Q:
What kind of kavanah should a person have in the first brachah of shmoneh esrei?
A:
In the first brachah of shemoneh esrei you should think about how great our forefathers were. And that Hashem loves us forever because of our forefathers. The Rambam says in Moreh Nevuchim that all the benefits that Hashem ever did to us and that He will ever do for us are only because of the Avos.
We have to study our Avos forever. We have no idea how great Avrohom was. Avrohom was unique; he was a mechadesh, an original man. And he discovered from his own mind all the important principles. And Hashem loved Avrohom, therefore, more than Moshe Rabbeinu. Moshe became greater than Avrohom, no question about it. But it was כננס על גבי ענק – like a midget standing on the shoulders of a giant. Moshe Rabbeinu was a result of Avrohom. Avrohom was the man who founded the Jewish nation by his originality. And his son and grandson were the same; they were the same. After them, no more.
You never see that Hashem spoke to Yosef? No. Hashem didn’t speak to the Aseres Hashvatim, no. You don’t find that anymore, no. Until Moshe Rabbeinu came. These three, אל תגעו בנביאי — they’re My nevi’im, my moshichim, these three; very great people. We have to study their lives.
Avrohom’s life was a life of emulating Hashem every day. “Hashem,” he said, “You made this world for chessed and made the world for kindliness. The world is a hotel and we are Your guests and You feed us and You clothes us. You give us everything in this world. So we should emulate you and do the same.”
And he sat therefore every day at the door of his tent and when people were walking on the road, he ran to them and fell on the floor and he begged them to come in and partake of his hospitality. Because he was practicing every day what he knew that Hashem does to all of us. So Avrohom, by his life, he was emulating the principles he learned of Hashem.
Now that’s only a drop in the ocean. The greatness of our forefathers is so important that it takes up לך לך, all the other sedras down to יתרו where the Torah is given. It’s all the greatness of our forefathers!
It’s so important that יפה שיחתן של בתי עבדי אבות מתורתן של בנים. Even the words of the avodim of the Avos are more important than many dinim of the Torah. Many dinim of the Torah are כהררים התלוים בשערה, they are like mountains hanging on a hair. Almost nothing is said. One little remez teaches many halachos. But we find that Avrohom’s servant, Eliezer, spoke at length and the Torah is repeating every word b’arichus. It’s remarkable how much space is given to him! The Gemara says יפה שיחתן של בתי עבדי אבות מתורתן של בנים. Even the words, the conversation of Eliezer eved Avrohom, is more important than the Torah given to the Bnei Yisroel. That’s how important they were.
And therefore, this tremendous importance caused Hashem to love them and He chose them forever and ever.
TAPE # E-269 (March 15, 2001)
