Hakhel Email Community Awareness Bulletin
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12.
VELAMALSHINIM
In the Bracha of VeLamalshinim,
we ask Hashem to remove from our midst any and all heretical teachings and
thoughts, so that all will in unison wholeheartedly believe in the Torah
SheBichsav and the Torah Shebe’al Peh.
The Sefer Ya’aros Devash writes that when reciting the words U’Malchus
Zadon/ VeHazeidim we should have in mind that we are davening for the
destruction of Amalek (who attack us be’zadon).
In fact, the Ya’aros Devash writes that we fulfill a Mitzvas Asei from the
Torah of Zachor Eis Asher Asah Lecha
Amalek when we have this Kavannah. We
should feel an enmity in our hearts for Amalek, and pray that the enemies of
Hashem and His people receive their just punishment (including any
punishment we would deserve--for our sins stem from and through them), and
that any bounty that they have or are to receive should flow through to us
from Hashem’s Hand, Kime’az
U’Mikedem--as in previous days.
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Birkas HaMinim is
really the 19th Bracha of Shemone Esrei, as it was instituted
after the Churban, in Yavneh (Brachos 28B).
Thus, it seems to directly relate to our condition post-Churban,
during which we are inundated by heretical thoughts and philosophies, and
face enemies from within and without. HaRav
Chaim Friedlander, Z’tl, explains that we accordingly first begin with Velamalshinim
Al Tehi Sikva--may all of those who are antagonistic to Torah, who
falsify reports against us and who antagonize or act with antagonism towards
us, have no success or hope in their endeavors.
Furthermore, Vechol HaRisha
KeRegah Toveid. We do not
daven necessarily that the evildoers be eradicated, but that the evil itself
will be eliminated not over time--but KeRega--immediately.
Our plea for the immediate destruction of evil, HaRav Friedlander
writes, exactly parallels our Tefilla on the Yomim Noraim of ‘Vechol HaRisha Kula KeAshan Tichleh’--i.e., that Risha be
destroyed immediately--going up in smoke so that the world at large will
acknowledge its fallacy. Even in
these ‘modern times’, we have movements to ban Shechita here, and Bris
Melah there. Even in these ‘modern times’ we have leaders of Jewish
sects who do not believe c’v that the Torah is from Hashem, and who aver
that they do not await our return to the Avodah of the Bais HaMikdash.
Succinctly stated, we have needed this Bracha over the last 2,000
years--and we need it now. Perhaps
when the Bais HaMikdash is rebuilt…we can revert back to 18 Brachos.
May we find out in our day. In
the interim, let us be sure we impart all of the Kavannah that we can into
this timely Bracha!
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We
have already mentioned that according to the Sefer Ya’aros
Devash, we fulfill a Mitzvas Asei when we mention the zeidim, and our prayer for their destruction in this bracha.
Actually, we ask that Hashem punish the zeidim
in four different ways (in Nusach Askhkenaz, in Nusach Sfard additional
punishments are asked for as well). Specifically,
we ask that Hashem should Se’aker,
Seshaber, Semager, and Sachniah the
zeidim. HaRav Shimon Schwab,
Z’tl, in the monumental work Rav Schwab on Prayer ( a must for everyone’s home) explains that
these four verbs represent four different types of punishments:
·
Se’aker--means to uproot, to prevent any future growth.
It is our Tefillah that any movement that attempts to take Jews away
from Judaism--either by force or persuasion--shall be uprooted and grow no
further.
·
Seshaber--means that they should break into various factions thus rendering them
ineffective in their evil objective.
·
Semager--is our Tefillah that they be cut into small pieces. (Hakhel Note:
a Rav once noted that he does not know what Semager
means--but it certainly does not sound good!)
·
Sachniah--means to humble them, so that any remaining individual
zaidim are humbled and rendered harmless.
Hakhel Note: Even with
respect to Yerushalayim, we only once ask that Hashem hurriedly return (Meheirah)
the Kisei Dovid there.
Yet, with respect to this Tefillah against the zaidim--within
this one phrase we ask that Hashem take care of them Meheirah
and then again BiMeheirah V’Yameinu.
This is how urgent our
request is. We add that a Rav
once explained that V’Yameinu means
not only in one’s own lifetime but in our
lifetime, including the lifetime of even the eldest among us!
---------------------------------------------
We conclude this bracha
with the words Shover Oyvim
U’Machniya Zaidim. It is
important for us to recognize that just as a Kiddush Hashem results from the
Bnei Yisroel who miraculously leave Mitzrayim, there is equal Kiddush Hashem
in the destruction of our enemies at Kriyas Yam Suf and in the wars to
conquer Eretz Yisroel. In this
Bracha,
we strive not for violence, not for the vanquishment of
others, but to bring the world to its purpose.
We have all kinds of enemies, we have the Malshinim
(those that slander us), we have the Minim
(the heretics), we have the people like Amaleik who are out for our physical
destruction--even for our obliteration.
All of these are not only our enemies, but are Hashem’s enemies as
well. With the destruction of
the tumah that they represent, more Kedusha is brought into the entire
world. It is perhaps for this
reason that this Bracha is particularly placed in between the bracha of Hasheva
Shofteinu and Al HaTzaddikim,
both of which represent bringing greater Kedusha into the world through the
Gedolim Olam we are davening for there. We must eradicate the evil, so that
the good from all sides can shine forth.
Hakhel Note: We reiterate
that we mention the word Meheira
more times in this bracha than in any other, for with the accomplishment of
Sur Mei’rah soon we will be all the more close to the Aseh Tov which we so
desperately await. Let us pause
for a moment--at each Meheira with
the Kavannah that it happen speedily!
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