14 May DAVENING FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE BAIS HAMIKDASH

The tfilah Elokai N’ztor
continues with, “V’chol
hachosh’vim alai ra’ah,
meheirah hafeir atzasam
v’kalkeil machashavtam
– All those who plot evil
against me, may their
plans be quickly foiled
and their machinations be
ruined.” The Avudraham beautifully explains
that this request follows our previous petition,
“Uv’mitzvosecha tirdof nafshi – May our
souls be motivated to pursue Your mitzvos.”
Therefore, we ask Hashem, measure for
measure in the merit of pursuing His mitzvos,
He should cancel out the schemes of those who
would pursue us. The Machzor Kolbo reveals
that in the phrase ‘all those who plot evil
against me’ is included the yeitzer hara, the
evil inclination, who is constantly attempting
to bring about our spiritual downfall. We are
asking for Hashem’s assistance in negating his
designs.
Then, we ask Hashem a fourfold request.
“Aseih l’ma’an Sh’mecha, aseih l’ma’an
yiminecha, aseih l’ma’an kidushasecha, aseih
l’ma’an Torasecha – Do it for the sake of Your
Name, do it for the sake of Your right hand, do
it for the sake of Your holiness, do it for the
sake of Your Torah.” This is a very enigmatic
series of requests. Imagine if, after 120 years,
Label goes up to Heaven and meets Hashem.
Hashem asks Label, “By the way, three times a

day, you asked me, ‘Do it for the sake of Your
Name, …Your right hand, …Your holiness, …
Your Torah.’ Do what exactly? What were you
really asking for?” Label started to phumpher
and stammered, “Hashem, do what is best!”
However, Hashem persisted. “What were
you asking Me to do?” With embarrassment,
Label shrugs and has no answer.
It’s interesting to note that the Siddur
Meforesh explains the word aseih with the
words, “Aseih na es bakoshosai – Please fulfil
all my requests.” This however, in my humble
opinion, is a very difficult interpretation.
What does the fulfilling of the requests
have to do with His holiness and His Torah?
Furthermore, the Shulchan Orech [227:3]
says, “Kol ha’omer daled devorim halalu,
zoche u’mikabel Pnei haShechinah – Whoever
says these four requests will merit the Divine
Presence.” What does my asking for a new
car or paying my mortgage have to do with the
Divine Presence? It is therefore more likely
explained as Rabbi Birnbaum adds in his
Pathways To Prayer, “Save us from the exile.”
This fits with what nusach Sefard inserts
before these four requests, a nusach which is
cited in the Tur (ibid). “Bnei Ir’cha, yaseid
Beisecha, v’shachleil Heichalecha, v’kabeitz
kibutz galuyos, u’ph’dei tzonecha v’samach
adosecha – Rebuild Your city (Yerushalayim),
rebuild Your House (the Beis HaMikdash),
reinstitute Your Temple, gather in the exiles,
redeem Your flock, and cause Your people

to rejoice.” It then follows perfectly, “Do it
for the sake of Your Name…,” that is being
desecrated with defilement on Your Temple
Mount, “Do it for the sake of Your might…,”
(symbolized by Your right hand) since people
are saying that You’re not strong enough
to remove the gold mosque from the place
of Your Temple, “Do it for the sake of Your
holiness,” so It can once again reside in the
Beis HaMikdash, and “Do it for the sake of
Your Torah,” which will be more magnified
with the restoration of Your Presence in the
Temple. It then also follows smoothly why we
will merit to greet the Shechinah, for whoever
mourns over Yerushalayim of old will merit to
see it in its joy.
The ensuing requests also fit nicely for we
follow this up with the request, “L’ma’am
yeichal’tzun yididecha – In order that You
deliver Your friends.” Like the Olas Tomid and
the Siddur Meforesh, I translated yeichal’tzun
as ‘to deliver.’ They are comparing it to the
word chalitzah which means ‘to remove the
shoe.’ So too, here it means to remove us
from galus. The Eitz Yosef translates it, ‘to
strengthen your friends.’ which is similar to the
word heichaltzu, which means ‘to strengthen
and gird the troops.’ The Eitz Yosef explains it
to mean that we should be granted courage and
be strengthened with bitachon, trust, during
the golus. We cap it off by saying, “Hoshi’ah
y’minecha va’aneini – Save us with Your right
hand (which symbolizes midas hachesed, the

attribute of kindness) and answer me.”
In the merit of our petitions for redemption
may Hashem bless us with long life, good
health, everything wonderful, and the coming
of Moshiach, speedily in our days.