Weekly Tefilah Focus

Always and Everywhere!

Although Aleinu was composed by Yehoshua bin Nun, and the Anshei K’neses HaG’dolah instituted its inclusion in the Malchiyus section of tefilas Musaf on Rosh HaShanah, it was Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai who instituted saying it daily after each tefilah. He did this to strengthen the emunah and spirits of klal Yisrael, who were living through the painful times of the destruction of the second Beis HaMikdash.

Az Yashir: Asher Asah Hashem B’Mitzrayim

Va’yar Yisrael es ha’yad ha’g’dolah asher asah Hashem b’Mitzrayim

Yisrael saw the great hand that Hashem inflicted upon Egypt…

Standing in the Kodesh HaKodashim

We recite Aleinu daily, many of us three times a day; perhaps because we have grown so accustomed to saying it, many of us unfortunately do not appreciate the significance and importance of this tefilah. In fact, we are often mentally on our way to the next part of our day as we fly through this awesome tefilah.

Az Yashir: Vayosha Hashem… Vayar Yisrael

Vayosha Hashem ba’yom hahu es Yisrael mi’yad Mitzrayim…

Hashem saved – on that day – Yisrael from the hand of Egypt… and Yisrael saw…

Az Yashir: And the People Feared Hashem

Va’yir’u ha’am es Hashem

…and the people feared Hashem…

The Weekly Tefilah Focus is now concentrating on a review of the brachos in Shemoneh Esrei of Binyan Yerushalayim, Malchus Beis David, and the Avodah to prepare ourselves to properly contemplate on a daily basis our loss of the open presence of the Sh’chinah and the Beis HaMikdash, and to express our longing for the coming of Mashiach and the return of the Sh’chinah to the Third and final Beis HaMikdash – may we merit so, speedily in our days. We will, b’ezras Hashem, resume with Az Yashir after Tish’ah B’Av, should we have to experience another one this year.