Parshat Ha'azinu
September 13, 2002

Zachreynu Lechaim

The first insertion that we make in our shmonah esreh during the ten days of Teshuva is “Zachreynu Lechaim- Remember us for life”.

The short prayer translates as follows- “Remember us for life oh King who desires life. Write us in the book of life, for your sake G-d”.

At first glance the prayer appears quite repetitive. Is there a difference between remembering us for life and writing us in the book of life? Secondly, what does it mean that we should be inscribed for G-d’s sake? I thought our inscription was based on our merits from the previous year in conjunction with our aspirations for the year to come!

Rav Yaakov Emden explains in his Siddur- Bait Yaakov that there is most certainly a difference between being remembered for life and being inscribed in the book of life. When we ask G-d to remember us for life we are requesting that he find favor with our accomplishments and efforts of the previous year. However when we ask him to inscribe us into His book we depend on His divine mercy to aid us.

It is human and normal to desire to earn one’s own keep and stand on one’s own two feet. That is why we first ask “Remember us for life”. If for whatever reason we fall short with our personal merits, we cry out for life however we can acquire it.

We now understand that the prayer is not repetitive; but we still need to examine “being inscribed for G-d’s sake”. The Anaf Yosef offers a beautiful interpretation of this section of the prayer. He explains that we are not asking G-d to bless us with life “for His sake”- (that would be brazen). We are rather beseeching G-d to grant us life so that can live life in the way He has intended us to. We cry out that we will live a more moral, just, and G-dly existence. We want a life that will be “Lemaancha Elokim Chaim”.

In the merit of our sincere prayers together with Teshuva and Tzedaka may we all merit to be sealed in the book of life.

Shabbat Shalom and Gemar Tov,

Rabbi Ephraim Epstein

*Helpful Hint* Jot down some of the interpretations you learn into the margins of your personal siddur. This will enable you to access and utilize these and other Tefilla tips more easily.