Rabbi Yonatan Eybeschutz
The blessing ראה בענינו – “Look upon our afflictions”
Here one should pray for the redemption of Israel. But one should not have in mind that we will then be princes and nobles on earth, with all its bounty at our disposal—although that is indeed what will happen—for what are all these fleeting blessings to a person, appearing overnight and disappearing overnight? All our thoughts should be directed toward attaining wholeness and perfection, but above all toward sanctifying the great Name of the Almighty, which He has bound to us, so that it is not desecrated among the nations. This is the foundation of the joy that redemption will bring us, if the Almighty so wills—soon, in our days—when all the nations will know that “their fathers bequeathed them falsehood” (see Jeremiah, 16:19), and that the Almighty alone is King over all the earth, and that He is truly the G-d of Israel, forever. This is the meaning of the words: “Redeem us speedily for the sake of Your Name.”
One should pray for this even though we are unworthy of redemption—for can the Almighty not also do what lies beyond the bounds of nature? For Him, there is no distinction between the natural and the supernatural! Everything proceeds according to the attribute of judgment, since the natural flows from judgment, and when the Almighty acts through the attribute of judgment, this means that He acts in accordance with nature. But when He acts beyond judgment, this means that He acts beyond nature. Then, in His great mercy, He “shatters” nature and bestows more goodness upon us than the measure of judgment would warrant. Thus, at the splitting of the sea, He is likened to a mighty warrior (see Exodus, 15:3), because Israel was unworthy of this miracle, and the Almighty performed it for the sake of His great Name—a supernatural miracle beyond judgment—and therefore He is likened to a mighty warrior. We pray that, through His might and His strong hand, He will perform a miracle for us, contrary to nature and beyond judgment. This is the meaning of the words: “For You are G-d, a mighty Redeemer.”
A person should take to heart that redemption takes place every day, and that the Almighty hears the prayers of Israel, especially communal prayer, which is never unwelcome. Every day, those who wish to destroy us rise against us, but He saves us from their hands; this is the redemption that comes every day. Therefore, it was ordained that we say “redeems Israel” in the present tense, because He redeems, ransoms, and saves every day. Thus, when standing in prayer, a person should recognize that this is a time of distress for Israel, and that many wage war against us to destroy the remnant of Jacob [both physically and spiritually], G-d forbid, and that only a single step separates him from death. When he sees that the day has passed and the plans of Israel’s enemies and oppressors have not been realized, “let Israel rejoice in its Maker” (Psalms, 149:2), for the Almighty has heard our prayer.
Blessing רפאנו – “Heal us”
Here one should pray for all the sick in the city, as well as all the sick among the people of Israel, and feel compassion for their suffering, for all Israel is one soul and one body, and if one member of Israel falls ill, a part of that body is ill. A person should not say: “What concern is he of mine? He is neither my relative nor my protector!” Rather, one should pray wholeheartedly for all the sick, as though one’s own children and brothers were ill, G-d forbid—for would one not then increase one’s prayers and pour out the anguish of one’s soul before the Almighty? This is how one should pray for every member of Israel. Either because there is no person in Israel who has no share in mitzvot, and in the merit of that share may his soul live; or, even if the sick person is utterly wicked, it is absolutely clear that one must pray for his health so that he does not die guilty, for if he recovers, perhaps he will repair what he has damaged! If he dies without making amends, G-d forbid, one organ will be missing from the great body that is the community of Israel—and the Divine Presence cannot rest upon a maimed body. There is another reason to pray for a wicked person: when the Almighty executes judgment upon Israel, even upon the wicked, anger blazes in Heaven, and at such a time the measure of judgment may reach even worthy people, G-d forbid, for who can withstand His anger? Therefore, one should pray to extinguish this blazing anger. The essence of the prayer is a plea to heal Israel’s illness, a prayer for the community of Israel in exile, which is “lovesick” for the Almighty (see Song of Songs, 2:5). This healing requires a great awakening and a great return to Him.
One should also pray for Torah sages whose strength has been depleted by their diligent study of it, and we are obligated to pray for their needs, their well-being, and the renewal of their strength. For they are the guardians of the Torah, transmitting the authentic tradition of the Oral Torah, and our souls are bound to theirs. If there are no sages, G-d forbid, we have no life!
Blessing ברך עלינו... אֶת השנה הזאת – “Bless for us… this year”
Here a person should pray for sustenance, because food for which no prayer for sustenance has been offered in advance is “impure bread.” Therefore, at least during the morning prayer, a person should ask the Almighty to send his allotted portion of sustenance, so that it reaches him through permitted means rather than forbidden ones. For if there is anything forbidden associated with the food, it defiles the entire body, and there is no nourishment for the soul. But if the food is entirely permitted, it contains nourishment for the soul. One should pray with great care and concentration that the food be completely permitted and pure. This is the meaning of the words: “and may we be satisfied with Your bounty.”
One should offer many prayers that the Almighty feed the poor and give everyone according to their needs, so that members of the people of Israel need not depend on one another’s charity. For, because of our many sins, most violations of the law in Israel stem from a lack of sustenance; if there were enough, people would never stray from the straight paths.
The best time to ask for sustenance is in the morning, because in the morning the Almighty is moved to have mercy upon Israel, seeing how, while other nations turn to their idols, Israel turns wholeheartedly to serving Him. Then He feeds us and provides us with the means to live—for, according to the strict letter of the law, a member of the people of Israel who does not merit complete acquittal has no right to sustenance. Therefore, sustenance comes primarily not through judgment, but solely through the Almighty’s mercy.
Blessing תקע בשופר גדול – “Sound the great shofar”
Here one should pray fervently, with tears, for the ingathering of the exiles and the proclamation of freedom in the Land of Israel. This refers to the sounding of the shofar, and a person should continually imagine hearing the sound of the shofar on the day of judgment. When praying about the shofar that will sound in the future to gather the dispersed, a person should have in mind the gathering of all the gilgulim (Jewish souls that have ever lived, are living now, or will live) in this world, because the son of David will not come until there are no souls left in the Guf (Guf—the repository of souls that have not yet been in this world), since all Israel is regarded as a single guf, encompassing all the souls that enter the world.
Blessing השיבה שופטינו – “Restore our judges to us”
Here one should have in mind the restoration of the Sanhedrin, for it is the Almighty’s throne. As long as the Sanhedrin was in its place, the glory of the Almighty rested over Israel. The Rambam writes that the son of David will not come until the Sanhedrin is restored, for it has the principal role in establishing the Almighty’s Presence. For there, in their place, the sages of the Sanhedrin expounded the laws of the Oral Torah, resolved disputed questions, and recovered forgotten portions of the Torah. They clearly knew the entire Oral Torah, because the spirit of the L-rd hovered over them, and there were no disputes concerning any part of the Torah. Through the Sanhedrin, which administered lashes to those who deserved them, those who received lashes were freed from heavenly punishments, even from the punishment of karet (the cutting off of the soul from its source in Heaven). This is what the blessing means when it says: “and seek our acquittal in judgment”—through the judges (of the earthly court), we will be acquitted in the heavenly court.
Here one should pray for the judges of Israel, that they be worthy and honest judges, not judges of silver gods—judges without Torah, eager for gifts and inclined toward personal gain, G-d forbid—for then the Almighty will exact punishment both from them and from those who appointed them! The perversion of justice brings several kinds of calamities into the world; but when the judges are worthy, blessing reigns in the world. Therefore, the Sages said: “Restore our judges to us as before… and remove from us sorrow and anguish”—one follows from the other.
Blessing ולמלשינים – “And for the informers”
Here one should ask that apostasy be uprooted from Israel, that the people believe in the Written and Oral Torah with flawless faith, and that there be no “root that produces poison and wormwood” among them (see Deuteronomy, 29:17)—a root that prompts people to defy the worthy sages of Israel who teach Torah to our people. One should also pray for Amalek to perish when saying “and the wicked kingdom” (in the version of the prayer that includes these words; other versions say “and the wicked”), because this refers to Amalek, who came with evil intent against Israel (in the wilderness), to intervene in a quarrel that was not his own (see Ramban on Exodus, 17:16, at the end). This fulfills the Torah’s positive commandment: “Remember what Amalek did to you” (Deuteronomy, 25:17), and we are obligated to maintain enmity toward him, as it is said: “Indeed, I hate those who hate the L-rd” (Psalms, 139:21). One should pray that all the calamities that might befall Israel, G-d forbid, befall him instead. One should also pray that the Almighty place all our sins upon those who oppress us, since these oppressors were the cause of sin. One should further pray that the Almighty withdraw His beneficent influence from them and pour it upon us from His holy hand, as in ancient times.
Blessing על הצדיקים ועל החסידים – “For the righteous and the pious”
Here one should pray for the good of the righteous, for we ourselves live through their blessings, and as long as they are in this world, there is favor and goodness in this world. One should especially pray for the good of righteous gerim (proselytes), and direct one’s heart toward loving them as oneself, thereby fulfilling the commandment: «And love the ger» (Deuteronomy, 10:19). All the more so in our time, when we are especially humiliated, cast into the dust, and have almost no vitality left, while the wicked are at the very top… Yet he, the ger, has recognized the truth—something that is, in itself, literally impossible: to recognize the Almighty in a world of falsehood. Are we not therefore obligated to love him and kiss his footprints? Whoever increases his love for him loves the Almighty and His Torah! For a person’s love for a ger depends upon his love for the Almighty and His Torah, since this latter love gives rise to love for the ger. Therefore, one should pray very, very earnestly for the well-being of the ger, so that he does not return, G-d forbid, to his former state because of the hardships of exile and his poverty. We are obligated to increase our prayers for gerim, that the Almighty grant them a pure heart.
When saying the words “and may we not be put to shame, for we have relied on You,” one should have in mind that we are asking not to suffer shame in the World to Come before the Holy King. For what is shame in this world? Before whom? Before a person like a blade of grass, who is himself nothing but a breath! How long do disgrace or honor last here, when everything here is merely a passing shadow? It is different in the World to Come, where a person is disgraced and ashamed before the Creator of the universe, and all the angels on high shame him and proclaim before him: “Keep away! Unclean! Do not touch him! This man, so-and-so, has transgressed the commands of his Master! Better had he not been created! Oh, woe to him!”
Translated by Rabbi P. Perlov.