Shemone Esrei 6 - Praising Hashem part 2

(Sources: Sifsei Chaim, Rav Schwab, Nesivos Shalom)

The first berachah of Shemoneh Esrei continues with specific praises of Hashem

HaNora” — The Awe-Inspiring One

In the first berachah of Shemoneh Esrei, we describe Hashem as “HaNora”—the Awe-Inspiring One. This praise refers not merely to displays of overt power, but to the majestic synthesis of chessed (kindness) and din (judgment) through which Hashem conducts His world. As explained by Rav Shimon Schwab, it is precisely this fusion of justice and compassion that evokes true awe.

The prophet Yirmiyahu famously omitted the word “nora” after the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash. When the Beis HaMikdash stood in its glory, Hashem’s Presence was manifest and undeniable. Awe was palpable. But after the Churban—when idol worshippers reveled in the very halls once sanctified for the Divine service—Yirmiyahu could no longer articulate that overt revelation of awe in the world.

Yet the Anshei Knesses HaGedolah restored the phrase. They perceived a deeper, enduring dimension of “nora.” In the aftermath of destruction, exile, and relentless persecution, a purely rational assessment of Jewish history would predict annihilation. From the day of the Churban, powerful empires arose with the explicit or implicit aim of eradicating the Jewish people. Hatred festered across continents and centuries. By all natural calculations, the Jewish nation should not have survived.

And yet we endure.

How is it that this small and persistently oppressed nation continues to exist, maintaining its identity against every historical probability? The answer, as explained by the Sifsei Chaim, is that Hashem is indeed “Nora.” There exists, embedded deep within the consciousness of the nations, a subconscious awe of the Divine that restrains them from fully carrying out their destructive designs. Even when hatred burns fiercely, there remains a limit—a boundary imposed by a higher fear. Jewish survival itself is the living testimony to Hashem’s awe-inspiring governance of history.

Thus, “HaNora” does not describe only open miracles and revealed grandeur. It reflects the hidden awe that shapes the course of nations and ensures the eternity of Klal Yisrael. ( Sifsei Chaim, Shemone Esrei, 17-18)

“Kel Elyon” — Beyond Human Comprehension

We also refer to Hashem as “Kel Elyon”—the Exalted God. This phrase affirms that while we can recognize aspects of Hashem’s conduct in the world, His essence and many dimensions of His governance remain infinitely beyond human understanding.

We relate to Hashem as “Koneh Shamayim va’Aretz,” the Creator and Sustainer of heaven and earth. We observe patterns of justice, kindness, and providence. We can discern, to some degree, His involvement in the unfolding of events. Yet this recognition is partial. It is but a fragment of the totality of His ways.

There are aspects of Divine conduct that transcend the limits of human intellect. The suffering of the righteous and the prosperity of the wicked defy simple explanation. Even more incomprehensible is the suffering of innocent children, untouched by sin, who endure profound affliction. Such realities lie beyond the boundaries of our understanding.

Rav Schwab once wrote that when confronting catastrophes such as the murder and torture of six million Jews during the Holocaust, one must recognize the limits of human comprehension. Any attempt to fully explain such events risks presumption. These belong to the realm of Kel Elyon—that dimension of Divine governance which remains inaccessible to mortal reason.

For thousands of years, the Jewish people have endured suffering disproportionate to their size or power, continuing even in our own times. The declaration of “Kel Elyon” is not an intellectual surrender but an affirmation of humility. Hashem has revealed to us only a fraction of His ways; the rest remains exalted, hidden, and beyond our grasp.

In proclaiming “Kel Elyon,” we acknowledge both our closeness to Hashem and the infinite distance between Creator and creation. We affirm that while we strive to understand, we ultimately bow before the transcendence of the One Who stands above all comprehension.

Bottom of Form

How are we to confront such an idea? Can we witness apparent pain and suffering, throw up our hands, declare it beyond our understanding—and simply move on?

Rav Schwab explains that the answer lies in the very next phrase of the berachah.

“Gomel Chasadim Tovim” — Bestower of Loving Kindness

To temper our encounter with Kel Elyon, the Amidah immediately continues: “Gomel Chasadim Tovim.” Even that which lies far beyond our comprehension is Divine lovingkindness. ( Rav Schwab , Iyun Tefilla, 299)

The Nesivos Shalom writes that the source of a Jew’s deepest happiness is the awareness that Hashem is a faithful and devoted Father who constantly watches over His children for their benefit. All of Hashem’s conduct—whether we perceive it as good or struggle to understand it—is for good. When a Jew accepts Hashem’s ways with inner serenity and trust, this itself evokes a reciprocal response—middah k’neged middah. Hashem relates to that individual with manifest love, regardless of his spiritual level. ( Nesivos Shalom, Chelek Aleph, Avodas Hashem, 15,2)

Thus, “Kel Elyon” does not lead to resignation. It is a vital step in our developing trust in Hashem and ultimately, true happiness.

Rav Schwab further explains that the word “tovim” conveys an additional dimension. Hashem not only bestows good upon us; He grants us the capacity to perform good for others. His kindness is not merely something we receive—it is something we are empowered to transmit. In enabling us to act with chesed, He transforms us into partners in His goodness. ( Rav Schwab , Iyun Tefilla, 299)

The Sifsei Chaim offers another illuminating approach. Hashem structures His world so that we are able to earn merit through our actions. When He rewards our good deeds, it is as though He is discharging an “obligation” we have generated. This spares us the discomfort of receiving unearned gifts—what Chazal call nahama d’kisufa, the “bread of shame.” ( Sifsei Chaim, Shemone Esrei, 19-20)

In His kindness, Hashem does not merely give; He allows us to deserve.

When we proclaim “Gomel Chasadim Tovim,” we affirm that Divine transcendence is never arbitrary and never indifferent. What we cannot understand is not devoid of goodness; it is goodness that exceeds our present capacity to grasp. We stand before Kel Elyon in humility—but we stand before Gomel Chasadim Tovim in trust