A deeper understanding of a portion of our prayers
The most important prayer we have is the Amida, otherwise known as the Shemonai Esrai. We stand in silence with our legs together. The Amida consists of three sections: the praising of G-d, asking for one’s needs and expressing our gratitude to HIM.
Unfortunately, throughout our history some of our brethren were not exactly well versed in reading our holy Hebrew siddur. In order for them to fulfill the requirement of the Amida, the Chazan-Cantor repeats the prayer and the individuals say Amen after every bracha that is recited. By answering AMEN, he fulfills his obligation. The congregation should remain silent during the repetition and concentrate on the Chazan’s pronunciation of the words as if he is saying the words himself.
Today, where we have siddurim readily available in every language one can possibly think of, it is very easy for one to follow and pray all the prayers. It should therefore follow that the Chazzan should not be required to repeat the prayer. Nevertheless, we still repeat the Amida because the Sages’ enactment of the law still stands and cannot be changed.
WHY DO WE STILL HAVE THE REPETITION!!? AREN’T THE PRAYERS LONG ENOUGH?
PERHAPS, AS COMPENSATION FOR A LONG PRAYER, WE SHOULD FOLLOW WITH A NICE KIDDUSH!! A RULE SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED -THE LONGER THE PRAYER THE BIGGER THE KIDDUSH!
Interestingly, it seems like our Sages intended another more important reason for the repetition of the Amida. Apparently, the repetition is just as important if not more so then the silent version.
The silent Amida has its benefits; there is privacy, “do not disturb” etc. That’s what makes it special, it’s between you and G-d and a time when one can pour his/her heart out. Therefore, the silent prayer can get quite intense.
One’s vocalization of the prayer should be low. It’s designed that way because of privacy, which we discussed, but also because of another important reason. There are negative forces that specialize in disturbing the connection between you and G-d. Our prayers would be susceptible if they were said in a normal tone of voice.
Although the concentration in the repetition version is not as strong as the silent one, it’s considered more powerful.
So what makes it so powerful?
In order to understand why, one must be aware of a number of factors. Firstly, the name of G-d is not pronounced the way its written: YUD, HAY, VOV, HAY. It is pronounced AH DOH NAI.
Secondly, we must use the popular science of Gematriya, where one adds up the letters of the words (ALEF is 1, BET is 2 etc.). The gematriya of MAYIM-water, for example, is 90 (MEM is 40, YUD is 10 and MEM again is 40).
The name of G-d, YUD, HEY, VOV, HAY, in gematriya = 26, and the word AH DOH NAI=65. They together equal to 91 which is equivalent to the numerical value of the word AMEN.
The reason why the repetition of the Amida is more important is because every time one says Amen, in essence, he says both versions of G-d’s name. We say it in unison during the repetition of the Amida. Therefore, one thereby reaches tremendous spiritual heights. There is no fear that the prayers will get intercepted by the evil forces. One does not say Amen in the silent Amida, therefore it’s not as potent.
In parshat Pekudai, ” KA’ASHER TZIVA ET MOSHE” as Moshe was commanded, is repeated 18 times.
Why does it repeat it so many times?
HERE IT REPEATS THE PHRASE EIGHTEEN TIMES!!
G-d gave a gift to Moshe for attempting to protect the Jewish people when they sinned. When defending them, he would often say “MECHENI NA”-erase me please from your book. As a reward, Moshe’s name is repeated over and over. We try to borrow from the gift by having eighteen brachot in the most powerful prayer of service. What about the nineteenth blessing, which was added latter in our history? There is a phrase specifically for that one as well, KA’ASHER TZIVA HASHEM ET MOSHE, which is also found in the parsha.
Another interesting note about the Amida, if one adds up the words of each signature bracha, for example, BARUCH ATTA HASHEM MAGEN AVRAHAM, BARUCH ATTA HASHEM SHOMAIA TEFFILLA etc, one would come up with 113 words. There are also 113 words in the Tefilla of Chana, who was praying to have children and was answered. It is probably considered one of the most intense and powerful prayers we have. All this also coincides with the 113 times it says LEV-heart in the Torah. This infers that one should and needs to pray with deep concentration and all his heart.
The Amida has many deep meanings and should be said both with intensity and deep concentration, both in the silent and repeated version.
Extracted from the shiurim of Rabbi Isaac Oelbaum
MAIN THEME
The parshiot describes how the Mishkan-Tabernacle was constructed.
The Sages find an allusion to the thirty-nine categories of work prohibited on Shabbat. The Torah states:”These are the words which G-d commanded us to do” (Shemot 35:1). and Rav Yehuda Hanasi comments (Shabbat 97b): HA DEVARIM the words EH LEH HADEVARIM -these are the words”. This refers to the thirty-nine work prohibitions handed down to Moshe at Sinai. DEVARIM being plural, implies at least two. The preflex HEY OF HADEVARIM adds one, making three. The numerical value of ELEH is thirty six, for a total of thirty nine.
Rashi states that Vayakhel’s warning of Shabbat (35,1-3) proceeds the section of the MISHKAN to teach that the building of the MISHKAN does not take precedence over Shabbat.
PEKUDEI-meaning account, refers to the account taken of how the donated gold, silver and copper were used in building the MISHKAN
First Portion:
* We’re all cooped up in this body playing the game of life. One of the many aspects of this existence is to fix our mistakes whether it is transgressions done in this lifetime or in previous ones; reincarnation is an essential part of Jewish philosophy. However, if we’re able to atone for our mistakes in our lifetime, then we are very fortunate. In this week’s Parsha, we start off, “Moshe gathered the people.” This particular gathering is to fix the gathering of Aharon when the Jews sinned with the golden calf.
* Why, again, does the Torah repeat the different aspects of the Mishkan? We went through a detailed course in Parsha Teruma and Tetzave. The RAMBAN addresses the question proclaiming a theme for the book of Shemot ‘exile’. The RAMBAN explains the exile doesn’t end until the Israelites reach the spiritual level of the Patriarchs Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaacov. G-d left specific instructions about the construction of the Temple and its leaders. Only G-d picks an intermediary. He picked Moshe, as well as the Keruvim, in the Holy of Holies. The keruvim’s golden baby-faced angel-like statues, whose gestures indicated the spiritual level of the Jews. It was only picked by G-d if a human exercised the right to choose; otherwise, it would have been considered idol worship and going against G-d. The instructions were clear and should have been followed to the letter of the law; it was not. Therefore, the instructions had to be repeated.
* There are thirteen times where the topic of Shabbat is mentioned in the Torah. The Torah doesn’t repeat for any reason. There is a purpose for every mention.
* We derive from the fact that the topic of the Mishkan is found next to the topic of Shabbat, that there is a connection between the two. There are 39 melachot activities that were performed in the Temple. The term melachot is mentioned in the Shabbat context of “one should not do activities”. Therefore, these activities were prohibited on Shabbat.
* The women were extremely enthusiastic and played an important role in contributing to the Temple. Their gold and silver were given generously this time as opposed to their reluctance to give to the golden calf.
Second Portion: * Betzalel, although, a very gifted young man, enhanced his skills through Divine spirit. He was chosen because his grandfather, Chur, tried to stop the catastrophe by the golden calf.
Third Portion: * The golden menorah was made from one piece of gold to symbolize unity among the Israelites. It was Aharon who was later picked to light the Menorah. This honor was very appropriate, for it was he who was instrumental in making peace between Jews and unifying husbands and wives and man and his brethren. “Peace” is one of the main themes of the Temple.
Fourth Portion: * We mentioned earlier how the women’s contribution to the Temple was exceptional. The Sages say they brought their own personal copper mirrors for the construction of the kiyor, the laver. These mirrors were used by our mothers in Egypt to entice their husbands for the purpose of reproduction and to continue the existence of our great nation. It was an especially difficult task considering how tired the husbands were after being worked to the bone by their Egyptian persecutors. Their devotion of preserving the family made these mirrors, theses contributions, valuable. The waters that came out from the kiyor were used for the waters of sotah. Since the Jewish women of Egypt had proper intentions and used these mirrors for kedusha, therefore, the sotah women will be tested with these pure waters to determine if they were pure and holy like their mothers.
* The kiyor was a source of bracha; it brought down rain. This is the reason we should be very careful in washing our hands, especially for bread because it’s a great segula for parnasa.
Fifth Portion: * The avney shoam – stones of the breastplate, which would light up, hinting to the Kohen gadol various answers to vital questions that were asked. Each stone contains six letters to symbolize that the world was created in six days, is found upon the 12 tribes. The total of 72 letters corresponds to the 72 letter Divine names, which maintains the existence of the universe. G-d does kindness to maintain the world. In fact, the numerical value of chessed – kindness is 72. We all know that the Friday night Kiddush has a tremendous spiritual impact. If one adds all the words of the kiddush, he will come up with 72. If one says Friday night Kiddush sincerely with all his heart, he will bring down chessed to himself from G-d.
Sixth Portion: * The mitznefet or migba’at – turban is what the Kohen Gadol wore on his head. The mitznefet atones for arrogance. G-d said let it atone for the sin of holding the head to high. G-d hates arrogance. Jews, for this reason, for generations, have always, traditionally, worn a covering on their head.
Seventh Portion: * With the mishkan complete, the Israelites are now ready to atone for their sins and to get closer to G-d
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