Ashrei 23
ואנחנו נברך י-ה, מעתה ועד עולם, הללוי-ה – We will bless G-d from this time and forever, Halleluyah.
This pasuk is actually not part of Tehilim 145, from which the rest of Ashrei (beginning with the third pasuk) is taken. Why was this pasuk added as the conclusion of Ashrei?
The Avudraham, the Meiri, and the Beis Yosef all tell us that our pasuk was added to inform us at this point that one who has conscientiously completed Ashrei (with kavanah and internalizing the messages of emunah, per Rabbeinu Bachya), is considered a “ben Olam HaBa” and will merit to praise Hashem for eternity. This is derived from the words in the pasuk, “מעתה ועד עולם–from this time and forever” – now we will merit to praise Hashem “from this time and forever.”
This is in accordance with the Gemara in B’rachos 4b that one who says Ashrei three times a day is assured to be a ben Olam HaBa (meaning, even now while in this world). In Ashrei 1, we discussed why one merits such a lofty reward for “saying” Ashrei. In parshas Tzav, Rabbeinu Bachya (ויקרא פרק ז' פסוק ל"ז) teaches us that the reward is for the emunah we garner and internalize as a result of saying Ashrei. If you have been with us throughout our study of Ashrei, we trust that you can now clearly see the messages of emunah throughout Ashrei. If you have joined us midstream, we encourage you to go to the archives at www.weeklytefilahfocus.com or ask us to e-mail you the parts you missed.
We also strongly encourage all to continue the focus on Ashrei, to review it until it is deeply ingrained and that you are able to live it. In Aleinu, we say “וידעת היום והשבות אל לבבך–You are to know this day and take to your heart…” HaRav Chaim Friedlander zt”l, in his Rinas Chaim on the tefilos of Rosh HaShanah, asks why we need to take to our hearts (that Hashem is Elokim – All-capable, All-powerful, the only true power) after we have it as clear as day in our minds (“וידעת היום”). We can similarly ask why Chazal felt that we need to say Ashrei three times every day. He answers that even though one has absolute clarity intellectually, he does not really know something until he actually lives it. When we live with emunah in the daily challenges of life, then and only then can it be said that we truly understand the message of Ashrei. Living with emunah, of course, includes being passionate about avodas Hashem. We then have “וידעת” – progressing to “אל לבבך–to your heart.”