In this edition of Reb Yerachmiel's Baltimore Community Kollel Rav Pincus Chaburah, where they are learning about the essence of davening, he discussed the intricacies of the second beracha of Shemoneh Esrei, Berchas "Gevuros" on the levels of p'shat, deeper kavanas, words of chizuk and approaches to enhance the reality of closeness to Hashem that halacha dictates we perceive when we stand a Shemoneh Esrei.
Because this shiur was very special, it's a little longer than usual. You can listen online to Part 1 (1:05) and Part 2 (0:05) here:
Part 1
Part 2
And you can directly download the two parts here:
Part 1
Part 2
And for those of you who have had ipod troubles, I'm copy/pasting some information on this from a commenter called "maks.":
"Chava,I had the same exact problem with all the Rav Yerachmiel shiurim. I'm sure there are multiple ways to fix this, but one way I used was in iTunes, right click on the shiur and select "Convert Selection to AAC". It will take a few minutes to convert it and the resulting file will be much bigger than the original, but it will now play in your ipod.Hope that helps!
December 5, 2007 10:42 AM"
-Dixie Yid
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7 comments:
I'n not coming to negate the chashivus of peirush hamilos (as mentioned in the shiur), esp. in the first bracha, but I want to share an amazing thing I recently saw in Mishna Berura with Rav Nebenzahl's haaros on the bottom. In Siman 98, he says that although everyone quotes and thinks we paskin the Reb Chaim on Rambam who says that peirush hamilos in the first bracha is me'akev, most poskim do not paskin this Reb Chaim. In fact, only recognition that you are speaking to Hashem and that He is before you is me'akev in the first bracha, not peirush hamilos. One of his proofs is that we paskin in Shulchan Aruch that if one does not understand Hebrew but still davens shemoneh esrai in Hebrew, he is yotzeih. Obviously, one who understands no Hebrew does not have peirush hamilos in the first bracha.
A limud zechus for Klal Yisrael and being yotzeih shemoneh esrai.
Dear Anonymous 10:33,
Wow. That's an amazing chiddush from Ha'Rav Nebenzahl shlita and certainly is a limud zechus for Klal Yisroel.
Since I don't have access to that peirush at the moment, perhaps you can help get to the bottom of this issue, at least according to the shitah of Ha'Rav Nebenzahl.
The Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim at Kuf Alef (quoted by Reb Yerachmiel), with no objection from the Ramah, says explicitly that, lechatchilah, the entire shemoneh esrei requires kavana (defined by the Mishna Berurah there as peirush hamilos), and that b'dieved, kavana of peirush hamilos is at least required for the first beracha (and Modim).
There the Mishna Berurah states "Al kain, mah nachon meod lahamonim sheyilmidu peirush hamilos shel kol ha'tefilah, ve'al kol panim shel berchas avos umodim be'vadai yesh chiyuv alav leidah beuro" (writer's translation- 'therefore, how very appropriate it is for the masses that they should learn the explanation of the words of the entire Shemoneh Esrei; and in any event, the explanation of the words of the first beracha of shemoneh esrei (berchas avos) and Modim certainly there is an obligation on the person to know the explanation of the words').
It should be noted that the Mishna Berurah continues and goes so far as to state that someone who senses in themselves that they will not be able to be mechavain properly in Avos, must not daven but rather wait until he can be mechavain properly.
Finally, while Reb Chaim did indeed make this sugyah more well-know, it seems that this whole sugyah was first codified by the Shulchan Aruch (again, with no objection from the Ramah) and that the Misha Berurah poskins this way!
I'm sure that Ha'Rav Nebenzahl shlita deals with this Shulchan Aruch/Mishna Berurah (Kuf Alef). I'd be extremely interested to hear what Ha'Rav Nebenzahl's understanding is on this inyan. Hope to hear from you soon and I for one am excited to learn more about this limud zechus!
The ikuv in kavana that MB and SA are talking about is omeid lifnei Hashem. Of course, peirush hamilos is very important esp. in Avos and Modim but the ikuv where you are not yotzeih is only omed lifnei Hashem. There is nothing in the words you cite which contradicts this. This is what Rav Nebenzahl wtites.
Le'fi the Misha Berurah on Shulchan Aruch, Kuf Alef (Alef) who defines the use of the word "kavana" there as peirush hamilim, said halacha is davka specifically talking about the ikuv of peirush hamilim. My third paragraph above quoting the Mishna Berurah on said Shulchan Aruch drives the point home and appears to be a steirah to Ha'Rav Nebenzhal's approach. Again, I'm curious to know how Ha'rav Nebenzhal shlita explains his approach not in the context of Shulchan Aruch 98 but in the context on Shulchan Aruch 101.
The SA is not a kashya. The MB is but I have a derech to answer. I just want to re-check the Rav Nebenzahl before commenting. check back machar.
OK. In 101, RN deals directly with the kashya and says the lashon of MB peirush hamilos is only a lechatchila but not an ikuv. The fact that the SA says if no kavana in Avos you daven again would be a sep. mitzva/chiyuv lechatchila but the first SE was still valid. (Though again, there is no q from the SA directly since only the MB quoting Chayei Adom says it means peirush hamilos.) Either way RN's raayah from someone who knows no Hebrew is pretty solid.
The truth is I remember now that the Steipler says a similar idea even according to Reb Chaim that the SE is still a SE even without kavana at all in Avos-raayah is that if you realized in the middle of SE that you were not mechaven in Avos, no one says you should stop davening-you finish your SE.
I hear Ha'Rav Nebenzahl's raayahs (although it's hard to work them out in light of the Bayur Halacha at 101) and agree that there are those who hold that one is yotzeh b'de'eved. (Additionally, re: the
Steipler you quoted, see the Bayur Halacha at 101, divre hamaschil "Vehaidna", for a possible steirah).
Taking a step back (or is it three steps back?), thank you for clarifying Ha'Rav Nebenzahl's shitah on this.
As a chizzuk for the oiylam, it's good to know that Rav Nebenzahl takes the position that peirush hamilos in the first beracha is not meakev. Truthfully, within the context of the "Avodah She'belev" it's a real blessing that there are those who learn that "Chavana She'belev" is not meakev.
In reality, as Reb Yerachmiel has stated a few times on the tapes, the bigger hurdle in Shemoneh Esrei (for most people, I think) is the component of "veyachshov keilu hashichina kenegdo". Davening a Shemoneh Esrei to Hashem Yisbarach while trying to concentrate on peirush hamilim from beginning to end seems like perhaps the best way to be yotzei both compoenents, including "veyachshov keilu hashichina kenegdo".
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