08 Mar REVITALIZING OUR DAVENING – PART THREE

As I continue to
take you with me on
my journey of prayer
discovery, let me share
with you a sage idea from
the Chachmei Chabad.
In Krias Shema we say,
“Va’avad’tem meheira,”
(If we follow idolatry)
we will perish quickly
(from the land).” In Chabad, they interpret
this homiletically, that we should destroy the
rush in our spirituality and prayers. The more
we learn about the meaning or our prayers,
the more we will be able to pray devoutly and
with concentration.
The second blessing of Shemone Esrei is
devoted to thanking Hashem for Techias
HaMeisim, the resurrection of the dead. The
selection of this subject at the very beginning
of our Shemone Esrei is perplexing. Imagine
if your twelve year old son would come over
to you and thank you profusely for making
him a wedding. You would look at him
puzzled. “Why are you thanking me for your
wedding? First, I have to buy you tefillin,
make you a Bar Mitzvah, put you through
high school and pay for your dating. Then we
could get to your wedding.” Here too, let’s

first thank Hashem for our intellect, health,
livelihood, peace, etc. After all, thankfully,
we’re not dead yet. All the way at the end of
the Shemone Esrei, we can thank Hashem for
the eventual resurrection.

I believe the explanation for the front-
seat positioning of Techias HaMeisim, the

resurrection, is that it is the single greatest
asset that a person has. Everything else is only
temporal-for 120 years. But, the privilege of
Techias HaMeisim is our passport to eternal
life, to a world in which one moment of
pleasure is greater that all the conceivable
pleasures of this world. This is why we thank
Hashem for this privilege first.
We are also very careful to thrice daily affirm
our belief in the resurrection. This is because
there is a risk that one can lose this privilege.
In the last chapter of Masechtas Sanhedrin,
the Mishna teaches us those who lose their
portion in the Afterlife. One such person is
hakofeir b’techias hameisim, one who denies
the resurrection. As the Gemora explains, it
is a simple manifestation of midah k’neged
midah, the Divine retribution of measure for
measure. If you don’t believe in it, you won’t
get it. This is why four-fifths of Klal Yisroel
died during the plague of darkness. Since they
didn’t believe in Moshe Rabbeinu’s prophecy

of pakod yifkod, that Hashem will remember
them and take them out of Egypt, they didn’t
merit to leave. (This is also why Dason and
Avirum did exit Egypt. Although they might
have been wicked, they did believe in the
prophesy of pakod yifkod [Tosefos HaRosh]).
Therefore, we make sure to affirm devoutly
in every Shemone Esrei that we believe,
“V’ne’eman Atah la’hachai’os meisim,” that
You are trustworthy and faithful to (surely)
resurrect the dead. This firmly cements us in
the camp of the believers.
The second blessing starts, “Atah gibor
l’olam l’Hashem, You are mighty forever
Hashem, M’chayeih meisim Atah, You
resurrect the dead, rav l’hoshia, You have
many powers (Abundantly able, cf. Artscroll
Siddur) to save.” Here we are contrasting
Hashem’s type of might to the human notion
of might. In our world, a mighty warrior is
one who conquers and defeats. But, Hashem’s
might is characterized as One who resurrects
and saves. The Yalkut Katan interprets rav
l’hosia as He who has a plethora of ways to
save, and is meant to convey that a human can
only do one thing at a time, be in one place
at a time, and exist in one period of time.
Hashem can do many things, be in many
places, and exist in many eras at the same

time. Therefore, He has abundant abilities to
rescue people, in myriad sorts of ways.
In the merit of continuing to grow in prayer,
may Hashem grant our prayers and bless us
with long life, good health, and everything
wonderful.