הלכות תפילה וברכת כהנים פרק ו

Rambam Laws of Prayer: The Text of Rosh Hashanah Prayers and Additions for the Ten Days of Repentance

Introduction to the Lecture

Speaker 1:

Gentlemen, we are learning the Rambam’s Seder HaTefillot (Order of Prayers), the sixth installment. We divide it a bit differently than the Lubavitch Seder HaRambam, which they make a bit larger. We want to go a bit more slowly, so we can read everything that’s written.

So today is the sixth lecture in this, and we’re learning more here about the nusach (text) of the prayers of Rosh Hashanah. Perhaps we’ll also get to Yom Kippur a bit, or it won’t be until the next lecture. The additions of the Ten Days of Repentance and Rosh Hashanah, more or less just the Shemoneh Esrei, right? Because what else does Rosh Hashanah have besides that?

Speaker 2:

No, there’s also tekiat shofar (blowing the shofar).

Speaker 1:

Shir HaMaalot MiMaamakim (Psalm 130), the Rambam doesn’t mention it.

Speaker 2:

What? Shir HaMaalot MiMaamakim.

Speaker 1:

Ah, the Rambam didn’t know about this custom. It’s a custom of the Acharonim (later authorities), for a long time, I think. Yes, there wouldn’t be any other additions at all.

Speaker 2:

Avinu Malkeinu is also later things.

Speaker 1:

Which?

Speaker 2:

Avinu Malkeinu is also all later things.

Speaker 1:

Piyutim (liturgical poems), I think he doesn’t say. All those Tosafot Tzadikim (additions of the righteous) that are at the beginning of Shemoneh Esrei.

Speaker 2:

Ah, it has to do with the piyutim?

Speaker 1:

Ah, yes, I think so. There are many piyutim that we add to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, but it could be the Rambam did say certain piyutim, or it was in his city that they didn’t hold of them.

Digression: The Rambam’s Position on Piyutim

Speaker 2:

The Rambam was against the piyutim.

Speaker 1:

By the Ashkenazim there are many piyutim also by Birchot Kriat Shema (blessings of the Shema). Right. Or already by… I mean by the end of Nishmat, instead of Siftai Tiftach there were also many piyutim.

Speaker 2:

Yes.

Speaker 1:

Okay, but the Rambam doesn’t bring any piyutim. Even though there are responsa of the Rambam about whether they already said piyutim in his time, but he didn’t hold of them essentially. Okay.

But by the Chachmei Sefarad (Sephardic sages) you see those who were against piyutim, like Ibn Ezra. It says that the Rambam also.

Speaker 2:

Ibn Ezra didn’t hold of it.

Speaker 1:

Ibn Ezra held that the nusach of the prayer should be written in the manner of lashon mikra (biblical language), in a clear language, and not…

Speaker 2:

Yes, but Ibn Ezra wasn’t against saying piyutim during davening. He himself made piyutim that are said during davening. He was against Rabbi Elazar HaKalir’s piyutim, he held that he doesn’t write well.

Speaker 1:

The Rambam, yes, it’s not on this topic, but in short, the Rambam did write several responsa where he opposes the content of the piyutim. My teacher the Rav has already written that many piyutim say foolish things about the Holy One Blessed Be He, which is not at all true, and it’s not proper at all. And also he held that it’s not necessary, one should say what the Sages instituted.

Discussion: The Problem of Foreign Language in Piyutim

Speaker 1:

Yes, saying piyutim in lashon ilag (foreign language), that’s certainly not good, because it undermines the entire foundation of prayer. The whole prayer is that one shouldn’t speak in lashon ilag, and if you make people say only the word “Kotzetz ben Kotzetz,” they get excited because they caught some rhyme, but otherwise the piyut doesn’t speak to them at all.

Speaker 2:

Yes, that’s just a machloket (dispute) internal to what is lashon ilag.

Speaker 1:

The Baal HaIkarim didn’t rule that it’s lashon ilag.

Speaker 2:

Certainly not, but I’m saying that if the people say it in lashon ilag, because the people aren’t comfortable with the words, or they don’t catch it, or they don’t know at all what’s written there, except when it’s a rhyme, or it follows the alef-bet, they catch something really…

I’m not saying that because of this one shouldn’t say piyutim, and because of this everyone should learn through the piyutim once. It’s certainly a question whether Beit Midrash Yoel Moshe should make a shiur on piyutim. With God’s help, one of our projects is not just to make a shiur on piyutim, but to make new piyutim. The whole idea is “HaMechadesh BeChol Yom Tamid” (Who renews daily). A new piyut. The Chatam Sofer made new piyutim once, it’s also a thing.

The grandfather, Reb Hershele, said that he would have wanted to make a new piyut for Rosh Hashanah. He said, what can’t he do that the Rishonim who made piyutim can? They made them according to Kabbalah, he also knows Kabbalah. They knew how to write well, he also knows how to write well. But he means that one thing they knew that he doesn’t know, he can’t make it so that it should go into the machzor. So, the word is… already.

Additions of the Ten Days of Repentance: “Nahagu Rov HaAm”

Speaker 1:

Anyway, let’s learn what’s written here. So, first we’ll learn the… I’ll say something, read… Did we already say yasher koach for the donors? Already, yasher koach for the donors, for Reb Yoel, Yoelish, however we call him today… our donor, and all other Jews who help around.

And so, so, the Ten Days of Repentance there are certain additions that are added. Not when it’s… the Rema already mentioned this, I think, in short, in the nusach in Hilchot Tefillah. Apparently there he came to say that one may add. There are certain objectors to the additions. Actually it says in the Shulchanot HaRishonim and the Shulchanot HaAcharonim that one doesn’t add. But the custom is that yes, one does add. There are various answers in the Rishonim already for why it should be permitted.

Discussion: Why We Add in the First and Last Blessings

Speaker 1:

The question isn’t why one may, the question is why David instituted it here. I could have instituted it by Shomea Tefillah or a place where it’s appropriate. Why are you going against the enactment that one shouldn’t add in the first and the last?

The answer is that it does fit here, but there’s a learned question that one may not. The answer is, the congregation may indeed, when they say one shouldn’t add they mean that an individual shouldn’t add, and the like.

The Rambam’s Categories of Customs

Speaker 1:

Anyway, so, says the Rambam, “Nahagu rov haam” (most of the people were accustomed) – this is already a custom, it’s not a custom of each individual, it’s a custom of the majority, most of Klal Yisrael conducts themselves, the Rishonim conduct themselves in the name of Yom Tov to add in each one of the prayers the piyutei reshut (optional liturgical poems), perhaps five, we’ll see how they count.

So, in the first blessing… Someone once made some research, when the Rambam says “rov haam,” did the Rambam actually go and inquire in distant communities, or does he mean to say the places where he was? Because there are places where he says “kol hakehillot” (all the communities), there are places where he says “miktzat” (some), he has precision in this. He doesn’t say clearly “minhag Sefarad,” “minhag”… Sometimes he does say yes, he can also sometimes say which city does a certain thing. But it will be interesting sometime to think about.

Here in Hilchot Tefillah, there are apparently four categories: there’s what is minhag kol Yisrael (custom of all Israel), which he calls “nahagu haam” or “kol haam” or… Then there are things that are “yesh nohagim veyesh nohagim” (some practice and some practice), that’s completely different. There’s even smaller than that, there’s “nahaguni” (they taught me), yes, like minhag rabotai (the custom of my teachers). Then there’s “nahagu rov” (most practiced), and perhaps there’s what he says “nahagu miktzat” (some practiced). For example, if you want to say Parashat Shirat HaYam he said, more than miktzat nohagim, it looked a bit like he wrote… “and there are individuals who say twice,” such language isn’t here in Hilchot Tefillah.

Discussion: What Does “Rov HaAm” Mean by the Rambam?

Speaker 2:

Yes, so presumably he knew, presumably when he says here “rov haam” he means most Jews that he heard about, he saw in books.

Speaker 1:

My question is whether we know that the Rambam went and inquired what goes on in distant communities, for example the Rambam wanted to know what they do in Alexandria and in Yemen, or when he writes “rov haam” does he mean everything from the people he knew, from the communities he knew, from the books he learned?

Speaker 2:

Look, I don’t know. He does bring for example “minhag Europe,” yes? “Eretz Edom.” He says in certain places there’s one custom, and the Sephardim have a different custom. It’s not so hard to know such things. You can tell me today, there are things that most Jews do, and there are things that the Heimishe don’t do, and there are things that half do. It’s not so hard to know.

But it’s not exactly so, because for example someone who lives for example in, I don’t know, let’s say, in a Skver shtetl or in Kiryas Yoel, he’ll say “all Jews,” he’ll mean generally a different reality than someone who lives in Los Angeles who says “all Jews.”

Speaker 1:

The Rambam in rov am presumably means more the books he learns, the sifrei haminhagim (books of customs). He didn’t make a sociological observation.

Speaker 2:

In the siddurim that he looked at and the books he saw, he sees…

Speaker 1:

Yes. He asks people, but it certainly wasn’t with precision like someone who only knows his three people. That is, he knew what they do in other places.

“Rov HaAm” Means Those Who Pray According to Halacha

Speaker 1:

But rov am he also means from those who pray according to halacha. He didn’t include there any minhag am ha’aratzot (custom of ignoramuses) or just because something became neglected, because the Rambam didn’t look at it as a custom.

Yes, there are places where he says clearly, that in Hilchot Challah, you remember in Hilchot Challah he says, there’s a custom from the Gemara, “and it’s not proper to rely on,” and nowadays I saw strange customs, it’s not proper to do so, and one shouldn’t conduct oneself that way. He brings many times customs that aren’t good. For example, even about the thing of saying all the blessings of thanksgiving in the morning, “HaNoten,” he says that they do so, but it’s not good, it actually doesn’t work.

When the Rambam Brings a Custom It’s an Approval

Speaker 1:

But it’s very clear, when the Rambam comes and you now have a clarity, when the Rambam brings a custom, even when he says it’s not the custom of most of Israel which is perhaps obligatory, it’s still a certain approval from the Rambam, and this is a legitimate custom. And he says, he finds a way, for example with saying “rov am,” he gives such a hint that this is how it comes, this is how most Jews do, so it’s a good thing. And he has a way of hinting, and how he explains the custom, that he looked into it, “if you want to conduct yourself like us, do it.” And he also gives a way out, that is, he means to say, “by us we don’t conduct ourselves this way.” He doesn’t say it’s a mitzvah of the Sages or something, but one should do it.

I think it’s from the enactment of the Geonim these things, so they say, it’s written before the Rambam.

Speaker 2:

It’s from the Geonim, yes.

Speaker 1:

So the custom is so, you want to say?

Speaker 2:

Did I say?

Speaker 1:

Okay. Let’s take a bit.

The Additions in Shemoneh Esrei of the Ten Days of Repentance

First Blessing: Zachreinu LeChaim

Speaker 1:

The custom is to add in all prayers, whether Shacharit, Mincha, Maariv, Musaf, any prayer that’s said in the Ten Days of Repentance, one says thus: In the first blessing one adds, and the Rambam in his way puts both the addition and how the continuation of the blessing goes, so you should know how it goes in.

He says one says “Zachreinu lechaim, Melech chafetz bachaim” – he doesn’t write E-l, “vechot’veinu besefer chaim, lema’ancha Elokim chaim”. Yes, he says this, “Zachreinu lechaim, Melech chafetz bachaim”, it’s after the word E-l, and then one completes the blessing, “Melech rachaman hamoshi’a umagein, baruch atah Hashem magen Avraham”.

This goes on the Midrash that in the Ten Days of Repentance one can still change. It’s like a person looks at himself as a beinoni (intermediate), and he says he should still do teshuvah, and with the prayer even, the prayer can be what tips the scale.

Speaker 2:

Yes, it’s like a bit of judgment, a person is always like the Rambam said, half meritorious and half guilty, and he can be decisive. So he asks with the prayer, yes. He brings this, that one increases in prayer in the Ten Days of Repentance, and matters of teshuvah.

Speaker 1:

Yes, yes, yes.

Second Blessing: Mi Chamocha

Speaker 1:

Okay, in the second blessing one adds the piece “Mi chamocha av harachamim zocher yetzurav berachamim lechaim”. By us here who say “lechaim berachamim, berachamim lechaim,” same thing. And one completes the blessing, “vene’eman atah lehachayot metim”.

By all these additions there’s one reasoning that it’s like the conclusion, and the piece that comes is like an introduction to the conclusion. By “Mi chamocha” we don’t have it, because the piece before it is “Mi chamocha ba’al gevurot umi domeh lach,” so it’s like an addition to the nusach of the prayer.

The same “Zachreinu” is “vezocher chasdei avot,” ah, “vezocher chasdei avot,” it’s good.

Eighteenth Blessing: Zechor Rachamecha

Speaker 1:

Then, in the eighteenth blessing, that is Birkat Modim, one adds the piece “Zechor rachamecha Hashem Elokeinu uchevsoh ka’asecha, vechoshev lechaim kol bnei britecha, baruch atah Hashem hatov shimcha ulecha na’eh lehodot”. We say the “Zechor rachamecha” we say on Rosh Hashanah we say it yes. Only Rosh Hashanah, and the congregation says it. One doesn’t say it by the silent Shemoneh Esrei, one only says it by the chazzan.

Speaker 2:

No, I think so.

Speaker 1:

But it seems that actually one of the versions of the nusach is… I think this comes out, the Rambam says it right before “hatov shimcha ulecha na’eh lehodot.” We say it a bit earlier in the blessing. But it also connects in the blessing, because there one says afterwards…

Addition in Birkat Sim Shalom

Ah, not the fourth, in the last blessing, the Rambam doesn’t say the last blessing. By the way, it’s not the eighteenth blessing and not the nineteenth, but a whole week. On Shabbat one also says it, it’s the sixth and seventh blessing. And one adds “Uvesefer chaim”, yes, because it connects. The “vav” is a continuation to “letov be’einecha levarech et amcha Yisrael.” “Uvesefer chaim, berachah veshalom, vezeker tov nipaked venizacher lefanecha, anachnu vechol amcha beit Yisrael lechaim veleshalom”, and one concludes “baruch atah Hashem oseh hashalom”. It’s also, it fits very well into the…

Why Doesn’t the Rambam Mention “HaMelech HaMishpat”

The Rambam didn’t mention “HaMelech HaMishpat,” because he already mentioned it by the weekday prayer. Here he’s saying the Yom Tov davening, one doesn’t say “HaMelech HaMishpat.” He already said “HaMelech HaMishpat,” he only said it in the prayer. Even by “HaKel HaKadosh,” even there he mentioned that one adds the verse, he goes into Hilchot Yom Tov later. Yes, the verse “Veyikadash Hashem Tzeva’ot bamishpat vehaKel hakadosh nikdash bitzedakah.”

Speaker 2:

He didn’t say here after Shemoneh Esrei?

Speaker 1:

No. He did say. Now, what you remember he said here after Shemoneh Esrei, that in the Ten Days of Repentance one says “Veyikadash Hashem Tzeva’ot,” but that was said for example here, “baruch atah Hashem HaMelech HaKadosh.” But by him he says “HaMelech HaMishpat,” he only says it in Hilchot Tefillah it was written. Ah, “HaMelech HaMishpat” was written in Hilchot Tefillah. He didn’t add anything, he didn’t have a verse like by “HaKel HaKadosh.”

General Point About “Siddur Rambam”

One must know, to make a Siddur Rambam one must be quite an expert in all sections, because many times there’s something that even comes in here, he doesn’t say it again because you already know. I tried to make, I made a Haggadah of the Rambam, I saw, one must find every extra piece. For example, the nusach of Kiddush is in Hilchot Shabbat, the nusach of Birkat HaMazon is here, the nusach of “Ya’aleh VeYavo” is in another place, because he already said it. In short, one must search a bit well.

Even though the Rambam did it this way, he didn’t want there to be a machzor from the Rambam. Keep your machzorim as they are, and you have to learn the Rambam in Mishneh Torah. It’s halacha, it’s Rambam in abbreviated form. It’s instructions for the one who makes the machzor, it’s not a machzor.

Speaker 2:

No, I’m saying the Rambam as he says there, “she’ein divrei Torah… convenience for you, or it’s called nefesh.” This is not a recipe book.

Speaker 1:

No, I don’t know that. Okay, sorry, I lost my place now. Here, let’s go back. No, no, back up, up. Okay.

Tefillat Ne’ilah – Chatmeinu

Ah, what you said, that all has to do with the point that the beinonim are not decisive until ne’ilah of Yom Kippur, so therefore in tefillat hane’ilah yom hatsom one says these blessings, instead of zachreinu lechayim one says chatmeinu lechayim, or chatmeinu besefer etc., apparently.

The Custom of Places That Don’t Add

Ah, here the Rambam says no, “kol hatosafot elu, minhag mekomot, yesh mekomot shenohagu shelo lehosif davar”. Okay, there are places whose custom is specifically not to add. So that’s the matter of not adding by the three first and last blessings. Also because it says “nahagu,” it doesn’t say “lo nahagu lehosif,” “shenohagu shelo” means they were led not to. Yes, so that’s apparently because it’s not in the Gemara, and this is a later enactment or a…

“Uvchen Ten Pachdecha” – The Text of the Third Blessing on Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur

Okay. Now there’s another custom, another addition that’s made, and there are those who do it in… there are those who do it, and the entire aseret yemei teshuva. Yes, there’s a simple custom, it’s a widespread custom, nitpashet. That in the third blessing one says in this text the first days of Rosh Hashanah all four tefilot, vechen nahagu miktzatam is to say all tefilot also Yom Kippur, ah, for all five tefilot of Yom Kippur. That is the four and also to include both the four tefilot of Rosh Hashanah and also the five of Yom Kippur. There are even those who say it also during the aseret yemei teshuva, but I remember the Rambam doesn’t bring it here, but I remember that there is such a custom.

The Text

Okay, so the text is like this, “Atah kadosh”.

“Uvchen ten pachdecha Hashem Elokeinu al kol ma’asecha, ve’eimatcha al kol mah shebarata, veyira’ucha kol hama’asim, veyishtachavu lefanecha kol haberuim, veya’asu chulam agudah achat la’asot retzoncha belevav shalem, keshem sheyada’nu Hashem Elokeinu shehashilton lefanecha, oz beyadecha ugvurah biminecha, veshimcha nora al kol mah shebarata.

Uvchen ten kavod le’amecha, tehilah lirei’echa, vetikvah tovah ledorshecha, ufitchon peh lemeyachalim lach, simchah le’artzecha, sason le’irecha, utzmicat keren leDavid avdecha, va’arichat ner leben Yishai meshichecha, bimheirah veyameinu.

Uvchen tzadikim yir’u veyismchu, viyesharim ya’alozu, vachasidim berinah yagilu, ve’olatah tikpotz pihah, vechol harish’ah kulah ke’ashan tichleh, ki ta’avir memshelat zadon min ha’aretz”.

Discussion: “Az” Versus “Bechayeinu”

But here is the difference between “az” and “bechayeinu,” because the Rambam says “az,” but if one says “bechayeinu” it’s not necessarily dependent on the redemption. When there’s a situation of “kavod le’amecha,” if there is in the room, the Jews feel “kavod le’amecha, tehilah le’artzecha, tikvah ledorshecha,” then now “tzadikim yir’u veyismchu.” So it’s specifically “bechayeinu tzadikim.” Chassidim danced here, didn’t they? One asks a request that there should come the time of “tzadikim yir’u veyismchu.” “Bechayeinu tzadikim” there should be a joy, that this happens already now, because it’s not “az,” but “bechayeinu.”

The simple translation is still as I said, even when it says “bechayeinu.” I’m not saying that tzadikim shouldn’t rejoice today, I’m just saying that when one remembers the verse, one doesn’t grasp the simple meaning of the prayer. But I’m saying, in “bechayeinu” it’s much less clear that it means even in the future to come. It means when there is “kavod le’amecha.” Sometimes there can be a short time a situation where we have “kavod le’amecha.” Now is a difficult time of nine-eleven, we don’t appreciate that ten years ago it was calm, Jews were honored, there was a matter of “tehilah le’artzecha.”

Speaker 2:

Yes, good. “Tehilah le’artzecha” means that the New York Times should write that the Jews…

Speaker 1:

No, it can mean the redemption, the great redemption, but it can also mean on a small scale. So, yes. But “arichut yamim levanecha” is already a bit of a bigger thing. That certainly means the redemption.

“Olatah Tikpotz Pihah”

In short, the “tzadikim yir’u veyismchu, viyesharim ya’alozu, vachasidim berinah yagilu” – and the Rebbe’s brother – “ve’olatah tikpotz pihah”.

Speaker 2:

No, that’s “avlah.” What does one say? “Avlah”?

Speaker 1:

It means “avlah,” the object of “avlah” it means. It seems to me like the “avlah” of the chassidim. Let’s not fool ourselves, the yesharim and the chassidim also have a bit of “avlah,” yes? “Avlatam azru’a,” “ve’olatah tikpotz pihah” should be elevated.

“Memshelat Zadon” / “Malchut Alizah”

So, the simple meaning is that the kingdom of righteousness, the kingdom of the Jews, of holiness, should succeed, “vechol harish’ah kulah ke’ashan tichleh”, which means the kingdom of evil that carries out, “ki ta’avir memshelat zadon”, which is mentioned by “velamalshinim,” yes, “umalchut zadon meheirah te’aker, umalchut alizah.” Ah, the Rambam says so. The kingdom is now “alizah,” it shouldn’t be so “alizah.” One hints at the name Elisha. I don’t know if there’s a verse “malchut alizah.” “Malchut alizah, malchut akshan,” yes, that means from Rome, whichever piyyutim turn. Usually Maccabees, usually the kingdom of evil, and they don’t say specifically the kingdom of evil, malchut alizah, yes. Yes. I think that in our case we simply like to say that it’s actually in life, it makes more sense that it should be with us, we also have the life inclusion for this, ah, in life and in life, and begin the life.

Rosh Hashanah — Third Blessing and Middle Blessing

“Uvchen Ten Pachdecha” — Continuation

Speaker 1:

Usually it’s the kingdom of evil usually. We don’t say the first piece, but “uva leTziyon.” We do say.

Yes, it can mean that our text simply likes to say specifically “uvchen.” It makes more sense that it should be at the time. We also have here an “uvchen” similar to this. Ah, it’s such a comparison. Ah, uvchen uvchen. We begin with uvchen, we begin with uvchen.

What does it mean? The first “yitkadash shimcha.” It’s an anchor word that one begins a new piece with this uvchen. And then one continues like this, “uvchen ten pachdecha”, after there’s the whole thing. Yes, “uvchen ten pachdecha Hashem Elokeinu al kol ma’asecha”. Uvchen ten pachdecha, yes.

And we strike… one goes back to the beginning, ah, like “veyeda kol pa’ul ki atah pe’alto”. “Veyeda kol pa’ul” will be later, but… or “veyira’ucha kol hama’asim veyishtachavu lefanecha kol haberuim”. Do you have it? This is also such a thing, “uvchen ten pachdecha Hashem Elokeinu… veyira’ucha”. This is very similar to… this looks like a text of kedushah. It’s very similar to what one says by kedushah also.

That one looks a bit like “reisha delatata,” “veya’asu chulam agudah achat”, they should accept Your kingship, and here You should give Your kingship. Okay, that goes the same. Yes, we say “uvchen ten pachdecha Hashem Elokeinu al kol ma’asecha… veyira’ucha”. Yes.

Verses That Our Text Doesn’t Say

And here there’s a verse that we don’t say. The Rama says this, “veneged zekeinav kavod”. As the verse says, “ki chafrah halevana uvushah hachama ki malach Hashem tzeva’ot behar Tziyon uveYerushalayim veneged zekeinav kavod”. Ah, you can add the verse in the language if you want. What does it mean? That the elders of Israel should be honored something like that.

“Vene’emar Hashem Elokeinu yimloch le’olam va’ed”. We also don’t say this verse. We say “Hashem yimloch le’olam.” And “vene’emar” this is the verse that we say, “veyigbah Hashem tzeva’ot bamishpat veha’El hakadosh nikdash bitzedakah”. “Baruch atah Hashem hamelech hakadosh”.

The Innovation of Rosh Hashanah — Expansion in the Third Blessing

Okay, this is the end of… “atah bechartanu,” exactly. This is still the continuation of hamelech hakadosh. Very interesting. Not like usually where one doesn’t add to the first three and one begins a middle blessing. I believe it’s a new innovation for Rosh Hashanah, that one adds a large long piece to the short melech, which usually is only “ha’El hakadosh” becomes “hamelech hakadosh.”

Speaker 2:

I’m saying, the Rebbe began like this that this is in the blessings a… yes yes, I mean he didn’t say the details, he only said that one says this in the third blessing.

Speaker 1:

In practice, it’s a normal thing to add in the third blessing. Every day one adds by “uva leTziyon” in the third blessing “petichah kedushah” and the like. It’s not… ah, “petichah kedushah” is like in kedushah? It’s also like that in kedushah. It’s very similar. But it could be that this has to do with the change to “hamelech hakadosh.” One says “veyigbah Hashem tzeva’ot bamishpat”. It means, once that one was added, it’s simple that one already made that here there’s a place to speak about matters of Rosh Hashanah.

It’s two different things. “Veyigbah Hashem tzeva’ot bamishpat” the Rambam said that one says the whole week. And all these pieces one doesn’t say even according to the Rambam the whole week, but Rosh Hashanah and perhaps also Yom Kippur.

Speaker 2:

Right. But I think it fits with “hamelech.” It’s a good conclusion, it’s a good introduction to the conclusion of “hamelech hakadosh.” One speaks about kingship, one speaks directly about kingship.

Speaker 1:

Yes. I’m saying, but in kedushah one also says like this, “mi chamocha chatum lo yuchal anav.” It’s very similar in kedushah. It looks like it’s the text of the third blessing. It’s not that one went away from the text, it’s only an expansion like this in honor of yom tov, in honor of Rosh Hashanah. But usually one only does the middle blessing. Like Shabbat and the other yamim tovim is only a middle blessing.

Digression — Melodies and Breathing Space

I think the little tune “ah ah ah” that one makes like this after each piece on Rosh Hashanah, one needs to find such a piece for a whole smoker, because it gives such breathing space for the congregation, not you say everything in one drrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Speaker 2:

Also one needs to make such a melody when two Jews learn together for a shiur. Ahhh, that one can do. Great, I can make a button.

Speaker 1:

One will blow one’s nose there, and the future generations will blow their noses.

The Middle Blessing of Rosh Hashanah — Maariv, Shacharit, Mincha

Okay, now is further the middle blessing.

Speaker 2:

Should you tell me, or should I tell you?

Speaker 1:

I can say, the middle blessing of Rosh Hashanah by maariv, shacharit and mincha, the middle blessing, the blessing that one changes all Shabbat and yom tov, which this is instead of all the blessings of request of the weekdays, this is the middle blessing of Rosh Hashanah by all three tefilot, one begins with similar to Shabbat, first one thanks the Almighty for the choice from all the nations and receiving the Torah and mitzvot, “atah bechartanu mikol ha’amim veratzita banu mikol haleshonot, kidashtanu bemitzvotecha vekeiravtanu malkeinu la’avodatecha veshimcha hagadol vehakadosh aleinu karata”. Through giving the Torah the Almighty was called upon us His name, He called us Elokei Yisrael etc.

Question — Why Twice “Et”?

“Vatiten lanu Hashem Elokeinu et yom tov mikra kodesh hazeh, et yom hazikaron hazeh”. The language, why does it say twice “et”? “Et yom tov,” “et yom hazikaron”? I don’t know.

Speaker 2:

That’s by every yom tov, by the… yes, yes, “zikaron teru’ah” by love, “zikaron teru’ah.”

Speaker 1:

The yom tov Rosh Hashanah is called “zikaron teru’ah,” that the Almighty remembers the Jews through teru’ah, for what? “Zecher liyetziat Mitzrayim.”

“Zikaron Teru’ah” Similar to “Zman Cheiruteinu”

Speaker 2:

The “zikaron teru’ah” is like the parallel of “zman cheiruteinu,” right? Like yom tov. Or there are those we say we don’t, we say “zikaron teru’ah” only when it’s Shabbat, or “yom hazikaron.”

Speaker 1:

We say this, “et yom hazikaron,” “zikaron teru’ah.”

“Elokeinu Veilokei Avoteinu Meloch Al Kol Ha’olam”

And here one says the “ya’aleh veyavo” which three times one has already said the text earlier, and one continues like this, “Elokeinu veilokei avoteinu, meloch al kol ha’olam kulo bichvodecha, vehinasei al kol ha’aretz bikarecha, vehofa behadar ge’on uzecha al kol yoshvei tevel artzecha”. All three things mean that the Almighty should reveal His kingship, His beauty, His preciousness. “Veyeda kol po’el ki atah pe’alto, veyavin kol yetzur ki atah yetzarto, veyomar kol asher neshamah be’apo Hashem Elokei Yisrael melech umalchuto bakol mashalah”. The three things also say the same thing, that all creations should acknowledge the kingdom of heaven.

And then one finishes with the usual prayer as one finishes Shabbatot and yamim tovim, “kadesheinu bemitzvotecha,” and the end one finishes like this, “devarcha emet vekayam la’ad”.

Discussion — What Does “Devarcha Emet Vekayam La’ad” Mean?

Which devarcha? This is the Almighty has… well, I don’t know, devarcha emet is the Torah? All His words are truth, to which does it refer here? What does one mean here specifically? I don’t know. You’re asking a good question.

How does the blessing continue? “Baruch atah Hashem Elokeinu melech kol ha’aretz mekadesh Yisrael veyom hazikaron”. Perhaps there’s a hint that when one goes to blow shofar the Almighty will remember, as it says “uteka’tem bachatzotzrot,” well, how does the verse say? When one goes to blow shofar there will come out remembrance before Him.

Speaker 2:

Yes, but here one doesn’t speak yet of this, here one speaks of malchuyot, one hasn’t yet mentioned… yes, one mentioned zikaron teru’ah, I don’t know what the Divrei Chaim says here specifically.

Speaker 1:

No, that means something else.

Speaker 2:

What’s the meaning?

Rashi’s Explanation — “Devarcha Nitzav Bashamayim”

Speaker 1:

Says the holy Rashi… I have Rashi here. Rashi says like this: “somech al mah shekatuv besitkat le’olam Hashem devarcha nitzav bashamayim”. So this means the judgment of Rosh Hashanah, that the Almighty judged Adam Harishon, and in this matter He judges all the generations for all generations, and they go out in judgment. Rashi says that this means “devarcha,” “devarcha nitzav bashamayim.”

It’s interesting how it comes in here, because the whole context is missing, he didn’t say before… you should come in well somewhere where one speaks about the judgment of Rosh Hashanah, because it’s simply not mentioned. Perhaps there’s a matter that one should specifically mention like this by hint the matter of judgment of Rosh Hashanah. That this means the judgment of Rosh Hashanah is there by hint, because one doesn’t say clearly in the prayer, in the beginning of the prayer, that the Almighty is today judging, but actually as you say, malchuyot zichronot shofarot.

Explanation According to Chassidut — “Dvar Hashem” Means Creation

Perhaps it’s like, umm… okay, according to Chassidut, as the Baal Shem Tov says, “devarcha emet,” “dvar Hashem” means the creation, the Almighty is everything, that is truth and eternal.

Explanation Connected to Kingship — Promise of Redemption

Speaker 2:

If one wants to connect it more with the blessing, one can say that the Almighty was the King of the Jews, and there’s an exile, and one asks that there should be again a revelation of the glory of Hashem, because “devarcha emet vekayam la’ad,” that You will redeem again and the Almighty will again be King.

Speaker 1:

One should perhaps… yes, it fits with the “machrizim bekol mish’alah,” the Almighty is Elokei Yisrael melech, “machrizim bekol mish’alah,” and “devarcha emet vekayam la’ad” that it should be forever. One should always see that malchuto beratzon mashalah, that Elokei Yisrael is the King.

Comparison to the Blessing of the Haftarah

And one says something similar by the blessing of the haftarah, emet, “devarcha malkeinu,” what does one say? “Ne’eman atah hu Hashem Elokeinu vene’emanim devarecha, vedavar echad midevarecha achor lo yashuv reikam, ki E-l melech ne’eman verachaman atah”, or “ne’eman bechol devarav.” It’s similar. But now one speaks of the promises of the prophets, which when one doesn’t know what it means it’s hard to say the word “devarcha emet.” Truth, “vechukecha emet,” but “poked avon avot al banim.”

Speaker 2:

I think that my explanation isn’t so bad, because it’s more simple, that it’s connected with the “malchuto beratzon mashalah” that one demands.

Speaker 1:

So the Beit Yosef brings in Kol Bo katuv that the Almighty promised so many things, “ve’ein anu golei shetikah lechula, ve’adaraba, hamlichuhu,” one asks He should actually do so. So the explanation, the second explanation makes sense.

The Rambam’s Text — “Va’anachnu Amecha”

Okay, the Rambam doesn’t tell us how one finishes the “kadesheinu bemitzvotecha,” he says “va’anachnu amecha Hashem Elokeinu et yom teru’ah hazeh,” or how? “Et yom hazikaron hazeh.” Yes, interesting. Usually he also says this, but he speaks, also earlier he said like this by “kadesheinu bemitzvotecha,” when he went to the end he didn’t say exactly what one does the gathering. Perhaps plainly one says nothing, perhaps plainly one says “a difference, kadesheinu bemitzvotecha vesim chelkeinu beToratecha,” no, perhaps one doesn’t say “sukkah” at all. The halacha is “va’anachnu amecha.” Why does one say on Shabbat “va’anachnu amecha good Shabbatot”? I mean, the Rambam will tell us, like… the Rambam will tell us what will become.

Okay, I don’t know what I said. Yes, further.

“Melech al kol ha’aretz kadosh Yisrael veyom hazikaron”.

Musaf of Rosh Hashanah — Beginning

And now the Rambam will say, Musaf of Rosh Hashanah we already know, the Rambam already told us earlier that it has more tefilot, the middle one is there, it’s not seven blessings but it’s nine blessings, yes. The Rambam will tell us the text of Musaf of Rosh Hashanah.

Mussaf Prayer for Rosh Hashanah – Malchuyos

Structure of Rosh Hashanah Mussaf

Speaker 1: One begins the same way, after HaMelech HaKadosh one goes to Atah Bechartanu, remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt, and one says the text of Mussaf, “U’mipnei chata’einu galinu me’artzeinu” (and because of our sins we were exiled from our land), until the end of Yom Tov. Here it is indeed different from the regular Mussaf of the other festivals, because one says “Yom HaZikaron HaZeh” (this Day of Remembrance), “u’mitechilah lo titaneinu Hashem Elokeinu” (and from the beginning You did not give it to us, Hashem our God), etc., remembrance of Moshe Your servant. And until here it is like all the festivals, and here begins the text of Malchuyos.

So the text is thus, the text is a text of Malchuyos, who made it, the Anshei Knesses HaGedolah or the Sages, earlier Sages.

Speaker 2: Ah, it says about Aleinu, it says Yehoshua bin Nun was the author of Aleinu.

Speaker 1: Ah, that’s what I meant to say, yes, as it says, does it say so in Chazal?

Speaker 2: In any case.

Aleinu Leshabeach – Thanks for Our Distinctiveness

Speaker 1: “Aleinu leshabeach la’adon hakol, lases gedulah leyotzer bereishis, shelo asanu k’goyei ha’aratzos, velo samanu k’mishpachos ha’adamah, shelo sam chelkeinu kahem vegoraleinu k’chol hamonam” (It is our duty to praise the Master of all, to ascribe greatness to the Creator of the universe, who has not made us like the nations of the lands, and has not placed us like the families of the earth, who has not made our portion like theirs nor our destiny like all their multitude). We thank the Almighty that we are not like all the nations, that all the nations are unfortunately so foolish, so “shehem mishtachavim lahevel varik, u’mitpalelim el el lo yoshia” (for they bow to vanity and emptiness, and pray to a god who cannot save), they serve idolatry, they pray to a god who cannot help.

“Va’anachnu” (But we), we are with the… it goes back to Aleinu Leshabeach, we are with the exceptional ones, we thank that we are with those who can indeed do the right thing, we say “va’anachnu kor’im u’mishtachavim u’modim lifnei Melech malchei hamelachim HaKadosh Baruch Hu. Shehu noteh shamayim veyosed aretz” (But we bend the knee and bow and give thanks before the King of kings of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He. For He stretches out the heavens and establishes the earth), He goes back here to the Creator of the universe, He who created the world, “moshav yekaro bashamayim mima’al, u’shechinas uzo b’govhei meromim” (the seat of His glory is in the heavens above, and His mighty Presence is in the loftiest heights), He is great, He rules over all worlds, His throne of glory is in the heavens above, and He is still “shechinas uzo,” His Presence, His might is in the loftiest heights. “Hu Elokeinu ve’ein od, emes Malkeinu ve’efes zulaso, kakasuv b’Soraso veyadata hayom vahasheivosa el levavecha ki Hashem Elokim bashamayim mima’al ve’al ha’aretz mitachas ein od” (He is our God and there is no other, truly our King and there is none beside Him, as it is written in His Torah: Know this day and take to heart that Hashem is God, in the heavens above and on the earth below, there is no other).

Discussion: Why Does One Say “Kakasuv b’Torasecha”?

A verse that says indeed that if there hadn’t been a verse one wouldn’t have known, ah?

Speaker 2: Okay. Why does he bring a verse on this?

Speaker 1: “Kakasuv b’Torasecha” (as it is written in Your Torah), as the verse says it in the most beautiful words. He wants to say the language of the verse, because instead of saying his own words, he can say the language of Scripture. But “kakasuv b’Torasecha,” he doesn’t want to simply insert it as just a part of his piyut.

Speaker 2: No?

Speaker 1: Okay. No, all these, this is actually already part of what one says so many times earlier, yes. But here there is actually a halachah that one must make the interruption, and soon one will actually make the list.

Speaker 2: Aha.

Speaker 1: Apparently, I don’t know, I need to understand this. Perhaps he wants to help the verse, perhaps he doesn’t help, perhaps he helps the verse. Not only do we say, but also, the verse is what tells us this too.

Speaker 2: According to Chassidus the simple meaning is a translation, it is “roshcha kakarmel” (your head is like Carmel), which translates the entire Torah as Shema Yisrael, yes.

Speaker 1: No, it’s an interesting thing that he says “kakasuv b’Torasecha,” that we should remember this. Because “veyadata hayom vahasheivosa el levavecha” (know this day and take to heart) is indeed a mitzvah that you should remember, you should remember that “bashamayim mima’al ve’al ha’aretz mitachas” (in the heavens above and on the earth below). With the fact that I have now said it, I have fulfilled the mitzvah of the Torah, as it were, it’s a kind of thing, no?

Speaker 2: Yes, especially because “veyadata hayom vahasheivosa el levavecha” is an obligation.

Speaker 1: It doesn’t just say, it says such a mitzvah, such a… that we fulfill when we say it. When davening we fulfill this a little, but the Rambam didn’t count it as a mitzvah, but one can look at it this way.

Speaker 2: The first mitzvah, not from the verse, but…

Speaker 1: Right, the mitzvah of Anochi, but yes.

Speaker 2: Okay.

Ochilah LaKel – Introduction to Malchuyos

Speaker 1: Already, further one goes with the text of Malchuyos, “va’achilah likro lecha lifnim” (and I will hope to call to You inwardly), and this is for us an introduction to the prayer leader’s prayer. The Rema places it here. For us one also says it here before the chazaras hashatz (repetition of the Amidah).

Speaker 2: No.

Speaker 1: What do you mean no? Where does one say “va’achilah likro”?

Speaker 2: The prayer leader says it.

Speaker 1: Well, when does the prayer leader say it? Before he begins Malchuyos, Zichronos, and Shofros.

Speaker 2: Which is when?

Speaker 1: Here, yes, good, but… It’s true that it’s a question. But we don’t say it during our Shemoneh Esrei. The Rambam tells us that here the Malchuyos Zichronos Shofros are not the additions of the shaliach tzibbur (prayer leader). For us this is the addition of the shaliach tzibbur.

Speaker 2: True, true.

Speaker 1: But it does indeed look that way. But “asher b’kol elem ashirah uzecha” (with which in the voice of silence I will sing Your strength) looks a bit no?

Speaker 2: Right, it looks as if we feel that it’s a text of the prayer leader, that he has a she’eilas reshus (request for permission). But it’s not different from “Hashem sefasai tiftach” (O Lord, open my lips) that we each say. What is the difference?

Speaker 1: No, actually these are things that an individual can say. It doesn’t say directly a netilas reshus (taking permission), like what those pieces mean, the longer pieces where the prayer leader asks permission?

Speaker 2: “Hashem sefasai tiftach”?

Speaker 1: “Hashem sefasai tiftach,” yes. “Ochilah laKel achaleh fanav” (I will hope to God, I will entreat His face), I ask, yes?

Speaker 2: “Ochilah” is I hope, a language of “meyachel,” yes?

Speaker 1: I hope to the Almighty. “Achaleh fanav,” I ask.

Speaker 2: No, “ochilah” I hope, “achaleh” I ask.

Speaker 1: “Ve’esh’alah mimenu ma’aneh lashon” (and I will ask from Him an answer of the tongue), I will ask Him my request. “Asher b’kol elem ashirah uzecha” (with which in the voice of silence I will sing Your strength), that means I will do both, I will ask and praise and thanksgiving, as all prayers are both. “Avi renaanos va’azamren pelecha” (I will utter songs of joy and sing Your wonders), I will give thanks, I will thank and exalt for the good things that the Almighty has already given me.

“La’adam ma’archei lev u’meHashem ma’aneh lashon”

“La’adam ma’archei lev u’meHashem ma’aneh lashon” (A person arranges his heart, but from Hashem comes the answer of the tongue), that means the closest is to “Avinu shebashamayim shefoch libcha kamayim” (Our Father in Heaven, pour out your heart like water). The words that I will say also come from the Almighty. “La’adam ma’archei lev,” the person thinks the things, as if the person brings his emotion, his gratitude, and the Almighty gives the words to express it. Yes, that is the simple meaning of the words in Mishlei (Proverbs). I mean I have such a Hebrew translation, I’m not sure it’s the correct translation, but that’s how I understand it too.

“Hashem sefasai tiftach u’fi yagid tehilasecha” (O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise), it fits very well with “Hashem sefasai tiftach u’fi yagid tehilasecha,” which is a verse in another place in Tehillim (Psalms).

“Baruch atah Hashem lamdeni chukecha”

“Baruch atah Hashem lamdeni chukecha” (Blessed are You, Hashem, teach me Your statutes), where does “Baruch atah Hashem lamdeni chukecha” come in?

Speaker 2: Apparently the continuation, teach me how to pray and how Your statutes want. Yes. I mean the verse apparently means Torah, but one can say it.

Speaker 1: But he said, it says in “Ashrei temimei derech” (Happy are those whose way is perfect), it talks the whole time about Torah.

Speaker 2: Okay.

Speaker 1: Okay. Because here one is now going to say many verses from the Torah.

Speaker 2: Ah, so it’s a bit of Birkas HaTorah (blessing over Torah) before the verses of Malchuyos? Could be.

Speaker 1: Perhaps that’s the piece. Ah, it’s “alumam ani b’lashon” (I am bound in tongue), that one should say the correct verses of Malchuyos. It’s a lot indeed, there are indeed halachos, and the end the Rambam says indeed, there are Mishnayos which verses one can indeed bring, which not. There are indeed halachos.

Speaker 2: This will be interesting. It’s a shofar.

Speaker 1: Ah, it’s interesting. It’s a Birkas HaTorah for… perhaps that’s the secret.

Speaker 2: I don’t know, I like this interpretation. It’s a Birkas HaTorah for the… It’s also, as you mentioned, one sees in the Mishnah that it’s difficult, not everyone knew all the verses, one often had to…

Speaker 1: Yes, yes, one is yotzei (fulfills the obligation) if one only said this way or only that way.

Speaker 2: Yes, it’s a difficult thing, I think of ten verses from the Torah that deal with the subject. Today one has a siddur, everything is easy.

Speaker 1: I want to add a bit, because “Elokeinu kaveh” (Our God, hope) also breaks off, which is not a language from a verse.

Speaker 2: “Elokeinu” is a continuation of something, I mean that it’s a continuation of…

Speaker 1: From the previous prayer, from Aleinu.

Speaker 2: Aleinu. Just as for us we say it…

Speaker 1: We say it together in the middle every day already.

Al Kein Nekaveh Lecha – Prayer for the Kingdom of Heaven

Speaker 1: “Elokeinu kaveh lecha Hashem Elokeinu” (Our God, we hope to You, Hashem our God), here he says indeed “achaleh,” I hope to You. Here one asks for something, not language that it’s actually language of prayer, but language I hope. I am with You, Almighty, I hope. “Elokeinu kaveh lecha Hashem Elokeinu, lir’os meherah b’siferes uzecha, leha’avir gilulim min ha’aretz veha’elilim karos yikaretsun, letakein olam b’malchus Shakai” (Our God, we hope to You, Hashem our God, to see soon the glory of Your might, to remove idols from the earth and false gods will be utterly cut off, to perfect the world under the kingdom of the Almighty).

Speaker 2: “Letakein” means actually to establish.

Speaker 1: Yes, one makes a plan, to set up, one will plan a world under the kingdom of the Almighty. “Veyakbelu chulam es ol malchusecha, vesimloach aleihem meherah le’olam va’ed” (And all will accept the yoke of Your kingdom, and You will reign over them soon forever and ever).

Speaker 2: This is like a continuation of “veha’elilim karos yikaretsun” (and false gods will be utterly cut off), yes? It’s a bit… Yes, one is already holding here in the middle of the… It’s already enough “karos yikaretsun.” “Veyakbelu chulam es ol malchusecha” is already the…

Speaker 1: Everyone will already turn to You.

Speaker 2: Everyone will already turn to You. It comes again something like this.

Speaker 1: Yes, it’s… “Gilulim” and “elilim” mean idolatry. One will tear down idolatry, and one will build that only the kingdom of the Almighty is the true one. And then “kol rish’ei aretz” (all the wicked of the earth) will return. It didn’t say there that one should kill the wicked of the earth. But one should remove the idols and false gods, tear down idolatry, and establish instead a great proclamation of the kingdom of Heaven. And then “kol rish’ei aretz” should return to the Almighty, and then it will be “yakiru veyeid’u kol yoshvei seivel ki lecha tichra kol berech tishava kol lashon” (all inhabitants of the world will recognize and know that to You every knee shall bend, every tongue shall swear).

Discussion: The Structure of “Al Kein Nekaveh”

Speaker 2: There’s missing here a… It goes like this, lamed lamed lamed, right? “Leha’avir gilulim, letakein olam, lehafnos elecha” (to remove idols, to perfect the world, to turn to You). This is all a continuation of the “u’nekaveh lecha,” what does one hope? Do you catch? Does my order make sense now? I’m listening.

Speaker 1: Afterwards one says “yakiru veyeid’u kol yoshvei seivel ki lecha tichra kol berech tishava kol lashon. Lefanecha Hashem Elokeinu yichre’u veyipolu, velichvod shimcha hagadol yekar yitenu, veyakbelu chulam es ol malchusecha, vesimloach aleihem lo olam va’ed, ki hamalchus shelcha hi, u’le’olmei ad timloch b’chavod” (all inhabitants of the world will recognize and know that to You every knee shall bend, every tongue shall swear. Before You, Hashem our God, they will bow and fall, and to Your great and holy Name they will give honor, and all will accept the yoke of Your kingdom, and You will reign over them forever and ever, for the kingdom is Yours, and forever You will reign in glory). And here one begins to enumerate the verses of Malchuyos.

Verses of Malchuyos

Speaker 1: So, Malchuyos of Rosh Hashanah is arranged as it says in the Mishnayos that one says then verses of Malchuyos. And each thing one says from Torah, Nevi’im and Kesuvim. “Vechasuv b’Sorasecha Hashem yimloch le’olam va’ed” (And it is written in Your Torah: Hashem will reign forever and ever). And after a verse there is a request that the Almighty should again reveal His kingdom. “Vechasuv lo hibit aven b’Ya’akov velo ra’ah amal b’Yisrael, Hashem Elokav imo usru’as melech bo” (And it is written: He has not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither has He seen perverseness in Israel; Hashem his God is with him, and the shouting for the King is in him). It fits here very well, because it also mentions teru’ah, “teru’as melech bo.”

“Vechasuv…”

Discussion: What Does “Teru’as Melech Bo” Mean?

Speaker 2: What does “teru’ah” mean here apparently? The will of the King is in him?

Speaker 1: “Teru’as melech” means like the honor of the King, no? The honor of the King, because for a king one blows teru’os, and that is his voice, that is his honor, one plays music for him.

Speaker 2: Are you sure that teru’ah means… Most commentators translate “teru’as melech” as friendship, from the language of re’us, or the love of the King. Because a teru’ah doesn’t come into the verse of Bilam there, no blowing comes in. It was a gezeiras hakasuv (decree of Scripture) with the word, but…

Speaker 1: But re’us is not a language of the Sages. Re’iyus is there in the Torah, re’iyus da liba, again re’iyus. Not re’iyus da liba. Like re’iyus, like re’iyah hamelech, vayiftal Rachel, and the like. Friend.

Verses Continued

Speaker 1: “Kasuv vayehi b’Yeshurun melech b’hisaseif rashei am yachad shivtei Yisrael” (It is written: And there was a king in Yeshurun, when the heads of the people were gathered, the tribes of Israel together). Another verse “vayehi b’Yeshurun,” and this is a kinyan (acquisition) on the Jews, as we learned earlier. Then, like our prayers on Yom Tov we had it.

Blessing of Malchuyos, Zichronos and Shofros — Text and Content

Text of Malchuyos — Verses from Kesuvim and Nevi’im

Verses from Kesuvim (Tehillim)

“Divrei kodshecha kasuv aleinu amru laHashem hameluchah u’mosheil bagoyim” (In Your holy Scriptures it is written: Say among the nations, Hashem reigns) — “divrei kodshecha” means the Kesuvim. “Vechasuv,” the second verse, all are in Tehillim I see, the Kesuvim are all Tehillim.

“Vechasuv Hashem malach ge’us laveish laveish Hashem oz hisazeir af tikon seivel bal timot” (And it is written: Hashem reigns, He is robed in majesty; Hashem is robed, He has girded Himself with strength; the world is firmly established, it cannot be moved) — he says “Hashem malach,” the Almighty has donned garments of kingship, majesty, strength, these are all matters of kingship.

“Vechasuv yimloch Hashem le’olam Elokayich Tzion ledor vador haleluyah” (And it is written: Hashem will reign forever, your God, O Zion, from generation to generation, Halleluyah).

By the way, we say “ne’emar” (it is said) on all these pieces, not “kasuv.” “Ne’emar”… yes.

“Vechasuv se’u rasheichem” (And it is written: Lift up your heads) etc., because further it says “veyavo melech hakavod” (and the King of glory will come in). Yes? He mentions indeed the word “melech hakavod.” We have done four verses from Kesuvim.

Verses from Nevi’im

Now we go to Nevi’im. “Ve’al yedei avadecha hanevi’im” (And through Your servants the prophets) — he actually enumerates other prophets, three other prophets, different from Tehillim, where all the holy writings one only mentioned Tehillim.

The Rambam in his language in Hilchos Shofar said that one says three verses from Torah, three verses from Tehillim, and three verses from Nevi’im, from all the prophets. Interesting such a… yes.

“Ve’al yedei avadecha hanevi’im ne’emar ko amar Hashem melech Yisrael vego’alo Hashem Tzevakos ani rishon va’ani acharon u’mibaldai ein Elokim” (And through Your servants the prophets it is said: Thus says Hashem, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, Hashem of Hosts: I am the first and I am the last, and besides Me there is no God) — this is from Yeshayahu (Isaiah).

“Vechasuv ve’alu moshi’im b’har Tzion lishpot es har Eisav vehaysah laHashem hameluchah” (And it is written: And saviors shall ascend Mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esau, and the kingdom shall be Hashem’s).

This is the verse “Hashem yimloch le’olam va’ed” (Hashem will reign forever and ever), which we also say at the end of Pirkei Shiros. Does the Rambam bring it there? No, we say. The Rambam doesn’t bring it anywhere? Not that I know. I think somewhere the verse was already. Yes, we say it every day. Yes, we say it at the end of the blessing of Shiras HaYam (Song at the Sea), but I read it somewhere from the Rambam too.

“Vechasuv vehayah Hashem lemelech al kol ha’aretz bayom hahu yihyeh Hashem echad u’shemo echad” (And it is written: And Hashem shall be King over all the earth; on that day Hashem shall be One and His Name One).

Conclusion with Torah — “Shema Yisrael”

“U’vish’ar kischvei hakodesh ne’emar Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu Hashem echad” (And in the rest of the holy writings it is said: Hear O Israel, Hashem is our God, Hashem is One) — that means, after beginning with Torah, one ends with Torah, “Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu Hashem echad.”

And here is the only one where the word “melech” doesn’t appear directly, but “Hashem echad” also means the matter that it is the revelation of the glory of His kingdom, yes yes. “Hashem echad” means that He is the only King, that He conducts the entire world, that is the meaning of “echad.” He says, therefore it is “melech” the same thing as all the others.

No, in the others the language “melech” appears, here the language “melech” doesn’t appear, but “echad” is also the same matter, that one acknowledges One.

Conclusion of the Blessing of Malchuyos — Back to the Text of Kedushas HaYom

“Elokeinu vElokei avoseinu” (Our God and God of our fathers) — and here one goes back to the regular prayer of Mussaf. Ah, no, excuse me. So, you can call it this way, first of all, we say the same prayer apparently backwards. The regular blessing in the center of Rosh Hashanah speaks about kingship. Ah, so “meloch al kol ha’olam kulo bichvodecha” (reign over the entire world in Your glory) is also the conclusion.

Yes, the Gemara actually calls it, according to the approach, our approach that we follow, the Tanna’im, that one says Kedushas HaYom and one precedes Malchuyos to it. So, one says the text of Kedushas HaYom actually.

So, one goes back to the text of Rosh Hashanah that one already had before, “meloch al kol ha’olam kulo bichvodecha” (reign over the entire world in Your glory), and it ends “machish yeshu’ah bekarov yeshu’aseinu” (hasten salvation, bring near our salvation), and afterwards the appropriate prayer of Shabbos and Yom Tov, “vehanchiileinu Hashem Elokeinu be’ahavah u’veratzon Shabbosos limnuchah u’mo’adim lesimchah chagim u’zemanim lesason” (And grant us, Hashem our God, with love and favor, Sabbaths for rest and festivals for gladness, holidays and seasons for joy), and the end is the end of Rosh Hashanah, “devarcha emes vekayam la’ad, baruch atah Hashem, melech al kol ha’aretz mekadeish Yisrael veyom hazikaron” (Your word is true and endures forever, blessed are You, Hashem, King over all the earth, who sanctifies Israel and the Day of Remembrance).

“Hayom Haras Olam” — The Prayer After Malchuyos

And afterwards comes further the text thus, “hayom haras olam” (today is the birthday of the world) — today was the creation of the world, “hayom ya’amid bamishpat kol yetzurei olamim” (today He will stand in judgment all creatures of the worlds) — or one brings for the first time the matter of judgment, the Almighty judges, and one asks that He should judge us, whether to judge as children or as servants, two kinds of ways of judgment, both ways the Almighty should have mercy, “keracheim av al banim” (as a father has mercy on his children), or if as servants He should also “yotzei lechofshi mishpateinu kadosh” (free us in judgment, O Holy One).

About the Piece “Hayom Haras Olam”

The next blessing, the blessing of Zichronos. I don’t know, this piece is a very fine piece, it’s not a blessing, it’s nothing, it’s something like a Yom HaDin (Day of Judgment), even one inserted. Yes, yes, I mean that all these “tanu rabanan”s are such, it has to do with the tekios (shofar blasts), Malchuyos Zichronos Shofros is…

Ah, here come the tekios, here one blows, the Rema doesn’t say, here is not the place of the text, not any siddur, here is only the text, but here one blows, afterwards one says “hayom haras olam,” one also says the “hayom haras olam,” silently is in the text, but apparently it has to do actually with the tekios, somehow, and this has something with the judgment.

The Prayer “Im Kabanim Im Ka’avadim”

The Point Is

The point is, the Almighty has no choice. He wants His children (banim), so we have a prayer for children. He wants His servants (avadim), so we have a prayer for servants. But if you want, you can still be here, there are rebels (k’moredim), there are—we ask that at least one of the two should be, we’d rather be rolling around in thorns, and we pray as children or as servants.

In short, these are difficult matters, and we’re saying here a permission from Sinai. You see that there was still some later drama with the Torah scrolls.

About “Tekiata D’Rav”

So, the blessing of Zichronot (Remembrances), can you say a bit? Yes, it’s very long. Okay, basically all the Malchuyot, Zichronot, Shofarot (Kingships, Remembrances, Shofar blasts) basically have like an opening, such a beautiful prayer, and then one brings in the verses. Malchuyot has a very long opening, the others have a short opening.

The Gemara calls all these openings “tekiata d’Rav.” Simply, Rav composed these, or Rav, or—I don’t know who was the prayer leader in Rav’s yeshiva—composed these piyutim (liturgical poems), or whatever you want to call them, this part of the prayer.

Okay, no, this also gets thrown in. Simply, it’s from tekiata d’Rav, that’s how it begins.

The Blessing of Zichronot — Opening

The Concept of “Remembrance” (Zichron)

And the second blessing begins with Zichronot. It speaks of how the Almighty remembers everything. “Atah zocher” (You remember)—I mean, remembering here, here remembering doesn’t mean that the Almighty hasn’t forgotten. Zichronot, all these interpretations that the Almighty doesn’t forget, means that He remembers, that He arouses, as we say in Yiddish, He is pokeid (visits), He is mazkir (mentions), not zocher (remembers) but mazkir, He brings it up on the horizon, on the surface.

The books are opened, just as all year the Almighty bestows, but now it’s with some concept of judgment (mishpat), of looking at him. As we say, one settles accounts, He calculates, settles accounts with a person. Perhaps this is the language that can fit with remembrance (zichron) and with the Day of Judgment (Yom HaDin)—I’m settling accounts with you, I’ve remembered you. This comes to its tune.

“Atah Zocher Ma’aseh Olam U’Fokeid Kol Yetzurei Kedem”

Okay, “Atah zocher ma’aseh olam u’fokeid kol yetzurei kedem” (You remember the deeds of the world and visit all creatures of old)—yes, this is a double language, You remember, one list, “lefanecha kol ha’alumot” (before You all hidden things), like a ministerial price, and another double language, You remember all hidden things, and He gives advice for this.

“Ein Shichecha Lifnei Chisei Chevodecha”

Okay, “ein shichecha lifnei chisei chevodecha v’ein nistar mineged einecha” (there is no forgetfulness before Your throne of glory and nothing hidden from Your eyes)—there is no forgetfulness for the Almighty, and forgetfulness He says here clearly, that forgetfulness is a double of hidden.

Forgetfulness doesn’t mean the Almighty doesn’t forget, He’s gotten old and He forgets. Forgetfulness means like a davar hanishkach (forgotten thing), there are no things that escape His attention. Yes, attention is a good word in English, we don’t have a word in Yiddish.

“Atah Zocher Et Kol HaMif’al V’Gam Kol HaYetzur”

And He says again, “atah zocher et kol hamif’al v’gam kol hayetzur lo nichad mimcha” (You remember all the work and also all the creatures are not hidden from You)—perhaps the difference between mif’al (work) and yetzur (creature) is the same thing. “Hakol galui v’yadua lefanecha” (everything is revealed and known before You)—we say revealed and known.

It could be that kol hamif’al means in general, kol hamif’al is perhaps in general, kol hayetzur is in particular. Kol hamif’al like how man fits in the big puzzle, but also he is… yes. It could be yetzur is like several things, certain things, each creature. The mif’al means like deed, ma’aseh bereishit (act of creation).

“Tzofeh U’Mabit Ad Sof Kol HaDorot”

Okay, “hakol galui v’yadua lefanecha Hashem Elokeinu tzofeh u’mabit ad sof kol hadorot” (everything is revealed and known before You, Hashem our God, Who sees and looks until the end of all generations)—that You already planned this at the beginning, from the six days of creation there is already the order of the year.

“Ki tavi chok zichron” (for You bring a statute of remembrance)—chok l’zichron it says here, “l’hipakeid bo kol ruach v’nefesh” (to be remembered in it every spirit and soul)—You bring an order, chok means an order, there is a time when one remembers, when then every person is visited, every living thing, “l’hazkir ma’asim rabim v’hamon briyot l’ein tachlit” (to remember many deeds and a multitude of creatures without end)—many deeds, and an end, and tachlit means here without end, right? So without end they were created.

And You saw all this beforehand. I mean, this is the meaning of “tzofeh u’mabit ad sof kol hadorot.” You revealed, here You already have a fixed order from the beginning, because in the beginning Adam was created, and this is built on this, as the Gemara already says, “mereishit kazot hodeta u’milfanim otah gilita” (from the beginning You made this known and from ancient times You revealed it).

“Zeh HaYom Techilat Ma’asecha”

From the beginning, the creation of the world, the creation of Adam HaRishon (the first man), You already made known, You already told, revealed, that people will be judged on this day.

Why “zeh hayom techilat ma’asecha” (this day is the beginning of Your works)? This is the day when His works began, because Adam HaRishon was created, and “zicharon l’yom rishon” (a remembrance of the first day)—one remembers like the first time.

For all generations there will be a remembrance of the first day. Like the first time the Almighty remembered Adam and decided to create him, as it were (kiveyachol) the Almighty decides how He will conduct Himself with people every year.

“Ki Chok L’Yisrael Hu Mishpat L’Elokei Ya’akov”

And He continues there with a verse that I don’t know how well it fits here, “ki chok l’Yisrael hu mishpat l’Elokei Ya’akov” (for it is a statute for Israel, a judgment for the God of Jacob). What’s the meaning? It’s like this is the chok, the order. This is the verse of Rosh Hashanah, yes, “tik’u bachodesh shofar” (blow the shofar at the new moon). It has to do with the chok l’zicharon. The word chok, yes, chok l’zicharon. Chok is something a… I don’t know, a law, a fixed thing, a fixed custom. That’s how it sounds.

Okay, yes, so “tik’u bachodesh shofar,” he goes on, “ki chok l’Yisrael hu,” that “mishpat l’Elokei Ya’akov,” that every year there is a judgment for the God of Jacob on this day. And the Jews know that every year one is judged. Chok l’Yisrael hu, that the chok for Israel is the chok l’zicharon, that the day is the judgment for the God of Jacob because it was the beginning of the works.

The Jump from Universal to “Elokei Ya’akov”

Okay, and what does one do on this day? So, besides the fact that… there is one thing that’s a bit interesting, one has given a jump from the universal of ma’aseh bereishit to Elokei Ya’akov, to the Almighty being the God of Israel. Yes, who knows about this? Not necessarily that it wasn’t otherwise.

“V’Al HaMedinot Bo Ye’amer”

Okay, and on this day also “v’al hamedinot bo ye’amer” (and about the countries it will be said)—about the countries, the cities, on this day one says “eizo l’cherev v’eizo l’shalom, eizo l’ra’av v’eizo l’sova” (which to the sword and which to peace, which to famine and which to plenty)—both the countries in general, and also creatures in general, the created beings are remembered then, “hanifkadim l’chayim v’lamavet” (those appointed to life and to death)—they are remembered either to live or not to live.

“Mi Lo Nifkad K’HaYom HaZeh”

Therefore “nifkad kol yetzur” (every creature is visited)—there is nothing that is not, like one piece of animal, there is nothing that is not remembered on this day, because on this day “zecher kol hayetzur” (remembrance of all creatures).

“Ashrei Ish Lo Yishkachecha”

In short, all the deeds that people do. And here comes such an interesting piece that really fits in. Just as the Almighty remembers all people on this day, it’s good that a person should remember the Almighty too. “Ashrei ish lo yishkachecha u’ven adam yit’ametz bach” (Happy is the man who does not forget You, and the son of man who strengthens himself in You). Why? “Ki dorshecha l’olam lo yikashlu, v’gam lo yikalmu lanetzach kol hachasim bach” (For those who seek You will never stumble, and also will never be shamed forever, all who take refuge in You).

Apparently, if one remembers the Almighty, the Almighty will remember him. He says that there will be great shame. Once you know that the Almighty is going to remember what you did, there will be great shame. That not only when you do bad things do you have shame, but the Almighty is going to replay it. If you remember this all year, you remember that the Almighty remembers, therefore you won’t have any shame. I meant that this is a piece of segulah (spiritual remedy), like a segulah to merit in judgment, to be in devekut (attachment) all year. “Ashrei ish lo yishkachecha… ki dorshecha l’olam lo yikashlu” (Happy is the man who does not forget You… for those who seek You will never stumble).

They already had in the yeshiva of Sfat Emet, which is also the blessing on judgment, very interesting. He says there that “dorshecha” is “dorshecha b’vitchoncha” (seeking You in your trust), something has to do, something with judgment and remembering has to do with remembering the Almighty. This is difficult and shameful. No, simply all the time there’s a claim that we have high expectations of You, that You’ll keep Your promise. We tell You all the time, You had a covenant with our forefathers, and You won’t let us hang, and You won’t shame us that our… “ki dorshecha l’olam lo yikashlu” (for those who seek You will never stumble).

Speaker 2: Yes, continue.

Speaker 1: Ah, if only it were just yes.

The First Verse of Zichronot: “Vayizkor Elokim Et Noach”

And the last piece is apparently the introduction to… the first verse that we’re going to bring, which is Zichronot, that the Almighty remembered Noach (Noah). When he says so, “Hello, by us we say ‘pgam’ (flaw).” First, what’s the difference? What does “pgam” mean? Hello is still very nice. One begins, “We still know that You remember everyone, You already showed Yourself with Noach.” Add to that, You remembered Noach, and “pakadta b’ma’or rachamecha” (You visited him with the light of Your mercy), and we say this language for have mercy. You brought the flood, You slaughtered all flesh on the earth, and we ask to remember Noach. Just as You remembered Noach, You remembered him for good, so should You remember Noach. And here one says, “Yes, to multiply his seed like the dust of the earth, to multiply his offspring like the sand of the sea.” Does this mean the children of Noach should be the people?

Speaker 2: [conversation between two people] It becomes for the children of Noach.

Speaker 1: Yes.

Speaker 2: As it says in the Torah, “vayizkor Elokim et Noach v’et kol hachayah” (and God remembered Noach and all the living creatures) etc.

Speaker 1: So, this is the first verse. And here is, yes, the “Elokeinu v’Elokei avoteinu zachreinu b’zicharon tov” (our God and God of our fathers, remember us with a good remembrance) is basically an introduction to the first verse of Zichronot from the Torah.

Why Does an Introduction Come Specifically for the First Verse?

It’s interesting why specifically this comes with an introduction, because the introduction doesn’t come from the matter of Rosh Hashanah. It’s very interesting. There’s a secret here, I mean, certainly, Noach is remembered, but both the remembering of Noach, because when he remembers when the rainbow that the Almighty promised that He won’t destroy the world anymore. What is there less when one remembers Noach?

What is first a fact, each one of the introductions to the verses has an introduction to the first verse. Also there we spoke of the revelation of kingship, “v’chakatuv yechashev melech” (and as it is written, a king will be considered), as written, right. And the Shofarot has “as written.” And the truth is that there are piyutim, perhaps even in the piyut it came, there are piyutim that come on the introduction before each verse. For example, the long piyut that stands before Malchuyot and Shofarot that in many shuls they skip, “Asicha Malcha,” yes. There there is a continuation, an introduction to each verse. No, our machzor only has printed the general introduction, but there is in the white machzor that I have, he printed also the introduction of each verse, he writes a piece of piyut that explains the matter, and then “as written” thus and so.

It’s interesting, because the first verse is basically the first verse. I mean, the remembering of Noach is not more important than remembering Avraham Yitzchak, or remembering further one of the other verses. But on the first verse comes an extra piyut, an introduction. So I mean that one was obligated, one must make an introduction for the next piece too. Yes. When one prays Shemoneh Esrei one can say what one wants.

Verses of Zichronot: The Text of the Rambam

The verse, the obligation on the verse I mean is not in our… I don’t remember. You have a difference in the verses here which verses it says. The Rambam has a different text than us.

Verses from the Torah

It says “vayishma Elokim et na’akatam vayizkor Elokim et brito et Avraham et Yitzchak v’et Ya’akov” (and God heard their groaning and God remembered His covenant with Avraham, with Yitzchak, and with Ya’akov). By us it says “in Egypt,” yes. And another verse from the rebuke, “v’zacharti et briti Ya’akov v’af et briti Yitzchak v’af et briti Avraham ezkor” (and I will remember My covenant with Ya’akov and also My covenant with Yitzchak and also My covenant with Avraham I will remember), we read two weeks ago. And this is up to here verses from the Torah.

Verses from Divrei Kodshecha (Psalms)

Then verses from Psalms, or “midivrei kodshecha katuv leimor” (from Your holy words it is written saying), “zecher chasdo ve’emunato l’veit Yisrael” (He remembered His kindness and faithfulness to the house of Israel), “vayizkor lahem brito” (and He remembered for them His covenant), this is the remembrance. It says “zecher l’olam brito davar tzivah l’elef dor” (He remembers His covenant forever, the word He commanded for a thousand generations), it says “vayizkor lahem brito vayinachem k’rov chasadav” (and He remembered for them His covenant and relented according to the abundance of His kindnesses). These are the verses from divrei kodshecha.

Verses from the Prophets

And from the words of Your servants the prophets it says thus, the first verse says, “haloch v’karata b’oznei Yerushalayim leimor ko amar Hashem zacharti lach chesed ne’urayich ahavat kelulotayich lechtecha acharai bamidbar b’eretz lo zeru’ah” (Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem saying, thus says Hashem, I remember for you the kindness of your youth, the love of your bridal days, your following Me in the wilderness in an unsown land). It says “v’zacharti ani et briti otach bimei ne’urayich vahakimoti lach brit olam” (and I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth and I will establish for you an everlasting covenant). It says “haben yakir li Efraim im yeled sha’ashu’im ki midei dabri bo zachor ezkerenu od al ken hamu me’ai lo rachem arachamenu ne’um Hashem” (Is Efraim My dear son, is he a child of delight, for as often as I speak of him I still remember him, therefore My heart yearns for him, I will surely have mercy on him, says Hashem). Efraim means the Jews here in this verse, yes, for some reason. Originally apparently it means the tribe of Efraim and the kingdom of Israel, but like Yehudah, in the end it means all Jews.

Ya’aleh V’Yavo in the Blessing of Zichronot

And the end of the blessing of remembrance, here one says Ya’aleh V’Yavo, ah, according to the opinion of the Rambam. And our… I mean we don’t say, I don’t remember. We do say yes, Ya’aleh V’Yavo we ask for remembrance. Ya’aleh zichroneinu, this is the whole Ya’aleh V’Yavo. I mean that Ya’aleh V’Yavo is originally from the blessing of Zichronot, it was later placed everywhere. It’s actually a good piece.

The Conclusion of the Blessing of Zichronot: The Binding of Yitzchak

And then one says thus, “zachreinu b’zicharon tov lefanecha” (remember us with a good remembrance before You), here begins like a new piece. “U’fokdeinu bifkudat yeshu’ah v’rachamim mishmei shmei kedem” (and remember us with a remembrance of salvation and mercy from the heavens of ancient heavens), remember us with a good way. Remember the covenant of kindness, the oath that You promised to Avraham Avinu. What does ancient oath mean? That You gave him such a murmur through? What does this mean? I don’t know.

And remember for us the Akeidah (Binding) that he offered Yitzchak on the altar to suppress his mercy to do Your will with a whole heart, and just as Avraham Avinu suppressed his mercy to do Your will, so should also our will, should suppress Your anger, and Your mercy should overcome Your attributes.

The Foundation of Suppressing the Attributes

That is, a Gemara says, that when it comes to education there is basically a bit of the attribute of judgment, the mercy should suppress a bit. Also Avraham Avinu, when it came to loving Yitzchak, he knew a way, a person can have two attributes, and when he wants to do the opposite, yes, Avraham kept his attribute of mercy to do Your will, and the… it’s not, the parable doesn’t fit with mercy, with judgment it fits better with this that he can suppress one attribute with the other.

That is, he can say, I admit that it’s completely an attribute of judgment, and I’m guilty, but go with mercy. Just as Avraham Avinu when he went to slaughter Yitzchak, he said, I don’t love Yitzchak? I love him, but there’s something more important. So also we are perhaps not worthy, but what’s important is Your love for Avraham Avinu, there is mercy, conduct the attribute of mercy, when everything conducts the attribute of judgment. That is, we admit that there are two attributes, by us make the attribute of mercy.

Innovation: The Merit of the Akeidah is the Beginning, Not the End

It’s very good, many times when one speaks with people too, one must know this foundation. I mean there itself was something sort of, when the Almighty says go sacrifice Yitzchak, it’s something of a matter of judgment. And when the Almighty would not have withdrawn, and there was an angel already from heaven and Avraham killed him, this would have been an act of judgment, it would have been a curse for Klal Yisrael. In the minute of saying “al tishlach yadcha el hana’ar” (do not stretch out your hand against the lad) there was something of “yigolu rachamecha al midotecha” (Your mercy overcomes Your attributes), that the merit of the Akeidah is the beginning of the deed, not the end. I mean there itself was a suppressing of His mercy over His anger, or His mercy over His attributes.

And then, not only “b’midat rachamecha” (with Your attribute of mercy), but “v’yashuv apcha me’amcha Yisrael u’me’ircha u’minachalatecha” (and turn away Your anger from Your people Israel and from Your city and from Your inheritance). This is basically the verse that he brings here, the verse before the verse that he’s going to bring, because it says “v’zacharti et briti Ya’akov v’af et briti Yitzchak” (and I will remember My covenant with Ya’akov and also My covenant with Yitzchak), this is “u’minachalatecha” (and from Your inheritance), and they fulfill, this He promised through Moshe “v’zacharti lahem brit rishonim” (and I will remember for them the covenant of the first ones), which is the next verse in the rebuke, in Bechukotai, “v’zacharti lahem brit rishonim asher hotzeiti otam me’eretz Mitzrayim l’einei hagoyim lihyot lahem l’Elokim ani Hashem” (and I will remember for them the covenant of the first ones whom I brought out from the land of Egypt before the eyes of the nations to be their God, I am Hashem).

Conclusion of the Blessing of Zichronot

And in detail, one continues, the matter of Zichronot, the Almighty remembers all forgotten things, no forgetfulness before Your throne of glory, as we said today, and the Almighty will remember the Binding of Yitzchak for his descendants today with mercy You will remember, ah, “zocher habrit” (Who remembers the covenant). Should one stand again “lihyot lahem l’Elokim” (to be their God)? Must one say it again?

The Blessing of Shofarot: Atah Nigleita B’Anan Kevodecha

And then comes the third blessing, then we’re going to stop the shiur, it’s already almost an hour. The third blessing is also a preparation for Shavuot, yes. The third blessing, the blessing of what is called Shofarot, one begins with the shofar blasts of the giving at Mount Sinai.

“Atah nigleita b’anan kevodecha al am kodshecha l’daber imam, min hashamayim hishmata kolecha” (You revealed Yourself in Your cloud of glory to Your holy people to speak with them, from heaven You made them hear Your voice). Interesting, it says “vayered Hashem al Har Sinai ba’eish” (and Hashem descended on Mount Sinai in fire), the Almighty came down, but one heard it from above, one heard it from very high, one heard it from heaven. There are verses that say “from heaven You made them hear Your voice, and on earth You showed them Your great fire.”

“Nigleita aleihem b’arfelei tohar” (You revealed Yourself to them in clouds of purity). What does “in clouds of purity” mean? It has to do perhaps with the sounds and the lightning and the lights that were there. An arafel (cloud), what does arafel mean? Ah, arafel, in clouds of purity. I mean that arafel is not purity, arafel means purity, purity of beauty. There was a cloud, but there was also purity.

Yes, “The entire world trembled before You, and the creatures of creation were in awe of You”. And You revealed Yourself, our King, on Mount Sinai to teach Your people Torah and mitzvos, through Moshe Rabbeinu, yes, and You made them hear Your voice… what? Yes yes, and You made them hear Your voice to teach, it is indeed to teach, what all this would have said, to teach, later it became a request from Moshe, true, and You made them hear Your voice to teach…

Shofaros — Third Blessing of Rosh Hashanah Mussaf

Introduction — The Revelation at Mount Sinai

Yes, the entire world trembled before You, the creatures of creation were in awe of You, and You revealed Yourself, our King, on Mount Sinai to teach Your people Torah and mitzvos, through Moshe Rabbeinu, yes, and You made us hear Your voice.

What? Yes yes. And You made us hear Your voice, you know, when we began to say “and we approached to learn”, later it became something like a request from Moshe, true, and You made us hear Your voice, and Your holy words from flames of fire, flame and fire, with thunder and lightning You revealed Yourself to us, and with the sound of the shofar You appeared to us. So, we have now mentioned the shofar here.

This is an introduction to the first verse.

Verses from the Torah — The Revelation at Mount Sinai

As it is written in Your Torah, as it is written in Your Torah, “And it was on the third day when it was morning, there was thunder and lightning and a heavy cloud on the mountain and a very strong sound of the shofar, and all the people who were in the camp trembled”.

And it is written, “And the sound of the shofar grew continually stronger; Moshe spoke and God answered him with a voice”.

Also from the same revelation at Mount Sinai.

And it is written, all three of these verses from the Torah are from the revelation at Mount Sinai, “And all the people saw the thunder and the lightning and the sound of the shofar and the mountain smoking, and the people saw and they moved and stood at a distance”.

Verses from Writings — Shofar of Praise and Thanksgiving

And in Your holy words it is written saying, three verses in Psalms, I think, which are a different type of shofar sound, they are types of shofar sounds where the shofar is designated to thank the Almighty. Yes? That’s what I think.

And in Your holy words it is written saying, “God ascends with teruah, Hashem with the sound of the shofar”. That means, the Almighty’s glory comes up with teruah, yes? Hashem with the sound of the shofar.

And it is written, “With trumpets and the sound of the shofar, sound before the King, Hashem”.

And it is written, “Praise God in His sanctuary”, and one of the verses is “Praise Him with the blast of the shofar”. Ah, the Halleluhu, we say the entire chapter.

Verses from the Prophets — Shofar of Redemption

And now three verses from the prophets, “And through Your servants the prophets it is written saying”, always here it says ne’emar, ah, the first one says ne’emar. “All inhabitants of the world and dwellers of the earth”, always by the prophets it writes ne’emar, and in Your holy words it is written, because the prophets say, through Your servants the prophets, ah, here it says “as it is written saying”. Actually for Malchuyos. And the first one by Malchuyos, “and in all Your words and Your prophets it is said”. I think that by the prophets it should say “ne’emar”. Perhaps there’s an error? What does it say here “as it is written saying”? But by the first one it says “as it is written saying”. But also by Your holy words it says “as it is written saying”. No difference.

“All inhabitants of the world and dwellers of the earth, when a banner is raised on the mountains you will see, and when the shofar is sounded you will hear”.

What does it say afterwards? And what should one thank the Almighty for? What is the matter? No, no, we see, it’s not talking about just any revelation of the Almighty. The glory of the Almighty comes with the shofar. Just like at the revelation at Mount Sinai. Yes.

“And it is written, and it will be on that day”, the redemption will also come with the sound of the shofar. “And it will be on that day, a great shofar will be blown, and those lost in the land of Assyria will come, and those cast away in the land of Egypt, and they will bow to Hashem on the holy mountain in Jerusalem”.

“And it is said and it is written, Hashem will appear over them”, also by the redemption, “and His arrow will go forth like lightning”. The Almighty will come with a revelation of something similar to the giving of the Torah, “like lightning His arrow”, like lightning. The hint is also similar to the revelation at Mount Sinai. Some revelation of the glory of Hashem comes with thunder and lightning, with the sound of the shofar. Yes. “And His arrow will go forth like lightning, and the Lord God will blow the shofar and go in the storms of the south. Hashem of hosts will protect them”.

And here we conclude “for there is no sorrow for Your people Israel, for Your people in Your peace”. And we conclude with the prayer.

Prayer for the Ingathering of the Exiles

“Sound the great shofar for our freedom and raise a banner to gather our exiles”. To gather the exiles. “And bring near our scattered ones from among the nations”. This is all the prayer from Mussaf, from… “Sound the great shofar” is the prayer of Teka, of the ingathering of exiles from the Shemoneh Esrei.

The first “and bring near our scattered ones”, I think the Chasam Sofer had “and bring near our scattered ones”. And I think the Rama had “and bring near our scattered ones”. “And bring us to Zion Your city in joy”. I don’t think so. Maybe yes, I don’t think so. Yes. He did have it. Close, “and gather us together from the four corners of the earth”, “and lead us upright to our land”. Okay.

“And bring us to Zion Your city in joy, and to Jerusalem the house of Your sanctuary in eternal gladness, and there we will perform before You as You commanded us in Your Torah through Moshe Your servant”, to fulfill the mitzvah of the shofar “on your days of rejoicing and on your festivals and on your new moons, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over your peace offerings, and they shall be for you as a remembrance before your God, I am Hashem your God”.

Here it doesn’t say shofar, but it says trumpets, the same idea, blowing blowing in honor of the holiday together with the sacrifices.

Conclusion of the Blessing — “For You Hear the Sound of the Shofar”

“For You hear the sound of the shofar and listen to the teruah and there is none like You”.

Here we still hold after the verses, but the matter is, that… this is a verse here, it ends with a verse, sure, “shofar and remembrance”, okay, it ends with another verse, yes, it ends with another verse by Malchuyos. No, not exactly here. But here the verse ends exactly at the conclusion of the blessing.

“For You hear the sound of the shofar and listen to the teruah and there is none like You”.

“For You hear the sound of the shofar”, interesting, “and listen to the teruah and there is none like You”. No one is as good at listening as when Jews make a teruah as the Almighty, because no one understands, you give a blast: “Tu tu tru”, does anyone understand? The Almighty understands.

Discussion: “Me’olam” and “Hayom”

“For You hear the sound of the shofar from eternity (me’olam)”, it’s interesting, because “me’olam” we see the Almighty comes with the sound of the shofar, or as it says by the revelation at Mount Sinai. But how do we see that the Jews cry out to the Almighty with the sound of the shofar? That we see later, in the verse. Good, but it’s not “me’olam”. “Me’olam” is the special one of Moshe Rabbeinu at Mount Sinai. “Me’olam” usually means like “forever”, like… well, “me’olam”.

“Me’olam”, from when we cry out… it’s a good question, does anyone know? Or does it say somewhere that Adam HaRishon already blew a shofar or what? Don’t know.

“And listen to the teruah and there is none like You”. Blessed is the Name who hears the sound of the teruah of Your people Israel today with mercy.

The Almighty hears always, and the same one who hears “me’olam” hears “today”, “me’olam” “today”, yes, here the “today” comes in here, yes. It doesn’t fit, because this is similar to the conclusion, the ending should indeed be the same idea that appears in the conclusion, so I don’t know.

What does it mean? I don’t agree with the interpretation that “me’olam” means “until today”, because here usually the conclusion goes “because it is so”, “Blessed are You Hashem that it is so”, so simply “me’olam” is simply what doesn’t fit to say that the Almighty only hears today.

The Almighty always hears, our prayer is for today, but the Almighty always “hears the sound of the shofar”. Yes. “Le’olam” is indeed so, everything with the Almighty is always, I mean, with the Almighty there is no limitation of time.

Yes, yes.

“Today the World Was Conceived”

“Today the world was conceived”, again the same thing, “today He will stand in judgment all the creatures of the worlds, whether as children or as servants, if as children have mercy on us as a father has mercy on his children, and if as servants our eyes are turned to You until You favor us and bring forth our judgment to light, Holy One”.

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A good week, a good year, a kesivah vachasimah tovah, a holy holiday, and may we have a joyous holiday, a good night, a good week, and soon comes the next shiur, comes Yom Kippur.