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AMIDAH-MOSHE-FINDING MERIT IN THE AVOT

The 7th of Adar is the Yahrtzeit of Moshe Rabbeinu: Complete faith and trust in God is a wonderful attribute. Our father Abraham, upon meriting this attribute, considered it a great divine favor that God had brought him to this level. Thus it is written, “And he believed in God, and he counted it for Him for righteousness (Genesis 15:6).”

 

Our teacher Moses said, “But they will not believe me (Exodus 4:1).” At that time, Moses had failed to find some merit for which the Children of Israel could be deemed worthy of attaining complete faith. This was so until God answered him that faith is attained through ancestral merit. That is why the people of Israel are called, “Believers, the children of believers (Shabbat 97a).” [Toledot Yaakov Yosef, Yitro]


When we pray the opening blessing of the Amidah, Avot, or, Patriarchs, we can use it as an opportunity to connect to their great faith, and to be deemed worthy of attaining complete faith in their merit, thus earning the title of, “Believers, the children of believers.”


By: Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, n''y

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