Al Netilas Yadayim

The audio recording (b"H, much clearer than my first attempt at recording a shiur) attached is from the "Tefillah: Beyond the Words" class, a discussion of the berakhah of "Al Netilas Yadayim".

• The class starts with a discussion of berakhos in general:
  • Various opinions of the meaning of the word "barukh",
  • the structure,
  • three conceptions of how to make a berakahah.
• Approaches to doing mitzvos:
  • To obtain holiness
  • to fulfill the commandment of G-d
  • Perspectives on the reason for morning hand-washing, and how it relates to holiness.

Yom Yerushalayim

"Zechor, Hashem, livnei Edom, es Yom Yerushalaim -- Hashem, remind the children of Edom of the Day of Jerusalem..." - Tehillim 137:7

It is from this verse that the Chief Rabbinate of Israel took the name of the holiday. But what is Yom Yerushalayim?

The name of the city is a portmanteau of two words: Yeru, and Shaleim.

"Yeru" derives from the Aqeidah, when Avraham finally offers the ram, and declares the future Temple Mount to be "Har Hashem Yir'ah -- Mount 'Hashem Will See'", which, the chumash continues, is then called "Har Hashem Yeira'eh -- Mount 'Hashem will be Seen'" (Bereishis 22:14). Yeru is a place where Avraham encountered G-d, where He experienced hashgachah peraris, Divine Supervision, and from which flows yir'as Shamayim (awe of [the One in] Heaven).

Right near the place of the Aqeidah, Malkitzedeq (who tradition identifies with Sheim the son of Noach) was reigning as king of Shaleim. Shaleim means whole, both in the sense of lacking missing parts, and in the parts working together smoothly. Rav Dovid Lifshitz zt"l, often spoke about the connection between this idea, and that of another conjugation, "shalom", peace. Shalom is not simply a cessation of violence. That wouldn't be an expression of sheleimus, wholeness. Rather, shalom is a time when all the nations "will come together in a single union to do Your will with a leivav shaleim, a whole heart." Sheleimus within each heart being expressed as sheleimus within humanity as a whole.

According to R' Aryeh Kaplan, King David unified these two places into one city. ("Jerusalem, the Eye of the Universe", pg. 46) But whether unified by him or earlier, the Psalmist does describe it as "ke'ir shechubrah lo yachdav", taken literally: "a city which is connected for Him together." (122:3) The City of David is a place of unity, where Yeru and Shaleim connect.

The call to remind Edom doesn't end with a cry for Divine Justice. Although it is that. But it may also be seen as a call for them to remember the eventual Yom Yerushalaim, a day in which they join the union to serve G-d wholeheartedly. A day when we not only hold sovereignty over Jerusalem, not only rebuild the Beis haMiqdash, but one in which it serves as a centerpiece, a place where one experiences Hashem's over-awing presence, and is moved to work together to serve Him.

"For from Tzion shall the Torah come, and the Word of Hashem from Yerushalaim."
Bimheira beyameinu, amein!


PS: The JPS translation takes "Yom Yerushalaim" to be a date in the past, a day for which Edom should be judged. However, at the destruction of the first beis hamiqdash, Edom had no part in ransacking Yerushalayim. Nor were the Romans identified with Edom until the Amoraim! It therefore seemingly refers to the day Yerushalayim will be reestablished, and thus their evil at the time depicted in the Tehillim is reverted. That includes both the eventual meting out of justice and the reestablishment of all the Jerusalem stands for, all they tried to destroy.

Modeh Ani

Attached is an audio shiur on the subject of Modeh Ani.

The topics covered:

• The meaning of the words and problems with the naive translation
• Two roles for prayer
• Yehudah and Modeh -- connectedness
• Hakaras haTov -- thankfulness and the nature of chesed