In “What Does Hashem Want – part 1,” we wrote about the crucial importance of the brachah of “Hashiveinu” in Shemoneh Esrei and suggested that we place great emphasis on this brachah at least until after Yom Kippur.
Baruch Hashem, Hashem led me to the Sefer Chareidim, written by HaRav Elazar Azikri (1533-1600), who lived at the same time as the Arizal (1534-1572) and many other greats like the Beis Yosef, the Rama, and HaRav Moshe Cordovero (the Ramak).
He writes that we should have greater kavanah in the brachah of Hashiveinu than in all the other Request brachos.
I initially came across this statement from the Sefer Chareidim, in the sefer Yalkut Yosef, written by HaRav Ovadia Yosef. He also talks about how these days of Elul through Yom Kippur are days of Hashem’s great rachamim and ratzon (compassion, love, and favor), as do so many other s’farim. Hashem is significantly closer to us during these days than the rest of the year. Many point out that we have much greater spiritual opportunity during these days than we do during the rest of the year. That is true for learning Torah, chesed, and certainly for tefilah. HaRav Ovadia writes that these days are especially powerful to daven for others to return to Hashem.
How much effort should we put forth? The Chazon Ish, at a time when he was extremely weak, wrote that he had just enough energy to learn Torah; but to daven would be pikuach nefesh (life-threatening) for him (meaning, he needed more strength to daven than to learn Torah!). It is also written that he said that his y’gi’ah (toil/exertion) in his tefilah was even more than on the most difficult sugyos in Shas!
There is a special tefilah that the Arizal wrote for HaRav Moshe Alshich. The Alshich had a son who had drifted, and he asked the Arizal what he could do. The Arizal gave him the following tefilah to add in the brachah of Hashiveinu immediately prior to the ending of the brachah. The text of this tefilah appears in the Siddur Masok MiDvash, and may appear in others, as well. HaRav Ovadia Yosef, quoting Tehilah l’David, suggests reciting this tefilah at least during these days until Yom Kippur.
“I heard that my teacher, HaRav Moshe Alshich, asked my teacher, may Hashem bless him, regarding his son, to return him in t’shuvah; and my teacher, may Hashem bless him, commanded him to concentrate on his tefilah, in Hashiveinu, etc., for it is known that understanding is repentance. And he should say the following in his brachah:
“May it be your will, O my G-d and the G-d of my fathers, that you would draw a line under the throne of your Glory, and receive in return such and such [a son of mine], [In the same way it is possible for every person, even for himself (Siddur Rabbi Shabsai)], ‘for your right hand is ready to receive captives.’”
*****
In a previous segment, we mentioned that it is challenging to daven tefilah after tefilah and day after day, when we don’t see direct results of our tefilos. However, we pointed out that when we come to the next world, we will be shown exactly what our tefilos accomplished. We will be truly shocked and astounded! We will see how our tefilos caused the return of Hashem’s children to Him and brought them a new happy, fulfilling life in this world and for eternity: how we saved lives, brought captives and chayalim home to their loved ones, brought peace to B’nei Yisrael and to individual families, connected singles with their partner in life, brought children to couples waiting years to have them, brought healing and parnasah, and so much more.
How much more effort and heart would we invest in our tefilos if we were able to connect the dots now? Now is the time to visualize those positive results coming about as a result of Hashem’s rachamim and chesed, brought about by the tremendous efforts that we will be investing in our tefilos at this most opportune time. Now is the time to revitalize and re-energize our efforts.
To access print versions of previous Tefilah segments, please visit OU Torah’s Search portal, select the Topic of “Tefillah,” and then select “Weekly Tefilah Focus” from the Series list.
•••
For Rabbi Mordechai Finkelman’s video and audio shiurim, which are based on our Tefilah Focus segments but also include his insightful and inspiring additions, please visit TorahAnytime.com
or simply search for “TorahAnytime Rabbi Finkelman.”
You can direct any questions or comments to Eliezer Szrolovits at 917-551-0150.