Chanukah provides us with a unique opportunity to make positive changes in our lives and to come closer to Hashem.\u00a0 There are numerous messages of inspiration that we can and should inculcate over Chanukah and take with us after Chanukah.\u00a0 To list just a few:<\/p>\n
\u2022 To love\u00a0mitzvos<\/em>\u00a0and perform them with love and enthusiasm If we had to choose what the \u201cessence\u201d of Chanukah is, there is one that stands out.\u00a0 It stands out because it is stated for us at the end of\u00a0Al HaNisim<\/em>, which we recite both in\u00a0Shemoneh Esrei<\/em>\u00a0and in\u00a0Birkas HaMazon<\/em>.\u00a0\u00a0Al HaNisim<\/em>\u00a0speaks of the miracles and salvations that Hashem performed for us during the period of the Chanukah event and then concludes with:<\/p>\n \u05d5\u05e7\u05d1\u05e2\u05d5 \u05e9\u05de\u05d5\u05e0\u05ea \u05d9\u05de\u05d9 \u05d7\u05e0\u05d5\u05db\u05d4 \u05d0\u05dc\u05d5, \u05dc\u05d4\u05d5\u05d3\u05d5\u05ea \u05d5\u05dc\u05d4\u05dc\u05dc \u05dc\u05e9\u05de\u05da \u05d4\u05d2\u05d3\u05d5\u05dc<\/span> It seems that the\u00a0Chachamim<\/em>\u00a0were telling us that the essence of Chanukah is to recognize all that Hashem did (and does) for us and to praise and thank Him. \u00a0We know this is not for His benefit but rather for ours.\u00a0 Praising and thanking Hashem brings us closer to Him, which is the ultimate purpose of all the\u00a0mitzvos<\/em>.\u00a0 This is why, in\u00a0halachah<\/em>, the first\u00a0brachah<\/em>\u00a0of\u00a0Shemoneh Esrei<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Modim<\/em>\u00a0are the two most important.\u00a0 These are the openings to the Praise section and the Thanks section of\u00a0Shemoneh Esrei<\/em>.<\/p>\n Praising Hashem, and remembering and contemplating His\u00a0chasadim<\/em>\u00a0of the past and present, on both a communal and personal level, are\u00a0mitzvos min haTorah<\/em>.\u00a0 Hashem allows us this privilege and opportunity at any time.\u00a0 Additionally, it is built in for us by\u00a0Chazal<\/em>\u00a0each time we recite\u00a0Shemoneh Esrei<\/em>, in the\u00a0brachah<\/em>of\u00a0Modim<\/em>.\u00a0 With that in mind, we present, below, selected Weekly Tefilah Focus segments from\u00a0Modim<\/em>\u00a0(Shemoneh Esrei<\/em>\u00a047, 51, 53, 54).<\/p>\n May we all be\u00a0zocheh<\/em>\u00a0to grow closer to Hashem throughout Chanukah and make changes that will be lasting and eternal.<\/p>\n Shemoneh Esrei 47<\/strong><\/p>\n Appreciation: An Exercise in Growth\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u05de\u05d5\u05d3\u05d9\u05dd \u05d0\u05e0\u05d7\u05e0\u05d5 \u05dc\u05da<\/span> The word \u201c\u05d4\u05d5\u05d3\u05d0\u05d4<\/span>\u201d has two distinct meanings.\u00a0 One meaning is to thank.\u00a0 The other meaning is to admit.\u00a0 Rav Hutner\u00a0zt\u201dl<\/em>\u00a0states that in reality these two meanings are very closely connected.\u00a0 The path to thanking and praising Hashem for of all the goodness and miracles that He performs for us is only through recognizing and admitting that\u00a0all<\/em>\u00a0is given to us by Hashem.\u00a0 Nothing just \u201chappens\u201d and nothing is the direct result of our efforts.\u00a0 Yes, we need to put forth our best efforts!\u00a0 However, it is important for us to admit that it was not our superior intellect or abilities that actually produced the result.\u00a0 If we cannot fully admit this, we cannot properly thank and praise Hashem.<\/p>\n Rav Dovid Cohen\u00a0shlita<\/em>, Rosh HaYeshiva of the Chevron Yeshiva, quotes Rav Hutner and expands on his thought.\u00a0 Rav Cohen cites the\u00a0Midrash Rabah<\/em>\u00a0on the\u00a0pasuk<\/em>\u00a0\u201c\u05d4\u05e4\u05e2\u05dd \u05d0\u05d5\u05d3\u05d4 \u05d0\u05ea \u05d4’<\/span>\u2013Ha\u2019paam odeh es Hashem<\/em>\u00a0(This time let me gratefully praise Hashem),\u201d when Leah named her son Yehudah.\u00a0 This\u00a0midrash<\/em>\u00a0teaches us that because Leah was involved in thanking Hashem, she merited to have offspring who were \u201cbaalei hodaah<\/em>\u201d: Yehudah, who admitted that it was he who had been with Tamar, and David HaMelech who was known for thanking and singing praises to Hashem.\u00a0 Rav Cohen points out that these two exhibited two seemingly totally different meanings of\u00a0hodaah<\/em>.\u00a0 How is Yehudah\u2019s admission connected to the merit of Leah\u2019s gratitude?\u00a0 Using Rav Hutner\u2019s connection of admission and thanks, we now understand the\u00a0midrash<\/em>.\u00a0 It is only through the trait of being able to admit that one can truly thank and praise Hashem that these two aspects are ingrained in Leah\u2019s descendants.\u00a0 (There is much more inspiration in this beautiful essay from Rav Cohen; see pages 220-223 in the\u00a0sefer Mizmor L\u2019Sodah<\/em>\u00a0by Rav Daniel Yaakov Travis).<\/p>\n Rav Cohen then proceeds to discuss the Ramban at the end of\u00a0Parshas Bo<\/em>, who states that the purpose of creation is \u201c\u05e9\u05d9\u05d3\u05e2 \u05d4\u05d0\u05d3\u05dd \u05d5\u05d9\u05d5\u05d3\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d0\u05dc\u05e7\u05d9\u05d5 \u05e9\u05d1\u05e8\u05d0\u05d5<\/span>\u2013she\u2019yeida ha\u2019adam v\u2019yodeh leilokav she\u2019bar\u2019o<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 Rav Cohen explains this to mean that the purpose of creation is for man to \u201cknow\u201d Hashem and to admit that Hashem created him and is directly involved and responsible (i.e.,\u00a0hashgachah<\/em>) for all that occurs in his life, thereby resulting in him thanking Hashem for all.<\/p>\n We now provide an excerpt from\u00a0Shemoneh Esrei 4<\/em>\u00a0to answer the glaring question: Since Hashem does not need anything, let alone my thank-you, why is it the \u201cpurpose of the world\u201d to recognize that all is in His power, that all comes from Him, and to thank Him?<\/p>\n The\u00a0Chovos HaL\u2019vavos<\/em>\u00a0similarly explains that the humility of recognizing that we are totally dependent on Hashem leads to closeness with Him and elevates our\u00a0nefesh<\/em>\u00a0to our Creator.\u00a0 This closeness results from the\u00a0shevach<\/em>\u00a0(the first three\u00a0brachos<\/em>) and\u00a0hodaah<\/em>\u00a0(the last three\u00a0brachos<\/em>) sections of our\u00a0Shemoneh Esrei<\/em>.\u00a0 The\u00a0Chovos HaL\u2019vavos<\/em>\u00a0is teaching us that\u00a0we<\/em>\u00a0are the ones who benefit from these two sections of\u00a0Shemoneh Esrei<\/em>.\u00a0 Praising Hashem and thanking Him leads us to humility, which leads to\u00a0dveikus<\/em>\u00a0(closeness to Hashem), which results in the elevation of our\u00a0nefesh<\/em>.\u00a0 This is the very essence of\u00a0tefilah<\/em>.\u00a0 Based on the\u00a0Chovos HaL\u2019vavos<\/em>, we can see that the first three\u00a0brachos<\/em>\u00a0are not simply an introduction to our requests, but are in reality an integral part of the essence of\u00a0tefilah<\/em>.<\/p>\n The same is true for the last three\u00a0brachos<\/em>.\u00a0 We thank Hashem\u00a0not<\/u><\/em>\u00a0for fulfilling our needs, but for granting us once again this recognition that we are completely dependent on Him, thereby getting closer to Him, which is the purpose of\u00a0tefilah<\/em>.<\/p>\n Perhaps we are starting to gain a deeper appreciation of why we should aim to enthusiastically look forward to our next\u00a0tefilah<\/em>, instead of viewing it as a mandatory action we must perform. V\u2019Al Nisecha: Miracles \u2013 Large and Small Throughout our history, Hashem has performed many open miracles and even many more hidden miracles for\u00a0klal Yisrael<\/em>.\u00a0 Some of these open and initially hidden miracles are celebrated and \u201cre-experienced\u201d by us as we travel through time during the yearly cycle of\u00a0yamim tovim<\/em>.<\/p>\n HaRav Avigdor Miller\u00a0zt\u201dl<\/em>, in his\u00a0siddur Tefilos Avigdor<\/em>, points out that\u00a0we<\/em>, in\u00a0our<\/em>\u00a0generation, experience\u00a0nisim<\/em>\u00a0each and every day, as we say in\u00a0Modim<\/em>: \u201c\u05d5\u05e2\u05dc \u05e0\u05e1\u05d9\u05da \u05e9\u05d1\u05db\u05dc \u05d9\u05d5\u05dd \u05e2\u05de\u05e0\u05d5<\/span>\u2013for Your miracles that are with us every day.\u201d\u00a0 The difference between the past open miracles, such as\u00a0Y\u2019tzias Mitzrayim<\/em>, and the miracles of today are that, in the past, these miracles were open and revealed to all, whereas today miracles are hidden, due to \u201c\u05d4\u05e1\u05ea\u05e8 \u05e4\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd<\/span>\u2013hester Panim<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u05e0\u05e1\u05d9\u05da<\/span>\u2013n<\/em>isecha<\/em>\u201d includes both miracles that occur to the\u00a0klal<\/em>\u00a0and miracles that occur to us as individuals.\u00a0 These are less frequent miracles.<\/p>\n Perhaps we are less cognizant of the miracles that occur to us at all times \u2013 \u201c\u05e0\u05e4\u05dc\u05d0\u05d5\u05ea\u05d9\u05da \u05d5\u05d8\u05d5\u05d1\u05d5\u05ea\u05d9\u05da \u05e9\u05d1\u05db\u05dc \u05e2\u05ea<\/span>\u2013Your wonders and favors in every season\u201d \u2013 because they can be attributed to \u201cnature.\u201d\u00a0 These miracles are more frequent and are disguised as \u201cteva<\/em>(nature).\u201d<\/p>\n Each of us, in our own personal lives, experiences hidden miracles all the time.\u00a0 Many times, these are \u201csmall\u201d everyday miracles, like finding a parking spot in an \u201cimpossible\u201d area.<\/p>\n Often we don\u2019t recognize these more frequent miracles.\u00a0 The following story comes from \u201cEmunah Daily,\u201d produced by Rabbi David Ashear:<\/p>\n \u201cRabbi Paysach Krohn told a story about Rav Shach, in his old age, attending the funeral of a woman in Haifa who had very few relatives.\u00a0 Upon inquiry, Rav Shach explained who the woman was.\u00a0 He said that when he was younger, learning in\u00a0yeshivah<\/em>, the conditions were almost intolerable.\u00a0 As one of the younger boys in a\u00a0yeshivah<\/em>\u00a0that was filled to capacity, he had to sleep on a cold, hard floor.\u00a0 In the frigid winter with no heat and no blankets, he was suffering.<\/p>\n \u201cOne Wednesday, he received a letter from his uncle inviting him to come join him in his business.\u00a0 He was a successful blacksmith with no children, and he assured his nephew that he would teach him the trade, and the business would eventually become his.\u00a0 His uncle asked him, \u201cWhy stay where you are in poverty and hunger? \u00a0Work for me and your life will be set.\u201d \u00a0The young Rav Shach thought about it for a day, and by Thursday night, he decided his uncle was right.\u00a0 He was going to leave.<\/p>\n \u201cThe next morning, a woman came to the\u00a0yeshivah<\/em>, saying that her husband, a blanket salesman, recently passed away.\u00a0 She was in town sitting\u00a0shiv\u2019ah<\/em>\u00a0with his family, and she had a few extra blankets that she wanted to donate to that\u00a0yeshivah<\/em>.\u00a0 They were heavy Russian blankets, filled with goose down.\u00a0 One of them was given to the young Rav Shach.\u00a0 That Friday night, he was warmer than he had been all winter, and he decided to stay in\u00a0yeshivah<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cHe eventually grew up to become the\u00a0Gadol HaDor<\/em>, a\u00a0rav<\/em>\u00a0who impacted generations of people to live Torah lives.\u00a0 That woman never remarried.\u00a0 She lived a quiet and seemingly uneventful life.\u00a0 Little did she know that her small act of kindness changed the world.\u00a0 She will reap the rewards for eternity.\u201d<\/p>\n Many of us ignore the blankets sent to us by Hashem, not recognizing the miracles in our lives.\u00a0 Let us learn from the way a\u00a0gadol ha\u2019dor<\/em>\u00a0recognized the miracles in his life, and the\u00a0hakaras ha\u2019tov<\/em>\u00a0he displayed for Hashem\u2019s worthy messenger.\u00a0 Let us seek Hashem out and contemplate Hashem in our own lives more deeply, as we say in\u00a0Hodu<\/em>: \u201c\u05d1\u05e7\u05e9\u05d5 \u05e4\u05e0\u05d9\u05d5 \u05ea\u05de\u05d9\u05d3<\/span>\u2013bakshu fanav tamid<\/em>(seek His Presence always).\u201d<\/p>\n Shemoneh Esrei 53<\/p>\n More Than Meets the Eye<\/strong><\/p>\n \u05d5\u05e2\u05dc \u05db\u05dc\u05dd \u05d9\u05ea\u05d1\u05e8\u05da \u05d5\u05d9\u05ea\u05e8\u05d5\u05de\u05dd \u05e9\u05de\u05da \u05de\u05dc\u05db\u05e0\u05d5 \u05ea\u05de\u05d9\u05d3 \u05dc\u05e2\u05d5\u05dc\u05dd \u05d5\u05e2\u05d3<\/span> Rav Yisrael Salanter once left his family and students to go to Paris to try to influence the assimilated Jews there to return to Torah Judaism.\u00a0 One day, he entered an elegant hotel to meet some wealthy Jews who frequented that hotel.\u00a0 He sat down and ordered water.\u00a0 When the waiter brought him the bill, it was an astronomic sum.\u00a0 He asked the waiter why the bill was so high.\u00a0 The waiter responded that Rav Yisrael was not paying merely for a glass of water.\u00a0 The charge included the surroundings and ambience in which he drank the water.\u00a0 He was paying for the exquisite furniture, lighting, carpeting, and stunning view, as well as the water.<\/p>\n Rav Yisrael then wrote the following letter to his disciples:<\/p>\n \u201cFor a long time I have been puzzled by the fact that we recite a very lofty and all-inclusive blessing for a plain glass of water, saying, \u2018Blessed are You, Hashem, our G-d, King of the universe,\u00a0\u05e9\u05d4\u05db\u05dc \u05e0\u05d4\u05d9\u05d4 \u05d1\u05d3\u05d1\u05e8\u05d5<\/span>\u2013she\u2019ha\u2019kol nihyeh bid\u2019varo<\/em>\u2013through Whose word\u00a0everything<\/em>\u00a0came to be.\u2019\u00a0 But from the words of a gentile waiter in Paris I learned that we are not merely thanking G-d for the glass of water; we are expressing our appreciation for the magnificent surroundings in which G-d serves the water to us.\u00a0 We are thanking G-d for the fresh air we breathe as we drink that water and for the sun that gives us light and for the tree that shades us.\u00a0 In short, whenever we thank G-d for\u00a0one<\/em>\u00a0thing, we should use it as an opportunity to thank G-d for everything.\u201d<\/p>\n [Story and quote from\u00a0Shemoneh Esrei<\/em>, ArtScroll, by Rav Avrohom Chaim Feuer]<\/p>\n We praise and thank Hashem for \u201ckulam<\/em>\u201d \u2013 for\u00a0all<\/em>\u00a0of the open and hidden miracles, wonders, and goodness that are constantly present in our lives as part of the\u00a0klal<\/em>, and in our personal lives.\u00a0 We praise and thank Him for His limitless\u00a0rachamim<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0chesed<\/em>, which never cease.<\/p>\n We then ask that the entire world recognize that\u00a0all<\/em>\u00a0of the blessings in their lives emanate from You, Hashem.\u00a0 Rav Avigdor Miller points out the future tense in the words starting with \u201c\u05d9\u05ea\u05d1\u05e8\u05da<\/span>\u2013yisbarach<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 We must strive to do all we can so that our future generations will continue to recognize all that we have just acknowledged.<\/p>\n The following are the words of the\u00a0Sefer HaChinuch<\/em>\u00a0in\u00a0Mitzvah<\/em>130, explaining the meaning of \u201cyisbarach<\/em>\u201d:<\/p>\n \u05d5\u05d6\u05d4\u05d5 \u05e4\u05d9\u05e8\u05d5\u05e9 “\u05d9\u05ea\u05d1\u05e8\u05da” \u2013 \u05db\u05dc\u05d5\u05de\u05e8: \u05d9\u05d4\u05d9 \u05e8\u05e6\u05d5\u05df \u05de\u05dc\u05e4\u05e0\u05d9\u05da \u05e9\u05db\u05dc \u05d1\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d4\u05e2\u05d5\u05dc\u05dd \u05d9\u05d4\u05d9\u05d5 \u05de\u05d9\u05d7\u05e1\u05d9\u05dd \u05d4\u05d1\u05e8\u05db\u05d4 \u05d0\u05dc\u05d9\u05da, \u05d5\u05de\u05d5\u05d3\u05d9\u05dd \u05db\u05d9 \u05de\u05de\u05da \u05ea\u05ea\u05e4\u05e9\u05d8 \u05d1\u05db\u05dc.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAnd this is the definition of the word \u2018Yisbarach\u2019<\/em>\u00a0\u2013 as if to say: May it be Your will that everyone throughout the world will associate the blessing with You, and will acknowledge that\u00a0everything<\/em>\u00a0emanates from You.\u201d<\/p>\n The\u00a0Chinuch<\/em>\u00a0goes on to explain that when the world recognizes that all blessing comes from Hashem, more blessing will flow to the world, which will \u201cenable\u201d Hashem to fulfill His \u201cdesire\u201d to give us all goodness.\u00a0 In effect, as mentioned in previous segments, Hashem gives us this responsibility to \u201ccause\u201d Him to bring more and more blessing to the world.<\/p>\n May we merit to soon see that day when\u00a0all<\/em>\u00a0the world will recognize Hashem. It\u2019s Our Choice<\/strong><\/p>\n \u05d5\u05db\u05dc \u05d4\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd \u05d9\u05d5\u05d3\u05d5\u05da \u05e1\u05dc\u05d4<\/span> HaRav Yehoshua Leib Diskin would periodically visit sick people in the hospital.\u00a0 One day, he visited an elderly woman who was suffering greatly.\u00a0 He asked her what\u00a0brachah<\/em>\u00a0he could give her, and she responded with \u201c\u05d0\u05e8\u05d9\u05db\u05ea \u05d9\u05de\u05d9\u05dd<\/span>\u2013arichas yamim<\/em>\u201d \u2013 to live a long life.\u00a0 Given her obvious suffering, he asked her if she was certain that this is what she wanted.\u00a0 She explained to him that all week long she could not\u00a0daven<\/em>\u00a0or make\u00a0brachos<\/em>\u00a0since she could not control her bodily functions.\u00a0 But once a week, a nurse came around to clean her up, and for a few hours she was able to\u00a0daven\u00a0<\/em>and make\u00a0brachos<\/em>.\u00a0 She then said, \u201cIsn\u2019t it worth living a long life for those few weekly hours?\u201d<\/p>\n Here was a woman who was so happy to be alive despite her pain and suffering.\u00a0 She looked forward to those few hours a week and was so appreciative to Hashem that she was alive and could still\u00a0daven<\/em>\u00a0and make\u00a0brachos<\/em>\u00a0once a week.<\/p>\n How we look at life is very telling and often affects our disposition and perspective. \u00a0This woman\u00a0chose<\/em>\u00a0not<\/u><\/em>\u00a0to view her life in a way that would cause unnecessary additional suffering, distress, and misery.\u00a0 She\u00a0chose<\/em>\u00a0instead to see the gift and opportunity of every breath and moment of life.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cV\u2019chol ha\u2019chayim yoducha, Selah<\/em>\u201d \u2013 All who are alive will thank and praise Hashem.\u00a0 Even if we feel we are lacking so much of what we would like to have in life, we should express our gratitude just for being alive.\u00a0 Every moment that we are alive and able to serve Hashem in some capacity is a great opportunity that vanishes when we are no longer breathing.\u00a0 [based on the\u00a0Siach Yitzchak<\/em>]<\/p>\n It could be that a person with a terminal illness and excruciating pain,\u00a0chas v\u2019shalom<\/em>, is not able to\u00a0daven<\/em>\u00a0or perform any\u00a0mitzvos<\/em>.\u00a0 We may naturally wonder what the point is of this person continuing to live.\u00a0 But if the person is \u201conly\u201d able to maintain his or her\u00a0emunah<\/em>\u00a0in the face of the severe illness and pain, who can fathom what the cosmic implications and reward for\u00a0emunah<\/em>\u00a0are in such a situation? \u00a0We certainly don\u2019t know what the\u00a0cheshbonos<\/em>\u00a0of Hashem are.\u00a0 However, we can assume that if one is still breathing, there is still opportunity and benefit in living.<\/p>\n HaRav Noach Weinberg, in discussing joy and happiness, suggests that we make a list of all the things for which we are thankful to Hashem.\u00a0 This list will include items that all human beings are thankful for, like air, the light and warmth of the sun, etc.\u00a0 It will also include items specific to us.\u00a0 He suggests reviewing this list nightly and contemplating which two items on the list for which we are more appreciative (e.g., ears or eyes).\u00a0 The purpose is not to decide which are more important to us.\u00a0 Rather, the idea is to think deeply about how fortunate we are for body parts that work \u201cnormally\u201d and other items we generally take for granted.\u00a0 For those who are really serious about being joyful, he suggests adding one item each night.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Chanukah provides us with a unique opportunity to make positive changes in our lives and to come closer to Hashem.\u00a0 There are numerous messages of inspiration that we can and should inculcate over Chanukah and take with us after Chanukah.\u00a0 To list just a few: \u2022 To love\u00a0mitzvos\u00a0and perform them with love and enthusiasm \u2022 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":133662,"featured_media":45238,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[344],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46653","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chanukah"],"yoast_head":"\n
\n\u2022 To renew our dedication and\u00a0m\u2019siras nefesh<\/em>\u00a0for Torah and\u00a0avodah<\/em>
\n\u2022 To strengthen our\u00a0bitachon<\/em>
\n\u2022 To recognize that the pursuit of the spiritual provides an everlasting benefit, as opposed to the pursuit of the material, which is temporal, limited, and ultimately empty.<\/p>\n
\nAnd they established these eight days of Chanukah to express thanks and praise to Your great Name.<\/p>\n
\nWe gratefully thank You<\/p>\n
\n
\nShemoneh Esrei 51<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>
\n\u05d5\u05e2\u05dc \u05e0\u05e1\u05d9\u05da \u05e9\u05d1\u05db\u05dc \u05d9\u05d5\u05dd \u05e2\u05de\u05e0\u05d5, \u05d5\u05e2\u05dc \u05e0\u05e4\u05dc\u05d0\u05d5\u05ea\u05d9\u05da \u05d5\u05d8\u05d5\u05d1\u05d5\u05ea\u05d9\u05da \u05e9\u05d1\u05db\u05dc \u05e2\u05ea<\/span>
\nfor Your miracles that are with us every day, and for Your wonders and favors in every season<\/p>\n
\nFor all these, may Your Name be blessed and exalted, our King, continually forever and ever.<\/p>\n
\nShemoneh Esrei 54<\/p>\n
\nEverything alive will gratefully acknowledge you,\u00a0Selah<\/em>!<\/p>\n