Forever or for an Hour: Why We Whisper “Baruch Shem”
From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Bereishis 49:1
וַיִּקְרָא יַעֲקֹב אֶל־בָּנָיו וַיֹּאמֶר הֵאָסְפוּ וְאַגִּידָה לָכֶם אֵת אֲשֶׁר־יִקְרָא אֶתְכֶם בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים
And Yaakov called to his sons and said, “Gather together, and I will tell you what will befall you at the end of days.”
1“Gather together, and I will tell you what will befall you at the end of days.”1 Chazal tell us: “Yaakov wished to reveal to his sons the end of days, and the Shechinah departed from him. He said, ‘Perhaps, Heaven forbid, there is someone unfit among my offspring …’ His sons said to him, ‘Hear, Yisrael, Hashem is our God, Hashem is One’: just as there is only One in your heart … At that moment Yaakov Avinu opened and said, ‘Blessed is the name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever.’ The Rabbis said: What shall we do? Shall we say it? Moshe Rabbeinu did not say it. Shall we not say it? Yaakov said it. They instituted that it be said quietly.”2 This raises three questions. Why did Moshe Rabbeinu not say this line, while Yaakov Avinu did? What lies behind Chazal's enactment to say it in a whisper? And why does their enactment not apply on Yom Kippur, when we say it aloud?
הֵאָסְפוּ וְאַגִּידָה לָכֶם אֵת אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָא אֶתְכֶם בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים (מט, א). אָמְרוּ חז״ל (פסחים דף נו, א) בִּיקֵּשׁ לְגַלּוֹת לְבָנָיו קֵץ הַיָּמִין וְנִסְתַּלְּקָה מִמֶּנּוּ שְׁכִינָה, אָמַר שֶׁמָּא חַס וְשָׁלוֹם יֵשׁ בְּמִיטָּתִי פְּסוּל וְכוּ׳, אָמְרוּ לוֹ בָּנָיו ״שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ ה׳ אֶחָד״ (דברים ו, ד), כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֵין בְּלִבְּךָ אֶלָּא אֶחָד וְכוּ׳, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה פָּתַח יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ וְאָמַר בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. אָמְרִי רַבָּנַן הֵיכִי נַעֲבֵיד, נֹאמְרוּהוּ לֹא אֲמָרוֹ מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ, לֹא נֹאמְרוּהוּ אֲמָרוֹ יַעֲקֹב, הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהוּ אוֹמְרִים אוֹתוֹ בַּחֲשַׁאי. וּבֶאֱמֶת יֵשׁ לְהָבִין, לָמָּה לֹא אֲמָרוֹ מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה וְרַק יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ ע״ה אֲמָרוֹ. גַּם יֵשׁ לְבָאֵר, מַה הוּא הָעִנְיָן שֶׁהִתְקִינוּ חז״ל לְאָמְרוֹ בְּלַחַשׁ. גַּם לְהָבִין מַה טַּעַם בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים אֵין שַׁיָּיךְ תַּקָּנָתָם ז״ל, וְאָנוּ אוֹמְרִים אוֹתוֹ בְּקוֹל רָם.
- Bereishis 49:1. ↩
- Pesachim 56a; Devarim 6:4. The Gemara continues: “… so in our heart there is only One.” The Shema in the Torah does not include the line “Blessed is the name …” ↩
In shortMoshe omitted “Blessed is the name …,” which Yaakov said, so Chazal had it whispered; why, and why is it said aloud on Yom Kippur?
2aWe will explain this through what the holy sefer Yismach Yisrael, by R' Yerachmiel Yisrael Yitzchak of Alexander, says on the subject, adding a little explanation of our own.3 We know that every person receives an arousal each day to climb higher in Torah and fear of Heaven, as Chazal said, “There is no person who does not have his hour.”4 We heard the same from my holy father and teacher, zt"l, who explained a teaching of the Baal Shem Tov, zt"l, on a Mishnah. The Mishnah says, “R' Yehoshua ben Levi said: Every single day a heavenly voice goes forth from Mount Chorev …”5 The question was asked: if a heavenly voice goes forth every day, we ought to hear it; and if we do not hear it, why does it go forth? The answer given is that the heavenly voice means this: every single day an arousal from Above comes to each and every person, to do mitzvos and good deeds and to return to Hashem in truth.
וּנְבָאֵר הָעִנְיָן עַל פִּי מַה שֶּׁבֵּיאֵר בָּזֶה בְּסֵפֶר הַקָּדוֹשׁ יְשַׂמַּח יִשְׂרָאֵל (אות ד׳), בְּתוֹסֶפֶת בֵּיאוּר קְצָת. דְּהִנֵּה יָדוּעַ שֶׁלְּכָל אֶחָד בָּאָה בְּכָל יוֹם הִתְעוֹרְרוּת לַעֲלוֹת בְּמַעֲלוֹת הַתּוֹרָה וְהַיִּרְאָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רז״ל (אבות פ״ד מ״ג) אֵין לְךָ אָדָם שֶׁאֵין לוֹ שָׁעָה. וְכַאֲשֶׁר שָׁמַעְנוּ מכ״ק אאמו״ר זצללה״ה, שֶׁפֵּירֵשׁ עַל מַה שֶּׁאָמַר הַבַּעַל שֵׁם טוֹב זצללה״ה עַל מַאֲמַר הַמִּשְׁנָה (אבות ו, ב) אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם בַּת קוֹל יוֹצֵאת מֵהַר חוֹרֵב וְכוּ׳, וְהִקְשָׁה דְּאִם כֵּן הָיָה לָנוּ לְשׁוֹמְעָהּ, וּבְאִם אֵין אָנוּ שׁוֹמְעִים לָמָּה הִיא יוֹצֵאת. וְתֵירֵץ, דְּבַת קוֹל הַיּוֹצֵאת הַכַּוָּונָה שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם וְיוֹם בָּא לְכָל אִישׁ וְאִישׁ הִתְעוֹרְרוּת מִלְמַעְלָה, לַעֲשׂוֹת מִצְוֹות וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים וְלָשׁוּב אֶל ה׳ בֶּאֱמֶת.
2bBut a person's main service is to make that arousal last: to hold on to it for a long time and to serve the Creator with its strength. This is the meaning of “There is no person who does not have his hour.” Every person has an hour each day when he wants to do his Maker's will, by the power of that heavenly voice. But he must see to it that this desire and arousal carries on beyond that hour, at all times. For “the yeast in the dough,”6 the yetzer hara, holds him back and keeps the yetzer tov, the good inclination, from gaining the upper hand.
אַךְ עִיקַּר הָעֲבוֹדָה שֶׁל הָאָדָם הִיא, לִרְאוֹת שֶׁיִּמָּשֵׁךְ הִתְעוֹרְרוּת וְיַחֲזִיק בָּזֶה לִזְמַן רַב, וְלַעֲבוֹד הַבּוֹרֵא בְּכֹחַ זֶה. וְזֶה הַפֵּירוּשׁ אֵין לְךָ אָדָם שֶׁאֵין לוֹ שָׁעָה, כִּי כָּל אָדָם וְאָדָם יֵשׁ לוֹ שָׁעָה כָּל יוֹם וְיוֹם אֲשֶׁר אָז חָפֵץ לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹן קוֹנוֹ בְּכֹחַ הַבַּת קוֹל הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת, אֶלָּא צְרִיכִים לִרְאוֹת שֶׁיַּמְשִׁיךְ הַחֵפֶץ וְהַהִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַזּוֹ לְכָל הַזְּמַן, כִּי הַשְּׂאוֹר שֶׁבָּעִיסָּה מְעַכֵּב וּמוֹנֵעַ מִלְּהַגְבִּיר יֵצֶר טוֹב עַל יֵצֶר הָרַע.
- Chazal's image for the yetzer hara (Berachos 17a). ↩
In shortEach person gets a daily arousal from Above, his “hour,” and the heart of serving Hashem is holding on to it despite the yetzer hara.
3This answers our first question. Moshe Rabbeinu spoke the holy Torah to all Israel, to the end of all generations. He knew there would be times when Israel would be on a low level, without the purity of heart and mind to keep holding on to its acceptance of the yoke of the kingship of Heaven forever. How, then, could Israel say “His kingdom forever and ever,” which means accepting that yoke forever and ever? So he did not say “Blessed is the name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever.” But Yaakov Avinu was speaking with his own sons. He knew and recognized in them that when they accept the yoke of the kingship of Heaven, it is not only for the hour but for afterward as well, and that they would stand firm in their righteousness and holiness forever. And so he declared, “forever and ever.” That is the gist of the holy words of the Yismach Yisrael.
וְהִנֵּה מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה אֲשֶׁר אָמַר אֶת הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד סוֹף כָּל הַדּוֹרוֹת, וְיָדַע שֶׁיִּהְיֶה זְמַנִּים שֶׁיִּהְיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשֵׁפֶל הַמַּדְרֵגָה, וְלֹא יִהְיוּ בְּטָהֳרַת הַלֵּב וְהַמֹּחַ שֶׁיּוּכְלוּ לְהַמְשִׁיךְ לְהַחְזִיק בְּקַבָּלַת עוֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם לָעַד, וְהֵיאַךְ יוּכְלוּ לוֹמַר ׳מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד׳ הַמּוֹרֶה עַל קַבָּלַת עוֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד, לָכֵן לֹא אָמַר בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. אֲבָל יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ ע״ה שֶׁדִּיבֵּר עִם בָּנָיו, וְיָדַע וְהִכִּיר בְּבָנָיו שֶׁכַּאֲשֶׁר מְקַבְּלִים הֵמָּה עוֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם אֵין זֶה רַק לְשָׁעָה אֶלָּא גַּם לְאַחַר זְמַן, שֶׁיַּעַמְדוּ בְּצִדְקָתָם וּקְדוּשָּׁתָם לְעוֹלָם, לָכֵן פָּתַח וְאָמַר לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד, עכתדה״ק.
In shortMoshe, speaking for all generations, knew Israel would not always keep its acceptance of Heaven's yoke; Yaakov knew his sons' acceptance would last.
4We can also explain it along the same lines with a slight change. Moshe Rabbeinu spoke for all the generations, and he knew it would not always be possible to reach the level of “forever and ever.” So he did not say “Blessed is the name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever.” But Yaakov Avinu was speaking about the days of Moshiach, for here he sought to reveal the end of days. We know that in the days of Moshiach Bnei Yisrael will reach great levels, as the Rambam writes and as Chazal teach.7 Then the verse “For the earth will be filled with knowledge” will be fulfilled, and there will be no oppression of exile and no subjugation to the yetzer hara.8 Everyone will then reach the level of “forever and ever,” since nothing will hold them back, and that is why Yaakov declared, “Blessed is the name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever.”
עוֹד אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ וּבְשִׁינּוּי קְצָת, דְּהִנֵּה מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה דִּיבֵּר עֲבוּר כָּל הַדּוֹרוֹת, וְיָדַע שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה אֶפְשָׁר תָּמִיד לְהַגִּיעַ לְדַרְגַּת ׳לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד׳, לָכֵן לֹא אָמַר בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד, אֲבָל יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ ע״ה שֶׁדִּיבֵּר אוֹדוֹת יְמוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ, שֶׁהֲרֵי כָּאן בִּיקֵּשׁ יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ ע״ה לְגַלּוֹת הַקֵּץ, וְיָדוּעַ כִּי בְּעֵת יְמוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ יַגִּיעוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמַדְרֵגוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת, כְּמוֹ דְּאִיתָא ברמב״ם סוֹף הִלְכוֹת מְלָכִים ובחז״ל, וְיִתְקַיֵּים בְּחִינַת ״כִּי מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ דֵּעָה״ (ישעיהו ה, יא), וְלֹא יִהְיֶה שִׁעְבּוּד גָּלוּיוֹת וְשִׁעְבּוּד יֵצֶר הָרַע (עיין סוכה נב, ב), לָכֵן יַגִּיעוּ כּוּלָּם לִבְחִינַת לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד, כֵּיוָן שֶׁאֵין מַה שֶׁמְּעַכֵּב בְּיָדָם, לָכֵן פָּתַח וְאָמַר ׳בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד׳.
In shortOr: Yaakov spoke of the days of Moshiach, when neither exile nor the yetzer hara will hold Israel back from “forever and ever.”
5aThis explains why Israel's custom, based on the Midrash, is to say “Blessed is the name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever” aloud on Yom Kippur.9 As the Midrash explains, on Yom Kippur Israel is like the angels.10 In other words, Yom Kippur is a foretaste of the Time to Come,11 for on this day the yetzer hara does not rule.12 So on this day our whole desire is only to do what is pleasing to the Creator of the worlds. That is why we say “His kingdom forever and ever” aloud: at our level on this holy day, nothing holds us back.
וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנּוֹהֲגִים יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל פִּי הַמִּדְרָשׁ (דברים רבה ב, לו, הובא בטור סימן תריט) לוֹמַר בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים ׳בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד׳ בְּקוֹל רָם, וְכַמְּבוֹאָר בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (בדברים רבה שם, ובפרקי דרבי אליעזר פרק מ״ו, עיין שם) שֶׁבְּיוֹם הַכִּיפּוּרִים יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵמָּה בִּבְחִינַת מַלְאָכִים, וְהַיְינוּ כִּי עִנְיַן יוֹם הַכִּיפּוּרִים הוּא מֵעֵין לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, שֶׁהֲרֵי בָּזֶה הַיּוֹם אֵין יֵצֶר הָרַע שׁוֹלֵט (יומא כ, א. ועיין ויקרא רבה כא, ד), וּמִמֵּילָא בָּזֶה הַיּוֹם כָּל חֶפְצֵינוּ רַק לַעֲשׂוֹת נַחַת רוּחַ לְבוֹרֵא עוֹלָמִים, לָכֵן בְּזֶה הַיּוֹם אָנוּ אוֹמְרִים בְּקוֹל רָם ׳מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד׳, כֵּיוָן שֶׁלְּפִי מַדְרֵגָתֵנוּ בַּיּוֹם הַקָּדוֹשׁ הַזֶּה אֵין מַה שֶׁיְּעַכֵּב בַּעֲדֵנוּ.
5bBut during the rest of the year, if we said it aloud, it could rouse accusers Above. They would prosecute and demand that we be examined closely: perhaps, Heaven forbid, we are speaking falsehood, and we lack the purity of heart to sustain our arousal at the level of “forever and ever.” Yet for all that, we do accept upon ourselves the yoke of the kingship of Heaven and want to improve our ways. So we take the middle path and say it in a whisper, so as not to rouse the accusers Above. This answers our second question.
אֲבָל בְּכָל הַשָּׁנָה אִם נֹאמַר בְּקוֹל רָם יוּכַל לְעוֹרֵר מַסְטִינִים לְמַעְלָה, שֶׁיְּקַטְרְגוּ וְיֹאמְרוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְדַקְדֵּק בָּנוּ שֶׁמָּא אָנוּ ח״ו דּוֹבְרֵי שְׁקָרִים, וְאֵין אָנוּ בְּטָהֳרַת הַלֵּב כָּרָאוּי שֶׁנּוּכַל לְקַיֵּים הַהִתְעוֹרְרוּת בִּבְחִינַת ׳לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד׳, אֲבָל עִם כָּל זֹאת אָנוּ מְקַבְּלִים עָלֵינוּ עוֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם וְרוֹצִים לְהֵיטִיב דַּרְכֵּנוּ, לָכֵן נוֹהֲגִים בַּדֶּרֶךְ הַמְּמוּצָּע וְאוֹמְרִים אוֹתוֹ בְּלַחַשׁ, בִּכְדֵי שֶׁלֹּא לְעוֹרֵר הַמַּסְטִינִים לְמַעְלָה.
In shortOn Yom Kippur, free of the yetzer hara, we say it aloud; all year we accept Heaven's yoke but whisper, lest we rouse accusers.
6May the Holy One, blessed be He, help us be privileged to serve Him in truth and with a whole heart. Amen, may it be His will.
יַעֲזוֹר הקב״ה לִזְכּוֹת לְעָבְדוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְתָמִים, אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:
In shortMay Hashem help us be privileged to serve Him in truth and with a whole heart.
Takeaway
Every day Hashem sends each of us an hour of arousal, and the real service is to hold on to it and carry it beyond that hour. Whispering “Blessed is the name of His glorious kingdom” all year honestly admits that our acceptance of His kingship is not yet “forever and ever,” even as we sincerely take it on; on Yom Kippur, when the yetzer hara does not rule, we say it aloud. Let the whisper remind us to keep each day's hour alive a little longer.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz. His yahrzeit and life ›
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English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.