An Orientation for the Recitation of the Daily Ma’amad
For the sake of unifying
The holy, blessed One and its presence[1]
In fear and love
To unite the divine name Y.H. with the divine name V.H.[2]
In complete unity
On behalf of the people of Israel[3]
And on behalf of all creatures, above and below
I pause
To recite the story of
the first day
the second day
the third day
the fourth day
the fifth day
the sixth day
of creation, which is part of the greater story of creation, all made of one, a weave in which every part is connected[4] and none is ever lost.[5]
And may the merit of reciting this Ma’amad allow me to hear the voice that echoes through the world daily, saying:
“Observe all that I have made, How beautiful and wondrous all my creations are.
Pay attention that you do not ruin and destroy my world.”[6]
And may I merit being counted among those who construct and not those who cause damage.[7]
And may I merit to hear the voice that proclaims “say to Zion you are my people”[8] not just “my nation” but rather those who are truly with Me – those who partner with me in the creation of heaven and earth through speech.[9]
And may my reciting of this Ma’amad be effective as if I had recited it with proper care and attention to all of its details and intentions and to the 613 practices that depend on it, for they are all connected to it, Amen Selah.
Light my path with your beauty, so that all I do is inspired. Yes, establish my life in you and let all that I do be yours.[10]
For the sake of unifying
The holy, blessed One and its presence[1]
In fear and love
To unite the divine name Y.H. with the divine name V.H.[2]
In complete unity
On behalf of the people of Israel[3]
And on behalf of all creatures, above and below
I pause
To recite the story of
the first day
the second day
the third day
the fourth day
the fifth day
the sixth day
of creation, which is part of the greater story of creation, all made of one, a weave in which every part is connected[4] and none is ever lost.[5]
And may the merit of reciting this Ma’amad allow me to hear the voice that echoes through the world daily, saying:
“Observe all that I have made, How beautiful and wondrous all my creations are.
Pay attention that you do not ruin and destroy my world.”[6]
And may I merit being counted among those who construct and not those who cause damage.[7]
And may I merit to hear the voice that proclaims “say to Zion you are my people”[8] not just “my nation” but rather those who are truly with Me – those who partner with me in the creation of heaven and earth through speech.[9]
And may my reciting of this Ma’amad be effective as if I had recited it with proper care and attention to all of its details and intentions and to the 613 practices that depend on it, for they are all connected to it, Amen Selah.
Light my path with your beauty, so that all I do is inspired. Yes, establish my life in you and let all that I do be yours.[10]
[1] The language and structure of this orientation are based on the “Leshem Yihud” formula which is commonly recited before any mitzvah with variations appropriate to the specific activity. For the history and development of this formula see Moshe Halamish, Kabbalah in Prayer, Halacha, and Custom, pp. 45-70 (Hebrew).
[2] Y.H. the first two letters of the Tetragrammaton point towards the innermost aspects of God’s manifestation - existence and change. This pair precedes the more external pair - the latter two letters V and H, which signify God’s manifestation as what is and what could be. Our practice is oriented towards overcoming the gaps between the latter pair (referred to as “the holy blessed One and its presence”) and the gaps in consciousness between the two pairs. (for a more detailed explanation of the way I understand the sefirotic system and some of my sources, see “Sefirot HaOmer” on the Hebrew College website - http://blog.hebrewcollege.edu/sefirot-haomer/)
[3] “Before entering Bet Hakeneset you should take to heart the mitzvah of “love your friend like yourself”. Then, when you enter, orient yourself towards loving all of Yisrael like yourself, and thus your prayer shall rise included among all of their prayers. Through that your prayer will actually be effective.” Haim Vital (in the name of the Ar”i), in the beginning of Sha’ar HaKavanot. In this case I have expanded the scope of mutual responsibility beyond the standard liturgical formula.
[4] These images appear in the description of the construction of the tabernacle in the book of Exodus. (“made of one” in 37:22, “a weave” multiple times in chapter 39, “every part connected” in 36:13) The parallelism between the construction of the tabernacle and the creation of the world is very old, and may even go back to the Torah itself. See Bamidbar Rabbah 12:13 and elsewhere.
[5] 2 Samuel 14:14.
[6] Kohelet Rabbah 7:1. The idea to posit God’s words in the midrash as a voice that echoes daily is based on a teaching attributed to the Ba’al Shem Tov. “Regarding the statements in the Talmud ‘A voice comes from Sinai and echoes through the world daily, etc.’ – if no one hears the announcement why is it made, and who can say that she actually hears heavenly announcements?... rather they appear in a person’s mind as thoughts of remorse and repentance that appear every day, these are the heavenly announcements… listen and take heed.” R Ya’akov Yosef of Polnoye, Toldot Ya’akov Yosef, parashat Re’eh.
[7] “R Elazar said in the name of R Hanina: Disciples of the wise increase peace in the world, for it says – “All your children (will be) disciples of YHVH, and your children (will) live in great peace” (Isaiah, 54:13). Rather than reading “children” (banayich) read “those who build you up” (bonayich)”. Bavli, Berachot 64a.
[8] Isaiah 51:16.
[9] “You are my people” – Do not read ‘You are (ammi) My people’, but rather ‘You are (immi) with Me’, becoming My partner! Just as I made heaven and earth by speaking, as is said: By the word of YHVH the heavens were made (Psalms 33:6) so do you. Happy are those engaged in Torah! Zohar I, 5a. Pritzker Edition, vol. 1 p. 28.
[10] Psalms, 90:17. Translation from Norman Fischer, Opening to You, p. 116.
לשם ייחוד לפני מעמדות
לשם ייחוד קודשא בריך הוא ושכינתיה בדחילו ורחימו לייחד שם י"ה בו"ה ביחודא שלים בשם כל ישראל וכל ברואי מעלה ומטה, הריני עומד לקרוא את מעשה בריאת
יום אחד
יום שני
יום שלישי
יום רביעי
יום חמישי
יום הששי
בתוך שאר מעשה בראשית, מקשה אחת מעשה אורג חוברות אחת אל אחת ולא ידח ממנו נדח.
ויהי רצון שבזכות אמירת מעמד זה אזכה לשמוע בת קול היוצאת בכל יום ואומרת ראה מעשי כמה נאים ומשובחין הן, תן דעתך שלא תקלקל ותחריב את עולמי. ואזכה להיות מן הבונין ולא אהיה מן המזיקין ולשמוע קול מבשר "לאמר לציון עמי אתה" אל תקרי עמי אלא עימי להיות בכלל כל השותפין עימיה למעבד שמיא וארעא במילולא.
ותהא חשובה קריאת מעמד זה כאילו קראתיה בכל פרטיה ודקדוקיה וכוונותיה ותרי"ג מצוות התלויות בה דכולה בה תליא, אמן סלה.
ויהי נועם ה אלהינו עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננהו.
לשם ייחוד קודשא בריך הוא ושכינתיה בדחילו ורחימו לייחד שם י"ה בו"ה ביחודא שלים בשם כל ישראל וכל ברואי מעלה ומטה, הריני עומד לקרוא את מעשה בריאת
יום אחד
יום שני
יום שלישי
יום רביעי
יום חמישי
יום הששי
בתוך שאר מעשה בראשית, מקשה אחת מעשה אורג חוברות אחת אל אחת ולא ידח ממנו נדח.
ויהי רצון שבזכות אמירת מעמד זה אזכה לשמוע בת קול היוצאת בכל יום ואומרת ראה מעשי כמה נאים ומשובחין הן, תן דעתך שלא תקלקל ותחריב את עולמי. ואזכה להיות מן הבונין ולא אהיה מן המזיקין ולשמוע קול מבשר "לאמר לציון עמי אתה" אל תקרי עמי אלא עימי להיות בכלל כל השותפין עימיה למעבד שמיא וארעא במילולא.
ותהא חשובה קריאת מעמד זה כאילו קראתיה בכל פרטיה ודקדוקיה וכוונותיה ותרי"ג מצוות התלויות בה דכולה בה תליא, אמן סלה.
ויהי נועם ה אלהינו עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננהו.