Tefillah: Birum Olam: Prayer stands at the Pinnacle of the World Volume I Issue 21

תפילה: ברום עולם
Tefillah: Birum Olam: Prayer stands at the Pinnacle of the World
Volume I Issue 21

Tefillah Thoughts

Prayer requires unity amongst the Jewish people
It is well known that prior to praying, one should have in mind the mitzvah of loving your neighbor as yourself. The Lev Simcha (Vayechi 5744) writes that in the final blessing of Shemone Esrei, we ask HaShem barcheinu avinu kulanu kiechod yachad, bless us, our Father, all of us as one. Subsequent to all our prayers and entreaties, we ask HaShem to bless us with unity. Unity is the greatest blessing that we can have, and unity is the vessel that contains all other blessings. Perhaps we can suggest a very practical application of how to achieve unity. The Baal HaTurim (Bamidbar 6:26) writes that the word shalom, peace, is equal in gematria to the name Esav (376) and this alludes to the idea stated in the Gemara (Brachos 17a) that one should greet every person he encounters, even a gentile. Greeting a person does not take a whole lot of effort. In truth, if one greets others, he may be saving lives, marriages and he can benefit the recipient of his greetings in more ways than he can imagine. When we pray to HaShem for unity, we should bear in mind that there is much that we can do to achieve that unity, which will ultimately be the catalyst to bringing Moshiach, speedily, in our days.



Tefillah Teachings

Praying with the congregation

One should exert himself to pray in a synagogue with the congregation, as it is said (Tehillim 69:14) vaani sifilosi lecho HaShem eis ratzon, as for me, may my prayer to You, HaShem, be at an opportune time. The opportune time is when the congregation is praying. Furthermore, it is said (Yeshaya 49:8) koh amar HaShem bieis ratzon anisicho, thus said HaShem: In a time of favor I answer you. Additionally, HaShem does not scorn the prayers of the multitudes, even if there are sinners amongst them. Proof of this idea is because it is said (Iyov 36:5) hein Keil kabir vilo yimas, behold, G-d is mighty and does not despise (the word kabir is interpreted by the Gemara to refer to the multitudes). It is further said (Tehillim 55:19) padah vishalom nafshi mikrav li ki virabim hayu imadi, He redeemed my soul in peace from battles against me, for with many they were against me.

Tefillah Translated and Elucidated

Yigdal
HaShem has no semblance of a body
Ain lo dimus haguf viain lo guf, He has no semblance of a body nor is He corporeal. It is difficult to imagine something that does not have physical dimensions. Yet, we know that the soul is not physical, and there are many things in the world that have no physical dimensions. Why, then, is it critical for us to believe that HaShem has no physical dimension. Perhaps the answer to this question is that since we are given an understanding of how HaShem conducts the world through physical attributes, we may begin to conjure up an image of what HaShem looks like. It is for this reason that we are instructed to believe that HaShem has no physical semblance at all and whatever we read about HaShem is not the Essence of HaShem. Rather, the physical descriptions of HaShem in Scripture are just meant to give us some form of understanding of how HaShem conducts His world.

Tefillah Tale

Chazon Ish: Four Days Is A Long Time
One day, a man who appeared obviously distraught and worn down, knocked at the door of the Chazon Ish. He told the Chazon Ish that he had felt ill for a few days, and eventually he had felt so ill that he was hospitalized. The doctors performed a battery of tests, and they found a virulent infection which had invaded his body. They sadly informed the man that he had only four day to live; they did not have any medication that would be effective for this infection.
The man broke down sobbing as he finished his story, and the Chazon Ish soothed him and calmed him down. The Chazon Ish opened a Chumash Bereishis, and turned to the first pages of the parasha. He said to the man, “Look what Hashem created on the first day,” and the Chazon Ish began to recite all the things which Hashem created on the first day of creation. “Look what Hashem created on the second day,” and again the Chazon Ish read the pessukim, and listed one by one the things which were created on the second day. He continued with the third day, and the fourth day. “So, if the Creator of the World was able to create so many things in four days, don't you believe that in four days He can create a medicine for you which will heal you completely?” The Chazon Ish encouraged the man not to give up hope, but rather he should daven for himself, and plead with Hashem that He heal him from his infection. He reminded him that the gates of Tefillah are never locked, especially before the tefillah of a sick person, which is tefillah at a time of tzara.
The eyes of the man lit up at the Chazon Ish’s words. He began to daven fervently for himself, and since he was following the instructions of a holy man, an unbelievable miracle occurred. A new medicine was imported to Eretz Yisroel from America in the following days. This sick man was one of the first people that the medicine was tested on, and it became clear that the medicine was effective for the infection which was ravaging his body. Within a short time, the man was healed completely. (Barchi Nafshi)

Tefillah Test

The individual who prays for peace

Last week we posed the question: why is it that when an individual prays in solitude and recites the blessing sim shalom in Shemone Esrei, does he recite the words aleinu vial kol Yisroel amecha, upon us and all of Your people Israel? It would seem more appropriate to recite the words alai vial kol Yisroel, upon me and all of Your people Israel. The Doveir Shalom, found in the Siddur Otzar HaTefillos, answers that the true definition of shalom, peace, is when two contradictory ideas or things are in accordance with each other. Thus, an individual who prays to HaShem for peace is requesting of HaShem that he should not face any sort of conflict, both from Heaven and from nature and from all of creation. Peace can be only found by two opposing matters, and even an individual can request that HaShem establish peace upon us, i.e. I and the matter that is in conflict with me. One then prays that HaShem should establish that sort of peace on all of the Jewish People.
This week’s question is, in the third blessing of Shemone Esrei, Atah Kadosh, You are holy, who are the kedoshim that we refer to? If you have a possible answer, please email me at BirumOlam@gmail.com and your answer will be posted in next week’s edition of Birum Olam.

















Tefillah: Birum Olam:
Prayer stands at the
Pinnacle of the World
Volume I Issue 21

is sponsored in merit
of the soldiers in Israel
who are fighting to safeguard
the Jewish People.
Hashem should allow them to be victorious and we should witness the arrival of Moshiach Tzidkienu,
speedily, in our days.

Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler.
For sponsorships please call 248-506-0363.

To subscribe weekly by email, please send email to BirumOlam@gmail.com
View Tefillah: Birum Olam: Prayer stands at the Pinnacle of the World And other Divrei Torah on www.doreishtov.blogspot.com

Tefillah: Birum Olam: Prayer stands at the Pinnacle of the World Volume I Issue 15

תפילה: ברום עולם
Tefillah: Birum Olam: Prayer stands at the Pinnacle of the World
Volume I Issue 15

Tefillah Thoughts

Hashem answers before we pray
We have discussed previously the need for one to pray despite the fact that HaShem knows what is inside a person’s heart. In the next few issues we will discuss the verse that states (Yeshaya 65:24) vihayah terem yikrau vaani eeneh od heim midabrim vaani eshma, it will be before that they call I will answer; while they yet speak I will hear. What does it mean that HaShem will respond before they even call out? It would seem to be paradoxical that HaShem answers someone before the person prays to HaShem. The Haflaah (Kesubos 8b) writes that regarding ordinary people, even if HaShem does not answer their prayers, HaShem is still referred to as the One Who bestows knowledge, gathers in the exiles of the Jewish People, and is the Builder of Jerusalem. The reason for this is because even if we do not have our prayers answered immediately, we still maintain the belief that HaShem will answer us in the future. Regarding the righteous, however, immediately upon beseeching HaShem, their prayers are answered, as we find in the Gemara (Taanis 24a; 25b; Bava Metzia 85b) that the Sages said the words mashiv haruach, He makes the wind blow, and the winds began blowing. They said morid hageshem, He Who makes the rain descend and the rain began to fall. Thus, according to the Haflaah, this verse that states that HaShem answers before they call, applies only to the prayers of the righteous.
Tefillah Teachings

Seeking out water to wash before praying

One who sits in his house has the status of one who is traveling on the road and is only required to seek water behind his location for the distance of a mil. One who is traveling and requires water does not have to seek out water if his search will cause him to have to travel alone. Similarly, if seeking out water will cause that he will not arrive at his destination while it is still day, he does not have to seek out water at all.




Tefillah Translated and Elucidated

Adon Olam
Sleep is a sign of faith
Biyado afkid ruchi bieis ishan viaira, into His hand I shall entrust my spirit when I go to sleep – and I shall awaken! The Gemara (Brachos 57b) states that sleep is one sixtieth of death. It is well known that awakening from sleep is akin to the resurrection of the dead. It is for this reason that in the blessing of Elokai neshama we recite the words baruch atah HaShem hamachazir neshamos lifgarim meisim, blessed are You, HaShem, Who restores souls to dead bodies. The Maharal (Gur Aryeh Bereishis 2:7) writes that the idea of burial is that one is deposited in the earth for the purpose of coming alive in the future. Given the fact that man has the potential to be resurrected, it is fitting that he be buried in the earth. It is therefore appropriate that here we declare that we are depositing our spirits with HaShem for safekeeping, as since we are confident that we will awaken, it follows that first we should deposit our spirits with HaShem when we fall asleep.

Tefillah Tale

Sticking around for a minyan
A man once approached Rav Sholom Schwadron zt”l after he had delivered his Friday night talk and told him the following story. (Found in The Maggid Speaks by Rabbi Paysach Krohn.)
The time after World War I was one of relative freedom for the Jews of Russia. I was involved in diamonds and things were going very well.
Every morning I was at my office at 8:00AM and I was busy all day. One morning I went to my office a bit early to get some paperwork done, carrying, as usual, my valise of diamonds and jewelry. On the way I heard a man calling out from a small synagogue, asking for ‘a tzenter,’ the tenth man to complete the minyan. When he saw me turn towards him, he shouted to me, “Come in, come in, we need you for the minyan.”
Realizing that I had time to spare I decided to help out and be the tenth man. However, upon entering I saw that there were only three other men beside myself and the man at the door who by now had resumed his search for ‘a tzenter.’
A bit upset at having been duped, I turned to the man at the door complaining that I wasn’t the tenth but the fifth! “Don’t worry,” he called back. “Many Jews pass here and we’ll have a minyan in no time.” I began reciting Tehillim for the next ten minutes. By that time he had only managed to find one more person so I got up to leave. “Please,” he began to plead with me. “Today is my father’s yahrtzeit and I’m trying to get a minyan together as fast as possible in order to say Kaddish. Please stay.”
“I can’t stay any longer,” I protested. “I must be in my office right now.”
At this point he turned a bit nasty. “I’m not letting you out! I have yahrtzeit and I have to say Kaddish. As soon as I get ten together you can go.”
I reluctantly returned to my Tehillim but when another ten minutes had only yielded two more people I again began to make my way toward the door. He pointed his finger at me and said: “If you were the one saying Kaddish for your father you’d want me to stay and I would. Now I want you to do the same for me!”
His pointing out how I would feel in his shoes made me view the whole situation differently and I decided that come what may, I would remain. At about 8:30 he finally got his minyan together. I thought he would say a Kaddish and let us go but he instead began at the beginning of services. I calculated that I wouldn’t reach my office until well after 9:00.
I kept hoping that an eleventh man would enter the synagogue, allowing me to duck out but it didn’t happen. I was stuck there until the final amen was answered after the final Kaddish. He then thanked us profusely, served some cake and drinks and let us leave.
When I and my valise filled with jewelry came within two blocks of my office a man I knew came frantically running over to me. “The Bolsheviks took over the government and some of them came in and killed the Jews at the diamond exchange. They’re now busy looting as much as they can. Run for your life!” I ran for my life, hid for a few days and was finally able to get out of Russia. [Reprinted with permission from Torah.org]

Tefillah Test

The souls of the righteous will also experience the rebuilding of Yerushalayim

Last week we posed the question: how is the third blessing of Shemone Esrei associated with Yaakov? The Doveir Shalom, found in Otzar HaTefillos, cites a Medrash that states that when Yaakov arrived at Beis El and encountered the Gates of Mercy, he sanctified HaShem’s Name and recited HaKel HaKadosh. Thus, Yaakov discerned HaShem with the attribute of Kadosh, holiness, It is also said (Yeshaya 29:23) vihikdishu es kidosh Yaakov, they will sanctify the Holy One of Yaakov. Furthermore, it is said (Tehillim 22:4) viatah kadosh yosheiv tehillos Yisroel, yet You are the Holy One, enthroned upon the praises of Israel. Yisroel refers to Yaakov who is called Yisroel Saba, Israel the elder. Yaakov discerned the concealment of HaShem, and for this reason we declare that You, Hashem, are holy, as You are holy and concealed in Your essence. The Maharal (Gur Aryeh Bereishis 28:11) elaborates on the theme of Yaakov being referred to as holy. One profound point that the Maharal makes regarding Yaakov is that he more than the other Patriarchs was separated from the physical and it was for this reason that Yaakov was called Kadosh. It is worth mentioning that the Gemara (Megillah 18a) states that HaShem referred to Yaakov as Keil, G-d. Thus, we see that Yaakov more than anyone else had this element of holiness and separation from the physical.

This week’s question is, why do we commence the blessings of supplications in Shemone Esrei by asking HaShem for daas, knowledge? If you have a possible answer, please email me at BirumOlam@gmail.com and your answer will be posted in next week’s edition of Birum Olam.

Tefillah: Birum Olam:
Prayer stands at the
Pinnacle of the World
Volume I Issue 15
Is sponsored lizchus Refuah shileima Chaya bas Docha Rachel bisoch shaar cholei Yisroel
bisoch shaar cholei Yisroel
Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler.
For sponsorships please call 248-506-0363.
To subscribe weekly by email, please send email to BirumOlam@gmail.com
View Tefillah: Birum Olam: Prayer stands at the Pinnacle of the World And other Divrei Torah on www.doreishtov.blogspot.com