Shemoneh Esrei 33: The Nineteenth Brachah
There are important differences in wording and meaning between Nusach Ashkenaz and Nusach Sefard in this brachah, as well as differences in opinion as to the meaning of the brachah in general.
This brachah was composed roughly 500 years after the original composition of the 18 brachos of Shemoneh Esrei. Rabban Gamliel, the Nasi at the time, felt that the threat of the heretical Jewish sects trying to lead us astray and slandering us to the anti-Semitic government was so severe that a special brachah needed to be composed and added to our Shemoneh Esrei. The person selected to compose this brachah could only be one who had the proper level of ruach ha’kodesh (The ruach ha’kodesh was needed to compose a brachah that would contain all meanings of all who daven at all times, as we indicated last week in reference to the Anshei K’neses HaG’dolah, many of whom were n’viim, who formulated our Tefilah to contain everything we need in it), one who had no personal animosity, and one who would write entirely l’shem Shamayim. Shmuel HaKatan was the only one in the generation who qualified.
ולמלשינים אל תהי תקוה – V’la’malshinim al t’hi sikvah
“And for slanderers let there be no hope”
We begin by asking that the hopes and plans of those who slander us be foiled.
N. Ashkenaz: וכל הרשעה כרגע תאבד – v’chol ha’rish’ah k’rega toveid
“and may all wickedness perish in an instant”
We ask for the wickedness to perish. Here, while we are speaking of sinners, we are not asking for them to perish; rather, we daven for them to return to Hashem and for their sins to disappear.
Nusach Sefard: וכל המינים כרגע יאבדו – V’chol ha’minim k’rega yoveidu
“and may all the heretics perish in an instant”
This refers specifically to the heretics. They wish to destroy our spirituality, and if they are unsuccessful, they will seek to destroy us physically. We, therefore, ask for them to perish.
N. Ashkenaz: וכל אויביך מהרה יכרתו – V’chol o’y’vecha m’heirah yikareisu
“and may all Your enemies be cut down speedily”
We ask for the enemies of Hashem to be cut down.
Nusach Sefard: וכל אויבי עמך מהרה יכרתו – V’chol o’y’vei amcha m’heirah yikareisu
“and may all the enemies of Your people be cut down speedily”
We ask for the enemies of klal Yisrael to be cut down. Both of these nuscha’os are really saying the same thing. We have seen in our past history that our enemies are really trying to “fight” Hashem. The burning and trampling of sifrei Torah and s’farim by our enemies attest to this fact.
והזדים מהרה תעקר – v’ha’zeidim m’heirah s’akeir…
“May You speedily uproot, … the wanton sinners”
Here we are referring to those sinners who try to influence others to sin along with them. We ask that Hashem break their evil spirits and humble them to the point that they repent and return to Hashem. This is an appropriate place to ask Hashem in thought to break and humble our yeitzer ha’ra, who is constantly trying to persuade us to sin (Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer in ArtScroll Shemoneh Esrei).
ברוך אתה ה', שובר איבים ומכניע זדים – Baruch atah Hashem, Shoveir o’y’vim u’machnia zeidim
“Blessed are you, Hashem, Who breaks enemies and humbles wanton sinners.”
You are the source of all brachah and only You can break our enemies who try to destroy us physically, and only You humble those who try to influence us to sin, assisting them in returning to You.
As mentioned last week, we can personally add in thought what the brachah means to us in today’s times. This needs no elaboration. May we see our enemies perish speedily with the coming of Mashiach soon in our days.