Weekly Tefilah Focus

In the last segment, we mentioned that the words of the Shemoneh Esrei were written by the 120 Anshei K’neses HaG’dolah (the Men of the Great Assembly), which included prophets. HaRav Chaim Volozhin writes (Ruach Chaim, Avos 1:2) that the words rise to the most exalted part of the world. These words were designed by Hashem to achieve great impact merely by our focusing on each word before we say it, as discussed in the last segment.

Avinu Malkeinu, Hachazireinu bis’shuvah sh’leimah l’fanecha.

Our Father, our King, return us to You in perfect repentance.

We will, b’ezras Hashem, return to the brachah of Yotzeir HaM’oros. We are continuing this week with a special segment, because klal Yisrael as a whole – and so many individuals – are in dire need of our tefilos right now.

Ka’kasuv b’Soraso: V’yadata hayom, va’hasheivosa el l’vavecha…

…as it is written in His Torah: “You are to know this day and take to your heart that Hashem is the only G-d…”

Before we resume our regular series of segments, we want to take this “fresh start” opportunity to highlight a crucial aspect of Tefilah Focus that has the potential to literally change the world(s) and to change our own world(s).

Banim La’shem! – Always And Everywhere!

Although Aleinu was composed by Yehoshua bin Nun, and the Anshei K’neses HaG’dolah instituted its inclusion in the Malchiyus section of tefilas Musaf on Rosh HaShanah, it was Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai who instituted saying it daily after each tefilah.  He did this to strengthen the emunah and spirits of klal Yisrael, who were living through the painful times of the destruction of the second Beis HaMikdash.