephibosheth.

The Sages teach that King David was punished for splitting Mephibosheth’s property by planting the seed that would lead to the split of his kingdom after the death of Solomon. A King cannot afford to be stubborn. A King cannot afford to look at a situation only in the way he has in the past. He must be willing to shed any previous convictions and take an entirely new view of all that is before him.

This is not the typical example of stubbornness. This is not a person who is unwilling to consider the other side. This is not someone who is unwilling to change his mind. This is the stubbornness of holding on even to just a smidgen of something he previously believed, without shedding all previous misconceptions.

This is the stubbornness of being unable to let go of resentments. This is the stubbornness that makes it difficult to forgive people who ask our forgiveness with a whole heart after hurting us. There is that seed of doubt that remains in the back of our mind that makes it difficult for us to relate to the person as if the bad had never occurred.

This is the stubbornness that makes it difficult for us to consider a new approach to prayer. This is the stubbornness that makes it difficult for us to plan a different sort of Yom Kippur. So many of us want the same tunes, the same feelings, the same experiences of previous Yom Kippurs, that we cannot adjust to a new way to pray on this most important day.

Did David know how to learn from this mistake? For this we turn to the story of Shimei who verbally attacked King David as he was running from Jerusalem:

As King David approached Bahurim (as he was running for his life before the armies of his rebellious son, Absalom), a man from the same clan as Saul’s family came out from there. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he cursed as he came out. He pelted David and all the king’s officials with stones, though all the troops and the special guard were on David’s right and left. As he cursed, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you murderer, you scoundrel! The LORD has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The LORD has given the kingdom into the hands of your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a murderer!”

Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head.”

But the king said, “What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the LORD said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why do you do this?’”

David then said to Abishai and all his officials, “My son, my own flesh and blood, is trying to kill me. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the LORD has told him to. It may be that the LORD will look upon my misery and restore to me his covenant blessing instead of his curse today.”

So David and his men continued along the road while Shimei was going along the hillside opposite him, cursing as he went and throwing stones at him and showering him with dirt.(II Samuel 16:5-13)

David did not respond to the insults by becoming more stubborn, but by looking deeper into himself. He was able to let go of the insult and view the situation with clarity. King David definitely knew how to avoid the type of stubbornness described above.

He succeeds again after his victory over Absalom:

When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell prostrate before the king, and said to him, “May my lord not hold me guilty. Do not remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king put it out of his mind. 20 For I your servant know that I have sinned, but today I have come here as the first from the tribes of Joseph to come down and meet my lord the king.”

Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this? He cursed God’s anointed.”

David replied, “What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? What right do you have to interfere? Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Don’t I know that today I am king over Israel?” So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king promised him on oath. (19:19-24)

And yet…

The story of Shimei always precedes the story of Mephiboshet! King David knew how to rid himself of this type of stubbornness before he made his terrible error! He had all the necessary skills to avoid falling into the trap he did, and yet, he failed.

I suspect that the reason King David failed was because he was desperate to avoid being stubborn: when Ziba appeared without his master, King David recalled that it was Ziba who had initiated contact between David and Mephiboshet. It was Ziba who made the connection, and yet, David turned to Ziba and said to him, “You shall work the land for him, you and your sons and your servants.” David had not awarded Ziba; he made him a permanent slave.

When Ziba appeared to support David during the king’s desperate moments, demonstrating his loyalty despite the fact that he had never been rewarded for helping David, the king, refusing to be stubborn, looked back into the past and decided to repair his previous lack of gratitude to Ziba.

King David was convinced that his decision to reward Ziba was the opposite of stubbornness. For all intents and purposes, it was. However, the Sages understand that when King David does not apologize to Mephibosheth, or explain the reason for his decision, David is being stubborn.

Once King David understood how he had hurt Ziba so long ago, he should have applied the lesson to his dealings with Mephibosheth. His refusal to do so was an expression of Kishinu Oref.

This part of the Vidui address is every single situation in which we do not consider all the lessons we have learned in the past and applies them before acting or speaking. Kishinu Oref describes the subtle the burn determination to hold on to old patterns of behavior.

How can we repair it?

Review one conflict after reviewing all the lessons we have learned about listening, being sensitive, caring, and open-minded. Pinpoint how we could have managed the conflict without that “stubbornness,” and then make a serious effort to repair that one conflict.

Author Info:

Learn & discover the Divine prophecies with Rabbi Simcha Weinberg from the holy Torah, Jewish Law, Mysticism, Kabbalah and Jewish Prophecies. The Foundation Stone™ is the ultimate resource for Jews, Judaism, Jewish Education, Jewish Spirituality & the holy Torah.

And so, too, O God, our Lord, instill Your awe upon all Your works, and Your dread upon all You have created. Let all works revere You and all creatures prostrate themselves before You. Let them all become a single society, to do Your will wholeheartedly. For as we know, God, our Lord, that the dominion is Yours, might is in Your hand and strength is in Your right hand, and Your Name inspires awe over all that You have created.[1]
The Abudirham explains that the phrase, “And so…” is based on Esther’s saying. “And so I will come before the king.”[2] Esther knew that she was loved by the king more than all the other woman of the kingdom, and that he would summon her in the near future. However, she was unwilling to wait for him; she wanted to go immediately after her preparations. But as opposed to the first time that she went into the king after a year’s preparation with perfumes and beauty tips, this time she would go into the king after three days of fasting, when she would not be at her best. She was willing to risk everything to approach the king. So too, we, on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are not willing to wait for God. We will risk everything and go directly to Him although we are certainly less than well-prepared.[3]

First Approach (Rashi)

Pachad refers to the heart pounding astonishment[4] and worry[5] (where and how will I fit in?) felt by those immediately close[6] to a revelation of God’s Presence. Eimah refers to the fear caused by the unknown[7], something beyond my immediate comprehension[8] when things no longer make sense[9] to my way of thinking. Yirah is the awe that comes with the clarity of seeing[10] God as much as a human being can comprehend.

Stage 1:

Pachad – Your works: Works come from the lowest form of Creation; Assiyah. They can only experience something that is immediately before them. The most they can feel is Pachad. We ask that there be a revelation of God that will be clear enough for the lowest form of creation which will then add to the Presence of God in the world, which, in turn, will affect us. We are not asking God to make us experience fear; “Everything is in the hands of Heaven except for the Fear of Heaven.”[11] We are declaring ourselves prepared to respond to revelation with fear.[12] We will not ignore what God will manifest.[13]

Eimah- Creations: The revelation of Your Presence should be in such a way that we sense something beyond us which will make us reach/search for the unknown. Creation here means the act of creation; something from nothing. We are declaring ourselves prepared to respond to God’s revelations beyond the obvious and to search for the unknown. At this moment in the prayer, one must reflect on experiences and studies of the previous year when they felt something intangible, ethereal and pray for the understanding to comprehend similar messages that God will send over the coming year.

Stage 2:

Works –Yirah: Even the lowest forms of creations; those who live only on the most immediate level, will see every detail of the world with clarity and be filled with awe. “I request the clarity to see You in everything.”

Creations-Bow: Those with the ability to relate to the abstract will put their insights into action, they will bow with humility. “I will put all my insights into action. I will serve You with humility.”

Stage 3:

All will become a single society: “Only when all the Jews are joined can the King be revealed.”[14] “I commit myself to join with all other Jews with love, without hatred and jealousy, so that You can reveal Yourself as King.”[15]

Do Your will wholeheartedly: “Reveal Your Unity and I will respond with unity; total commitment.”[16]

Stage 4:

Dominion is Yours: Refers to “HaGadol” what You reveal through nature. “I will acknowledge that all that I see in nature is Yours.”

Might is in Your Hand: Refers to “HaGibor” what You reveal through the miraculous. “I will acknowledge and respond to Your miracles”

Strength is in Your right Hand: Refers to “HaNorah” that which is beyond human comprehension. “I will live with the awareness that reality is beyond anything I can see.”

Stage 5:

Your Name inspires Yirah over all You have created: All beings with souls (created) have the clarity of God as part of their essence but their desires and evil inclination conceal that clarity.[17] “I will respond to what You reveal this day by seeing what I know in the most hidden parts of me, to be true.

And so, too, God, grant honor to Your people, praise to those who revere You, good hope to those who seek You, and eloquent speech to those who hope to You; gladness to Your land, and joy to Your city; flourishing pride to David, Your servant, and preparations of a lamp for the son of Jesse, Your anointed – speedily, in our days.

Stage 1:

Honor to Your people: May all see that we are Your people, special to you.[18] “I will act in a way that reflects the honor You have given the Jews.”

Praise to those who revere You: “At that time all the idol worshippers will praise the Jews and say; ‘See the praise of this nation that attached to the Holy One, Blessed is He, no matter what happened to them. They never abandoned Him. They were always aware of His Goodness and Praise.’”[19] “I will attach to You and will always be aware of Your Goodness no matter what happens to me.”

Good hope to those who seek You: “And she went to seek the Lord.”[20] Rebecca went to the prophet with the hope that she would receive a clear answer. We request that God reveal Himself this year so that we will have hope that all our questions will be answered. “I will search with hope for answers to all that troubles me.” “You are to know this day, and answer the questions of your heart,[21] that God is the only Lord – in heaven above and on the earth below – there is none other.”[22]

Eloquent speech to those who hope to You: Those who have waited for Moshiach[23] will be able to open their mouths with the pride of justification. “I will wait for the Moshiach so that I can speak with clarity so that all can understand that this world can be unified in Your Name.”

Stage 2:

Gladness to Your land: Simcha is laughter over something good that was totally unexpected and impossible happening to me.[24] This laughter is one of the sounds of the Shofar![25] Your land is the place where the child arrives after being born.[26] The place where he will live his life and earn his World to Come. We are praying that the Divine Presence fill the Land of Israel so much more than ever before that the land will laugh with the joy of the unexpected. (We will also include this in our kavanot when we hear the shofar tomorrow.)

Joy to Your city: Sasson is the joy over the greatness[27] that comes with the forgiveness of sins[28] and the restoration of deeper levels of connection with God.[29] Your city is Your capital[30], a place by which You are identified[31], and to which You are responsible.[32] “Please restore the greatness of Jerusalem by forgiving our sins, and restoring the deep level of awareness that existed when Your city was standing and reflecting Your Presence.” (Remember; we lived with a much deeper awareness of Hashem and the impact of our choices when Jerusalem was whole.)

Flourishing pride (horn) to David: “After this I was watching in night visions, and behold a fourth beast, exceedingly terrifying, awesome and strong. It had immense iron teeth, and it was devouring and crumbling, and trampling with its feet what remained. It was different from all the beasts that had preceded it, and it had ten horns. As I was contemplating the horns, behold! Another horn, and a mouth speaking haughty words. I watched as thrones were set up, and the One of Ancient days sat.[33] His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like clean wool; His throne was of fiery flames, its wheels blazing fire. A stream of fire was flowing forth from before Him, a thousand thousands were serving Him, and myriad myriads were standing before Him. The judgment was set, and the books were opened. I saw that after this, because of the sound of the haughty words which the horn spoke, I watched until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and consigned to a flame of fire.[34] As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, yet an extension of life was given them until a season and time. I was watching in night visions and behold! With the clouds of heaven, one like a man came; he came up to the One of Ancient Days, and they brought him before Him. He was given dominion, honor and kingship, so that all peoples, nations and languages would serve him; his dominion would be an everlasting dominion that would never pass, and his kingship would never be destroyed.”[35] [36] “We ask that when You judge today, that You will judge all those who oppress us and give over their power to the Moshiach.”

Preparations of a lamp for the son of Jesse: “There I shall cause pride to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for My anointed.”[37] The lamp to bring My light to the world.[38] David’s father, Jesse, had no expectations of his son. In fact, he was ashamed of David. Yet, it is David who brings God’s light to the world. David had expectations of himself. He was able to access the lamp that God had prepared for him. We pray that we, the Jewish People, continue to have expectations of ourselves to be able to bring God’s light to the world.

And so, too, the righteous will see and be glad, the upright will exult, and the devout will be mirthful with glad song. Iniquity will close its mouth and all wickedness will evaporate like smoke, when You will remove evil’s domination from the earth.

Ramchal explains that unlike the rest of the year when we first must pray for the destruction of evil before we pray for the righteous, on Rosh Hashanah, because it is a beginning, before evil has asserted its power, we can pray for the righteous first.[39]

Raising of the Good:

Rashi holds that the Yashar is on a higher level than the Tzaddik[40].

Tzaddikim – See and have Simcha: The Tzaddik emanates life[41], Simcha[42], hope[43] and light[44]. He is able through his being a source of life[45] to bring atonement[46] and knows how to appease the Creator.[47] For example, because he is willing to overlook anything improper done to him, he is able to approach the Creator and ask that He too overlook any insult.[48] In fact, he is so successful in bringing atonement that the Temple in Jerusalem is called his home.[49] The Tzaddik is greater than the angels.[50] The Tzaddik is a source of life. When he will have clarity, Yirah, that will come with this beginning of life, Rosh Hashanah, he will be filled with the laughter of Simcha, unexpected possibilities of life. The potential of life at the beginning is unlimited, reflecting the essence of the Tzaddik. The sound of the Shofar is the sound of his laughter. We want to laugh with him.

Yesharim – Exult: The Yashar is the person who, through his attachment to the Mitzvot, has developed a sensitivity to intuit God’s Will in situations that are not spelled out in black and white in the Torah or Halachah.[51] He will be filled with Alizah, a contagious joy that will infect all around him to experience in their relationship with God.[52]

Chassidim- mirthful with glad song: The Chassidim here refers to Ba’alei Teshuva.[53] They will burst out in song with their mouths and hearts.[54] Even after they sing they will still have song in their hearts that they were unable to express with their mouths.[55] The Shofar is the expression of that unexpressed joy. (Please note: On the day that we do not blow the Shofar, it is important to focus on these different kavanot regarding the Shofar.) The Chassidim are able to reach a level of joy that is so powerful that they receive a level Ruach HaKodesh that they are able to sing ever greater levels of praise.[56] We pray that we too are able to praise You with such joy that we receive new insights into Your praise. The Shofar becomes an instrument to which we dance.

Destruction of Evil:

Iniquity – Close its mouth (see reading from Daniel 7 above) “Thus there is hope for the poor, and iniquity shuts its mouth.”[57] The first attack of evil was with its mouth; when the snake opened a conversation with Eve. We pray that evil will be cut off at its source.

Wickedness – Will evaporate like smoke: “Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth below – for the heavens will evaporate like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants will die, as well; but My salvation will be forever and My righteousness will not be broken.” All of this existence is a façade of reality. We pray that the façade will evaporate so that we can experience God’s salvation and witness His righteousness.

Evil’s domination – You will remove from the Earth: “Behold, I am against you, O wicked one, the word of my Master, the Lord of Legions, for your day has arrived, the time for Me to punish you. The wicked one will stumble and fall, and there will be no one to lift it up. And I will set fire to its cities, and it will consume all its surroundings.”[58] “The wickedness of your heart has misled you, who dwells in the clefts of the rocks in his lofty abode, who says in his heart, “Who can bring me down to earth?’”[59]

[1] Translation from The Complete ArtScroll Machzor, Rabbi Nosson Scherman, Mesorah Publications, 2000

[2] Esther 4:16

[3] See Zohar, III that compares our process on Rosh Hashanah to Jacob going into Issac wearing the “clothes of sin” of Esau.

[4] Rashi: Isaiah 60:5

[5] Malbim ibid

[6] Rashi; Exodus 15:16 “Song of the Sea”

[7] Abraham at the Brit bein Habitarim

[8] Rashi; Exodus 15:16

[9] Rashi: Isaiah 33:18

[10] Yirah also means to see.

[11] TB Berachot 33b

[12] Maharal, Gevurot Hashem, chapter 56

[13] Rabbi Yisrael Salanter said that we must be more careful on this Day of Judgement to be completely committed to our words.

[14] Nachmanides; Deuteronomy 33:5

[15] Sefer Chareidim, Chapter 74

[16] Daily Amidah: “Bless us, our Father, all of us, as one, with the Light of Your Face.”

[17] Rabbeinu Tam; Sefer Hayashar, Fifth Gate

[18] Based on Rashi; Genesis 20:16

[19] Rashi; Deuteronomy 32:43

[20] Genesis 25:22; this refers to Rebecca who was troubled by her pregnancy.

[21] This is the translation of the Ramchal in The Knowing Heart, paragraph 1.

[22] Deuteronomy 4:39

[23] Based on TB Rosh Hashanah 30a

[24] Rashi; Genesis 17:17; describing Abraham’s laughter when he heard that he would be having a child at age 100.

[25] Based on Rashi, Isaiah 16:10

[26] Rashi, Ezekiel 38:4

[27] Rashi; Psalms 45:8

[28] ibid 51:10

[29] ibid, verse 14

[30] Based on Rashi, I Kings 20:34

[31] Based on Rashi, Jeremiah 12:5

[32] Based on Rashi, Ecclesiastes 10:11

[33] Rashi: God will set up two thrones, one of strict justice and the other of mercy. God will judge Rome/Edom when the Messianic era arrives.

[34] Yalkut Shimoni, Daniel, chapter 7, #1064: The horn of power will be given to Moshiach and the righteous and they will sit with God and judge the angels representing the nations that oppressed the Jews throughout history.

[35] Daniel 7:7-14

[36] Rashi, Ezekiel 29:21 This is what is referred to as the “lifting of the horn of David.”

[37] Psalms 132:17

[38] Metzudas David ibid

[39] Ma’amar Hachochmah

[40] TB Taanit 15a. The Rashba ibid disagrees as does Rabbeinu Bachya in the Kad KaKemach; “Ner Chanukah.”

[41] Proverbs 10:16, 12:10, & 12:14

[42] ibid 10:28

[43] Rashi, Proverbs 14:32

[44] Rashi, Zephaniah 3:5

[45] Ramchal, Derech Hashem 2:3:8

[46] Rashi, Proverbs 10:16

[47] ibid verse 32

[48] ibid 12:26

[49] ibid 15:6

[50] TB Sanhedrin 93a

[51] Nachmanides, Deuteronomy 6:18

[52] Based on Rashi, Isaiah 32:13

[53] TB Bava Kamah 103b

[54] Rabbi Yehuda ben Yakar (The rebbi of the Ramban) Commentary on the Siddur; Blessing of Al Hatzaddikim

[55] Shirat David on the Siddur

[56] This is based on TB Succah 52b that describes the dance of the Chassidim at the Simchat Beit HaShoeiva. The Gemara implies that the praises sung by the Chassidim increase as they sing and dance.

[57] Job 5:16

[58] Jeremiah 50:31-32

[59] Obadiah 1:3. This is a prophecy against Edom. Obadiah was born an Edomite, converted and eventually became a prophet. His prophecy is all the more powerful because it is an expression of someone from Edom itself.

[60] This is the acronym for the Vilna Gaon. He differs from Rashi on the definitions of many of the terms in these prayers.

[61] Job 31:23. Rashi explains that Job had such clarity of reward and punishment, as if it were right in front of him, despite the injustice of his suffering, that he was filled with Yiras Haromimus, awe of God’s exaltedness. See Ralbag and Metzudas David who agree with Rashi.

[62] Gra; Habakkuk 1:7 based on Mechilta on the Song of the Sea. He must have had a different text than we do. He may have based this on an original reading of a Sifra; Bechukotai, Chapter 7.

[63] Avnei Eliyahu

[64] Isaiah 5:12

[65] Psalms 8:4

[66] Gra; Genesis 1:1; This is his explanation of the blessings; “Borei pri ha’adama, ha’eitz, minei mezonot.” All these blessings refer to what exists not the action of creation.

[67] Rabbi Chaim Volozhin in the name of his rebbi, the Gra, quoted in Siach Yitzchak.

[68] Ba’er Avraham 89:14 in the name of his father, the Gra.

[69] Avot 4:1 “Who is strong? Someone who conquers his responses.”

[70] Gra, TB Yoma 69a

[71] Proverbs 13:12

[72] Gra, Commentary on Proverbs 10:20

[73] Targum Onkelos; Genesis 2:7

[74] Ba’er Avraham 51:17

[75] Gra; Commentary on Esther 8:16

[76] TB Sanhedrin 98b

[77] Imrei Noam TB Berachot 29a

[78] Isaiah 61:11

[79] Gra; Commentary on the Siddur; “Et Tzemach David”

[80] Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin; Ruach Chaim, Avot 6:1

[81] Gra, Commentary on Proverbs 23:24

[82] Ibid. Commentary on Job 3:21

[83] Proverbs 1:5

[84] Daniel 2:21

[85] Gra, Commentary on Proverbs 3:22 and Job 1:1

[86] Ibid. Proverbs 2:14, 23:24; Habakkuk 1:15, Job 3:21; Chronicles 1 16:31

[87] Ibid. Proverbs 3:22; Job 1:1

[88] Proverbs 2:7; See Commentary of Gra.

[89] Related to Ya’alotz, exult.

[90] Proverbs 11:10

[91] Gra, Commentary on the Siddur; “Al Hatzaddikim”

[92] Samuel 1 2:9

[93] Psalms 97:10

[94] Zohar Volume 1 229b; Vol.3 32a

[95] Gra, Commentary on Proverbs 11:10

[96] As it will be when Moshiach blows his shofar.

[97] Job 5:16

[98] Ibid. Commentary of Gra

[99] As it was at Mt. Sinai.

[100] Psalms 37:20

[101] Jeremiah 12:1

[102] Ba’er Avraham 37:2 in the name of his father, the Gra.

[103] Shofar of Mt. Sinai and Moshiach

[104] Gra; Commentary on the Siddur: “V’Lamalshinim”

[105] See 94

[106] As it will be when Moshiach blows his shofar.

[107] As it was at Mt. Sinai.

[108] Shofar of Mt. Sinai and Moshiach

[109] ibid

[110] Based on TB Chagigah 12b

[111] Isaiah 40:22

[112] Genesis 1:17

[113] Psalms 78:23-24

[114] This is part of Shlomo HaMelech’s prayer upon completion of the Beit Hamikdash. Kings 1 8:13

[115] Isaiah 63:15

[116] Psalms 42:9

[117] TB Chagigah 12b

[118] Meiri: Chagigah 12b

[119] Deuteronomy 26:15

[120] Rashi Chagigah 12b

[121] Kings 1 8:39

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