Partners In Prayer - Siddur

  עַל־הַצַּדִּיקִים In the Bracha in Shemone Esrai of עַל־הַצַּדִּיקִים, we are given the ability to access the “Tzadik”.  It is leverage.  Similarly when we begin the Shemone Esrai with a Bracha of Avos.   We don’t have to be at the level of the Tzadik,  yet through tefillah we are given access to much much more!  In this Bracha we first can daven for them!  How humbling it is that Hashem grants us the ability to daven for those much greater in stature, just as we are able to daven for Hashem Kavyochal   Who is also called Tzadik.  And there is more! We get to ask to be placed in their Chelek of Schar ! So if I am worried that I am not deserving of the things I need, I can certainly ask Hashem to grant me the safety and security  presented to the Tzadik.וְשִׂים חֶלְקֵֽנוּ עִמָּהֶם לְעוֹלָם וְלֹא נֵבוֹשׁ כִּי בְךָ בָּטָֽחְנוּ! I think one can therefore use this Bracha when seeking protection from enemies that wield free choice; as ...

  When reviewing the explanation of the Alshich Hakadosh on the words in Tehillim of צְרוּפָ֖ה אִמְרָתְךָ֥ מְאֹ֗ד וְֽעַבְדְּךָ֥ אֲהֵבָֽהּ;  I understood it as follows: Dovid Hamelech expresses how Hashem’s words are pure, transparent and articulate and he loves them.  Dovid offers a different perspective on the Tzadik who barely has bread and the Rasha that has wealth.  He says Hashem’s words, are not only pure but they contain within it an invitation of מְאֹ֗ד.   The Alshich connects the מְאֹ֗ד to the Mizvah contained in Sh ema to love HaShem “ Bichol Miodecha”; which means with all your possessions, or the reality of Middah , measure for measure, or Modah , and acknowledgement and gratitude of all from Hashem.  But the Alshich says that מְאֹ֗ד contains even more! He says, Dovid Hamelech knows that Hashem’s words are Pure and with מְאֹ֗ד, meaning even the “ Yesurin ” are Hashem's way of communicating; and in the communication there “ IS מְאֹ֗ד ...

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WhsuNNLdXNtGFlruc4PNPUbz3WBr428C/view?usp=sharing   Inspiration and Spectacular intentions shared by Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, n''y derived from the Parsha on the Akeida. Applications for Candle Lighting, Tefillin, Tzitzis. In the honor of Rav Yechiel Avraham Ben Rav Binyam Halevi Shlita

Prayer as Protection. The Mizbayach according to the Pisikta Rabbasi   Os Hay , says that the Mizbeach is the komea, amulet. The Mizbayach is the amulet HaShem gives us to protect us from the spectacular display of our having the riches and the blessings of Torah. So obviously anybody who looks at a Jew who has an opportunity to study HaShem’s Torah looks with envy, right? Don't you notice everyone turning green? All the time, right? I don't know if it's my eyes or it's reality. But everyone is turning green with envy when we live with the sense of the spectacular. of what's available to us when we have Torah! So the Mizbeach  , which for us is Davening because the pasuk  in Hosheah says Unishalma Pharim Sifaseinu . , that since I'm creating a reality for you,  promises the Navi and this that even when you don't have Pharim,  a Mizayach  on which to offer animals , Sifaseinu , our lips will suffice.  So our Davening is considered a komea , an amulet...

Rabbi Tanchum bar Hanilai said: If the Torah were given cut and dry, a decisor would not have a leg to stand on. But now that the Torah was not given cut and dry, if he declares something unclean, others can be found   who declare analogous things unclean, and if he declares something clean, others can be found who declare analogous things clean.   Rabbi Yanai said: The Torah that God gave to Moshe included forty-nine arguments in favor of declaring a given object clean, and forty-nine arguments in favor of declaring a given object unclean. Moshe said to God: “What should be done?” God said to him, “If those who rule unclean are the majority, it is unclean; if those who rule clean are the majority, it is clean. (Pesikta Rabbati) Hachodesh reminds us that the Torah was not given cut and dry, but fresh and challenging with numerous ways to argue both sides of an issue. Our challenge of HaChodesh is to engage in this exciting and fresh process. Amidah-Restore Our Judges : “Restor...

Although no one after Moshe was his equal, this is only with regard to his ability to perceive things visually and immediately. Any innovations to be made in the future by pupils, including Rabbi Akiva, were revealed to   Moshe as well. However, everything was revealed to him via prophetic vision and not via his intellect.   In the days when the Divine Spirit was present in Israel, all guidance for that time was via prophecy. (Rav Tzaddok haCohen of Lublin, Resisei Laila) All that we were taught by Moshe, which was revealed to him through prophecy, we are to use our power of Chiddush, via our intellect, construct and new ideas and worlds. Morning Blessings-Blessings of Torah:  “Please, God, our Lord, sweeten the words of Your Torah in our mouth and in the mouth of Your people, the House of Israel. May we and our offspring and our offspring’s offspring…all of us, know Your Name and study Your Torah for its own sake. ” Please sweeten our mouths with the power of ongoing Chi...

Once I was walking on the road and a man encountered me and accosted me in a heretical way. He had knowledge of the Bible, but not of the Mishnah. He said to me, “The Bible was given to us at Sinai, but the Mishnah   was not.”   I said to him, “My son, both the Bible and the Mishnah were spoken by the Almighty. What then is the difference between the Bible and the Mishnah? Here is a parable: A King had two servants whom he dearly loved. He gave each one of them a small amount of wheat and a bundle of flax. What did the wise servant do? He took the flax and wove it into a tablecloth. He took the wheat and made flour out of it, which he then sifted, ground, kneaded, and baked. Then he spread the tablecloth upon the table and placed the bread on it. He left it that way until the king came to visit. The foolish servant did not do anything. Eventually, the king entered his home and said to his servants, ” My sons, bring me what I gave you.” The wise servant brought out the loaves o...

This spiritual attainment of the Tzaddik comes about only through the people of Israel. When Jews, God forbid, indulge in the secular wisdom of the nations, then the tzaddik falls from his level of perception, and his vision   is covered and obscured. But when Jews leave the wisdom of the nations, then the tzaddik is, “As a bridegroom coming out of his chamber ( Psalms   19:6),” the tzaddik emerges from his concealment which he had experienced before this.  Then, “he rejoices as a strong man to run his course,” for the tzaddik is like a hero in doing and obeying the word of God; indeed, it requires strength to run this course, which one must traverse at the time that Israel is in a state of rebuke, and upon which course one can now run with great speed (Likkutei Moharan I, 49:7).   The theme of the Commandments in  Hachodesh  is to demand of us the great strength necessary, especially at the time when Israel was in a state of rebuke.  The people who fu...

The Ari, of blessed memory, speaks of the separation and elevation of the Holy Sparks. These Sparks fell at the time when God “build universes and destroyed them.”   One must separate these Sparks and elevate them step-by-step, from the inanimate to the domain of plants, animals, and humans. These Holy Sparks are in the Husks of Evil, and must be elevated. This is the goal of the observance of the Torah and Commandments (Etz Chaim, Sha’ar MaN U’MaD 2). This is also the concept of eating: It is known that each Spark, even in the inanimate and plant domains, has a complete structure, with 248 limbs and 365 vessels. As long as it is in these lower domains, it is imprisoned. In this state, it cannot stretch out its hands and feet or speak. This is alluded to in the verse of Parshat Hachodesh , “Its head is on its knees, on its insides (Exodus 12:9).” When, while eating with his good thoughts and intentions, a person elevates the Holy Spark from the plant realm to the animal and human, ...

  Rabbi Nachman once spoke about those who are religious for it while and then fall away. He said that even the short time that they are religious is very dear to God, no matter what happens later.   It is written, “You have heartened Me with one of your eyes (Song of Songs 4:9).” God is speaking to the Jewish people, recalling the time they accepted the Torah. The Midrash asks why the verse says, “with  one  of your eyes.” It answers that the other eye was already on the Golden Calf (Shabbat 88b).  Even when Israel accepted the Torah, they already had plans to stray. Still, the short time they were close to God was very dear to Him. He therefore said, “You have heartened Me with one of your eyes.” [Sichot haRan 123] Many of us hesitate when reciting the blessing of repentance in the Amidah because we wonder how long our repentance will last. It is appropriate to recall the above lesson that even a short period of repentance is very dear to God. By: Rabbi Simcha...

The 16th of Adar is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Pinchas Menachem (ben Avraham Mordechai) Alter, the Pnei Menachem of Ger (1926-1996). The fifth son of the Imrei Emes, Rav Pinchas   was born in the resort town of Palinitz, Poland when his father was 60 years old. Along with his father and other family members, he escaped to Erezt Yisrael during World War II. In 1946, he married his cousin, and two years later, his father passed away. Three of the Imrei Emes’ sons became Rebbe of Ger: Rav Yisrael (the Beis Yisrael, nifter 1977), Rav Simcha Bunim (the Lev Simcha, nifter 1992), and Rav Pinchas Menachem (the Pnei Menachem). However, Rav Pinchas Menachem was Rosh Yeshiva of Sefas Emes of Ger in Yerushalayim from the time he was 30, and was head of Agudas Yisrael after the petria of Rav Yitzchak Meir Levine. The Talmud teaches that God gives wisdom to those who are wise because the gift of wisdom would be misused if granted to one without an appreciation of wisdom. Wisdom must “land” in the righ...

The 19th of Adar is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Dovid (ben Tzvi Elimelech) of Dinov (1804-1874). Rav Dovid was the author of Tzemach Dovid and Divrei Dovid, and the son of the Bnei Yissoschar. He succeeded his father as Rebbe   in Dinov following the latter’s petira in 1841.   “This is the decree of the Torah, which God has commanded, saying, ‘ Speak to the Children of Israel, and they shall take to you a completely red cow’ (Numbers 19:2).” Since the secrets of the Red Cow are revealed only to you, therefore, “they shall take to you,” meaning, they should attach to you and trust in what you know and understand. (Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech of Dinov; Iggra d’Kallah) Machberes Avodas Hashem : I’ve used this approach, of attaching myself to the wisdom of the teacher, when studying with my father zt”l, and, ybcl”c, my Rebbi shlit”a; I understand that they have access to wisdom far beyond mine, and attach to that wisdom so that I may tast of that higher wisdom. I also use this approach on ...