Thank You & Please - Vayeitzei 5769

29:35 The Tur Al Hatoirah and Rabbeinu Bachye brings it as well. When Leah gives birth, she names her fourth child Yehuda. It says in the Posuk, “הַפַּעַם אוֹדֶה אֶת-יְרוָר.” Chazal say, she was the first person to give true Hoida’a to Hakadoish Baruch Hu. The same Posuk says, (וַתַּעֲמֹד, מִלֶּדֶת). After that she stopped giving birth. This is unusual, as by other women the Torah doesn’t say they stopped giving birth. Therefore, the Tur understands as follows, there was a Chisaroin here that when she gave Hoida’ah to Hakadoish Baruch Hu, that there should be a Bakashah as well for the future.

We find by Rochel later when she says in 30:24, “(יֹסֵף יְרוָר לִי, בֵּן אַחֵר).” Since Leah didn’t ask for additional children, therefore, (וַתַּעֲמֹד, מִלֶּדֶת). It is a Davar Peleh, as she hadn’t requested additional children by Reuvein, Shimon or Levi either?

The answer is, all Hoida’ah has to have in it a Davar Shel Bakashah as well. Something which at first glance is illogical. Normally when you thank someone, you generally don’t say thank you, give me more. When we talk about the Siddur, you see that every Hoida’ah has in it a Davar Shel Bakashah Al Ha’asid. In Hallel, we say Ono Hashem Hoishia Na, Ono Hashem Hatzlicha Na. It is not just a Posuk in Hallel, it seems to be the most significant Posuk in Hallel. In the Beis Hamikdash, they circled the Mizbayach, during the recitation of this Posuk. What is Ono Hashem Hoishia Na doing in Hallel? It would seem that Hoida’ah always needs to have a Bakashah Al Ha’asid as well. In Nishmas, where it says Ad Heina Azarunu Rachamecha V’loi Azavunu Chasodecha. Then we say Al Titsheinu Hashem Elokeinu Lanetzach which is a Bakashah Al Ha’asid. Moidim D’rabanan starts with praise and ends with a Bakashah. We say a Moidim at a Siyum Mesechta.

In Mizmor L’soidah as well we see this concept. Toidah is Hoida’ah which is what it is all about. Yet we end, Ki Toiv Hashem L’oilam Chasdoi V’ad Dor V’doir Emunasoi. We ask Hakadoish Baruch Hu to continue in the future. Most significant of all, in Shemoneh Esrei, we say Moidim and then Sim Shaloim. What is Sim Shaloim doing here; we know that there is no Bakashois in the first and last three B’rachois in Shemoneh Esrei?

Sim Shaloim is most probably the most all encompassing Bakashah of the whole davening. Uchsoiv L’chaim Toivim is in the Hoida’ah section of Shemoneh Esrei. Shir Hama’alois said by some congregations during the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, is recited during the Hoida’ah section of Davening, Pesukei D’zimreh. By Birchas Hagoimel, we respond Mi Shegemolchoi Kol Toiv Hu Yegomolchoi Kol Toiv Selah. We repeatedly see this concept that whenever there is a Hoida’ah there is always a Bakashah Al Ha’asid. Why is it that one always follows the other?

We find in Nefesh Hachaim, the Yesoid that we Daven is in order that we have everything as tools to serve the Ribboinoi Shel Oilam. Otherwise it is a Chutzpah. We ask for so many things because we look at them as tools to serve Hakadoish Baruch Hu. If that is the way Tefillah is supposed to be, that it is a Tefillah Bakashah to serve Hashem, then it is very Geshmak, that every Hoida’ah has a Bakashah. Hoida’ah is we are praising Hakadoish Baruch Hu. The reason is, once we are Davening for things in order to serve Hashem better, it is not a contradiction. It is not lacking in Derech Eretz, this is the way it is supposed to be. So we find that always is a Hoida’ah followed by a Bakashah Al Ha’asid. There is a M’koir for this by Bikkurim as well.

Someone who looks at the Mitzvah Bikkurim in the Rambam, Siman Kuf Lamed Beis (132), the wording is that the B’rachah should continue. The Chinuch has a similar Lashoin in Parshah Ki Savoi. In the Parshas Bikkurim, it doesn’t say a word regarding Bakashah Al Ha’sid, so it is a Peleh that we have to do this. It seems that it is understood. The Torah says, a person must give Hoida’ah, and Hoida’ah must have a Bakashah Al Ha’asid. For example, Hoidu Lashem Ki Toiv Ki L’oilam Chasdoi. That the Chesed should continue.

Hands - Beshalach 5772

(וְהָיָה, כַּאֲשֶׁר יָרִים מֹשֶׁה יָדוֹ--וְגָבַר יִשְׂרָאֵל; וְכַאֲשֶׁר יָנִיחַ יָדוֹ, וְגָבַר עֲמָלֵק). Moshe stretching his arms out heavenward caused Klal Yisrael to be able to win in battle. The Gemara in Maseches Rosh Hashanah 29a (16 lines from the top) says (מתני' והיה כאשר ירים משה ידו וגבר ישראל וגו' וכי ידיו של משה עושות מלחמה או שוברות מלחמה אלא לומר לך כל זמן שהיו ישראל מסתכלין כלפי מעלה ומשעבדין את לבם לאביהם שבשמים היו מתגברים ואם לאו היו נופלים) that that was related to Klal Yisrael looking heavenwards. What is the Remez of the stretching out of these hands by Gedolei Yisrael who Daven that way? They Daven as Shlomo Hamelech did by stretching out their arms to heaven. Here by Amaleik it is especially important. Because Rashi says that Amaleik came because Sherafu Yidaihem Min Hatorah. Rashi uses the same idea of the symbolism of hands. Rafu Yidaihem Min Hatorah, their hands were weakened in their torah study or Torah observance and therefore, Amaleik came. What is the symbol of this Remez of Yadaim?

I had once seen and I don’t remember the name of the Sefer someone who quoted in the name of the Chiddushai Harim in Parshas Re’ey not in regard to Amaleik but in regard to Bikkurim. Bikkurim is the gift brought to the Bais Hamikdash, one’s first fruits. The Posuk in Parshas Re’ey in 12:17 refers to it as (ותרומת ידך: אלו הבכורים) the gift of your hands. There too the question is why mention the hands? The Posuk in Devarim 26:4 says (וְלָקַח הַכֹּהֵן הַטֶּנֶא, מִיָּדֶךָ). When the Bikkurim are brought to the Bais Hamikdash the language is the Kohen takes the basket from your hand. Why mention the hand? Anything brought to the Bais Hamikdash is given with the hand.

The Chidushei Harim says the mention of the hand is to show that a person has to understand that whatever he does with his hands comes from Hashem and not from him. The opposite of the sense of Kochi V’otzem Yadi. The sense that a person’s own ability is what causes success. On the contrary, it comes from Hashem. The first fruits of a farmers work is brought to the Beis Hamikdash as Terumas Yedchem. As an expression of the fact that the fruit comes from the Ribbono Shel Olam. Once he stretches out his hands towards heaven in Davening he is saying symbolically that my hands, the work of my hands all comes from the Ribbono Shel Olam. My prayer is that my hands should be successful. In Tehillim we find in 134:2 (שְׂאוּ-יְדֵכֶם קֹדֶשׁ; וּבָרְכוּ, אֶת-יְ רוָר) S’u Yidaichem Kodesh Uvarchu Es Hashem. Dovid Hamelech says stretch your hands out in holiness when you bless Hashem. Show that your hands, whatever they do comes from the Ribbono Shel Olam.

We find that Rebbi (the Tanna) before his death stuck out his fingers towards heaven. That idea that the hand represents that, is an idea of stretching out your hands towards heaven and saying that the Koach of my hand comes from Hakadosh Baruch Hu.

Sheivet Levi had no portion in Eretz Yisrael. They understood that everything they received came from Hashem. When the Kohen accepts the basket from the Yisrael Rashi says that the basket of the Bikkurim is brought to the Beis Hamikdash (ולקח הכהן הטנא מידך: להניף אותו. כהן מניח ידו תחת יד הבעלים ומניף).The Yisrael (the farmer) would be holding his hands under the basket. The Kohen would put his hands under the hands of the Yisrael and lift it heavenward. What a beautiful expression, showing the Kohen’s hands which are hands that understand that there is no Kochi V’otzem Yadi that it all comes from Hashem. He lifts up the Yisrael’s hands with his towards heaven. That is the expression of lifting ones hands heavenward. (והיה כאשר ירים משה ידו וגבר ישראל). When Jews understand that everything depends on the blessing of heaven then (וגבר ישראל), Klal Yisrael has strength and Klal Yisrael is successful.