The unique feature of Rosh Hashanah this year is, of course, that we only
blow the shofaron the second day of Yom Tov. On Shabbos, however,
*Chazal *(Rosh
Hashanah 29b) ruled that we must refrain from this important mitzvah because
we are afraid “*shema ya’avirenu daled amos b’reshus ha-rabbim*” – lest
someone carry the shofar in the public domain and thereby violate the
Shabbos. This phenomenon occurs every few years and, in fact, just three
years ago the first day of Rosh Hashanah also fell out on Shabbos.

HaRav Yaakov Ettlinger (*Minchas Ani*,pp. 482 – 486), one of the giants of
19th century German Jewry, has a remarkable essay on this phenomenon where
he points out a striking historical pattern.

R. Ettlinger notes that, according to his calculation, some of the worst
tragedies in Jewish history occurred during years in which Rosh Hashanah
fell out on Shabbos. He maintains, for example, that the destruction of both
the first and second *Beis HaMikdash* took place in such years.

On the other hand, he also determines that some of the greatest events in
our history – such as being forgiven for the sin of the golden calf,
inaugurating the *Mishkan*,and entering the Land of Israel for the first
time – also transpired in years where Rosh Hashanah came out on Shabbos.

Why is it that events of such extreme – good or bad – tend to take place
during years when Rosh Hashanah and Shabbos converge? R. Ettlinger suggests
the following powerful explanation.

Shofar is more than just a mitzvah, it is also a lifeline. The sound of the
shofar connects us to the spiritual heroism of *Akedas Yitzchok * and, at
the same time, has the unique ability to “bring” our prayers “*lifnai
v’lifnim*,” to the holiest of heavenly abodes.

We arrive at Rosh Hashanah each year *fa’shmutzed *and sullied by the sins
of the past year and therefore, more than just an obligation, we *need* the
shofar; we desperately need the *zechus*, the great merit, of the shofarto
bring us a new year of blessing.

But what happens when we can’t blow the shofar? What will save us this year?
R. Ettlinger answers that Shabbos can be our *zechus*.

It all depends on how we observe Shabbos over the coming year.

If we carefully observe all of the *mitzvos *and are punctilious in avoiding
the prohibited activities, then Shabbos itself will be our *saneigor*, our
greatest advocate, and usher in a year of great *beracha*.

But if, on the other hand, we aren’t careful in our observance of Shabbos
then we look like fakers. After all, we didn’t blow the shofar because we
were so worried about perhaps, maybe – “*shema ya’avirenu*” – violating
Shabbos; if we fall short in keeping Shabbos over the coming year then it
appears as if our concern on Rosh Hashanah was actually nothing more than a
convenient excuse not to blow the shofar. Such behavior not only leaves us
bereft of the merits of both shofarand Shabbos, but is also a *kateigor*, an
indictment against us of such gravity that it could even lead to the worst
of catastrophes.

And this, maintains R. Ettlinger, is the explanation of the “all-or-nothing”
pattern of Jewish history during years in which Rosh Hashanah fell out on
Shabbos. When we lived up to the demands of Shabbos we merited great
blessing; when we didn’t we paid a difficult price.

It’s important to stress, as well, that technical compliance with all of the
*halachos *of Shabbos – by no means a simple feat – isn’t enough. Beyond
behavior, it’s also a question of attitude.

*Chazal * teach us that we were given Shabbos as a “*matanah tovah*,” a
special gift from God. Similarly, the Chafetz Chayim used to compare Shabbos
to a wedding ring given to symbolize *Hashem’s *special love for *Am Yisroel
*. When Shabbos coincides with a holiday – as it does this Rosh Hashanah -
we repeatedly add the word “*b’ahavah*,” with love, to our prayers, because
Shabbos represents the special love that *Hashem * has for the Jewish
people. And, *lehavdil*, like any other relationship, love expressed must be
reciprocated, and therefore we must observe Shabbos with similar love and
passion.

Unfortunately, I am afraid that too often we lose sight of this critical
dimension. We are increasingly careful about the dos and don’ts, but on this
Rosh Hashanah we must ask ourselves: Do we truly appreciate the beauty of
the Shabbos? Are we genuinely excited for Shabbos? Do we sincerely love
Shabbos?

When observed with passion, Shabbos has the power to recharge our spiritual
batteries and the potential to generate unlimited blessing.

Without the full merit of shofar this year, R. Ettlinger teaches that it is
Shabbos which will determine our success. May we be worthy of this challenge
and may the new year be one of great blessing, filled with health and
happiness, for all of us, the Jewish people, and the entire world. Shanah
Tovah.

When Poskim (Halachik authorities) have a safek (doubt) about the correct interpretation of a law, there are various formulas by which to resolve it. It is unusual that the Poskim decide to accept all possible interpretations requiring us to practice the law in all of its permutations. Yet in determining the required sounds from the shofar, this is precisely what they have done.
The Torah makes reference to Rosh Hashannah as a Yom Teruah. Teruah is clearly the musical sound produced by a wind instrument. Elsewhere when the Torah talks of the sounds to be blown on the Yom Kippur of the Yoveil year, it refers to a Shofar Teruah implying that the instrument to be used to create the Teruah sound is a Shofar. But what are these musical notes called a Teruah? What does a teruah sound like?
Unkelos translates teruah as yevvava, a cry. So now we know the sound to be made by the shofar is a crying sound. This still leaves us in doubt, because there are two distinct sounds of crying: one can sob and one can wail. Since we have no clear indication which of these two sounds the teruah is, the gemarra decided that we should blow all permutations: a) a wail, that we call shevarim; b) a sob, that we call teruah; and c) a combination of both that we call shevarim-teruah. The gemarra also learns that before and after every teruah (in its different forms) there should be a long unbroken sound of the tekiah.
We use all permutations because the cry of Rosh Hashanah is not just one cry, it is a process of crying in all its evolving forms. It starts with a confident and optimistic cry of triumph, the tekiah. Then it moves into the wail of the shevarim, and breaks into the heartfelt sob of the teruah. It ends with the combination shevarim-teruah. Each cry is preceded and followed by the triumphant tekiah. If we hear these sounds in the right order and in the 100 different phrases determined for each day of Rosh Hashannah, we have technically filled the Torah’s commandment to listen to the Shofar.
But “hearing” is more than the passive absorption of sound into the brain. The word Shemiah that we use in the beracha for the shofar as well as in the famous first sentence of the shemah, is more than hearing. Shemiah is listening, paying attention. What is it that we should listen to, what emotions can the music of the shofar transmit to us?
A cry more than any other sound, elicits emotion. It is hard to hear the cry of a person; adult, child or infant, and not be moved. But some cries are not made out aloud. Sometimes you need to listen to a person’s soul to hear them cry; you need to look into their eyes, see into their hearts, and feel their pain. We often turn away from the cries of others because it is too painful to listen, probe and respond.
We don’t only turn away from the sobs of other. Sometimes our own souls sob and cry out, but our heads are too cluttered with noise to hear them. Personally, the sounds of the shofar are pathways to the sounds of my own soul. They cause me to pause, to hear, and to listen intently. Is my soul crying out? Is it sobbing quietly to itself without me paying any attention to it?
As I concentrate my attention on the depths of my own soul, I hear a faint echo of the shofar’s sounds deep inside me. I hear the triumphant tone of the Tekiah as my soul sees a cosmic picture of an ideal world of Divine presence, peace and justice. It recognizes my potential contribution to that vision and it shouts out a triumphant affirmation, a bright and clear Tekia. Then it sees the cosmic reality, so different from the cosmic ideal. And my soul begins to wail in harmony with millions of other Jewish souls. It wails over a Jewish world that has become superficial and void of deep meaning. Over the study of Torah that too often lacks majesty and relevance. It wails over the practice of Torah that too often denies the essence of deracheha darchei noam (the ways of the Torah are ways of wellbeing and pleasantness). It wails for a world where halacha is ritual rather than service, and learning is an academic endeavor rather than emersion into Divine Intelligence. It wails for unrealized potential. It wails for a world so lost, it wails for the injustice it sees. All around it.
Then the wail becomes a self-focused sob. My soul sobs when it sees how much greater I could be than I am, how much more impactful, how much wiser, how much kinder. It sobs for the love I could have shown and haven’t for the time I could have used and didn’t. It cries for wasted opportunities.
And then, slowly, the sobbing subsides. My soul has noticed that I am hearing it, it realizes that its sobbing has moved me to tears too. The sobbing stops when my soul sees that I feel compelled to make changes in the year ahead and commit to those changes, that I will do what I can to bring the world a little closer to its ideal, and my life a little more dedicated to Avodas and Kiddush Hashem. Once again my soul lets out a triumphant cry: tekiah.
Was that my soul I was listening to, or was it the shofar expertly blown in the shul in which I am davening? I can’t really tell. By this time the sounds of my soul’s cries and those of the shofar have fused. I feel at one with the shofar, at one with the souls of all the other Jewish people pouring their hearts out in prayer. I feel at one with my G-d.

Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler accompanied a student to the train station, the first stop on the young man’s journey to a new country. As they approached the station, the student asked his holy rabbi for a blessing.

“From the depths of my heart, I wish for you, that you find a good seat for your journey, so that your travels will be comfortable.”

“My Rebbi, is that the best blessing that you have for me? You can only bless me for my journey and not for my life!”

“I did bless you for your entire life. My intention was that this is only the first step of your life’s journey. I blessed you with a comfortable ride for the entire trip.”

Tomorrow night we will begin the next stage of our life’s journey. The Foundation Stone™ prays that God will bless you with a first-class for the next step of the jouney and for the entire trip.

Good Traveling.

Shabbat Shalom and Shana Tova

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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.

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 what he has learned.

The Chafetz Chaim once visited a Polish village and met an 85-year-old man, who had witnessed a royal visit more than 80 years earlier. The elderly man could not remember much of his life, but he recalled each and every detail of the king’s visit. He described the royal clothes down to the smallest detail. He remembered every word that the kings said when he spoke to the villagers.

The holy rabbi remarked how remarkable it was that a man, who was having difficulty remembering anything from his life, was able to recall so much of something he had witnessed a very long time ago. “The event was so important and precious to him that he never forgot a single detail of something that happened when he was 5 years old. People remember things that are significant to them. We only forget Torah we studied because we did not appreciate the preciousness of what we were learning. That is why it is considered as if he forfeit part of his eternal life: Because he did not adequately appreciate and honor what he was studying at the time he was learning!”

In Zichronot we speak of how God remembers all that we do, think and say. This implies that all of those things are precious enough to God to remember.

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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