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im yirtzeh Hashem (God willing) The Rebbe Nachman Thursday Night Chaburah (we recently celebrated our second anniversary!) will be broadcast live starting this Thursday night. You can find us at Radio Free Nachlaot.

It begins 8 PM Jerusalem time, 1 PM Eastern Daylight Time, noon Central, 10 AM Pacific.

We will be continuing Sichot HaRan (aka Sichos HaRan aka Rabbi Nachman’s Wisdom), siman/chapter #154. Listen and learn Rebbe Nachman’s secret for success!

If there is sufficient interest, I will, im yirtzeh Hashem, post the text of upcoming chapters each week.

Our thanks to the good folk at RFN, Lorlei Kude and “Deuteronomy” Levine, and our hosts, the Rothbergs.

Ozer Classes Avodas Hashem, Jerusalem, Rebbe Nachman, Sichot HaRan, success

The following is based on a teaching of Rabbeinu Yehudah ben Yakar, one of the teachers of Ramban (Nachmanides).

We bow down four times in Shemonah Esrai. We bow at the beginning and end of Avot, the first blessing, and at the beginning and end of Modim, the penultimate blessing. One point to consider is, why specifically at these points? Another: Why do our Sages particularly stress the severit of *failing* to bow in Modim?

Rabbeinu Yehudah ben Yakar dismisses the suggestion that the word “modim” itself implies bowing. Firstly, “modim” is mentioned in a few other instances, none of which are “bowing points.” Secondly, the blessing of Avot, in which we do bow, makes no reference to bowing or thanksgiving.

Rabbeinu Yehudah ben Yakar directs us to a Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah 56:2). On the verse (Genesis 24:5), “We will bow and we will return,” Rebbe Yitzchak says, “Everything is in the merit of bowing down.”

1. Avraham Avinu returned safely from the Akeidah.
2. We were redeemed from Egypt. “The people believed…and bowed down” (Exodus 4:31).
3. The Torah was given. “They bowed from a distance” (ibid. 24:1).
4. The prophetess Chanah conceived Shmuel the Prophet. “There they bowed to God” (1 Samuel 1:28).
5. The exiles will be gathered. “It will come to pass on that day that He will sound the great shofar…and they will bow to God on the holy mountain in Jerusalem” (Isaiah 27:13).
6. The Beit HaMikdash was (and will be) built. “Bow down to His holy mountain” (Psalms 99:9).
7. The Resurrection of the dead will take place. “Come! We will bow…before God our Maker” (ibid. 95:6)

And from the end of Chapter 31 in Pirkei d’Rebbe Eliezer, “Everything was formed only in the merit of bowing, as it says (Psalms 99:5), “Glorify the Lord, our God, and bow to His footstool.”

We bow at the beginning of Avot because we mention Avraham Avinu and because it is “his” blessing, as indicated by its signature, “Magen Avraham.” The bow at the end is due to the mention of redemption (meivee goel) specifically the one from Egypt, but also the future one, mentioned immediately prior to the end (moshia). We need God to hear our prayer now in our miniature Temple (the synagogue) and in the future when we pray in the Beit HaMikdash.

(To be continued.)

Ozer Shemonah Esrei, bowing Amidah, Avraham, Beit HaMikdash, bowing, Jerusalem, redemption, Resurrection, Shemonah Esrei

CO

Boker Tov:

Ozer, I hope your Purim was amazing. I kept thinking about the singing you were going to do with your family in Jerusalem (see below) and tried at my table to do the same. We shift now from Purim to Pesach. How does the Rebbe want us to make the transition in our thinking between the two holidays? Can you suggest a lesson in L”M that speaks to the preparations for Passover?

CO

OB

Shalom Reb C”O!

Your question is, IMHO, most openly addressed by Likutey Moharan II, Lesson #74 (translation of which can be found at “A Simple Jew” somewhere in ‘06).

The Rebbe zal writes that Purim “becomes” Parshat Parah, the taharah/cleansing from tumat-met (impurity of the dead), said cleansing being required to partake of the korban Pesach (Pascal lamb).

If we properly participate in Purim, we prepare ourselves to properly prepare for Pesach, in relation to the mitzvah of disowning all our chametz. Purim the holiday is over, but Purim’s lessons and influence are still available.

The joy we aimed for and the joy we actually achieved; our increased awareness/comprehension of the Purim miracle (or any part thereof); our attempt to understand the connection of (different facets of) Mordekhai and Esther to Pesach; our understanding of what “chametz” refers to beyond leavened foodstuffs and why it’s important to be rid of them; of why/how eating such foods on Pesach is deadly; and even a trace of them in our possession weakens the cord of our connection with God, are all bridges between Purim and Pesach. (There are others too!) Focusing on one or two, maybe even three (time permitting), can create a structure and a theme for the Seder and, hopefully, for the entire yom tov.

kol tuv.
OB

Ozer Bergman and Chaim Oliver
Breslov Research Institute

© Copyright 2009 Breslov Research Institute

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