We pray for knowledge and understanding

The Chatam Sofer said," We read in Pirkei Avot (3:21),' Where there is no knowledge there is no understanding.' Knowledge is acquired from a teacher, understanding from a person's own mind. Understanding, however, must be based upon knowledge to be correct. Very seldom are original ideas correct unless the thinker has learned the rules of logic and the laws of derivation formulated by experienced sages." (Chut ha-Meshulash)

In the fourth blessing of the Amidah, when we pray for knowledge and understanding, we should insert a prayer for the part of Redemption that will restore our teachers of knowledge so that we will be able to fully use our understanding.

By Machberes Avodas Hashem

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TAKING IT WITH YOU-MISHPATIM-ALEINU

Our sages teach us, “On the Red Sea, God appeared to them like a young boy, while at Sinai, He appeared like an old man.” At first thought, this is extremely difficult to understand, since it is written, “You have not seen any image (To see Deuteronomy 4:15).” We can explain this with an example. When a parent loves his child, this great love causes the child’s image to be engraved on the parent’s mind. It is therefore as if the child were actually standing in the presence of the parent. When the child is young, he exists in his parent’s mind in the image of a small child. Later, when he grows, the image in the parent’s thoughts is that of an older person. It is known that, “Israel rose first in thought.” This means that they are constantly engraved in the Supernal Thought, just as a child is in its parent’s mind. When a child acts properly and does what its parent wishes, this is the image that is engraved in its parent’s thoughts. The same is true when the child goes aga...

Who clothes the naked

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SPECIAL THANKS

“I will sing to God while I live, I will sing praises to my Lord while I endure.” (Psalms 104:33) A Torah scholar who has a broad mind able to connect different parts of the Torah, one to the other, must add to the blessing recited by all who merit to study Torah each day: “Thank you for placing me among those who sit in the Beit Midrash,” with a special blessing for the gift of his mind and ability to discover new ideas. So too, a person who is blessed with a great awareness of God and can therefore attain a higher level of Awe of God, must express his gratitude each day for this gift. Application: “I will sing to God while I live,” refers to singing our gratitude for our spritual gifts, each person focusing on his special strengths. “I will sing praises to my Lord while I endure,” refers to singing our thanks for our physical gifts. (Rabbi Ephraim Yitzchak of Parmishlan – Mishna Rishona) By: Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, n''y

Partners In Prayer - Siddur

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