Great Minds on Prayer - Patriarchs

Great Minds on Tefillah – The Amida in depth

 

( Excerpts on the Amida prayer from Koren Siddur with Commentary by Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks,

Koren Mesorat HaRav Siddur with Commentaries by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik,

and Hirsh Siddur with Commentary by Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsh)

Part 1 AVOT – Patriarchs 

1.      Origins of Amida

The Amida is the summit of prayer: in it, we enter the holy of holies of religious experience.  We say it standing because we are conscious of being in the unmediated presence of G-d.  The Hebrew word Amida comes from the root verb omed – standing.  The name Amida is also related to its earliest setting: prayers said by the people of Ma’amad, groups of laymen who, in the Second Temple times, accompanied their local “watch” (mishmar) of priests who officiated in the Temple on a one-in-24-week schedule.  The Ma’amad was one of the prototypes of congregational prayer. 

According to tradition, the Amida in embryonic form dates back to the Great Assembly in the time of Ezra following the Jews’ return from Babylon.  Several centuries later, it was canonized in a fuller form by Shimon HaPakuli in the days of Rabban Gamliel.  (Koren Siddur, p.109)

2.      Structure of Amida

It is often called the Shemoneh Esreh, “Eighteen”, because it originally consisted of eighteen blessings (now nineteen).  It has a three-part structure:

1)      Praise                   blessings  1–3

2)      Requests             blessings  4–16

3)      Thanks                  blessings  17-19

3.      First blessings of praise

·         Patriarchs – avot

·         Divine might – gevura

·         Holiness – kedusha

We come before Hashem with these three blessings in order to recall to ourselves the relationship of our soul, nefesh, our human personality to G-d, His relationship to us, and our task evolving from these relationships.  It is only then that we go on to beseech Him for favor, and pledge that we will put to proper use all the earthly possessions for which we look to Him alone. (Hirsh Siddur, p.126)

4.      Avot – entering Divine Covenant

Whenever we recite Avot we enter anew with our fathers into the Divine Covenant which teaches us to view Hashem as the Supreme Being Who is infinitely exalted above all things, but is also infinitely near to us, and to regard the pact which He made with our ancestors as the basis of all the past and all the future of even their most distant progeny. (Hirsh Siddur, p.126)

5.      Opening Chords

In these opening chords we refer back to the dawn of our people’s history – the days of the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In so doing, we echo Moses, who constantly referred to the patriarchs when praying for forgiveness for the people.  G-d’s love for, and covenant with, those who first heard His call is the supreme ground on which we stand when we turn to Him in prayer.  The paragraph ends with a reference to Abraham, who was the first person to heed G-d’s call.  (Koren Siddur, p.111)

Tefillah transliteration

While praying, concentrate on the meaning of the words, and remember that you stand before the divine presence.  Before beginning the Amidah, take three steps back, then three steps forward. Recite the Amidah quietly—but audibly to yourself—while standing with feet together.

6.      Open my lips

 

Hashem       s'fatai        tiftach,

My Lord,       my lips           open,                   

u-fi                           ya-gid                    tehila-te-cha.

that my mouth      may declare         Your praise.

Every individual addressing Hashem by his Name, acknowledges Him therewith as his Lord, and views himself as Hashem’s servant.  He thus pledges to employ the words of prayer to gird himself for the true service of Hashem in everyday life. (Hirsh Siddur, p.130)

7.      Blessed Art Thou – the bracha

We bow as we utter the word baruch which is our pledge of obedience, but we stand erect again when we come to say the Name, for the thought of the Name of the Lord should not weigh us down, but should rather sustain us at all times. (Hirsh Siddur, p.130)


Ba-ruch     a-tah         hashem,    E-lo-hei-nu            vei-lo-hei           a-vo-tei-nu,

Blessed    are You,    my lord,    our G‑d         and G‑d of    our fathers,

E-lo-hei     Av-ra-ham,        E-lo-hei     Yitz-chak,          Vei-lo-hei      Ya-a-kov,

G‑d of        Abraham,           G‑d of        Isaac                  and G‑d of          Jacob,

8.      G-d of our Fathers

G-d of our Fathers, that is G-d as our ancestors knew Him, as He revealed His glory to them both by word and by means of mighty acts. This is the only way for us to conceive of G-d if we are to reach and to hold fast to that concept of truth which refutes all error and folly.

Ha-eil        Ha-Ga-dol                    Ha-Gi-bor                      v'Ha-No-rah,               

The G-d      the great one,          the mighty                   and the awesome,              

Eil    El-yon,

G-d    Most High,

go-meil               cha-sa-dim                   to-vim,

Who bestows     kindnesses                  that are good,

ve-ko-nei           ha-kol,

and creates      everything,

9.      Infinitely Great and Infinitely Close

 “Ha-eil ha-gadol ha-gibor v’ha-nora, The great, mighty and awesome G-d”  … “go-meil chassadim tovim Who bestows loving-kindness”…  He thus causes us to see Him as a Being which, though limitlessly exalted in awesome greatness and almighty power, is still so infinitely close to all of us that there is no need for the services of any intermediary between Him and ourselves.  (Hirsh Siddur, p.131)

v'zo-cheir                    chas-dei                       a-vot,

Who recalls              the kindnesses          of the Patriarchs,

u-mei-vi               go-eil                     li’v-nei                         v'nei-hem

and brings        a redeemer       to children                 of their children,

l'ma-an                                     sh'mo                   b'a-ha-vah

for the sake of                   His Name             in love

10. Infinite love

The nature of His loving Providence is such that our own lives and our welfare, as well as those of even our remotest descendants, are assured because of the good deeds of our ancestors and theirs. It is as the sons of their fathers that they bear His Name, that they have a portion in His infinite love and that they may hopefully await the redeemer to be sent by Him.  He is their King, Help, Savior and Shield even as He was that of their fathers. (Hirsh Siddur, p.131)

Me-lech              o-zeir                  u-mo-shi-a                     u-ma-gein.

King,                    Helper,               and Savior,                 and Shield

Bend knees at Baruch; bow at atah; straighten up at Adonai:
Ba-ruch              a-tah         Hashem,             magein      Av-raham.

Blessed are      You,            Lord,                   Shield       of Abraham

11. Shield of Abraham

Let us emulate our father Abraham.  When Hashem calls upon us to set us new tasks or to test us with new trials, let us respond with the simple answer that Abraham taught us to give: hineini “I am ready”, “Here I am”.  If we will choose to follow this path, then Hashem will prove to be our own Shield today even as He was the Shield of Abraham long ago.  If Hashem is our Shield, then we need fear nothing, not even death.  For Hashem is mightier than death; He can reawaken even the dead to renewed life – this will be the topic of the next bracha in Shemonei Esrei – Gevurah, Divine Might, or Resurrection of the Dead.  (Hirsh Siddur, p.131-132)

 

Tefillah in Depth – from the Rav Joseph B. Soloveichik

HaRav Siddur, pp.120 - 123

12. Amida – Dialogue with G-d

In Amida, man approaches G-d, pleads with Him and engages Him in dialogue.  Human beings have many deficiencies, wants and aspirations; as a result, they knock on the gates of heaven and present themselves before G-d, asking that He listens to their requests.  G-d has singled out man by giving him the right to approach Him in this way.  

13. Who is Man?

Yet, the very institution of prayer is enigmatic.  How can man possibly knock on G-d’s door, as it were? Who is man to appear before the Universal King and list his petty, insignificant needs?  Would we dare act in this way before a king of flesh and blood?  We cannot proceed unless we address this paradox.  The first paragraph of the Amida confronts this daunting challenge. 

14. Man’s Tongue Falters

But another obstacle is in our path at the very outset of our endeavor.  On his own, it is impossible for man to comprehend his needs and formulate them in a lucid prayer.  His mouth is inarticulate, his tongue falters. He requires divine assistance not only for his sustenance, but also to recognize his deficiencies and to arrange his words.  Man is dependent on G-d not only to fulfill his needs, but even to recognize and express them.  And so, the Amida opens with the introductory phrase, Hashem sfatai tiftah “O Lord, open my lips …” We cannot contemplate prayer unless we seek G-d’s assistance in formulating our entreaties. 

15. Avot – a license to enter the gates

We are abject, but beseeching G-d’s assistance in articulating our thoughts and words is not sufficient.  Protocol must be observed.  Mortal man, puny and insignificant, must first ask permission before engaging in a dialogue with the Infinite. Man needs a license, a matir. This critical element in the drama of prayer is provided by the first paragraph of the Amida. Containing no mention of our petty needs or mundane concerns, it is a blessing of the Almighty and an acknowledgement of His grandeur – an introduction which serves as the matir, the humble request for license which allows us to proceed to the gates of prayer. 

16. G-d of our Forefathers

The formulation of the bracha in the initial paragraph of the Amida, Baruch ata Hashem, Eloheinu Veilohei Avoteinu, ”Blessed are You, Lord our G-d and the G-d of our forefathers”, is strikingly unique.  The typical introductory statement in a bracha does not refer to our forefathers but contains the words Melech HaOlam, “King of the Universe”.  These words are omitted here, for how can temporal, flesh-and-blood man purport to approach the eternal and infinite King of the Universe for fulfillment of his personal needs?  Invoking the Universal King in the beginning of the Amida would negate our very ability to approach G-d in prayer.  Instead of Melech HaOlam we invoke Elohei Avoteinu, G-d of our forefathers. If we are able to engage in prayer at all, it is only through the precedent of our forefathers who, as stated by the Gemara in Brachot (26b), established the very institution of prayer. 

17. Precedent from Moshe Rabeinu

Relying on the precedent of our forefathers in our initial approach to G-d is essential, but more is required of us.  The Gemara (Berakhot 32b) states that one must glorify G-d prior to making requests of Him, a lesson learned from Moses as he entreated G-d to allow him entry into Israel (Devarim 3:24 – see footnote below).  Yet, here we face a paradox similar to that presented above: how can lowly man purport to praise the Infinite G-d?  Any possible description in man’s vocabulary would be woefully inadequate.  Here too, precedent comes to our aid, and we limit our praise to the terse formula “ha-eil ha-gadol ha-gibor v’ha-nora, The great, mighty and awesome G-d.”  Our praise takes this form because Moses himself used precisely these terms when praising G-d (Devarim 10:17 – see below).  Once again, without historic precedent, we would be unable to engage in such praise.

18. Approaching the King

By the end of the first paragraph of the Amida, armed with the precedent of the patriarchs’ prayer and Moses’ praise, the Jew can summon the courage to address G-d as “King”.  The appellation “King” which was omitted from the initial part of the bracha appears at the end of the bracha in the phrase “melech ozer u-moshiya u-magen King, Helper, Savior and Shield.” Rather than describing a sovereign King who is distant and unapproachable, the emphasis here is on a King who is close and concerned, who has the desire and ability to help us and grant salvation. 

Notes:

Devarim 3:23-24

I entreated Hashem at that time, saying, "O Lord God, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your strong hand, for who is [like] God in heaven or on earth who can do as Your deeds and Your might?  אֲדֹנָי יֱהֹוִה אַתָּה הַחִלּוֹתָ לְהַרְאוֹת אֶת עַבְדְּךָ אֶת גָּדְלְךָ וְאֶת יָדְךָ הַחֲזָקָה אֲשֶׁר מִי אֵל בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה כְמַעֲשֶׂיךָ וְכִגְבוּרֹתֶךָ:

Devarim 10:17

For the Lord, your God, is God of gods and the Lord of the lords, the great mighty and awesome God, Who will show no favor, nor will He take a bribe. כִּי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הוּא אֱלֹהֵי הָאֱלֹהִים וַאֲדֹנֵי הָאֲדֹנִים הָאֵל הַגָּדֹל הַגִּבֹּר וְהַנּוֹרָא אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִשָּׂא פָנִים וְלֹא יִקַּח שֹׁחַד