1 Likro et Hahallel
2 La'asot Ma'akeh
3 Hanoon Hamarbeh L'sloah
4 Al Nitilat Yadayim
5 Melekh Ohev Tzedakah U'mishpat
6 Dayan Ha'emeth
7 Leshev Ba'Sukkah
8 Lasok b'divrei Torah
9 Kiddush levana
10 Asher yatzar
11 Borei Pri Ha'eitz
12 HaMotzi
13 SheHakol Nihiyeh B'dvaro
14 Shehechiyanu
15 Lihitattef Batzitzit
16 Likboah Mezuzah
17 L'hadlik ner shel hannukah
18 She'asah nisim lavoteinu byamim hahem bazman hazeh
19 HaGomel L'Chayavim tovot, shegimalani kol tov
20 Malbish Arumim
21 L'hadlik ner shel Shabbat
22 Borei pri Hagafen
23 Hazan et HaKol
24 L'havchin bein yom u'vein layla
25 lhanot bahem b'nai adam.
26 borei minei mizonot
27 HaMachazir neshamot lifgarim matim
28 l'hachniso b'brito shel avraham avinu
29 al mikra megillah
30 shomeah tephillah
31 noten hatorah
32 sh'asani b'tzalmo
33 al biur hametz
34 al sefirat ha'omer
35 et amo yisrael bashalom.
36 Haham HaRazim
37 haolam Borei Minei Bisamim
38 matir asurim
39 shepratani meansho shel zeh
40 zokeif kifufim
41 HaBocher  b'amo yisrael b'ahava
42 hamavdil bein kodesh lechol
43 borei meorei haeish
44 magen avraham
45 shover oyvim umachnea zaydim
46 Mikadeish HaShabbat
47 boreh pri ha'adamah
48 al ha'aretz v'al hamazon
49 michayei HaMaitim
50 yotzer ha'adam
51 boneh berachamav yerushalayim
52 she'asani kirtzono

Bracha #40

Page 65 in Siddur Sim Shalom

This bracha like a few I have already presented is taken from the morning litany of brachot that open the daily worship. Like many of the other brachot in that selection, this bracha too, helps us set our agenda for the day. And although any one of these brachot could be and should be read literally, it is in their figurative application I find even greater meaning. Two weeks ago I presented a bracha about releasing the captives. In that column I suggested that we can be held captive by our own bodies. Either through long term or chronic illness or handicap we often struggle to live our lives in the face of corporeal pain.

Though this bracha originally made reference to the fact that in the morning we wake and get out of bed which is essentially moving from a bent position to an erect one, there is something far more significant that can be gleaned. This bracha reminds us there are people who are bowed with grief and anguish. There are people who suffer depression and there are those who are sad. This bracha says, God is with us in our pain and that God will help raise us up. In the morning Psalms we refer to God as HaRofei L'shvurei Lev, God is a healer of shattered hearts.

We are often challenged in our lives. When we loose our health and we are disappointed by circumstances I our lives, when a loved one passes on, when we loose our jobs, melancholy can take us over. In the dark hours it is difficult to see the light. This bracha asks God for the strength, if not to raise us up now, at least to see recognize the hope of a better day. There are times when we are distressed. At those times it is often difficult to even get out of bed in the morning. We dread the idea, the potential conflicts of a new day. We wish we could draw the covers over our head. Maybe we should afford ourselves a few days of remaining in the security of our beds. But the extended isolation that comes with this approach will in time make it difficult to return to normalcy.

It is at that point we must pray for renewed strength, strength of spirit and strength of conviction. If we could see there are those who have been crippled by pain and survived then we would know we will succeed as well. If we could see just the next step past the throbbing aches in our lives we could survive this moment. This bracha seeks to gives us some perspective on our suffering. It reminds us there is a Force greater than us that has a plan and that will help us past this difficult obstacle. God walks with us, sometimes at our side, as friend encouraging us; sometimes behind us, supporting us along the way; and sometimes in front of us leading us in a direction of healing.

Copyright © 2001 Rabbi Yohanan Stein. All rights reserved.