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Birchat Hamazon

By: Machberes Avodas Hashem The Chafetz Chaim taught: "At the conclusion of the main portion of Grace after Meals we add a series of,' May the All Merciful.' We add numerous such petitions, indicating that a request to God after the performance of a mitzvah is especially acceptable before Him (Michtevei haRav Chafetz Chaim, page 45)." One of the primary issues of the Exile is, "You wrapped Yourself in a cloud that no prayer can pierce (Lamentations 3:44)." It is more difficult to pray during the Three Weeks than other times during the year because we experience this "cloud." With COVID unfortunately around, this year proves to be even more difficult because our time in shul has changed drastically, and we have never experienced the pain of the three weeks while in a situation similar to the present state of the world. We can use this strategy of the Chafetz Chaim, that of praying immediately after the performance of a mitzvah, so that we may feel t...
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Creation

 All was destroyed during the month of Av. Creation began on Elul, and, so it will again. We recite this prayer for the New Month focusing on Creation. “God created the world in order to do good to an other (Derech Hashem 1:2:1).” Creation was an expression of absolute love, the “other” had done nothing to earn it. This is why Elul, the month of Creation is also the month of intense love between God and Israel. I recite this prayer imaging myself participating in the final Heavenly planning meetings before Creation. I am not praying as one who has already existed and experienced success and failure, but as one who has the opportunity to see the world before Creation, and request in this moment of intense love all that I could possibly need and want. I use this prayer to prepare for all my Elul prayers until the 25th of the month when Creation began. For what shall I ask? What will I need to succeed? How will I define success? What do I hope to achieve? Rabbi Simcha Weinberg
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What do I want?

  What am I waiting for? I want to hear the   sound of the “big Shofar” as a call to action to my   Neshama.   You created me to “do”, to overcome, to maximize, to grow, to achieve “ Gadlus ”.    I need you to relate to me in my greatness, hence “ Bishofar Gadol”. I can break down the walls using the sounds of the Shofar blowing.   Meaning when I respond to the alert of “ Tika Bishofar Gadol ”   with my action of blowing my Shofar by articulating what it is   I want , then Hashem responds in kind.     I want to articulate my “Want” from a place of greatness, from my highest self.. This hearing and responding with the sounds of the Neshama / Shofar is what I think is a prayer. Prayer allows me to be free!   לחרותינו  Prayer has no limits , as described in this Bracha of the gathering together of all the exiled nation of Israel. So I want to use this Bracha as my way of saying, “ I want to be “ Tefillah ” ( P...
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