We are within The Nine Days, just prior to Tish\u2019ah B\u2019Av.\u00a0 May we see the salvation before this Tish\u2019ah B\u2019Av.<\/p>\n
This week, we present\u00a0Shemoneh Esrei<\/em>\u00a045 and 46 on the\u00a0brachah<\/em>\u00a0of \u201c\u05e8\u05e6\u05d4<\/span>\u2013R\u2019tzei<\/em>\u201d followed by a segment on Tish\u2019ah B\u2019Av.<\/p>\n \u05e6\u05d9\u05d5\u05df \u05d1\u05de\u05e9\u05e4\u05d8 \u05ea\u05e4\u05d3\u05d4, \u05d5\u05e9\u05d1\u05d9\u05d4 \u05d1\u05e6\u05d3\u05e7\u05d4 (\u05d9\u05e9\u05e2\u05d9\u05d4 \u05d0:\u05db\u05d6) A Servant\u2019s Plea<\/strong> We now address the last group of\u00a0brachos<\/em>\u00a0in\u00a0Shemoneh Esrei<\/em>.\u00a0 In the Gemara in\u00a0B\u2019rachos<\/em>\u00a0(34a), Rav Yehudah says that one should not make requests in the first three\u00a0brachos<\/em>\u00a0or in the last three\u00a0brachos<\/em>\u00a0of\u00a0Shemoneh Esrei<\/em>.\u00a0 These are reserved for praising Hashem (the first three) and thanking Him (the last three).<\/p>\n However, when we look at the\u00a0brachos<\/em>\u00a0of \u201c\u05e8\u05e6\u05d4<\/span>\u2013R\u2019tzei<\/em>\u201d and \u201c\u05e9\u05d9\u05dd \u05e9\u05dc\u05d5\u05dd<\/span>\u2013Sim shalom,<\/em>\u201d they seem to be full of requests.\u00a0\u00a0Tosafos<\/em>\u00a0explains that Rav Yehudah\u2019s statement and limitation only pertained to requests on behalf of an individual.\u00a0 These\u00a0brachos<\/em>, however, contain requests for the entire\u00a0klal Yisrael<\/em>.\u00a0 The Avudraham (quoted in\u00a0sefer Tal\u2019lei Oros<\/em>) explains that the requests contained in these last three\u00a0brachos<\/em>\u00a0are actually requests for\u00a0kavod<\/em>\u00a0to Hashem, because they relate to our\u00a0avodah<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0shalom<\/em>, which are \u201ck\u2019vod HaKadosh Baruch Hu<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n As we turn to the\u00a0brachah<\/em>\u00a0of\u00a0R\u2019tzei<\/em>, we are struck with a powerful question addressed by HaRav Avigdor Miller\u00a0zt\u201dl<\/em>\u00a0(in\u00a0sefer Tefilas Avigdor<\/em>).\u00a0 He asks: We just completed the\u00a0brachah<\/em>\u00a0of\u00a0Shomei\u2019a\u00a0Tefilah<\/span><\/em>, where we asked Hashem to hear and accept our\u00a0tefilos<\/em>.\u00a0\u00a0R\u2019tzei<\/em>, at first glance, seems to be exactly the same request?<\/p>\n HaRav Miller explains that the\u00a0brachah<\/em>\u00a0of\u00a0R\u2019tzei<\/em>\u00a0is not asking Hashem to accept our\u00a0tefilos<\/em>, for we just, in fact, completed that request in \u201cShomei\u2019a\u00a0Tefilah<\/span>.<\/em>\u201d\u00a0 Rather, we are now asking Hashem to accept our\u00a0avodah<\/u><\/em>\u00a0of\u00a0tefilah<\/span><\/em>.<\/p>\n The key word in this\u00a0brachah<\/em>\u00a0is the word \u201cratzon.<\/em>\u201d\u00a0 Rabbeinu Yonah (in\u00a0shaar<\/em>\u00a01:42) explains that it is possible that Hashem forgives us for our sins and frees us of pains and decrees as a result, but He may still not desire us.<\/p>\n Imagine that someone wronged us.\u00a0 He asked our forgiveness so we forgave him, but since he hasn\u2019t really tried to repair the relationship in a meaningful way, we don\u2019t feel as close to him as we once did.\u00a0 We certainly won\u2019t be inviting him to our home for a Shabbos meal.<\/p>\n Here, too, it is our \u201cratzon<\/em>\u201d to repair the relationship between us and Hashem to such an extent that we resume or even enhance our original relationship of warmth and closeness.<\/p>\n This\u00a0brachah<\/em>\u00a0is all about expressing our intense desire for the close relationship between us and Hashem.\u00a0 The level of closeness will be determined by the intensity of our love and desire for that closeness.<\/p>\n Rav Miller points out that we mention the word \u201cratzon<\/em>\u201d three times in this\u00a0brachah<\/em>.\u00a0 This\u00a0brachah<\/em>\u00a0was originally composed at the time of the second\u00a0Beis HaMikdash<\/em>\u00a0(the words \u201c\u05d5\u05d4\u05e9\u05d1 \u05d0\u05ea \u05d4\u05e2\u05d1\u05d5\u05d3\u05d4<\/span>\u2013v\u2019hasheiv es ha\u2019avodah<\/em>\u201d were added later on).\u00a0 The original intent, therefore, was for the acceptance of our\u00a0avodah<\/em>\u00a0in the\u00a0Beis HaMikdash<\/em>.\u00a0 When we conclude the\u00a0brachah<\/em>\u00a0with \u201c\u05d4\u05de\u05d7\u05d6\u05d9\u05e8 \u05e9\u05db\u05d9\u05e0\u05ea\u05d5 \u05dc\u05e6\u05d9\u05d5\u05df<\/span>\u2013Ha\u2019machazir Sh\u2019chinaso l\u2019Tziyon<\/em>,\u201d that refers to the level of the\u00a0Sh\u2019chinah<\/em>\u00a0(meaning the closeness between Hashem and\u00a0klal Yisrael<\/em>) that was present in the first\u00a0Beis HaMikdash<\/em>\u00a0but not in the second.<\/p>\n Next week,\u00a0b\u2019ezras Hashem<\/em>, we will see how each phrase in this\u00a0brachah<\/em>\u00a0asks Hashem to accept us and our\u00a0avodah<\/em>\u00a0with \u201c\u05e8\u05e6\u05d5\u05df<\/span>\u2013ratzon<\/em>\u201d (favor), because\u00a0our<\/u>\u00a0ratzon<\/em>\u00a0(desire)\u00a0and greatest joy is to serve Hashem with\u00a0sh\u2019leimus<\/em>\u00a0(perfection) and\u00a0ahavah<\/em>\u00a0(love).\u00a0 We ask Hashem to grant us the ultimate pinnacle of closeness to Him in the place where Hashem\u2019s presence and closeness can be felt to the greatest extent.\u00a0 May it occur hastily in our days.<\/p>\n From Beis HaK\u2019neses to Beis HaMikdash<\/strong><\/p>\n \u05e8\u05e6\u05d4 \u05d4\u2019 \u05d0-\u05dc\u05e7\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5 \u05d1\u05e2\u05de\u05da \u05d9\u05e9\u05e8\u05d0\u05dc \u05d5\u05d1\u05ea\u05e4\u05dc\u05ea\u05dd<\/span> There are various approaches to understanding this\u00a0brachah<\/em>, which affect the way the words are grouped and result in different meanings as well.\u00a0 We continue with our understanding of the\u00a0brachah<\/em>\u00a0of\u00a0R\u2019tzei<\/em>\u00a0based upon HaRav Avigdor Miller\u00a0zt\u201dl<\/em>\u00a0in his work\u00a0Tefilas Avigdor<\/em>, and we present the\u00a0nusach Ashkenaz<\/em>\u00a0because that is the\u00a0nusach<\/em>\u00a0he presented there.<\/p>\n Rav Miller states that the primary intent of\u00a0B\u2019nei Yisrael<\/em>\u00a0in our service to Hashem is that our\u00a0avodah<\/em>\u00a0(service) should find favor in the \u201ceyes\u201d of Hashem, as David HaMelech states: \u201c\u05dc\u05e2\u05e9\u05d5\u05ea \u05e8\u05e6\u05d5\u05e0\u05da, \u05d0-\u05dc\u05e7\u05d9, \u05d7\u05e4\u05e6\u05ea\u05d9<\/span>\u2013To fulfill Your will, my G-d, do I desire\u201d (T\u2019hilim<\/em>\u00a040:9).\u00a0 Our greatest desire and our greatest\u00a0simchah<\/em>\u00a0should be to perform the\u00a0\u05e8\u05e6\u05d5\u05df \u05d4’<\/span>, the will of Hashem.<\/p>\n The\u00a0brachah<\/em>\u00a0begins with \u201c\u05e8\u05e6\u05d4<\/span>\u2013R\u2019tzei<\/em>\u201d and ends with \u201c\u05d4\u05de\u05d7\u05d6\u05d9\u05e8 \u05e9\u05db\u05d9\u05e0\u05ea\u05d5 \u05dc\u05e6\u05d9\u05d5\u05df<\/span>\u2013Who restores His Presence to Zion.\u201d\u00a0 Our connection to Hashem expressed here as \u201c\u05e9\u05db\u05d9\u05e0\u05d4<\/span>,\u201d which was strongest in the first\u00a0Beis HaMikdash<\/em>, is dependent upon the strength of our\u00a0ratzon<\/em>\u00a0to serve Hashem.\u00a0 The word\u00a0R\u2019tzei<\/em>\u00a0is rooted in the word \u201c\u05e8\u05e5<\/span>,\u201d to run.\u00a0 One who has a strong desire for something either runs to attain it or at least has a strong desire to run towards it.<\/p>\n By engaging in\u00a0tefilah<\/span><\/em>, we display our passionate desire to attain closeness to Hashem and to perform Hashem\u2019s\u00a0avodah<\/em>\u00a0with love.\u00a0 We therefore ask Hashem to desire us and our\u00a0avodah<\/em>.<\/p>\n This\u00a0brachah<\/em>\u00a0was originally composed at the time of the second\u00a0Beis HaMikdash<\/em>, when\u00a0B\u2019nei Yisrael<\/em>\u00a0were lacking in our connection to the\u00a0\u05e9\u05db\u05d9\u05e0\u05d4<\/span>.\u00a0 This\u00a0tefilah<\/span><\/em>\u00a0is asking for the intensity of the\u00a0\u05e9\u05db\u05d9\u05e0\u05d4<\/span>\u00a0of the first\u00a0Beis HaMikdash<\/em>\u00a0to return.\u00a0 (Asking for the\u00a0avodah<\/em>\u00a0to return in this\u00a0brachah<\/em>\u00a0was later added after the destruction of the second\u00a0Beis HaMikdash<\/em>.)<\/p>\n \u05e8\u05e6\u05d4 \u05d4\u2019 \u05d0-\u05dc\u05e7\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5 \u05d1\u05e2\u05de\u05da \u05d9\u05e9\u05e8\u05d0\u05dc \u05d5\u05d1\u05ea\u05e4\u05dc\u05ea\u05dd<\/span> \u05d5\u05d4\u05e9\u05d1 \u05d0\u05ea \u05d4\u05e2\u05d1\u05d5\u05d3\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d3\u05d1\u05d9\u05e8 \u05d1\u05d9\u05ea\u05da<\/span> \u05d5\u05d0\u05e9\u05d9 \u05d9\u05e9\u05e8\u05d0\u05dc<\/span> \u05d5\u05ea\u05e4\u05dc\u05ea\u05dd \u05d1\u05d0\u05d4\u05d1\u05d4 \u05ea\u05e7\u05d1\u05dc \u05d1\u05e8\u05e6\u05d5\u05df<\/span> \u05d5\u05ea\u05d4\u05d9 \u05dc\u05e8\u05e6\u05d5\u05df \u05ea\u05de\u05d9\u05d3 \u05e2\u05d1\u05d5\u05d3\u05ea \u05d9\u05e9\u05e8\u05d0\u05dc \u05e2\u05de\u05da<\/span> \u05d4\u05de\u05d7\u05d6\u05d9\u05e8 \u05e9\u05db\u05d9\u05e0\u05ea\u05d5 \u05dc\u05e6\u05d9\u05d5\u05df<\/span> Tish\u2019ah B\u2019Av<\/strong><\/p>\n The Gemara in\u00a0Makos<\/em>\u00a0tells us that a person who had accidentally killed a fellow Jew was in danger of losing his life, unless he fled to a city of refuge \u2013 an \u201cir miklat<\/em>\u201d \u2013 and remained there.\u00a0 These \u201cprisoners\u201d were released from the\u00a0arei miklat<\/em>\u00a0upon the death of the\u00a0Kohen Gadol<\/em>.\u00a0 The Gemara asks: What did the\u00a0Kohen Gadol<\/em>\u00a0do wrong that caused him to be in the position where these people are waiting for him to die so that they can go free?\u00a0 The Gemara answers that he should have\u00a0davened<\/em>\u00a0more for his people so that nobody would kill another person, even unintentionally.<\/p>\n We see two crucial points about\u00a0tefilah<\/span><\/em>\u00a0from this Gemara.\u00a0 HaRav Shlomo Wolbe focuses on the responsibility of one to\u00a0daven<\/em>\u00a0for those who rely upon that person.\u00a0 He quotes another Gemara where Eliyahu HaNavi told Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi that he was responsible for the lion that killed his neighbor, because he should have\u00a0davened<\/em>\u00a0harder for those around him.\u00a0 HaRav Wolbe mentions that he felt that whatever he accomplished was only because his mother\u00a0davened<\/em>\u00a0for him up to ten times a day.<\/p>\n HaRav Henoch Leibowitz focuses on another crucial aspect of this Gemara.\u00a0 We know that all that happens is totally just, and calculated with exact precision.\u00a0 We see here that, although Hashem decreed that one person should fall off of a ladder and kill another person, had the\u00a0Kohen Gadol<\/em>\u00a0davened<\/em>\u00a0harder, the death would not have happened, despite the decree!\u00a0 HaRav Leibowitz shows from the end of the 19th<\/sup>\u00a0perek<\/em>\u00a0of\u00a0M\u2019silas Y\u2019sharim<\/em>\u00a0that this is true not only for a\u00a0Kohen Gadol<\/em>\u00a0or\u00a0gadol ha\u2019dor<\/em>, but for each and every one of us.\u00a0 The\u00a0M\u2019silas Y\u2019sharim<\/em>\u00a0says that each of our\u00a0tefilos<\/em>\u00a0has the power to bring Mashiach!\u00a0 There are other reasons why Mashiach has not come yet, but in potential, any of our\u00a0tefilos<\/em>\u00a0has the ability to even bring Mashiach.<\/p>\n When we combine these two aspects of\u00a0tefilah<\/span><\/em>, we see the tremendous responsibility Hashem has placed upon us, and the power that Hashem has bestowed upon us to\u00a0daven<\/em>\u00a0for those who look to us for support of any kind.\u00a0 I recall one amazing high school\u00a0rebbe<\/em>\u00a0who told me how he\u00a0davens<\/em>\u00a0for the children in his\u00a0shiur<\/em>.\u00a0 Parents, grandparents, friends, therapists, doctors, etc. all would seem to have this opportunity, responsibility, and power.<\/p>\n May we be\u00a0zocheh<\/em>\u00a0to\u00a0daven<\/em>\u00a0for each other, for\u00a0klal Yisrael<\/em>\u00a0as a whole, and for the close connection with the\u00a0Sh\u2019chinah<\/em>\u00a0to return speedily in our days.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We are within The Nine Days, just prior to Tish\u2019ah B\u2019Av.\u00a0 May we see the salvation before this Tish\u2019ah B\u2019Av. This week, we present\u00a0Shemoneh Esrei\u00a045 and 46 on the\u00a0brachah\u00a0of \u201c\u05e8\u05e6\u05d4\u2013R\u2019tzei\u201d followed by a segment on Tish\u2019ah B\u2019Av. \u05e6\u05d9\u05d5\u05df \u05d1\u05de\u05e9\u05e4\u05d8 \u05ea\u05e4\u05d3\u05d4, \u05d5\u05e9\u05d1\u05d9\u05d4 \u05d1\u05e6\u05d3\u05e7\u05d4 (\u05d9\u05e9\u05e2\u05d9\u05d4 \u05d0:\u05db\u05d6) Tzion shall be redeemed with justice, and they that return of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":133662,"featured_media":51584,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[359],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-51581","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-three-weeks"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nTzion shall be redeemed with justice,
\nand they that return of her with righteousness.<\/p>\n
\n
\n\u05e8\u05e6\u05d4 \u05d4’ \u05d0-\u05dc\u05e7\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5 \u05d1\u05e2\u05de\u05da \u05d9\u05e9\u05e8\u05d0\u05dc \u05d5\u05d1\u05ea\u05e4\u05dc\u05ea\u05dd<\/span>
\nBe favorable, Hashem our G-d, toward Your people Israel and their prayer<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nBe favorable, Hashem our G-d, toward Your people Israel and their prayer<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nWe ask Hashem to desire us, His nation, and to desire our\u00a0tefilos<\/em>\u00a0in place of the\u00a0avodah<\/em>\u00a0of the\u00a0Beis HaMikdash<\/em>.\u00a0 We desire and seek closeness to Hashem and, in that merit, we ask that Hashem grant us that closeness (\u05e9\u05db\u05d9\u05e0\u05d4<\/span>).<\/p>\n
\nWe ask for the\u00a0avodah<\/em>\u00a0of the most inner part of the\u00a0Beis HaMikdash<\/em>, the\u00a0Kodesh HaKodashim<\/em>\u00a0(\u201c\u05d3\u05d1\u05d9\u05e8<\/span>\u2013d\u2019vir<\/em>\u201d), to return.\u00a0 We ask for this first because it is the primary place of the\u00a0\u05e9\u05db\u05d9\u05e0\u05d4<\/span>.<\/p>\n
\nThis refers to the\u00a0avodah<\/em>\u00a0of the\u00a0korbanos<\/em>\u00a0on the outer\u00a0Mizbei\u2019ach<\/em>.\u00a0 The\u00a0avodah<\/em>\u00a0of the\u00a0korbanos<\/em>\u00a0brought closeness (the word \u201c\u05e7\u05e8\u05d1\u05df<\/span>\u2013korban<\/em>\u201d means to come close) to Hashem.<\/p>\n
\nWe ask Hashem to accept the\u00a0avodah<\/u><\/em>\u00a0of our\u00a0tefilah<\/span><\/em>\u00a0(we already asked for the actual\u00a0tefilah<\/span><\/em>\u00a0to be accepted in the previous\u00a0brachah<\/em>) with desire,\u00a0because<\/em>\u00a0our\u00a0tefilah<\/span>\u00a0is offered with love.<\/p>\n
\nWe ask Hashem to help us perform our future\u00a0avodah<\/em>\u00a0consistently with \u201csh\u2019leimus<\/em>\u201d so that it will be \u201cdesired\u201d by Hashem.<\/p>\n
\nWe conclude by asking Hashem to return His\u00a0\u05e9\u05db\u05d9\u05e0\u05d4<\/span>\u00a0to\u00a0\u05e6\u05d9\u05d5\u05df<\/span>, thereby granting us the ultimate closeness to Hashem, where Hashem\u2019s presence and closeness can be felt to the greatest extent.\u00a0 May it occur speedily in our days.<\/p>\n