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Connecting the Queens Jewish Community Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu grew up in West Jerusalem but spent his high...
We begin this segment with the powerful words of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev zt”l, with which we closed our last segment:
In our previous segment, we explored the extraordinary opportunity that Ashrei offers us—to become a Ben Olam Haba by internalizing its timeless lessons of emunah, bitachon, and contemplation of Hashem’s infinite greatness and boundless lovingkindness. We also reflected on pesukim 3 and 4 of Ashrei.
(Sources: Sifsei Chaim, Rav Schwab)
The term gibor (mighty) is usually used in a comparative sense, referring to one force as stronger than another. Applied to human power, it implies relative strength among limited powers. When we apply the term to Hashem, however, it cannot mean comparison at all, since there are no competing forces; Hashem alone is the infinite, eternal source of all existence, utterly unlimited and never subject to weakening. Yet in addition to this basic explanation of Hashem’s gevurah, there are other ideas expressed in this word:
(Sources: Sifsei Chaim, Rav Schwab)
The brocho of Gevuros—Divine Might—continues:
Mi Kamocha Ba’al Gevuros
(Sources: Sifsei Chaim, Rav Schwab)
Mechalkel Chaim B’Chesed
The phrase Mechayeh Meisim mentioned here is not simply a repetition of the same phrase that appeared earlier in the berachah. Rather, the phrases that follow are intended to make the concept of Techiyas HaMeisim more accessible to human understanding.
On the first day of Elul this week, we will begin reciting Perek 27 of Tehillim, “L’Dovid Hashem Ori V’Yishi,” twice each day. We will continue saying it for more than fifty days.
