Weekly Tefilah Focus

Can My Private Words And Thoughts Really Save Lives?

 The purpose of this segment is to highlight the powerful opportunities that Hashem has provided to us each time that we daven. Throughout our daily tefilos, there are numerous p’sukim that we can focus on and apply to our current situation. The two parts of tefilah that this segment discusses are prime examples, but there are many more.

We continue aligning the 13 Midos from Michah, which the sefer Tomer Devorah is based upon, with the 13 Midos in the Torah that Hashem instructed Moshe Rabbeinu to teach us as a merit for forgiveness. We are working on a dual objective:

Can My Private Words And Thoughts Really Save Lives?

T’nu oz lEilokim…

We recite the two p’sukim (T’hilim 68:35-36) in the middle of Hodu, during P’sukei D’Zimrah. These p’sukim are referenced by:

The sefer Tomer Devorah uses the 13 midos mentioned in Michah 7:18 rather than the ones we recite from Sh’mos 34:6. We will note both versions for each midah. Our purpose in these segments is twofold:

In this time of tzarah, we are all asking, “What else can we do [to help]?” Those involved in the war directly are certainly doing their part. We are most grateful to them for putting their lives on the line. Others around the world are involved in many ways – physically, monetarily, emotionally – to provide whatever assistance we can.

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