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ShareJoey Weisenberg
Melech chai v'kayam
Modeh/ah ani l'fanecha
Melech chai v'kayam
Nishmati b'chemlah
Shehechezarta bi nishmati b'chemlah
Rabbah emunatecha.
(א)מוֹדֶה אֲנִי לְפָנֶֽיךָ מֶֽלֶךְ חַי וְקַיָּם שֶׁהֶחֱזַֽרְתָּ בִּי נִשְׁמָתִי בְּחֶמְלָה, רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶֽךָ:
(ב)רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה יִרְאַת יְהֹוָה, שֵֽׂכֶל טוֹב לְכָל־עֹשֵׂיהֶם, תְּהִלָּתוֹ עוֹמֶֽדֶת לָעַד: בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:
(1) I give thanks to You living and everlasting Sovereign for You have restored my soul with mercy. Great is Your faithfulness.
(2) The beginning of wisdom is awe of HaShem, to all doers [of commandments] understand well; His praise stands forever. Blessed be the Name, Whose glorious kingdom is eternal.
(ו)במועדו. בְּכָל יוֹם הוּא מוֹעֵד הַתְּמִידִים:
(6) במועדו [YE SHALL OFFER TO ME] IN ITS APPOINTED SEASON — Every day is the “appointed season” for the continual offerings.
(ג) דְּהַיְינוּ, שֶׁבְּחִינַת שְׂמֹאל הִיא מִדַּת הַצִּמְצוּם וְהַהֶסְתֵּר בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה׳, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: ״וְהַצְנֵעַ לֶכֶת כוּ׳״ ״בַּמִּסְתָּרִים תִּבְכֶּה כוּ׳״, ״כָּל הָעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה בַּסֵּתֶר כוּ׳״.
(3) That is, the characteristic of the left is the trait of contraction (tzimtzum) and concealment in the service of the L–rd, as it is written: “and to walk secretly…”; “in secret places cries…”; “whoever busies himself with Torah in secret….”
(ה) אַךְ בְּחִינַת יָמִין, הִיא מִדַּת הַחֶסֶד וְהַהִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה׳, בְּהִתְרַחֲבוּת בְּלִי צִמְצוּם וְהֶסְתֵּר כְּלָל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: ״וְאֶתְהַלְּכָה בָרְחָבָה כוּ׳״, וְגַם בְּלִי צִמְצוּם וּגְבוּל כְּלָל, וְאֵין מַעֲצוֹר לְרוּחַ נִדְבָתוֹ, בֵּין בִּצְדָקָה וּבֵין בְּתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה וּשְׁאָרֵי מִצְוֹת, וְלֹא דַי לוֹ לָצֵאת יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ בִּלְבַד, אֶלָּא עַד בְּלִי דַי כוּ׳:
(5) On the other hand, the characteristic of the right is the attribute of grace (chesed) and extension in the service of HaShem by way of expansion, without any contraction and concealment whatsoever, as it is written: “And I will walk in an expanse…,” without any contraction and limitation whatsoever. There is no restraint to the spirit of his generosity—whether it be with respect to charity, the study of Torah, or other commandments. He does not suffice in discharging his obligation only, but to the extent of “never sufficient….”
(א)וְזֶה כְּלָל גָּדוֹל בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה׳ לַבֵּינוֹנִים: הָעִיקָּר, הוּא לִמְשׁוֹל וְלִשְׁלוֹט עַל הַטֶּבַע שֶׁבֶּחָלָל הַשְּׂמָאלִי עַל יְדֵי אוֹר ה׳ הַמֵּאִיר לַנֶּפֶשׁ הָאֱלֹהִית שֶׁבַּמּוֹחַ, וְלִשְׁלוֹט עַל הַלֵּב.
(ב) כְּשֶׁמִּתְבּוֹנֵן בְּמוֹחוֹ בִּגְדוּלַּת אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, לְהוֹלִיד מִבִּינָתוֹ רוּחַ דַּעַת וְיִרְאַת ה׳ בְּמוֹחוֹ – לִהְיוֹת ״סוּר מֵרָע״ דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא וּדְרַבָּנָן, וַאֲפִילוּ אִיסּוּר קַל שֶׁל דִּבְרֵיהֶם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, וְאַהֲבַת ה׳ בְּלִבּוֹ בֶּחָלָל הַיְמָנִי – בַּחֲשִׁיקָה וַחֲפִיצָה לְדָבְקָה בוֹ בְּקִיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹת דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא וּדְרַבָּנָן, וְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה שֶׁכְּנֶגֶד כּוּלָּן.
(1) This, then, is the important principle regarding the Divine service for the benoni: The essential thing is to govern and rule the nature that is in the left ventricle [of the heart] by means of the Divine light that irradiates the divine soul in the mind.
(2) That is to say, to rule the heart by means of meditation in the mind on the greatness of the En Sof, blessed is He, whereby his understanding will create a spirit of knowledge and awe of HaShem in his mind to make him turn away from the evil.... and [at the same time arousing] the love of HaShem in his heart, in the right part, with a fervor and desire to cleave to Him through the fulfillment of the precepts of the Torah and of the Rabbis and through the study of the Torah, which is equivalent to them all.
Jane Kenyon
I got out of bed
on two strong legs.
It might have been
otherwise. I ate
cereal, sweet
milk, ripe, flawless
peach. It might
have been otherwise.
I took the dog uphill
to the birch wood.
All morning I did
the work I love.
At noon I lay down
with my mate. It might
have been otherwise.
We ate dinner together
at a table with silver
candlesticks. It might
have been otherwise.
I slept in a bed
in a room with paintings
on the walls, and
planned another day
just like this day.
But one day, I know,
it will be otherwise.
