Hakhel Email Community Awareness Bulletin
FOCUS ON TEFILLAH ARCHIVE
11.
HOSHIVAH SHOFTEINU
As
we noted last week, the Sefer Rinas Chaim writes
that in the first six Brachos of request, our requests are for individuals
within the community--whereas the second group of six Brachos--which
commence with Teka BeShofar--are requests of and for the entire community. The
Kuntrus HisChaskus BiT’fillah
brings in the name of the Avudraham that each bracha in the first group of
six corresponds, or has a matching bracha, in the second group of six.
The second bracha of the first
group (HaShiveinu Avinu)
requests help for the individual in Torah, Avodah and Teshuvah. Corresponding
to this, the second bracha in the second group for Klal Yisroel is Hoshivah Shofteinu. Here, we beg Hashem to reappoint the Sanhedrin.
This will revive the authority of the Torah, and consequently
strengthen the kingship of Hashem over His people. Thus, truth and
justice will return to K’lal Yisroel.
Additionally, the Sefer Ya’aros
Devash writes that the Ikar
HaShrayas HaShechina is through the Sanhedrin--for
they will remedy and cure all the Torah that has been lost and forgotten,
ridding us of dissention and indecision.
Moreover, the Ya’aros Devash
concludes, when there are Dayanim
Keshairim in the world, then bracha is Sheruyah
B’Olam--the world is infused with bracha.
It is for this reason that the bracha continues VeHaser
Mimenu Yagaon VeAnacha--for as bracha pervades the world--all of the
sources of agony and groaning depart--and this time…it will be forever!
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We begin the bracha with a Tefilla for our Shoftim,
i.e., our Sanhedrin to return, so that the resha’im of the world are dealt
with, bringing greater peace to the entire world and each and every person
in it as a result. We then
request that Hashem grant Yoatzeinu
Kevatechila--the level and status of Chachomim who lived at
the time of nev’ua, who could give the exact eitzah, a final
determination of direction or advice that is needed by a person in each and
every situation in which he needs guidance.
If one would like to visualize it, perhaps he can imagine Moshe
Rabbeinu and Aharon Hakohein back on the Sanhedrin, and Dovid HaMelech and
Shlomo Hamelech--once again giving Eitzos to our people.
This is not out of the realm of possibility--it is going to
happen--and this is what we are praying for--so daven well!
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In this bracha, we ask Hashem to return Judges
and our Yoatzim to the prior levels of our greatness, and immediately
continue with the phrase “Vehaser
Mimenu Yagon Va’Anacha--and remove from us sorrow and groaning.”
The Sefer Avudraham writes
that the juxtaposition here teaches that with the return of the Shoftim and
the Yoatzim, our Yagon and Anacha will forthwith depart.
What is Yagon and what is Anacha?
The Kuntres Avodas HaTefillah brings
that Yagon refers to De’agah
B’Lev--sadness, or a troubled or worry-filled heart.
Anacha, on the other hand, refers to sadness that comes from
physical strain and tzaros that actually occur.
When justice returns to the world, and the Shechina then has an
ultimate place to reside, the world’s difficulties, and each and every
person’s strains and worries along with it, will be no more.
The suffering vanishes--for it has no further place.
We should remember that we are davening to Hashem here not only for
removing one person’s pain and woes
(even if it may be yours), but each and every person’s--and not only for a minute or a day or a
year--but for eternity!
Let’s Daven Well!
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With the return of our Shoftim and Yoatzim, all Yagon
and Anacha will depart from our lives, which as we learned yesterday, is
the basis for the words V’haser
Mimenu Yagan V’Anacha. There
are even more incredible results. At
that time as well, U’Mloch Aleinu
Atta Hashem Levadecha BeChesed U’Verachamim V’Tzaddekeinu BaMishpat--everyone
in the world will realize that it is Hashem, and only Hashem, Who rules over
us, His people, with unique Hashgacha Pratis--with Chesed and Rachamim.
One will note that this very special concept of U’Mloch Aleinu Atta Hashem Levadecha is even prominent in our
Tefillos in the Yomim Noraim where we emphasize these very words in the “U’Vechain…”
in the third bracha of the Yamim Noraim Shemone Esrei.
Now, Hashem will rule over us for all to see--but what is the
difference between Chesed and Rachamim metioned in this bracha?
We present two alternative explanations.
The Kuntres Avodas HaTefillah
explains that Hashem’s Chesed will bring goodness upon us even if we have
insufficient merit, and His Rachamim will prevent us from being punished in
a manner which would otherwise be in accordance with our deeds.
HaRav Schwab explains that Hashem will rule over us BeChesed while
this world is still in existence, and later BeRachamim--in the world of
Techiyas HaMeisim. According to
both explanations, our Tefillos here are qualitatively expansive, and
eternally everlasting. It is not
Chesed and Rachamim for now--it is
forever!
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We conclude our Bracha with the request of V’Tzadekeinu
BaMishpat--and find us righteous in judgment.
HaRav Chaim Friedlander, Z’tl, explains the relationship between
Tzedek and Mishpat. Mishpat is
the strict letter of the law, whatever it may be--as it is written ‘on the
books’. Tzedek, on the other
hand, represents factors which could (although they need not be) taken into
account to mitigate the Mishpat such as affliction, poverty, bad influences,
etc. We ask Hashem to bring
Tzedek into our Mishpat. Why
would He do this? It is because
we bring Tzedek into our Mishpat--that is, we judge other people favorably,
beyond the situation, beyond the circumstances of what happened or what he
did. In this bracha, then, we
are reminding ourselves that even if we are not judges sitting behind the
table or bench, that we too act as judges every day--and that the way we judge will be the way we are
judged. With this, we can understand the conclusion of the Bracha--Melech
Oheiv Tzedaka U’Mishpat--the King who loves imparting Tzedaka into
Mishpat. The term ‘love’ in
this bracha, as HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, Shlita in the name of the Bach
explains, refers to Hashem’s love of seeing us act with Tzedaka in our
Mishpat--by judging others favorably. He,
in turn, can judge us favorably as well!
Hakhel Note: This is the
only bracha in Shemone Esrei that concludes with the term love--let us value
it properly(!)
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The Rabbeinu Yonah to
Brachos writes that there are those who are very mistaken in our current
Golus and c’v believe, because of the sufferings of exile, that Hashem has
forsaken us, and does not watch over us.
The phrase of VeHaser Mimenu
Yagon VeAnacha refers to this Yagon and Anacha in Galus from which c’v
people have erred. At the time
of the Geulah, however, it will be
clear for all to see that Hashem rules over us with Chesed and Rachamim,
with Tzedek and Mishpat. Accordingly,
we are praying for the day when the sorry misconceptions depart, and all
recognize Hashem’s true essence--an essence that was there all along!
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SECOND SET --------------------------
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We continue with our study of the Nineteen
Brachos of Shemone Esrei. This week we focus on the Eleventh Bracha of
Shemone Esrei--Hashiva Shofteinu--Restoring of Justice.
The Seder
HaYom writes that for so long as we are in Galus we cannot fulfill the
Mitzvos and the study of Torah properly because of the tzaros
and agonies that we face. In
this bracha, therefore, we daven to Hashem that He rid us of Yagon Va’Anacha--sorrow and groan--and this will be accomplished
through the establishment of the Sanhedrin, and that the Chachomim
reestablish themselves as those who give the proper advice to our people in
both Ruchniyus and Gashmiyus. HaRav
Chaim Kanievksy, Shlita, points out that the first phrase of the bracha:
Hashiva Shofetinu KiVarishona
V’Yoatzeinu KeVatechilah is clearly based on the Pasuk in Yeshaya (
1:26
): V’Hashiva
Shoftayich Kevarishona V’Yoatsayich KiVatechilah.
The G’ra actually teaches that the Shoftim
we are referring to are Dovid and Shlomo, and the Yoatzyim
are Moshe and Aharon themselves who will return to give us their sage
advice. Hakhel Note:
Let us reflect upon this incredible leadership that we will have.
We can then truly understand why we will no longer have any Yagon V’Anacha! May
it come speedily and in our day.
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The Siddur Otzar
HaTefillos brings from the Levush that the Malochim recited our bracha
of “Baruch Atta Hashem Melech Oheiv
Tzedaka U’Mishpat” at the time that Moshe taught Bnei Yisrael the
Parsha in the Torah of Mishpatim. Every
letter of the Aleph Bais is found in this Bracha--except for the ‘Zayin’
which (among other things) represents our seven great leaders (the Ushpizin)--how
exact our Brachos are! The
reason this Bracha comes immediately after the ingathering of our exiles is
because Hashem will punish those who must be punished before we settle in
Yerushalayim (as described in a coming bracha).
Additionally, we require a Sanhedrin as soon as possible in our
Geulah process because the Ikar
Hashra’as HaShechina is through the Sanhedrin.
It is for this reason that the Lishkas
HaGazis, which housed the Sanhedrin HaGadol, was located in the Bais
HaMikdash itself. We note the
stark similarity in brachos between the opening of our Bracha for Teshuvah:
“Hashiveinu
Avinu LeSorasecha”--and our Bracha now to restore our leadership--”Hashiva
Shofetinu KiVarishona”. We
suggest that there is a great lesson here which may not be so evident--that
is, we need to have our Avos and Neviim of the past before us--in order
to fully attain our quest that HaRav Wachtfogel so urged us to seek Masai Yagiyah Ma’asi
LeMa’asei Avosai.
The living lessons in front of
us will serve as our greatest reminders of who we are, where we come from,
and what we can attain! Let
us sincerely pray now for these days!
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In the Bracha we ask
that Hashem remove from us both Yagon
and Anacha.
What is the difference between Yagon
and Anacha? The Kuntres
Avodas HaTefillah brings that Yagon
is worry and troubled concern, whereas Anacha
is a feeling that comes from actual tzaros
that the person is experiencing. All
of this will be gone when true Torah leadership is restored to our land, our
people and to the world. The
next phrase, which is seemingly innocuously placed here actually goes to the
core of our Davening on the Yamim Noraim!
“U’Mloch Aleinu Atta Hashem
Levadecha B’Chesed U’VeRachamim V’Tzadekeinu BaMishpat.”
Here, we ask that Hashem’s singular rulership become evident to the
entire world, and that, moreover, all see once and for all that Hashem acts with
Chesed (i.e., even when we do not have Zechusim), with
Rachamim (i.e., not punishing us for what we have done), and with Tzedek
B’Mishpat (i.e., His finding us innocent in our deeds below, so
that we will not have to face the heavenly court for punishment any time in
the future). Just as our
recitation of Aleinu at the end of davening should remind us of the
Malchiyos that we recite on the Yamim Noraim, so too, should this request
for Hashem’s peaceful, kind and singular rulership over us cause us to
instill within ourselves a new striving and sincerity in the middle of our
Shemone Esrei!
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With HaRav Elyashiv no longer with us in this
world, this Bracha to restore our Judges and Counselors takes on a more
direct and personal meaning. The
Sefer Ya’aros Devash writes that when reciting the bracha of Hashiva
Softeinu, one should place upon his heart that Hashem return the
Sanhedrin who are the Kisei Hashem--Hashem’s throne--to us.
As long as the Sanhedrin were in their place, they taught us the
Torah She’Be’al Peh, quashed Machlokes, and kept the knowledge of Torah
She’Be’al Peh up to a high standard amongst K'lal Yisroel.
Moreover, they performed outstanding Chesed to resha’im
whom they punished in this world--saving them from being punished in the
next world(for instance, by giving a person lashes, thereby saving him from kareis). As the Ya’aros
Devash concludes: “BeZema’an
SheHaDayanim Kesheirim--HaBracha Sheruyah BaOlam!"
-----------------------------------
The Bracha concludes with: Baruch
Atta Hashem Melech Oheiv Tzedaka U’Mishpat.
Hashem loves to do Tzedakah even while exercising justice.
HaRav Shimon Schwab, Z’tl, (HaRav
Schwab on Prayer) insightfully teaches that because we realize that
Hashem’s Heavenly Judgment is so influenced by His Tzedakah, we may be
complacent in our efforts to do Teshuvah.
It is for this reason that during the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah we end
this Bracha with HaMelech HaMishpat, rather than Melech
Oheiv Tzedaka UMishpat--for during this period, we must apply a much
stricter standard of mishpat to ourselves if we are to expect Rachamim from
HaKadosh Baruch Hu. HaRav Schwab
then beautifully concludes: The
Torah tells us BeTzedek Tishpot
Amisecha--judge your fellow man with righteousness (Vayikra 19: 15). Our
Chachomim learn from here Hevei Dan Es
Chavericha LeChaf Zechus (Shavuos 30a). If a person sees another doing
something which, on the surface, appears wrong, he should not assume the
worst, but rather, he should ‘judge’ him favorably in his own mind. Although
the average person is not a judge, nevertheless, we all form our own
opinions, ‘judgments’, of our fellow man. It is in this sense that we
say to HaKadosh Baruch Hu in this Bracha, VeTzadekeinu
BaMishpat. Since now--before
the Geulah-we do not have the high caliber of judges and advisors to lead
and advise us how to avoid our pitfalls, because we are an orphaned and
leaderless people, we ask HaKadosh Baruch Hu to judge us favorably, to judge
us Lechaf Zechus and thereby to apply Tzedakah to our Mishpat!
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