Weekly Tefilah Focus

We begin with a clarification from last week’s original segment, delving into the three crucially important words of “Baruch Atah Hashem.”

It seems that each time I am away from home, Hashem grants me new precious gifts to strengthen my tefilah and feeling of connection with Him. There have been several of these gifts over the last few months. This week, while visiting my son in Los Angeles, I ventured into a kollel for a couple of minutes. This was not my usual place of tefilah while there. I noticed a thin but oh-so powerful booklet titled “Davar B’Ito,” containing a summary of a few sichos given by HaRav Matisyahu Salomon zt”l on “the Torah hashkafah in a time of tzarah of war.” These sichos were delivered roughly ten years ago but unfortunately are extremely relevant today.

We continue our new mini-series on Baruch Atah Hashem with our original segment on the subject, which initially appeared as Shemoneh Esrei 5.

Which three words do you say most often?

We are approaching two unique days of eis ratzon (a time of heavenly favor), where our tefilos have even greater power and potential than usual. Taanis Esther and Purim are opportunities we must take full advantage of. The challenge is that we are generally very busy and preoccupied on these days. Therefore, we must prepare ourselves in advance.

With this segment, we begin a new series. Although we have written about these three words in the past, they deserve a more in-depth analysis, which will, with Hashem’s help, lead us to greater mindfulness and heart each time we make a brachah.

The Power of Ashrei

Ve’ezuz nor’osecha yomeiru, u’g’dulas’cha asaprenah.

And of Your awesome power they will speak, and your greatness I shall relate.