Ashrei Mishkan Betzalel

It is common for a king of flesh and blood to be feel good by being praised by people. But why would Hashem, who is the King of all kings, have the need to be praised by a lowly man? Nevertheless, Hashem does desire our praises to Him, and the fact that man has this worth in Hashem's eyes is itself a testament to the praiseworthiness of man, despite our lowliness in comparison to Hashem's unlimited greatness.

(1) Rabbi Meir said: Whoever occupies himself with the Torah for its own sake, merits many things; not only that but he is worth the whole world. He is called beloved friend...

One should always carefully avoid saying blessings unnecessarily; and should be heedful to recite, as often as there may be occasion, the blessings that are requisite. And so David said "Every day I will bless Thee and praise Thy name forever" (Ps. 145:2).

Rav Yehuda said: One who goes out during Nisan and sees trees that are blossoming recites: Blessed…who has withheld nothing from His world, and has created in it beautiful creatures and trees for human beings to enjoy.

(1) Hashem is great. And if you'll say, I will speak of his greatness and exalt him, [one should bear in mind that] He is great and exalted beyond all praise (cf. Tehillim 65:2) because (2) His greatness is beyond investigation. A man, despite his greatest efforts to understand His ways, he will never grasp their true depth, rather man should praise Hashem according to his intellect, [bearing in mind that his understanding is limited and so is his praise]

(8) One ought to consider the laws of the Torah and to penetrate into their ultimate significance as much as he can. If, however, he cannot discover the reason and is ignorant of the basic cause of a law, he should not regard it with contempt. Let him not break through to ascend to the Lord, lest he break out against him (Exodus 19:24). His thinking about it must not be like his thinking concerning secular matters.

The statutes are precepts the reason of which is not known, — — such as the prohibition against pork and that against meat-milk mixture...

(2) I maintain that the food which is forbidden by the Law is unwholesome. There is nothing among the forbidden kinds of food whose injurious character is doubted, except pork (Lev. 11:7), and fat (ibid. 7:23). But also in these cases the doubt is not justified. For pork contains more moisture than necessary [for human food], and too much of superfluous matter. The principal reason why the Law forbids swine's flesh is to be found in the circumstance that its habits and its food are very dirty and loathsome. It has already been pointed out how emphatically the Law enjoins the removal of the sight of loathsome objects, even in the field and in the camp; how much more objectionable is such a sight in towns. But if it were allowed to eat swine's flesh, the streets and houses would be more dirty than any cesspool, as may be seen at present in the country of the Franks. A saying of our Sages declares: "The mouth of a swine is as dirty as dung itself".

(1) As Theologians are divided on the question whether the actions of God are the result of His wisdom, or only of His will without being intended for any purpose whatever, so they are also divided as regards the object of the commandments which God gave us. Some of them hold that the commandments have no object at all; and are only dictated by the will of God. Others are of opinion that all commandments and prohibitions are dictated by His wisdom and serve a certain aim; consequently there is a reason for each one of the precepts: they are enjoined because they are useful. All of us, the common people as well as the scholars, believe that there is a reason for every precept, although there are commandments the reason of which is unknown to us, and in which the ways of God's wisdom are incomprehensible. This view is distinctly expressed in Scripture; comp. "righteous statutes and judgments" (Deut. 4:8); "the judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether" (Ps. 19:10). There are commandments which are called ḥuḳḳim, "ordinances," like the prohibition of wearing garments of wool and linen (sha‘atnez), boiling meat and milk together, and the sending of the goat [into the wilderness on the Day of Atonement]. Our Sages use in reference to them phrases like the following: "These are things which I have fully ordained for thee: and you dare not criticize them"; "Your evil inclination is turned against them"; and "non-Jews find them strange." But our Sages generally do not think that such precepts have no cause whatever, and serve no purpose; for this would lead us to assume that God's actions are purposeless. On the contrary, they hold that even these ordinances have a cause, and are certainly intended for some use, although it is not known to us; owing either to the deficiency of our knowledge or the weakness of our intellect. Consequently there is a cause for every commandment: every positive or negative precept serves a useful object; in some cases the usefulness is evident, e.g., the prohibition of murder and theft; in others the usefulness is not so evident, e.g., the prohibition of enjoying the fruit of a tree in the first three years (Lev. 19:73), or of a vineyard in which other seeds have been growing (Deut. 22:9). Those commandments, whose object is generally evident, are called "judgments" (mishpatim); those whose object is not generally clear are called "ordinances" (ḥuḳḳim). Thus they say [in reference to the words of Moses]: Ki lo dabar rek hu mi-kem (lit." for it is not a vain thing for you, "Deut. 32:74); "It is not in vain, and if it is in vain, it is only so through you." That is to say, the giving of these commandments is not a vain thing and without any useful object; and if it appears so to you in any commandment, it is owing to the deficiency in your comprehension. You certainly know the famous saying that Solomon knew the reason for all commandments except that of the "red heifer." Our Sages also said that God concealed the causes of commandments, lest people should despise them, as Solomon did in respect to three commandments, the reason for which is clearly stated. In this sense they always speak; and Scriptural texts support the idea. I have, however, found one utterance made by them in Bereshit-rabba (sect. xliv.), which might at first sight appear to imply that some commandments have no other reason but the fact that they are commanded, that no other object is intended by them, and that they do not serve any useful object I mean the following passage: What difference does it make to God whether a beast is killed by cutting the neck in front or in the back? Surely the commandments are only intended as a means of trying man; in accordance with the verse, "The word of God is a test" (lit. tried) (Ps. 18:31). Although this passage is very strange, and has no parallel in the writings of our Sages, I explain it, as you shall soon hear, in such a manner that I remain in accord with the meaning of their words and do not depart from the principle which we agreed upon, that the commandments serve a useful object; "for it is not a vain thing for you"; "I have not said to the seed of Jacob, seek me in vain. I the Lord speak righteousness, declare that which is right" (Isa. 45:19). I will now tell you what intelligent persons ought to believe in this respect; namely, that each commandment has necessarily a cause, as far as its general character is concerned, and serves a certain object; but as regards its details we hold that it has no ulterior object. Thus killing animals for the purpose of obtaining good food is certainly useful, as we intend to show (below, ch. xlviii.); that, however, the killing should not be performed by neḥirah (poleaxing the animal), but by sheḥitah (cutting the neck), and by dividing the œsophagus and the windpipe in a certain place; these regulations and the like are nothing but tests for man's obedience. In this sense you will understand the example quoted by our Sages [that there is no difference] between killing the animal by cutting its neck in front and cutting it in the back. I give this instance only because it has been mentioned by our Sages; but in reality [there is some reason for these regulations]. For as it has become necessary to eat the flesh of animals, it was intended by the above regulations to ensure an easy death and to effect it by suitable means; whilst decapitation requires a sword or a similar instrument, the sheḥitah can be performed with any instrument; and in order to ensure an easy death our Sages insisted that the knife should be well sharpened.

(2) A more suitable instance can be cited from the detailed commandments concerning sacrifices. The law that sacrifices should be brought is evidently of great use, as will be shown by us (infra, chap. xlvi.); but we cannot say why one offering should be a lamb, whilst another is a ram; and why a fixed number of them should be brought. Those who trouble themselves to find a cause for any of these detailed rules, are in my eyes void of sense: they do not remove any difficulties, but rather increase them. Those who believe that these detailed rules originate in a certain cause, are as far from the truth as those who assume that the whole law is useless. You must know that Divine Wisdom demanded it--or, if you prefer, say that circumstances made it necessary--that there should be parts [of His work] which have no certain object: and as regards the Law, it appears to be impossible that it should not include some matter of this kind. That it cannot be avoided may be seen from the following instance. You ask why must a lamb be sacrificed and not a ram? but the same question would be asked, why a ram had been commanded instead of a lamb, so long as one particular kind is required. The same is to be said as to the question why were seven lambs sacrificed and not eight; the same question might have been asked if there were eight, ten, or twenty lambs, so long as some definite number of lambs were sacrificed. It is almost similar to the nature of a thing which can receive different forms, but actually receives one of them. We must not ask why it has this form and not another which is likewise possible, because we should have to ask the same question if instead of its actual form the thing had any of the other possible forms. Note this, and understand it. The repeated assertion of our Sages that there are reasons for all commandments, and the tradition that Solomon knew them, refer to the general purpose of the commandments, and not to the object of every detail. This being the case, I find it convenient to divide the six hundred and thirteen precepts into classes: each class will include many precepts of the same kind, or related to each other by their character. I will [first] explain the reason of each class, and show its undoubted and undisputed object, and then I shall discuss each commandment in the class, and expound its reason. Only very few will be left unexplained, the reason for which I have been unable to trace unto this day. I have also been able to comprehend in some cases even the object of many of the conditions and details as far as these can be discovered.

(23) For the commandment is a candle,
The teaching is a light...

He must search by the light of the candle because the light of a candle is effective for searching...

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: The baraita does not prohibit the use of a torch due to its failure to provide sufficient light. Rather, it is due to the fact that one can put this candle into holes and crevices, as it is a small flame, and one cannot put that torch into holes and crevices, as it is a large flame.
Rav Zevid said: This candle projects its light before it, facilitating the search, and that torch projects its light behind it, on the person conducting the search.

The Sages taught the following baraita: For two and a half years, Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel disagreed. These say: It would have been preferable had man not been created than to have been created. And those said: It is preferable for man to have been created than had he not been created. Ultimately, they were counted and concluded: It would have been preferable had man not been created than to have been created. However, now that he has been created, he should examine his actions that he has performed and seek to correct them. And some say: He should scrutinize his planned actions and evaluate whether or not and in what manner those actions should be performed, so that he will not sin.

(6) In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He will make your paths smooth.

It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Shimon said: From the conversation of Rabban Gamliel we learned two matters. We learned that Canaanite slaves are exempt from the mitzva of sukka, and we learned that one who sleeps beneath the bed did not fulfill his obligation. The Gemara questions the formulation of the baraita. And let Rabbi Shimon say: From the statement of Rabban Gamliel. Why did he use the atypical expression: From the conversation of Rabban Gamliel? The Gemara answers: Through this expression he teaches us another matter in passing, like that which Rabbi Aḥa bar Adda said, and some say that Rabbi Aḥa bar Adda said that Rabbi Hamnuna said that Rav said: From where is it derived that even the conversation of Torah scholars require analysis, even when the intention of the speaker was apparently not to issue a halakhic ruling? It is as it is stated with regard to the righteous: “Which brings forth its fruit in its season and whose leaf does not wither” (Psalms 1:3). This teaches that with regard to a Torah scholar, not only is his primary product, his fruit, significant but even ancillary matters that stem from his conversation, his leaves, are significant.

From conversation - this refers to mundane and witty talk:

Mundane conversation - of Torah scholars requires one to learn from, in order to learn from their words, since they have cleanliness of speech.

[Another] difference between myself [Dovid Hamelech] and the common masses, is that they say of your wonders, that is, the challenges and signs that You performed to punish the rebellers against You, like the plagues brought upon Mitzrayim, Korach and his follows, and other such instances.

The common masses say of these miracles because they view Hashem as the Strong One Who performs wonders and awesome punishments.

But,, I, Dovid HaMelech, I praise Hashem not because I am scared of His great strength and how He exacts judgements and instills fear, rather I praise Him because these wonders stem from His great kindness to do good to those who do love Him.

(1) And the strength of Your awesome deeds they will tell And I, too, shall recite Your greatness.

(8) We are not worried to be secluded with a woman whose husband is in-town, since the fear of her husband is upon her. (But if he was "familiar with her", such as if she grew up with him or is his relative, or her husband adjured her not to be in seclusion with him, then he may not be secluded with her, even though her husband is in-town.)

This is my G-d and I will beautify Him. In other words, it is befitting for me to make Him an abode. from the fact that He is my Stronghold and my Savior, and there I will praise Him.

And the G-d of my father, and I will exalt Him. This refers to Avraham Yitzchak and Yaakov. The idea here is that it is correct for a person to praise Hashem because of His goodness and kindness and the merits of our fathers.

And here they also prophesied that they were going to make Him an abode where they would see His wondrous deeds.

(1) As when fire kindles brushwood,

And fire makes water boil...

It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says: There is no handbreadth of rain from above toward which the water of the deep does not rise three handbreadths.

There are ten words for Happiness. And they are: sasson (joy), simcha (happiness), gila (rejoicing), rina (songfulness), ditza (amusement), tzahala (exuberance), aliza (felicity), hedva (delight), tiferet (splendor), alitza (cheer).

In Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the Holy Temple it is stated: “To hear the song and the prayer that Your servant prays before You today” (I Kings 8:28). In this verse, "song" is prayer, and "prayer" is one’s request of his personal needs.

(19)...you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!

(10) [If] it had blurred or torn letters in it: If their imprint is recognizable [as the correct letters] — it is fit, even if they were its majority. But if their imprint is not recognizable — if the majority of [its letters] were whole, it is fit; but if not, it is disqualified. And one who reads from it has not fulfilled [his obligation. If] the scribe had omitted letters or verses in it, but the reader reads them by heart — he has fulfilled [it].

(1) The Kohein walks up to the Torah and says:

(2) Blessed Adonoy, who is blessed.

If there be present ten or more Males above the age of thirteen, the words "our God" are added: We will bless (our God) him of whose bounty we have partaken.

The word good means nothing other than Torah, as it is stated: “For I have given you a good portion, My Torah, do not abandon it” (Proverbs 4:2).

Even so Rav Yochanan agrees that the main praise of Torah is only at night, as the passuk says "Arise, praise at night" (Eicha 2,19) and similarly the passuk says "And she arises in middle if the night."

(19) Who conducts His world with kindliness

(20) and His creatures with compassion.

(9) יהוה will establish you as God’s holy people, as was sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of your God יהוה and walk in God’s ways.

(6) In explaining this commandment the sages taught thus: Even as He is called gracious, be thou gracious; even as He is called merciful, be thou merciful; even as He is called holy, be thou holy. In this wise did the prophets attribute to God all such terms as long-suffering, abundant in benificence, just and right, perfect, mighty and powerful and others like these, to proclaim that they are good and straight paths, and that man is obligated to lead himself in them, and to be like unto Him in proportion to his power.

(1) That is that He commanded us to imitate Him, may He be exalted, according to our ability. And that is His saying, "and you shall go in His ways" (Deuteronomy 28:9). And this command has already been repeated, [when] He said, "and to go in all of His ways" (Deuteronomy 11:22). And in the explanation, it appears (Sifrei Devarim 49:1), "Just as the Holy One, blessed be He, is called merciful; you too, be merciful. Just as the Holy One, blessed be He, is called pious; you too, be pious." And this matter was already repeated in different words: He said, "Go in the ways of the Lord." And in the explanation, it appears (Sotah 14a) that He meant to say to imitate His good deeds and glorious traits by which God, may He be exalted, is described, by way of analogy - He is exalted over everything with great exaltation. (See Parashat Ki Tavo; Mishneh Torah, Human Dispositions.)

"Hashem is good to all, and His mercy is on all of His handiwork." Rabbi Yehoshua of Sichnin in the name of Rabbi Levi says [renders the passuk to mean], Hashem is good to all, and he gives from His mercy to His creations.

A certain heretic who was in Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi’s neighborhood would upset him by incessantly challenging the legitimacy of verses. One day, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi took a rooster and placed it between the legs of the bed upon which he sat and looked at it. He thought: When the moment of God’s anger arrives, I will curse him and be rid of him. When the moment of God’s anger arrived, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi slept. When he woke up, he said to himself: Conclude from the fact that I nodded off that it is not proper conduct to do so, to curse people, even if they are wicked. “His mercy is over all His creations” (Psalms 145:9) is written even with regard to sinners. Moreover, it is inappropriate to cause the punishment of another, as it is written: “Punishment, even for the righteous, is not good” (Proverbs 17:26), even for a righteous person, it is improper to punish another.

There were these hooligans in Rabbi Meir’s neighborhood who caused him a great deal of anguish. Rabbi Meir prayed for God to have mercy on them, that they should die. Rabbi Meir’s wife, Berurya, said to him: What is your thinking? On what basis do you pray for the death of these hooligans? Do you base yourself on the verse, as it is written: “Let sins cease from the land” (Psalms 104:35), which you interpret to mean that the world would be better if the wicked were destroyed? But is it written, let sinners cease?” Let sins cease, is written. One should pray for an end to their transgressions, not for the demise of the transgressors themselves.

Apropos the notion of raising someone from or lowering him into a pit, the Gemara notes that Rabbi Abbahu taught the following while standing before Rabbi Yoḥanan: With regard to gentiles and shepherds of domesticated animals, one may not raise them from a pit,

But the heretics, and the informers, and the apostates [vehameshummadim] are lowered into a pit, but not raised out of it.

The Sages taught in a baraita (Tosefta 5:4): One sustains poor gentiles along with poor Jews, and one visits sick gentiles along with sick Jews, and one buries dead gentiles along with dead Jews. All this is done on account of the ways of peace, to foster peaceful relations between Jews and gentiles.

(7) They provide for and clothe the poor of Gentiles along with the poor of Israel for the sake of peaceful relations.

(5) The poor of among the idolaters are supported alike with the poor of Israel as a peaceful measure.

(12) And that that our Sages have commanded us to visit their sick and bury their dead along with Jewish dead, and sustain their poor along with the poor of Israel is for the “sake of peace”, since it says, “G-d is good to all, and His mercies extend upon all his works” (Psalms 145:9) and it says, “her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace" (Proverbs 3:17).

It is also permitted to provide for their [non-Jewish] poor people, visit their sick, bury their dead, eulogize them, and comfort the bereaved because this is the way of peace (darchei shalom).

We say in Gittin (61), and we may provide for non-Jewish poor people, visit their sick, and bury their dead because this is the way of peace (darchei shalom).

The source is that the verse states: “You should not show them mercy [lo teḥonnem]” (Deuteronomy 7:2), which is understood as meaning: “You should not show them mercy”; this teaches that you should not give them an undeserved gift.

(9) Who said "Woe"? Hashem said "Woe"...

This can be compared to a king whose son was captured. He decided to take revenge against the captors and wore his "cloak of revenge" and went to where the captors had his son hostage. When the king got there, he began to punish the captors all the while saying "Why did you do this to my son?!"

As he was punishing him, the captor admitted his mistake. Immediately, the king stopped punishing him and gave the captor a bandage. The king then said "Woe, that he admitted his mistake, for if he didn't I would be able to continue to punish him."

So too when Pharaoh enslaved the Jewish people, Hashem came to punish him with the plagues.

But when he sent them out and ceased to enslave them, there was no more opportunity to punish them for their actions, Hashem said "Woe, because I cannot punish them anymore."

When the Jews left Egypt, Samael (an accusing angel) laid an accusation against the Jews: He said before Hashem, "Master of the World, until now the Jews were serving idols, and now You are splitting the sea for them?!"

זה אלי THIS IS MY GOD — In His glory did He reveal Himself to them and they pointed to Him — as it were — with the finger exclaiming “This is my God!” (Shir HaShirim Rabbah 3:15) A maid servant beheld at the Red Sea what even the prophets never saw (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 15:2:2).

With regard to the verse: “Speak, please [na] in the ears of the people, and they should borrow, every man from his fellow and every woman from her fellow, silver and gold vessels” (Exodus 11:2), the word please [na] is unclear. The students of the school of Rabbi Yannai said: Please [na] is nothing more than an expression of supplication. Why would God employ an expression of supplication in approaching Israel? The Gemara explains that the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Moses: I beseech you, go and tell Israel: I beseech you; borrow vessels of silver and vessels of gold from the Egyptians in order to fulfill the promise I made to Abraham in the “Covenant between the Pieces,” so that that righteous person, Abraham, will not say: God fulfilled His pronouncement: “And they will be enslaved and afflicted,” but God did not fulfill His pronouncement: “And afterward, they will leave with great possessions.” As God said to Abraham: “Surely you shall know that your descendants will be foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and they will be enslaved and afflicted for four hundred years. And also that nation who enslaves them will I judge. And afterward, they will leave with great possessions” (Genesis 15:13–14).

(1) A woman acquires herself, i.e., she terminates her marriage, in two ways, through a bill of divorce or through the death of the husband.

Let it teach: The man can acquire a woman and transfer authority, i.e., grant her the release from marriage in the form of a bill of divorce. The Gemara answers: The mishna could not use the expression: Transfer, because there is the case of the husband’s death, in which it is not he who transfers authority. Rather, it is from Heaven that her freedom is transferred to her. Therefore, the mishna could not issue a general statement that the man can actively transfer to the woman her release from marriage.

(5) יהוה descended to look at the city and tower that the sons of man had built.

Rabbi Meir would say: From where is it derived that even a gentile who engages in Torah study is considered like a High Priest? The verse states: “You shall therefore keep My statutes and My ordinances, which if a person do, and shall live by them” (Leviticus 18:5). It is not stated: Priests, Levites, and Israelites, but rather the general term “person.” From here you learn that even a gentile who engages in the study of Torah is like a High Priest.

(8) His brothers answered, “Do you mean to reign over us? Do you mean to rule over us?” And they hated him even more for his talk about his dreams.

(1) SHALT THOU INDEED REIGN OVER US? OR SHALT THOU INDEED HAVE DOMINION OVER US? Shall we appoint you as a king over us? Or shall you rule over us by force?

(15) And God said further to Moses, “Thus shall you speak to the Israelites..

This shall be My name forever, This My appellation from generation to generation.

Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Why is there no verse beginning with the letter nun in ashrei? Because it contains an allusion to the downfall of the enemies of Israel, a euphemism for Israel itself. As it is written: “The virgin of Israel has fallen and she will rise no more; abandoned in her land, none will raise her up” (Amos 5:2), which begins with the letter nun. Due to this verse, ashrei does not include a verse beginning with the letter nun.

In order to ease the harsh meaning of this verse, in the West, in Eretz Yisrael, they interpreted it with a slight adjustment: “She has fallen but she shall fall no more; rise, virgin of Israel.”

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak adds: Even so, David went and provided support, through divine inspiration. Although King David did not include a verse beginning with the letter nun alluding to Israel’s downfall, he foresaw the verse that would be written by Amos through divine inspiration; and the very next verse, which begins with the letter samekh, reads: “The Lord upholds the fallen and raises up those who are bowed down” (Psalms 145:14). thereby offering hope and encouragement that although the virgin of Israel may have fallen, the Lord upholds the fallen.

We can clearly understand the subject of the order of the levels [of created beings]—the inorganic, the vegetative, the animal, and the articulate being (i.e., man)

(4) Klal Yisrael need to be careful not to be divided amongst themselves, so that they are a complete nation, for that is what establishes them in galus. [And to further strengthen their establishment as a nation] Klal Yisrael need to make themselves separated from the other nations, in order to make themselves a "complete nation", because so long as they are connected with the other nations, they are not a "complete nation" among themselves.

(2) And they are a nation that dwells alone. The word הן is made up of the two letters in the aleph beis which do not have a counterpart number, 5 (ה) and 50 (ן).

To illustrate, 1 has 9, 2 has 8, 3 has 7, 4 has 6. The same goes for multiples of 10)

The Sages taught: There was an incident involving Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai. When he was riding on a donkey and leaving Jerusalem, and his students were walking after him to learn from him, he saw a certain young woman who was gathering barley from among the dung of the animals of Arabs. She was so poor that she subsisted on the undigested barley within the dung. When she saw him, she wrapped herself in her hair, as she had nothing else with which to cover herself, and stood before him. She said to him: My teacher, sustain me. He did not recognize her, so he said to her: My daughter, who are you? She said to him: I am the daughter of Nakdimon ben Guryon. He said to her: My daughter, the money of your father’s household, where did it go? How did you become so poor?...

Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai cried and said: How fortunate are you, Israel, for when Israel performs the will of the Omnipresent, no nation or tongue can rule over them; and when Israel does not perform the will of the Omnipresent, He delivers them into the hand of a lowly nation. Not only are they delivered into the hand of a lowly nation, but even into the hand of the animals of a lowly nation, as in the pitiful instance of Nakdimon’s daughter.

The Seforim write in the name of the Zohar (Bereishis 199b) that there is a mitzvah for a person to pray every day before he partakes in a meal.

If already already washed and realizes that he forgot to say this prayer, some say that he should say it then and it isn't considered an interruption since it is somewhat a "necessity" for the meal.

The best practice is for one to say the prayer after he makes a Hamotzi. This is what Elya Rabbah quotes in the name of Shelah (Shaar HaOsios 100, 81b)

Rabbi Neḥemya began to speak in honor of the hosts and taught: What is the meaning of that which is written: “And Saul said unto the Kenites: Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites lest I destroy you with them, for you showed kindness to all the Children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt” (I Samuel 15:6)?

Isn’t this an a fortiori inference: Just as Jethro, the forbearer of the Kenite tribe, who only befriended Moses for his own honor, is treated in this way and rewarded that his merit would protect his descendants; all the more so should one who hosts a Torah scholar in his home, providing him with food and drink and availing him of his possessions, be rewarded with that protection.

You showed kindness - Yisro gave the elders to eat when he met them in the desert after, as the passuk says:

(12) And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices for God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to partake of the meal before God with Moses’ father-in-law.

(14) Then, should you no longer want her, you must release her outright. You must not sell her for money: since you had your will of her, you must not enslave her.

No person leaves this world with half of his desires in his hand [fulfilled]. One who has one hundred wants two hundred. One who has two hundred wants four hundred.

The Gemara asks: Until where is the minimum limit of suffering? What is the least amount pain that is included in the definition of suffering? Rabbi Elazar says: Anyone for whom they wove a garment to wear and the garment does not suit him, i.e., it does not fit him exactly. Rava the Younger objects to this, and some say Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani objects: The Sages said an even greater statement than this, i.e., that even lesser inconvenience is still considered suffering: Even if people intended that they would dilute his wine with hot water, but they accidentally diluted it for him with cold water, it is considered suffering. Similarly, if he wanted it diluted with cold water, but they diluted it for him with hot water, this too is considered suffering. And you say all this, that it is considered suffering, only if the garment one ordered does not fit? Mar son of Ravina says: Even if one’s cloak turns around as he puts it on, so that he has to take it off and put it on again, this too is considered a form of suffering. Rava said, and some say it was Rav Ḥisda, and some say it was Rabbi Yitzḥak, and some say it was taught in a baraita: Even if one reached his hand into his pocket to take out three coins, but two coins came up in his hand, it is considered a form of suffering.

(2) This is what Scripture says, "Lazybones, go to the ant; study its ways and learn. Without leaders, officers, or rulers, it lays up its stores during the summer, gathers in its food at the harvest."(Proverbs 6:6-6:8) What did Solomon see to learn from the ant regarding the lazy person? Our rabbis say that the ant has three houses (or floors), and it does not congregate in the top (floor) because of rain, nor does in the bottom because of mud, but rather in the middle. And it only lives for six months. Why? Because anything that does not have sinews or bones only lives six months. And all of its food is a grain and a half. And it goes and gathers in the summer all that it finds, grain and barley and lentils. Rabbi Tanchuma said: All of its life is a grain and a half and (yet) it gathers these? And why does it do this? Because it says: Perhaps the Holy One Blessed Be He will decree life and it will be prepared for me to eat. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said: It once happened that they found a pit of it (an ant) that had three hundred kor (of food grains). What they gather from the summer is for the winter, therefore Solomon said: "Lazybones, go to the ant; study its ways and learn." So to you shall fix for yourselves mitzvot from this world for the world to come.

Three things were said about nails: One who buries them in the ground is deemed righteous. One who burns them is even better, as he is considered pious. One who merely throws them away is regarded as wicked.

The mishna teaches that they would not bury the executed transgressor in his ancestral burial plot, but rather in one of two special graveyards set aside for those executed by the court. The Gemara explains: And why is all this necessary? It is necessary because a wicked man is not buried next to a righteous man. As Rav Aḥa bar Ḥanina says: From where is it derived that a wicked man is not buried next to a righteous man? As it is stated: “And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that behold, they spied a raiding party; and they cast the man into the tomb of Elisha; and as the man came there, he touched the bones of Elisha, and he revived and stood up on his feet” (II Kings 13:21). The man, who was not righteous, was miraculously resurrected so that he would not remain buried alongside Elisha. Rav Pappa said to Rav Aḥa bar Ḥanina: What proof is there from here? Perhaps the man was resurrected in order to fulfill Elisha’s request of Elijah: “I pray you, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me” (II Kings 2:9), as now Elisha resurrected two people, the son of the Shunammite woman and this man, as opposed to Elijah, who had resurrected only one person? Rav Aḥa bar Ḥanina said to Rav Pappa: If so, there is a difficulty, as is this a reasonable explanation in light of what is taught in a baraita: The words “and stood up on his feet” indicate that he arose, but he did not go to his home. The man did not in fact live again but for a moment, indicating that he was resurrected not in order to fulfill Elisha’s request for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit, but in order to prevent the disgrace of having a wicked man buried next to Elisha. The Gemara asks: But if so, with regard to the verse: “I pray you, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me,” where do you find that Elisha resurrected a second person? Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: That request was fulfilled when he cured Naaman’s leprosy (see II Kings, chapter 5), an affliction that is considered to be equivalent to death, as it is written with regard to Miriam’s leprosy: “Let her not be as one dead” (Numbers 12:12). The mishna teaches that two graveyards were established for the burial of those executed by the court, one for those who were killed by decapitation or strangulation, and one for those who were stoned or burned. The Gemara explains: Just as a wicked man is not buried next to a righteous man, so too an extremely wicked man, i.e., one who committed a grave offense is not buried next to a less wicked man, i.e., one who committed a less severe offense. The Gemara challenges: If so, let them establish four different graveyards, one for each of the different modes of judicial execution. The Gemara answers. It is learned as a tradition that there are two graveyards for those executed by the court, and no more.

(5) They do not bury a wicked man beside a righteous one; even a grossly wicked person [is not buried] alongside a moderately wicked one. And likewise they do not bury a righteous person, and so much the more an average individual beside an extremely pious one. However, they may bury a repentent sinner beside a perfectly righteous person.

Rav Huna raised a contradiction between the two halves of a verse. It is written: “The Lord is righteous [tzaddik] in all His ways” (Psalms 145:17), indicating that God acts in accordance with the attribute of strict justice [tzedek], and then it is written in the same verse: “And kind [ḥasid] in all His works,” implying that He acts with grace and loving-kindness [ḥesed], going beyond the letter of the law. Rav Huna explained: Initially, at the time of judgment, He is righteous, but in the end, at the time of punishment, He is gracious. Rabbi Elazar raised a similar contradiction: It is written: “But to you, O Lord, belongs kindness” (Psalms 62:13), implying that God acts beyond the letter of the law, and then it is written in the same verse: “For You render to a man according to his deeds,” implying that He rewards and punishes measure for measure. Rabbi Elazar answered: Initially, at the time of judgment: “For You render to a man according to his deeds”; but in the end, at the time of punishment: “But to You, O Lord, belongs kindness.” Ilfai, and some say it was the Sage Ilfa, also raised a contradiction: It is written in the list of God’s attributes: “And abundant in kindness” (Exodus 34:6), and it is written in the same verse: “And truth,” which implies the attribute of justice. He answered: Initially, at the time of judgment: “And truth,” i.e., God employs strict justice, but in the end, when He sees that the world cannot survive on judgment based only on truth and justice: “And abundant in kindness,” i.e., He is merciful.

(43) oh, hear in Your heavenly abode and grant all that the foreigner asks You for. Thus all the peoples of the earth will know Your name and revere You, as does Your people Israel; and they will recognize that Your name is attached to this House that I have built.

There is a tradition that the early generations of pious men would wait one hour, in order to reach the solemn frame of mind appropriate for prayer, and then pray, so that they would focus their hearts toward their Father in Heaven.

Rabbi Elazar said that Rabbi Avina said: Anyone who recites: “A Psalm of David” (Psalms 145) three times every day is assured of a place in the World-to-Come. What is the reason that such significance is ascribed to this particular chapter? If you say that it is because it is arranged alphabetically, then let us say: “Happy are they who are upright in the way” (Psalms 119) where the alphabetical arrangement appears eight times. Rather, if you suggest that this particular chapter is recited because it contains praise for God’s provision of sustenance to all of creation: “You open Your hand and satisfy every living thing with favor” (Psalms 145:16), then let him recite the great hallel (Psalms 136), in which numerous praises are written, including: “Who provides food to all flesh, Whose kindness endures forever” (Psalms 136:25). Rather, the reason why tehilla leDavid is accorded preference is because it contains both an alphabetic acrostic as well as mention of God’s provision of sustenance to all creation.

The Sages taught: One may neither stand to pray from an atmosphere of sorrow nor from an atmosphere of laziness, nor from an atmosphere of laughter, nor from an atmosphere of conversation, nor from an atmosphere of frivolity, nor from an atmosphere of purposeless matters. Rather, one should approach prayer from an atmosphere imbued with the joy of a mitzva.

...

Rabbi Yitzḥak said: For what reason were our forefathers initially infertile? Because the Holy One, Blessed be He, desires the prayers of the righteous, and He therefore wanted them to pray for children.

It is said, “For this, let every pious man pray to You in the time of finding, that the overflowing waters may not reach him” (Psalms 32:6). With regard to the phrase, the time of finding, Rabbi Ḥanina said: The time of finding refers to the time one must find a wife, that one should pray to find a suitable woman to marry. As it is said: “He who finds [matza] a wife finds [matza] good and obtains favor from the Lord” (Proverbs 18:22).

Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Once most of a person’s years have passed and he did not sin, he will never sin, as it is stated: “He will protect the feet of His pious ones” (I Samuel 2:9). Once a person has established himself as righteous, God will keep him from failing thereafter. In the school of Rabbi Sheila they say: Once the opportunity to perform a sinful act presents itself to a person a first time and a second, and he does not sin, he will never sin, as it is stated: “He will keep the feet of His pious ones” (I Samuel 2:9). Once he has refrained from sin several times, he has established himself as pious and God will protect him thereafter.

Reish Lakish said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “If it concerns the scorners, He scorns them, but to the humble He gives grace” (Proverbs 3:34)? If one comes to impurify, they open before him the opportunity to exercise his free will and do as he pleases. If one comes to purify, they assist him.

Even if our mouths were filled with song like the sea, and our tongues with exultation like the roaring of its waves, and our lips with praise like the breadth of the firmament, and our eyes were radiant like the sun and the moon, and our hands outspread like [the] eagles of the sky, and our feet light as the deer— we would never sufficiently thank You, Adonoy, our God and God of our fathers, and bless Your Name for even one thousandth of the billions and trillions of favors which You did for our fathers and for us...

Therefore, the limbs which You apportioned for us, and the spirit and soul that You have breathed into our nostrils, and the tongue You have set in our mouth— behold, they will thank, bless, praise, glorify, exalt revere, sanctify, and proclaim the sovereignty of Your Name, our King.

(15) See, I set before you this day life and prosperity, death and adversity.

(19) I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day: I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life—if you and your offspring would live.

(1) Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to יהוה. They said: I will sing to יהוה...

(1) Fortunate are those who dwell in Your house;1This verse referred to the Kohanim and the Levites who served (dwelt) in the Holy Temple (Your House); it is at all times applicable to scholars and devout men who study and pray in houses of worship and study. may they continue to praise You, Selah.2Psalms 84:5. Fortunate is the people whose lot is thus; fortunate is the people for whom Adonoy is their God.3Psalms 144:15. A praise by David! I will exalt You, my God, the King, and bless Your Name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You4According to Rav S.R. Hirsch, David here declares, “I will dedicate myself to serve You and to fulfill Your will in loyal obedience,” for in serving God, man causes His Name to be blessed. and extol Your Name forever and ever. Adonoy is great and highly extolled, and His greatness is unfathomable. One generation to another will praise Your works, and Your mighty acts they will declare. The splendor of Your glorious majesty, and the words5Not simply נפלאתיך—a report of Your wonders—but דברי נפלאתיך the “words”—the lessons that Your wonders teach.—S.R. Hirsch of Your wonders I will speak. Of Your awesome might, they6People in general will speak of God’s wondrous might in punishing the wicked (Sodom, Egypt, etc.) while David will proclaim that God’s greatness is measured more by His kindliness than by His awesomeness.—Siach Yitzchok will speak, and Your greatness I will recount. Mention of Your bountifulness they will express, and in Your righteousness joyfully exult. Adonoy is gracious and merciful,7He is gracious in bestowing reward and merciful in punishment.—Siach Yitzchok slow to anger and great in kindliness. Adonoy is good to all, His mercy encompasses all His works. All Your works will thank You, Adonoy, and Your pious ones will bless You.8Your works, which are the cause of your being thanked by sensitive people; similarly, cause your pious ones to bless You.—based on S.R. Hirsch. Of the honor of Your kingship, they will speak, and Your might they will declare. To reveal to men His mighty acts, and the glorious splendor of His kingship. Your kingship is the kingship for all times, and Your dominion is in every generation. Adonoy supports all the fallen, and straightens all the bent. The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food at its proper time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living being. Adonoy is just in all His ways and benevolent in all His deeds.9The penalties for transgressions are just, but God is gracious in the actual punishment inflicted on the sinner.—Siddur HaGra Adonoy is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.10He is near to all who call upon Him, but His nearness can be perceived only by those who call upon Him in truth, who truly mean to have God enter into their lives.—S.R. Hirsch The will of those who fear Him, He fulfills; He hears their cry and delivers them.11While God hears all who cry unto Him in truth. He answers those who fear Him, who subject their desires to His will.—Siach Yitzchok Adonoy watches over all those who love Him, and will destroy all the wicked. Praise of Adonoy, my mouth will declare and all flesh will bless His holy Name forever and ever. And we will bless God from now forever. Praise God.12Psalms 115:18. You should pause between עולם and הללויה. Similarly, in all the Psalms, the word הללויה is not connected to the preceding verse.

(2) The Half-Kaddish is recited by the Chazzan

(3) Exalted and sanctified1These opening words refer to the fulfillment of God’s prophecy, through Ezekiel (38:23) “And I will thus exalt Myself and sanctify Myself; and I will be known in the eyes of the many nations, and they will know that I am Adonoy.”—Levush, Siddur HaGra. One should be very careful to emphasize the letter gimel (ג) when saying the word “Yisgadal (יִתְגַּדַּל),” in order that it not be heard as “Yiskadal (יִתְקַּדַל),” from the word קְדָל which means neck.—Mishnah Berurah 56:2 be His great Name

(4) in the world which He created according to His will and may He rule His kingdom.2May His sovereignty be revealed. In your lifetime and in your days, and in the lifetime of the entire House of Israel, speedily and in the near future3We pray that the redemption will come speedily and that the process of the redemption itself will not be prolonged.—Siddur HaGra— and say Amein.

(5) May His great Name be blessed forever and for all eternity.

(6) Blessed and praised, glorified, and exalted and uplifted, honored and elevated and extolled5The ten expressions of praise in the Kaddish refer to the ten utterances by which God created the world. (See Maseches Avos 5:1.) be the Name of the Holy One, blessed is He;

(7) above (Ten Days of Penitence: far above) all the blessings and hymns,6May God be praised and exalted far beyond all the blessings, hymns and praises that are uttered.—Mishnah Berurah in the name of the Vilna Gaon 56:14. praises and consolations7Consolations are uttered because God is in mourning over the destruction of the Holy Temple and the exile of His people. which we utter in the world—and say Amein.

(1) Rav S.R. Hirsch writes that the six concluding chapters of the Book of Psalms are the most important gift of David’s Divinely-inspired hymns that Israel treasures so greatly. These six psalms, 145-150, are an essential component of our daily prayers. Our Sages attach much significance to Psalm 145 in particular, and stated: “Whoever recites ‘A praise by David’ three times a day is assuredly worthy of a share in the world to come” (Maseches Berachos 4b). When recited in prayer this psalm is always introduced with two verses from other Psalms (84:5 and 144:15). These verses contain the word fortunate three times, an allusion to this psalm being recited three times a day. These verses are so closely identified with Psalm 145 that it is commonly referred to as Ashrei (Fortunate).

(2) Fortunate are those who dwell in Your house;1This verse referred to the Kohanim and the Levites who served (dwelt) in the Holy Temple (Your House); it is at all times applicable to scholars and devout men who study and pray in houses of worship and study. may they continue to praise You, Selah.2Psalms 84:5. Fortunate is the people whose lot is thus; fortunate is the people for whom Adonoy is their God.3Psalms 144:15. A praise by David! I will exalt You, my God, the King, and bless Your Name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You4According to Rav S.R. Hirsch, David here declares, “I will dedicate myself to serve You and to fulfill Your will in loyal obedience,” for in serving God, man causes His Name to be blessed. and extol Your Name forever and ever. Adonoy is great and highly extolled, and His greatness is unfathomable. One generation to another will praise Your works, and Your mighty acts they will declare. The splendor of Your glorious majesty, and the words5Not simply נפלאתיך—a report of Your wonders—but דברי נפלאתיך the “words”—the lessons that Your wonders teach.—S.R. Hirsch of Your wonders I will speak. Of Your awesome might, they6People in general will speak of God’s wondrous might in punishing the wicked (Sodom, Egypt, etc.) while David will proclaim that God’s greatness is measured more by His kindliness than by His awesomeness.—Siach Yitzchok will speak, and Your greatness I will recount. Mention of Your bountifulness they will express, and in Your righteousness joyfully exult. Adonoy is gracious and merciful,7He is gracious in bestowing reward and merciful in punishment.—Siach Yitzchok slow to anger and great in kindliness. Adonoy is good to all, His mercy encompasses all His works. All Your works will thank You, Adonoy, and Your pious ones will bless You.8Your works, which are the cause of your being thanked by sensitive people; similarly, cause your pious ones to bless You.—based on S.R. Hirsch. Of the honor of Your kingship, they will speak, and Your might they will declare. To reveal to men His mighty acts, and the glorious splendor of His kingship. Your kingship is the kingship for all times, and Your dominion is in every generation. Adonoy supports all the fallen, and straightens all the bent. The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food at its proper time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living being. Adonoy is just in all His ways and benevolent in all His deeds.9The penalties for transgressions are just, but God is gracious in the actual punishment inflicted on the sinner.—Siddur HaGra Adonoy is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.10He is near to all who call upon Him, but His nearness can be perceived only by those who call upon Him in truth, who truly mean to have God enter into their lives.—S.R. Hirsch The will of those who fear Him, He fulfills; He hears their cry and delivers them.11While God hears all who cry unto Him in truth. He answers those who fear Him, who subject their desires to His will.—Siach Yitzchok Adonoy watches over all those who love Him, and will destroy all the wicked. Praise of Adonoy, my mouth will declare and all flesh will bless His holy Name forever and ever. And we will bless God from now forever. Praise God.12Psalms 115:18. You should pause between עולם and הללויה. Similarly, in all the Psalms, the word הללויה is not connected to the preceding verse.

(1) Fortunate are those who dwell

(2) in Your house;

(3) may they continue to praise You, Selah.

(4) Fortunate is the people whose lot is thus;

(5) fortunate is the people

(6) for whom Adonoy is their God.

(7) A praise by David!

(8) I will exalt You, my God, the King,

(9) and bless Your Name forever and ever.

(10) Every day I will bless You

(11) and extol Your Name forever and ever.

(12) Adonoy is great and highly extolled,

(13) and His greatness is unfathomable.

(14) One generation to another

(15) will praise Your works,

(16) and Your mighty acts they will declare.

(17) The splendor of Your glorious majesty,

(18) and the words of Your wonders I will speak.

(19) Of Your awesome might, they will speak,

(20) and Your greatness I will recount.

(21) Mention of Your bountifulness

(22) they will express,

(23) and in Your righteousness joyfully exult.

(24) Adonoy is gracious and merciful,

(25) slow to anger and great in kindliness.

(26) Adonoy is good to all,

(27) His mercy encompasses all His works.

(28) All Your works will thank You, Adonoy,

(29) and Your pious ones will bless You.

(30) Of the honor of Your kingship,

(31) they will speak,

(32) and Your might they will declare.

(33) To reveal to men His mighty acts,

(34) and the glorious splendor of His kingship.

(35) Your kingship is the kingship for all times,

(36) and Your dominion is in every generation.

(37) Adonoy supports all the fallen,

(38) and straightens all the bent.

(39) The eyes of all look expectantly to You,

(40) and You give them

(41) their food at its proper time.

(42) You open Your hand

(43) and satisfy the desire of every living being.

(44) Adonoy is just in all His ways

(45) and benevolent in all His deeds.

(46) Adonoy is near to all who call upon Him,

(47) to all who call upon Him in truth.

(48) The will of those who fear Him, He fulfills;

(49) He hears their cry and delivers them.

(50) Adonoy watches over all those who love Him,

(51) and will destroy all the wicked.

(52) Praise of Adonoy, my mouth will declare

(53) and all flesh will bless

(54) His holy Name forever and ever.

(55) And we will bless God

(56) from now forever.

(57) Praise God.

(58) The Chazzan recites the following half-Kaddish

(59) Exalted and sanctified be His great Name

(60) in the world which He created

(61) according to His will

(62) and may He rule His kingdom

(63) bring forth His redemption

(64) and hasten the coming of His Mashiach.

(65) In your lifetime and in your days,

(66) and in the lifetime

(67) of the entire House of Israel,

(68) speedily and in the near future—

(69) and say Amein.

(70) May His great Name be blessed

(71) forever and for all eternity.

(72) Blessed and praised,

(73) glorified, and exalted and uplifted,

(74) honored and elevated and extolled

(75) be the Name of the Holy One, blessed is He;

(76) above (Ten Days of Penitence: far above)

(77) all the blessings and hymns,

(78) praises and consolations

(79) which we utter in the world—and say Amein.