Tefillah 051

9:
As we approach the end of the Ge'ulah benediction of the Shema we stand up and take three steps backwards, so that immediately before we begin the recitation of the Amidah we can take three steps forwards. This is a physical reminder that we have now, as it were, entered into a personal relationship with the Deity – and this thought should inform our behaviour as we recite the Amidah. These steps should be small steps: the sages described them as "heel to toe" (we take a small step back on one foot, then place the toe of the other foot next to the heel of the first foot and then do this once again).

10:
We stand upright (except at those places where we bow) with our feet together. Those who are capable of reciting the Amidah from memory may prefer to do so with their eyes closed and their head bowed; most people, however, will hold their prayerbook in their hands and read from it slowly and distinctly. It is customary to refer to this personal recitation of the Amidah as the silent Amidah, but this is not really accurate. Each person should carefully enunciate the words with his or her lips – that is, not sight reading – and whisper them with just enough power that we can hear ourselves saying the words but not loud enough to disturb other worshippers. The sages learned this mode of prayer from Ĥannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel. When she was praying so fervently that Eli suspected that she might be drunk, we are told [1 Samuel 1:13]:

11:
One should take one's time in the recitation of the Amidah, not rushing through it, but carefully considering the meaning of the words as we say them. It is, of course, most desirable that every person educate himelf or herself to give a meaningful rendition of the Amidah in the original Hebrew; however, those for whom this is not yet possible may certainly fulfill their duty by reciting the Amidah in any language that they best understand. This is not a modern innovation: it was already established in the Mishnah nearly 2000 years ago. [See Sotah 069.]

12:
We have already noted that the first benediction of the Amidah is prefaced by a verse from the psalter:

We have also already noted that the Gemara [Berakhot 4b] has determined that this verse is now an integral part of the Amidah; therefore it does not constitute a forbidden interruption between the concluding benediction of the Shema and the commencement of the Amidah. However, many sheliĥei tzibbur omit the verse when they repeat the Amidah out loud and this is to be deprecated: the reader should sing the verse out loud [Shulĥan Arukh Oraĥ Ĥayyim 111:2], or, at the very least, the reader should say it quietly before starting the first berakhah out loud.

13:
In rabbinic parlance the first benediction of the Amidah is referred to as Avot, which means 'ancestors'. The message of the berakhah is that the God that we worship is the same God as was worshipped by our remotest spiritual ancestors, the founders of our faith; and this same Deity has been and always will be our refuge and source of salvation.

14:
All the benedictions of the Amidah except the first conclude with the phrase Barukh attah Adonai etc. The first benediction, which is the object of our present study, also commences with that phrase, which is usually translated "Blessed are You, O Lord". Let us take a few moments to examine these words. I have already mentioned in this shiur that one should take one's time in the recitation of the Amidah, not rushing through it, but carefully considering the meaning of the words as we say them. This is especially the case regarding the first of the benedictions, Avot. It seems to me, therefore, that we should spend a few moments considering the meaning of the four opening words of the benediction in Hebrew: Barukh attah adonai eloheynu. Much of what I shall say now has been said before, but I consider it so important that I unashamedly repeat what has already been said. As our sages have said [Ĥagigah 9b]: He who repeats his lesson for the one hundred and first time is not the same as he who has repeated his lesson one hundred times.

15:
The root of the Hebrew word barukh designates the knee, and cognate and derivative words can all be traced back to this prime meaning. For instance, the Hebrew word for a pool (of water) is b^erékhah, because this was a place where all animals – human and otherwise – had to kneel down to reach the water. Thus the Hebrew word barukh originally indicated someone or something that invited or required kneeling, an act of reverence. If we were to be true to the etymology of the word barukh we would probably need to translate something like 'worthy of our reverence' or 'revered God'. We already noted in the previous shiur (explanation #6) that as we say the word barukh at this point we bend the knees, consonant with the etymology of the word.

16:
The next word is attah. In the bible, the usual use of the word barukh in connection with God is the Hebrew phrase barukh Adonai, 'Praised be God'. This phrase occurs in the bible 27 times. In contrast, the phrase barukh attah Adonai occurs only twice. Clearly, from the grammatical point of view, the former phrase is preferable: anybody who has ever translated a Hebrew benediction knows how awkward is the transition from the second person ('Blessed art You, God') to the third person ('who has sanctified us').

17:
The Talmud of Eretz-Israel [Berakhot 62b] records a difference of opinion between two great Babylonian sages from the age of the Amoraïm, Rav and Shemu'el:

It is a commonplace of Talmudic learning that where there is a difference of halakhic opinion between Rav and Shemu'el the opinion of Rav prevails. Thus the formula barukh attah Adonai became established. Unlike some religions where there is a priest to mediate between the worshipper and the worshipped, in rabbinic Judaism each individual worshipper stands before God and addresses the Deity directly: 'You'. It is for this reason that, after having bent our knees when saying the word barukh, we bow the back as we say the word attah: thus we acknowledge God as the object of our worship. This bow should not be perfunctory, but as deep a bow as possible.

18:
Having discussed the words barukh and attah let us now address both the Hebrew words Adonai and Eloheynu.

There are two appellatives that have been used by Jewish sources to refer to the Deity from the very beginning: in Hebrew they are the Tetragrammaton, a four-letter-combination that is nowadays pronounced Adonai, and the word Elohim. Adonai is usually translated 'Lord' and Elohim is usually translated 'God'. However, for reasons that hopefully will soon become apparent, these translations are woefully inadequate. In the original Hebrew the Tetragrammaton (as the term derived from the Greek τετραγραμματον
suggests) was a combination of four letters whose original pronunciation is now irretrievably lost. The last three letters come from the most ancient form of the Hebrew root which means "to be", and the first letter is preformative, indicating tense and gender. The concensus of opinion is that the meaning of the Tetragrammaton is something like He or That which causes to be, brings into existence, injects being.

19:
The word Elohim, which is an amplification of the form El, which also occurs regularly in the sources, comes from a Hebrew root meaning power or capability. One example may suffice. When Laban, burning with righteous indignation, finally catches up with Jacob, his son-in-law/nephew, he upbraids him for the underhand way in which he has collected his family together and stolen away like a thief in the night. You can read the whole story in Genesis, chapter 31. However, what concerns us here is that in verse 29 Laban threatens Jacob:

using the word El in its primal meaning.

20:
So when we refer to the Deity as Adonai what we really mean is that the term represents to our minds God's function as Creator and Sustainer of life in the Universe, the Being that brings order out of chaos, the Power that assures man's survival, that impels man ever to transcend himself. Adonai is a personal name and not a title; in modern English the personal name that we give to the Deity is 'God'. When we refer to God as Elohim what we mean is that the Deity has sovereign and ultimate power in the Universe and over everything that is in it. Thus, the title Elohim would be better rendered 'Lord' or 'Power'.

This leads me to suggest that a better rendition of the opening formula of the benediction might be more accurately (but lest stylistically) rendered as 'Worthy of our reverence are You, God, our Lord'.

21:
As we spoke the word barukh we bent our knees; as we aid the word attah we made a deep bow; now, as we utter the name of God, Adonai we stand upright once again. The Jew who faces his God does not do so as an abject slave, snivelling before his master, but as a proud human being, whose back is now unbent. Another reason that we stand upright as we mention the divine Name is to avoid giving the impression – even to ourselves – that God is to be found in any direction in particular.

To be continued.

Michael Lewyn writes:

In one of my shuls, we sometimes do the Amidah verbally (rather than silently) and when this happens, we never begin with "Open my lips" etc. How come?

I respond:

I have no idea why this verse is not read in that synagogue. Please read explanation #12 above. Maybe you should discuss this with the rabbi of that synagogue or with the cantor.