A Vessel for Blessing: Giving Again and Again
From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Bereishis 27:28
וְיִתֶּן־לְךָ הָאֱלֹהִים מִטַּל הַשָּׁמַיִם וּמִשְׁמַנֵּי הָאָרֶץ וְרֹב דָּגָן וְתִירֹשׁ
May God give you of the dew of the heavens and of the fat of the earth, and an abundance of grain and wine.
Rashi explains “May God give you” as: may He give, and give again. Why the Name HaElokim, which denotes judgment? It means with justice: if you deserve it He will give to you, and if not He will not; but to Esav, Yitzchak said, “Of the fat of the earth shall be your dwelling,” whether you are righteous or wicked, He will give to you.
1“May God give you of the dew of the heavens and of the fat of the earth.”1 Rashi comments: “May He give, and give again.” But what does Rashi mean? What advantage is there in this, over Hashem giving everything that is needed all at once? Rashi also says: “What is meant by HaElokim, ‘God’? With justice: if you are worthy, He will give to you, and if not, He will not give to you.” This raises difficulties. First, why is the Name Elokim, which stands for the attribute of strict justice, mentioned here, in a blessing, which is all kindness and mercy? Further, if Yaakov will receive the abundance of the blessing only if he is worthy of it, what use is the blessing Yitzchak gave him? We must also look closely at the order of the words. With Yaakov Avinu the verse says first “of the dew of the heavens” and afterward “of the fat of the earth.” Why, with Esav, does it say the reverse, first “of the fat of the earth” and afterward “of the dew of the heavens”?2
וְיִתֶּן לְךָ הָאֱלֹקִים מִטַּל הַשָּׁמַיִם וּמִשְׁמַנֵּי הָאָרֶץ (כז, כח). וברש״י הַקָּדוֹשׁ יִתֵּן וְיַחֲזוֹר וְיִתֵּן. וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין מָה הַכַּוָּונָה בָּזֶה בְּדִבְרֵי רש״י ז״ל, דְּמַה מַעֲלָה אִיכָּא בָּזֶה, יוֹתֵר מֵאֲשֶׁר אִם הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ נוֹתֵן בְּפַעַם אַחַת כָּל הַצּוֹרֶךְ. עוֹד ברש״י ז״ל, מַהוּ הָאֱלֹקִים, בַּדִּין, אִם רָאוּי לְךָ יִתֵּן לְךָ וְאִם לָאו לֹא יִתֵּן לְךָ. וְקָשֶׁה, רֵאשִׁית מַדּוּעַ נִזְכַּר כָּאן שֵׁם אֱלֹקִים שֶׁהוּא מִידַּת הַדִּין אֵצֶל בְּרָכָה שֶׁעִנְיָינָהּ חֶסֶד וְרַחֲמִים, וְעוֹד הֲלֹא אִם לֹא יְקַבֵּל שֶׁפַע הַבְּרָכָה אֶלָּא בְּאִם רָאוּי לוֹ, מָה יִהְיֶה מוֹעִיל הַבְּרָכָה שֶׁבֵּירְכוֹ. עוֹד יֵשׁ לְדַקְדֵּק, מַה שֶׁאֵצֶל יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ ע״ה נֶאֱמַר תְּחִילָּה ׳מִטַּל הַשָּׁמַיִם׳ וּלְאַחַר מִכֵּן ׳מִשְׁמַנֵּי הָאָרֶץ׳, וְאֵצֶל עֵשָׂו נֶאֱמַר אִיפְּכָא, תְּחִילָּה ׳מִשְׁמַנֵּי הָאָרֶץ׳ וּלְאַחַר מִכֵּן ׳מִטַּל הַשָּׁמַיִם׳.
In shortWhat does “give, and give again” add, why do judgment and worthiness appear in a blessing, and why does Esav's blessing reverse heaven and earth?
2It seems we can explain this as follows. First we must understand what point there is at all in blessing a person. Whichever way we look at it, there is a difficulty. Suppose the one being blessed is a vessel fit to receive the blessing: he walks in the way of Hashem and keeps the mitzvos properly. Then the Torah has already promised such a person all the blessings. And if, Heaven forbid, he does not walk in the way of the Torah, the blessing will not help him anyway. What, then, is the point of a blessing at all?
וְנִרְאֶה לְפָרֵשׁ בְּדֶרֶךְ זֶה, כִּי הִנֵּה צְרִיכִים לְהָבִין מָה שַׁיָּיךְ כְּלָל עִנְיַן בְּרָכָה שֶׁמְּבָרְכִים לָאָדָם, הֲרֵי מִמַּה נַפְשָׁךְ, אִם הַמִּתְבָּרֵךְ הוּא כְּלִי הָרָאוּי לְקַבֵּל הַבְּרָכָה, שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ ה׳ וּמְקַיֵּים הַמִּצְוֹות כָּרָאוּי, אֲזַי לְאָדָם כָּזֶה כְּבָר הִבְטִיחָה הַתּוֹרָה אֶת כָּל הַבְּרָכוֹת, וּבְאִם ח״ו אֵינֶנּוּ הוֹלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ הַתּוֹרָה אֲזַי מִמֵּילָא לֹא תוֹעִיל לוֹ הַבְּרָכָה, וְאִם כֵּן מַהוּ כְּלָל הָעִנְיָן שֶׁל בְּרָכָה.
In shortA blessing seems pointless: the worthy already have the blessings the Torah promised, and the unworthy will not be helped by one.
3The explanation is this. When a tzaddik gives a blessing, his task is to influence the one he blesses to become a fitting vessel for the abundance of the blessing. He does this by stirring him to conduct himself according to the will of Hashem. With this I once explained the Priestly Blessing.3 Why were the Kohanim commanded to bless Israel? Is it not Hashem Who blesses, as the verse says, “and I will bless them”?4 What, then, is the point of the blessing the Kohanim give? It would seem that they accomplish nothing by it, since the blessing comes from Hashem. Rather, it is as we said of a tzaddik's blessing: the Kohanim must make Klal Yisrael a vessel prepared to receive the blessing by stirring the people to walk in the way of Hashem, in the spirit of “They shall place My Name upon Bnei Yisrael.”5 And once they walk in the way of Hashem, the blessing from Heaven will rest upon them of itself.
וְהַבֵּיאוּר בָּזֶה הוּא, שֶׁהַתַּפְקִיד שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיק בַּמֶּה שֶׁמְּבָרֵךְ הַבְּרָכָה, הוּא לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ לְהַמִּתְבָּרֵךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כְּלִי מוּכְשָׁר לְקַבֵּל שֶׁפַע הַבְּרָכָה, וְהוּא עַל יְדֵי שֶׁמְּעוֹרְרוֹ לְהִתְנַהֵג כִּרְצוֹן הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. וּבָזֶה אָמַרְתִּי לְפָרֵשׁ בְּעִנְיַן בִּרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים (במדבר ו, כב - כז), דְּצָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר מַהוּ הָעִנְיָן שֶׁנִּצְטַוּוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים לְבָרֵךְ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, הֲלֹא הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ הוּא הַמְּבָרֵךְ כָּאָמוּר ׳וַאֲנִי אֲבָרְכֵם׳, וְאִם כֵּן מַה עִנְיַן הַבְּרָכָה שֶׁמְּבָרְכִים הַכֹּהֲנִים, הֲרֵי לִכְאוֹרָה הֵם אֵינָם פּוֹעֲלִים כְּלוּם בְּבִרְכָתָם, שֶׁהֲרֵי הַבְּרָכָה הִיא מֵה׳. אֶלָּא הָעִנְיָן הוּא כַּנִּזְכָּר, שֶׁהַכֹּהֲנִים צְרִיכִים לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת כְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּלִי מוּכָן לְקַבֵּל הַבְּרָכָה, לְעוֹרְרָם לָלֶכֶת בְּדֶרֶךְ ה׳, בְּחִינַת ׳וְשָׂמוּ אֶת שְׁמִי עַל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׳, וּמֵאַחַר שֶׁיֵּלְכוּ בְּדֶרֶךְ ה׳, שׁוּב מִמֵּילָא תָּחוּל עֲלֵיהֶם הַבְּרָכָה מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם.
In shortA tzaddik's blessing, like the Priestly Blessing, stirs a person to do Hashem's will, making him a vessel on which Heaven's blessing rests of itself.
4Once the one being blessed has become a vessel prepared to receive the blessing, conducting himself in the way of the Torah and doing the will of the Omnipresent, the attribute of judgment can no longer hold back his blessing. He is privileged to have the abundance of blessing flow to him constantly, again and again, without interruption.
וְהִנֵּה אַחַר שֶׁהַמִּתְבָּרֵךְ נַעֲשֶׂה כְּלִי מוּכָן לְקַבֵּל הַבְּרָכָה, שֶׁמִּתְנַהֵג בְּדֶרֶךְ הַתּוֹרָה וְעוֹשֶׂה רְצוֹנוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם, שׁוּב אֵין מִידַּת הַדִּין יְכוֹלָה לְעַכֵּב בִּרְכָתוֹ, וְזוֹכֶה שֶׁהַשֶּׁפַע בְּרָכָה הַנִּשְׁפָּע עָלָיו יִהְיֶה תְּמִידִי, וְחוֹזֵר וְנִשְׁפָּע עָלָיו שׁוּב וָשׁוּב בְּלֹא הֶפְסֵק.
In shortOnce a person has become a fit vessel, judgment can no longer hold back his blessing, and it flows to him again and again.
5But we also find another kind of blessing: one that comes through the merit of a person's fathers, or on account of what he will be in the future, and the like, and not because the one being blessed is worthy of it. This blessing is on a much lower level.
אָמְנָם מָצִינוּ עוֹד אוֹפֶן שֶׁל בְּרָכָה, וְהִיא הַבָּאָה מֵחֲמַת זְכוּת אָבוֹת אוֹ עַל שֵׁם הֶעָתִיד וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה, וְלֹא מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהַמִּתְבָּרֵךְ רָאוּי לָהּ, וְזוֹ הַבְּרָכָה הִיא בְּמַדְרֵגָה פְּחוּתָה לִמְאֹד.
In shortThere is also a much lower kind of blessing, given for the merit of one's fathers or for the future rather than for present worthiness.
6So there are two kinds of blessing. The first comes neither because the one blessed deserves it by strict justice nor because he is a vessel prepared to receive it, but through the merit of his fathers, or on account of the future, and the like. Then the attribute of judgment raises accusations and holds back the abundance from coming down, so when this blessing does come down, it comes in a limited measure and not in abundance. But there is a blessing that even the attribute of judgment agrees to: when the one blessed is, on his own account, a vessel fit to receive the abundance. Then Heaven bestows on him in great abundance, since nothing at all holds back the giving. This is “may He give, and give again”: another bestowal follows at once, and the abundance never stops. It is “I will pour out for you blessing until there is no more room,”6 and as Chazal said, “until your lips wear out from saying ‘Enough!’”7 For he is “a vessel that holds blessing.”8
נִמְצָא לְפִי זֶה, שֶׁיֶּשְׁנָם שְׁנֵי מִינֵי בְּרָכוֹת, הָאַחַת הִיא בְּרָכָה אֲשֶׁר בָּאָה לֹא מִצַּד שֶׁהַמִּתְבָּרֵךְ רָאוּי לָהּ מִן הַדִּין, וְלֹא מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהוּא כְּלִי מוּכָן לְקַבֵּל הַבְּרָכָה, כִּי אִם מִצַּד זְכוּת אָבוֹת אוֹ עַל שֵׁם הֶעָתִיד וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה, וְאָז מִידַּת הַדִּין מְקַטְרֶגֶת וּמְעַכֶּבֶת הַשֶּׁפַע מִלֵּירֵד, וְלָכֵן בָּזֶה כַּאֲשֶׁר יוֹרֶדֶת הַבְּרָכָה, יוֹרֶדֶת הִיא בְּצִמְצוּם וְלֹא בְּשֶׁפַע. וְאוּלָם יֵשׁ בְּרָכָה שֶׁגַּם מִידַּת הַדִּין מַסְכֶּמֶת עִמָּהּ, כַּאֲשֶׁר הַמִּתְבָּרֵךְ הוּא כְּלִי הָרָאוּי מִצַּד עַצְמוֹ לְקַבֵּל הַשֶּׁפַע, וּמִמֵּילָא מַשְׁפִּיעִים לוֹ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם בְּשֶׁפַע רַב, מֵאַחַר שֶׁאֵין כָּל מְעַכֵּב לְמַתַּן הַשֶּׁפַע, וְאָז הוּא בְּחִינַת ׳יִתֵּן וְיַחֲזוֹר וְיִתֵּן׳ מִיָּד הַשְׁפָּעָה אַחֶרֶת, וְלֹא נִפְסָק הַשֶּׁפַע לְעוֹלָם, בְּחִינַת ״וַהֲרִיקוֹתִי לָכֶם בְּרָכָה עַד בְּלִי דָי״ (מלאכי ג, י), וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ ז״ל (מכות כג, א) עַד שֶׁיִּבְלוּ שִׂפְתוֹתֵיכֶם מִלּוֹמַר דַּי, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהוּא כְּלִי הַמַּחֲזִיק בְּרָכָה.
- Malachi 3:10. ↩
- Makkos 23b (the sefer has 23a). ↩
- Uktzin 3:12, the last Mishnah of the whole Mishnah: “The Holy One, blessed be He, found no vessel that holds blessing for Israel except peace.” ↩
In shortAncestral merit brings blessing sparingly, against judgment's opposition; a fit vessel receives it with judgment's consent, and it flows without end.
7How does Heaven see whether the one being blessed is a vessel fit to receive the blessing? Heaven sees whether, when Hashem bestows an abundance of blessing on him, he walks in righteousness in the way of the Torah, learns Torah with still greater vigor, and gives generously to tzedakah from the money he received through a tzaddik's blessing. If he does, that shows he is a vessel fit to receive the blessing, and so an abundance of blessing flows to him again. When the blessing is of this kind, he receives great abundance without limit, as in “until your lips wear out from saying ‘Enough!’” For then even the attribute of judgment is appeased and concedes that he deserves blessing. For it can be seen that he conducts himself in the way of Torah and fear of Heaven, living by “for Your sake, O living God,”9 and that he is not, Heaven forbid, spoiled by the abundance he received through the power of the blessing.
וּבְמַה רוֹאִין מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם אִם הַמִּתְבָּרֵךְ הוּא כְּלִי רָאוּי לְקַבֵּל אֶת הַבְּרָכָה, הוּא בְּאִם כַּאֲשֶׁר מַשְׁפִּיעַ עָלָיו ה׳ יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁפַע בְּרָכָה, הוּא הוֹלֵךְ בְּצִדְקוֹ בְּדֶרֶךְ הַתּוֹרָה, וְלוֹמֵד תּוֹרָה בְּיֶתֶר שְׂאֵת, וּמְפַזֵּר לִצְדָקָה מֵהַמָּמוֹן הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר קִיבֵּל מִבִּרְכַּת צַדִּיק, בָּזֹאת יִוָּודַע שֶׁהוּא כְּלִי רָאוּי לְקַבֵּל הַבְּרָכָה, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה חוֹזֵר וְנִשְׁפָּע עָלָיו שֶׁפַע בְּרָכָה. וְכַאֲשֶׁר הַבְּרָכָה הִיא בָּזֶה הָאוֹפֶן, מְקַבֵּל הוּא שֶׁפַע רַב בְּלִי מְצָרִים, בְּחִינַת ׳עַד שֶׁיִּבְלוּ שִׂפְתוֹתֵיכֶם מִלּוֹמַר דַּי׳, לְפִי שֶׁבָּזֶה גַּם מִידַּת הַדִּין מִתְרַצֶּה וּמוֹדֶה שֶׁכְּדַאי הוּא לִבְרָכָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי רוֹאִים שֶׁמִּתְנַהֵג בְּדֶרֶךְ הַתּוֹרָה וְהַיִּרְאָה, בִּבְחִינַת ׳לְמַעַנְךָ אֱלֹקִים חַיִּים׳, וְלֹא מְקַלְקֵל ח״ו מֵחֲמַת הַשֶּׁפַע אֲשֶׁר קִיבֵּל בְּכֹחַ הַבְּרָכָה.
- From the Zachreinu prayer added to the Shemoneh Esrei during the Ten Days of Repentance. ↩
In shortHeaven recognizes a fit vessel when blessing brings him more Torah and tzedakah without spoiling him, and then even judgment agrees to blessing without limit.
8This was the nature of the blessing with which Yitzchak Avinu blessed Yaakov Avinu: Yitzchak prepared him thoroughly to be a perfect vessel for receiving it. This explains Rashi's comment, “What is meant by HaElokim? With justice: if you are worthy, He will give to you.” The blessings were bestowed on Yaakov because he was a vessel for receiving them, as the verse says, first “of the dew of the heavens” and then “of the fat of the earth.” For Yaakov's intent was to make the honor of Heaven the main purpose of the blessing, and to support and increase avodas Hashem, the service of the Creator, so that even “the fat of the earth” would be secondary to the things of Heaven, “the dew of the heavens.” By this Heaven saw that he was a vessel fit to receive the abundance, as we explained in answer to the question of how Heaven recognizes such a vessel.
וְזֶה הָיָה עִנְיַן הַבְּרָכָה שֶׁבֵּירַךְ יִצְחָק אָבִינוּ ע״ה לְיַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ ע״ה, שֶׁיִּצְחָק אָבִינוּ ע״ה הִכְשִׁירוֹ בְּיוֹתֵר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כְּלִי הַמּוּשְׁלָם לְקַבֵּל הַבְּרָכָה. וּבָזֶה יִתְבָּאֵר מַה שֶׁפֵּירֵשׁ רש״י ׳מַהוּ הָאֱלֹקִים, בַּדִּין, אִם רָאוּי לְךָ, יִתֵּן לְךָ׳, כִּי הַשְׁפָּעַת הַבְּרָכוֹת לְיַעֲקֹב הָיָה מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהָיָה כְּלִי לְקַבֵּל הַבְּרָכָה, וּכְנֶאֱמַר ׳מִטַּל הַשָּׁמַיִם וּמִשְׁמַנֵּי הָאָרֶץ׳, כִּי כַּוָּונָתוֹ הָיְתָה לַעֲשׂוֹת מֵהַבְּרָכָה עִיקָּר לִכְבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, וּלְסַיֵּיעַ וּלְהַרְבּוֹת בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא, שֶׁגַּם ׳מִשְׁמַנֵּי הָאָרֶץ׳ יִהְיֶה נִטְפָּל לְמִילֵּי דִּשְׁמַיָּא ׳מִטַּל הַשָּׁמַיִם׳. וּבָזֶה רָאוּ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם, שֶׁהוּא בִּבְחִינַת כְּלִי הָרָאוּי לְקַבֵּל הַשֶּׁפַע כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל.
In shortYaakov, a fit vessel, was blessed “with justice”; his blessing puts “the dew of the heavens” first, since earthly things served Heaven's honor for him.
9Esav's blessings, however, did not come because he was a fitting vessel to receive the blessing. They came through the merit of his father, Yitzchak Avinu. For Esav, the main purpose of receiving the blessing was earthly things, as the verse says in his blessing: “Behold, of the fat of the earth shall be your dwelling, and of the dew of the heavens from above.”10 Yitzchak put “the fat of the earth” first because for Esav that was the main thing. So the blessing does not rest on him constantly, in the manner of “may He give, and give again,” nor does the attribute of judgment agree to it. That is why, in Esav's blessing, Yitzchak Avinu did not say “May God give you,” the words Rashi explains as “with justice.” For the same reason this whole blessing is only for its time and not for all generations.
אֲבָל בִּרְכוֹת עֵשָׂו לֹא הָיוּ מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהָיָה כְּלִי מוּכְשָׁר לְקַבֵּל הַבְּרָכָה, אֶלָּא מִצַּד זְכוּת אָבִיו יִצְחָק אָבִינוּ ע״ה, כִּי אֵצֶל עֵשָׂו הָיָה עִיקַּר קַבָּלַת הַבְּרָכָה לְצוֹרֶךְ עִנְיְנֵי אַרְצִיּוּת, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר שָׁם ״הִנֵּה מִשְׁמַנֵּי הָאָרֶץ יִהְיֶה מוֹשָׁבֶךָ וּמִטַּל הַשָּׁמַיִם מֵעָל״, הִקְדִּים ׳מִשְׁמַנֵּי הָאָרֶץ׳ מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהֵם הָיוּ אֶצְלוֹ הָעִיקָּר, לְפִיכָךְ אֵין חָל בּוֹ הַבְּרָכָה בִּתְמִידוּת שֶׁ׳יִתֵּן וְיַחֲזוֹר וְיִתֵּן׳. וְעַל כֵּן גַּם אֵין מִידַּת הַדִּין מַסְכֶּמֶת לִבְרָכָה זוֹ, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁבְּבִרְכַּת עֵשָׂיו לֹא אָמַר לוֹ יִצְחָק אָבִינוּ ע״ה ׳וְיִתֵּן לְךָ הָאֱלֹקִים׳ בַּדִּין, וְלָכֵן גַּם כָּל זוֹ הַבְּרָכָה הִיא רַק לִשְׁעָתָהּ וְלֹא לְדוֹרוֹת.
- Bereishis 27:39. ↩
In shortEsav's earth-first blessing, given for his father's merit, lacks “May God give you” and judgment's consent, and lasts only for its time.
10In light of our words, we can also explain the nature of Rosh Chodesh. We know that Rosh Chodesh is a time of teshuvah and atonement for sins, as we say in the Musaf prayer of Rosh Chodesh: “a time of atonement for all their generations.” So at that time we become fit vessels for the blessings, and the attribute of judgment has no power to hold them back. That is why, in the blessing of the new month11 and in the Musaf prayer of Rosh Chodesh, we are stirred to ask for blessings of salvation and mercy. By the special power of the time we become fit to receive the blessings in great abundance, for even the attribute of judgment is appeased. This is the meaning of the word chodesh, “month,” from chadash, “new”: the abundance is renewed, and fresh abundance keeps coming, as in “may He give, and give again.”
וְעַל פִּי דְּבָרֵינוּ יֵשׁ לְבָאֵר עִנְיַן רֹאשׁ חוֹדֶשׁ, כִּי נוֹדַע שֶׁרֹאשׁ חוֹדֶשׁ הוּא זְמַן תְּשׁוּבָה וְכַפָּרַת עֲוֹונוֹת, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָנוּ אוֹמְרִים בִּתְפִילָּה (מוסף דראש חודש) ׳זְמַן כַּפָּרָה לְכָל תּוֹלְדוֹתָם׳, וּמִמֵּילָא אָז נַעֲשִׂים מוּכְשָׁרִים וּמוּכָנִים לִהְיוֹת כְּלִי לְקַבֵּל הַבְּרָכוֹת, וְאֵין בְּיַד מִידַּת הַדִּין לְעַכֵּב. וְלָכֵן מִתְעוֹרְרִים בְּבִרְכַּת הַחוֹדֶשׁ וּבִתְפִילַּת מוּסָף דְּרֹאשׁ חוֹדֶשׁ לְבַקֵּשׁ בִּרְכוֹת יְשׁוּעָה וְרַחֲמִים, כִּי מִכֹּחַ סְגוּלַּת הַזְּמַן, אָנוּ נַעֲשִׂים מוּכְשָׁרִים לְקַבֵּל הַבְּרָכוֹת בְּשֶׁפַע רַב, אַחַר שֶׁגַּם מִידַּת הַדִּין מִתְרַצֵּית. וְזֶהוּ הַלָּשׁוֹן ׳חוֹדֶשׁ׳, שֶׁמִּתְחַדֵּשׁ וּבָא שֶׁפַע חָדָשׁ, בְּחִינַת ׳יִתֵּן וְיַחֲזוֹר וְיִתֵּן׳.
- Said in the synagogue on the Shabbos before Rosh Chodesh. ↩
In shortRosh Chodesh, a time of atonement, makes us vessels that judgment cannot hold back, and chodesh itself speaks of abundance renewed again and again.
11May Hashem grant that we be privileged to walk in the way of Torah and fear of Heaven; that if Hashem gives us abundance, we do not spoil it; and that we set fixed times for Torah every day and pray with the congregation. Through this may we be privileged to receive the blessing of “may He give, and give again,” and to greet Moshiach. Amen, may it be His will.
יִתֵּן ה׳ שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לָלֶכֶת בְּדֶרֶךְ הַתּוֹרָה וְהַיִּרְאָה, וּבְאִם הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ נוֹתֵן לָנוּ שֶׁפַע, שֶׁלֹּא נְקַלְקֵל אֶת הַשֶּׁפַע, וְנִקְבַּע עִתִּים לַתּוֹרָה בְּכָל יוֹם וּלְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּצִיבּוּר, וּמִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ נִזְכֶּה לְהַבְּרָכָה שֶׁיִּתֵּן וְיַחֲזוֹר וְיִתֵּן, וְנִזְכֶּה לְקַבֵּל פְּנֵי מָשִׁיחַ אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:
In shortThe Rebbe prays that we use Hashem's abundance well, keep fixed times for Torah, pray with the congregation, receive endless blessing and greet Moshiach.
Takeaway
A blessing's real work is to make us vessels that can hold Hashem's goodness, and the test comes after it arrives: whether added plenty brings more Torah, more tzedakah and more fear of Heaven, or spoils us. When the fat of the earth stays secondary to the dew of the heavens, even the attribute of judgment agrees, and the blessing becomes “may He give, and give again.” May we set fixed times for Torah and pray with the congregation, so that we are vessels worthy of such blessing.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz. His yahrzeit and life ›
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