שמע ישראל יהוה אלהינו יהוה אחד
Hear intelligently with attention and interest, comprehend and obey, O Yisra'el,
יהוה our 'Elohiym is יהוה alone!
–Dabariym [deuteronomy] 6:4 His Name Tanakh**
חפל Tefilah
"The common term used for prayer for those with a Yiddish background is to daven (pronounced daa-ven) and there are various theories where the word "daven" came from. Some say that "daven" comes from the Hebrew word dovaiv, which means "to move the lips." Davening is when Jews move their lips. We don't pray silently; we pray verbally, vocalizing our prayers."
"I once heard a theory. . .that daven is an Aramaic word; it comes from the word d'avuhon, which means, "from our fathers."
"In Hebrew, the word for prayer is tefilah. What does the word tefilah mean? There are two translations that are literal and accurate. The word tefilah comes from the word pellel which means "to judge." Tefilah is a time of self-evaluation, self-judgment, introspection, when a person takes the time to focus on himself and goes within himself to see what it is that he needs, what it is that he is all about, what are his faults, what are his qualities. . ."
"On another level, in another translation, tefilah means "attachment." When we daven, we create a bond between ourselves and our Creator. Prayer is a process of putting things together. When we daven there are only two things in the universe, [our Creator] and ourselves. The problem is that there are two entities when they should be united as one. Tefilah remedies the problem and turns them into one. So tefilah is the process by which we begin looking at ourselves, focusing on ourselves, and proceed to focus on [our Creator] and bring ourselves close to Him, raising ourselves above the whole succession of life that prevails during the rest of the day."
Y. Hechel Greenberg
מודה אני Modeh Ani
The Modeh Ani, one of the first blessings to the Creator a Jewish child is taught, conveys appreciation to the Creator for the gift of a new day of life (women would say 'modah' instead of 'modeh').
מודה
אני
לפניך
מלך
חי
וקיים
שהחזרת
בי
נשמתי
בחמלה
רבה
אמונתך
Modeh ani le'faneykha, melekh chai v'kayam,
shehechezar-tah bi
nishmati b'chemlah, rabbah emunatekha.
I confess and acknowledge my thanks to You, living and eternal King, for You have mercifully restored my soul within me; Your faithfulness is great
ברכת כהנים
Birkath Kohaniym "Blessing of the Kohen"
also known as: Nesiat Kapayiym "Raising of the Hands"
יהוה commanded 'Aharown the kohaniym haGadol (high priest), as well as the lower-ranked priests, to proclaim an unambiguous blessing over Yisra'el using specific, exact, phraseology to show that He, Himself is the manner by which the blessing is given and through Whom the blessings to the first-born son ישראל (the nation of Yisra'el) will be evident.
Bemidbar 6:23 - Speak to 'Aharown and to his sons, saying: In this way you will bless the sons of Yisra'el: you will say to them:
Bemidbar 6:24 -
יברכך יהוה וישמרך
ye-va-re-khe-kha yaw-oo-ah ve-yish-me-re-kha
He will bless you, יהוה, and He will protect you,
Bemidbar 6:25 -
יאר יהוה פניו אליך ויחנך
ya'-er yaw-oo-ah pa-nav e-ley-kha vi-chun-ne-kha
He will shine, יהוה, His face to you and will be kind to you
Bemidbar 6:26 -
ישא יהוה פניו אליך וישם לך שלום
yi-sa yaw-oo-ah pa-nav e-ley-kha ve-ya-shem le-kha sha-lom
He will turn and lift, יהוה, His Face and countenance to you and give to you peace!
Bemidbar 6:27 -
And they will place My Name, My honor, authority and character, upon and over the sons of Yisra'el; and I will bless them.
Take note of the above last line of the command to impart the blessing, which presents a wondrous image of יהוה, the father of His firstborn son Yisra'el, holding him up high in His arms as a doting father does a young babe and then, smiling most joyously, blesses him in extreme loving care! This blessing is one every head of the house should place, daily, upon the family. If, sadly, a household has no father, then the mother should recite this blessing over her children. It is the duty of every Yisre'eliy to bless their children!
It is our duty to send our (wives) sons and daughters out into the hostile world with the Name and Authority of our mighty 'Elohiym יהוה upon them; not only as a powerful shield, but also as a constant admonition for them to walk righteously before the Face of יהוה. This, we must do, in order to re-build they House of Yisra'el, which the nations, foreign to יהוה, have so willingly and gleefully helped to tear asunder. Before our Mashiyach can arrive we must as a House– as a nation– begin a return to His ways; nothing less will suffice. Now Go and do rightly!
**All Towrah and Tanakh quotes are from His Name Tanakh unless otherwise noted.
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