Partners In Prayer - Siddur

It is written, “These are the histories of the heaven and the earth when they were created –   be-HiBaRaM   (Genesis 2:4).” Our sages comment, “Do not read ‘ when they were created –   be-HiBaRaM  – but, ‘ for Abraham –   be-ABRaHaM   -the   world was created for the sake of Abraham (Bereishit Rabbah 12:7).”  The universe was only created because God knew that a righteous man would arise, would publicize the odds existence to the world, declaring that He is the Authority in His universe, the one absolute Unity, doing great wonders by Himself; that He is the Creator of all, and that besides Him there is no good. Out of this individual would, Isaac, Jacob, the tribes, and the Children of Israel.   God would bring about great miracles for the sake of Israel, and as a result, His existence would become known in the world. He would then give them the Torah, and His being would be revealed to all Israel on Mount Sinai. It is thus written, “Face to ...

One must keep very far from sadness, for the shells have the aspect of sadness and our “judgment intensified–the essence of punishment.” When sadness prevails, the Divine Presence, which is the joy of Israel, is in exile. The negation   of the shells and the ascent of holiness take place primarily through joy. (Likkutei Eiztot, Simcha #10)   “He hurls His ice like crumbs, before His cold, who can stand? He issues His command and it melts them, He blows His wind, the waters flow. He relates His Word to Jacob, His statutes and judgments to Israel.” (Pesukei D’Zimrah-Psalm 148) God shatters all the shells of sadness through the gift of His Word – Torah – and when we find joy in His Torah and Miztvot, we too, can shatter all the shells of punishment and suffering. By: Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, n''y

Through song and joy, one can “pour out his words like water in the presence of the Lord (Lamentations 2:19).” Therefore, by being happy throughout the entire day, one should be able to pray in solitude properly. (Likkutei Eiztot, Simcha #15)   “Open wide your mouth and I will fill it (Conclusion of Hodu).” We open our mouths with joy so that God will fill our mouths and we can, “Pour out our words like water in the presence of the Lord.” By: Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, n''y

Joy is in the category of “illuminated faces,” and “truth and faith.” Its opposite, sadness, is in the category of idolatry and the “faces of darkness and death.”  One merits joy primarily through upholding the covenant, and through   closeness to the truly righteous, who are the joy of all Israel. Thereby one binds himself up with God and deserves to behold the pleasantness of God and to bask in the luminous countenance of the King. (Likkutei Eiztot, Simcha #7)   “Glory and Majesty are before Him, might and joy are in His place (Pesukei D’Zimrah-Hodu) We sing joyously as we ask God for the gift of attaching to the Joy that is in His place. By: Rabbi Simcha Weinberg, n''y

  Rav Schwab on Hodu: “  Seek His Presence always.”    The term, “Seek His Presence,” means to look at someone’s face and see what he needs. (In German, there   is an expression: “ Einen ein wunsch aus den augen ablessen ,” meaning, “To read a person’s wish from his eyes.”) If one is eager to please another, he can just look at his face and see what he needs. If his friend looks hungry, or tired, or sad, he will offer him some food or shelter, or perhaps cheer him up. So the meaning here is, “Constantly seek ways to please God.” (Rav Schwab on Prayer, Artscroll) By:  Rabbi Simcha Weinberg  

Today is Tisha B'av, when we mourn the loss of our Holy Temple and its destruction. We mourn for Hashem and for us. In this day I want to share some insights on how we daven for the Geula daily. And some insights that I merited to learn today. Bonei Yerushalayim Hashem- Hashem will rebuild Yerushalayim, and then, Nidchei yisroel yechaneis-  The outcast of yisroel, He will gather in. (Am yisroel will not be complete without every jew, affiliated or not, being brought back. Horofei lishvurei lev- He will heal their broken hearts, Umechabeish l'atzvosom- And he will bind their sorrows.  This is how we emulate Hashem, by embracing every Jew in a loving way!  By: Faiga Leah Landau