Tefillah Tips - Baruch Sheamar VI

After expressing ten different definitions of G-d’s name (see earlier tefilla tips), the prayer continues with a blessing. This blessing begins like so many others-“Baruch Ata…. King of the universe.. and then states “Ha-Kel Ha-Av Ha-Rachaman- The Almighty, the merciful father”.

The first interesting thing to take note of here is that the tefilla does not refer to Hashem as A merciful father; it rather refers to Hashem as THE merciful father. We are accustomed to referring to G-d as the King of kings. This verse comes to point out that G-d is also the Father of all fathers. Without Hashem there would be no other father sharing fatherly love to his children in the entire world.

The Hebrew words read, “Ha-Kel Ha-Av Ha-Rachaman” which translate literally as the powerful Father-the merciful. These words provide us with the definition of a father and fatherhood generally. A father (or parent) is a figure that prescribes and distributes the correct dosages of might and mercy in order that his children should grow and develop productively and positively. This is how G-d deals with us; and this is how we are instructed to deal with our children.

Rav Avigdor Miller zt”l points out that the word Av- Father is similar to several other words in the Hebrew language as well. The word for love is Ahav. The word for give is Yahav. The word for consent is Avah. These are some of the key ingredients that are present in a fine father. A father needs to be loving and giving; but he also needs to set limits and provide structure for his children when to deny their requests and when to permit them (give consent).

To appreciate G-d’s fatherly love for us we can turn to our physical parents and appreciate all they have done for us in our lives. And to improve our own parenting, we can turn to G-d Himself and try to learn from the eternal and omnipotent model he has been displaying for the last five thousand seven hundred and sixty nine years.