Tefillah Tips - The Grandeur of the Sky

"E-l Baruch Gedol Dayah Haychin Ufaal Zaharay Chama……………. The Blessed G-d who is great in knowledge who has prepared and activated the rays of the sun, and placed other luminaries in His world..."

What is noticeable about this passage when it is read in Hebrew (and lost in the English) is that it is an acrostic. Each one of the twenty two letters of the Hebrew alphabet is utilized in order to compose this beautiful prayer which recognizes the grandeur of the sky, the heavens and the galaxies in G-d’s world.

Rav Miller zt”l points out that besides the beauty, wonder and functionality of the luminaries, it is awesome that their power never ceases. After a few months one has to change a light bulb, after a few years the car battery needs replacement – but the rich energy, warmth and light radiated by the sun never goes dim. Divine energy never wanes.

The usage of the Hebrew alphabet in its entirety is significant in two ways:

1. One implication is that no letters, words or poetry can ever sufficiently note, recognize and/or praise the Divine wonders of the world. We humbly attempt to utilize any and every ingredient we can to properly acknowledge and praise G-d.

2. The Kabbalah teaches that the world itself was created with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Therefore this prayer indicates that the Divine building blocks of the world themselves indicate and pay tribute to the magnificence, benevolence and greatness of the Creator.

Shabbat Shalom Rabbi Ephraim Epstein