Weekly Tefilah Focus

Baruch Atah Hashem 1

With this segment, we begin a new series. Although we have written about these three words in the...

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L’David, Hashem ori v’yish’i, mimi ira; Hashem ma’oz chayai, mimi efchad?

Hashem is my light (in the darkness of trouble) and my salvation, (therefore) whom shall I fear? Hashem is the strength of my life, (so) from whom shall I be afraid?

Over 30 Leading Rabbonim, Speakers & Singers will inspire and lead the global tefillah on Tu B’Av for shidduchim.

What is the connection between Yad L’Achim, an organization that helps rescue Jewish women and children from captivity, and Tu B’Av, the most popular day for shidduchim in Klal Yisrael?

In our first segment, we presented the Malbim, who explained that the overarching theme of Perek 27 of T’hilim is d’veikus – “attachment” – or, perhaps easier to relate to: “connection.” D’veikus, according to many, is the purpose of life and of all of our service to Hashem, including learning Torah, tefilah, and chesed. We will be saying L’David over 100 times in the coming few weeks, with the goal of strengthening our connection and bond to Hashem.

We are just beginning the Nine Days period prior to Tish’ah B’Av. May we see the salvation before this Tish’ah B’Av.

This is the second of three parts of this year’s Three Weeks series. Next week’s third part will repeat Shemoneh Esrei 45 and 46, and will include a special Tish’ah B’Av segment.

A Permanent Place in the House of Hashem

Elul is both a time of preparation for Rosh HaShanah and a time of ratzon on its own. These are days filled with opportunity because Hashem is closest to us at this time of year.

We are now in a special time period, often referred to as “The Three Weeks.” Most of us are familiar with at least the basic halachos of this time period, as well as “The Nine Days” period, which is relevant to the last nine days, beginning on Rosh Chodesh Av. While we certainly must observe the halachos, we should strive to maximize the many growth opportunities available in both our relationship with Hashem and our relationships with our brothers and sisters in klal Yisrael. This is a time to foster baseless love of each other, to atone for the baseless hatred that was one of the causes of destruction.