Today's source sheet, in addition to drawing from My People's Prayerbook also draws from Rabbi Dr. Ellie Kaunfer's teaching. Much appreciation to him for his deep wellspring of Torah.
רְאֵה בְעָנְיֵֽנוּ
וְרִיבָה רִיבֵֽנוּ
וּגְאָלֵֽנוּ מְהֵרָה
לְמַֽעַן שְׁמֶֽךָ
כִּי גּוֹאֵל חָזָק אָֽתָּה:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' גּוֹאֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל:
See our sufferings;
And fight our fights;
And redeem us quickly,
for the sake of Your name.
For You are a strong redeemer
Blessed are You, HaShem, redeemer/who redeems Israel
R'eh v'onyaynu
v'rivah riveinu
u'g'ahleinu m'heira
la'an sh'mecha
ki goel chazak atah
Barukh atah HaShem, goel yisrael
Questions for discussion:
- What exactly are we asking for here?
- Why should we care if G-d 'sees' our suffering? Wouldn't we rather G-d relieved it? Why start with this verb?
- What does 'redemption' seem to mean here? Do you agree with this idea of redemption? What does redemption mean to you?
- Is this blessing talking about personal or communal redemption? How do you know? What are the differences between them?
- What is G-d's motivation? Do you find it surprising that a) G-d seems to need a motivation and b) what that motivation is?
- Taking this all together, including the blessings which came before this one (knowledge, repentance, forgiveness), what brings about redemption, if anything? Do you believe we should have to earn our redemption?
This is as far as I hope you'll get to!
Feel free to read on, but make sure you've had your fill of the above.
(קנג) רְאֵה־עׇנְיִ֥י וְחַלְּצֵ֑נִי כִּי־ת֥֝וֹרָתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א שָׁכָֽחְתִּי׃ (קנד) רִיבָ֣ה רִ֭יבִי וּגְאָלֵ֑נִי לְאִמְרָתְךָ֥ חַיֵּֽנִי׃
(153) See my affliction and rescue me,
for I have not neglected Your teaching. (154) Champion my cause and redeem me;
preserve me according to Your promise.
(ז) כֹּ֣ה אָֽמַר־ה' גֹּאֵ֨ל יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל קְדוֹשׁ֗וֹ לִבְזֹה־נֶ֜פֶשׁ לִמְתָ֤עֵֽב גּוֹי֙ לְעֶ֣בֶד מֹשְׁלִ֔ים מְלָכִים֙ יִרְא֣וּ וָקָ֔מוּ שָׂרִ֖ים וְיִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֑וּ לְמַ֤עַן ה' אֲשֶׁ֣ר נֶאֱמָ֔ן קְדֹ֥שׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וַיִּבְחָרֶֽךָּ׃ {ס}...(כה) כִּי־כֹ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר ה' גַּם־שְׁבִ֤י גִבּוֹר֙ יֻקָּ֔ח וּמַלְק֥וֹחַ עָרִ֖יץ יִמָּלֵ֑ט וְאֶת־יְרִיבֵךְ֙ אָנֹכִ֣י אָרִ֔יב וְאֶת־בָּנַ֖יִךְ אָנֹכִ֥י אוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃ (כו) וְהַאֲכַלְתִּ֤י אֶת־מוֹנַ֙יִךְ֙ אֶת־בְּשָׂרָ֔ם וְכֶעָסִ֖יס דָּמָ֣ם יִשְׁכָּר֑וּן וְיָדְע֣וּ כׇל־בָּשָׂ֗ר כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י ה' מֽוֹשִׁיעֵ֔ךְ וְגֹאֲלֵ֖ךְ אֲבִ֥יר יַעֲקֹֽב׃ {ס}
(7) Thus said the LORD,
The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One,
To the despised one,
To the abhorred nations,-b
To the slave of rulers:
Kings shall see and stand up;
Nobles, and they shall prostrate themselves—
To the honor of the LORD, who is faithful,
To the Holy One of Israel who chose you...(25) Yet thus said the LORD:
Captives shall be taken from a warrior
And spoil shall be retrieved from a tyrant;
For I will contend with your adversaries,
And I will deliver your children. (26) I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,
They shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.
And all mankind shall know
That I the LORD am your Savior,
The Mighty One of Jacob, your Redeemer.
(ז) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ה' רָאֹ֥ה רָאִ֛יתִי אֶת־עֳנִ֥י עַמִּ֖י אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וְאֶת־צַעֲקָתָ֤ם שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י נֹֽגְשָׂ֔יו כִּ֥י יָדַ֖עְתִּי אֶת־מַכְאֹבָֽיו׃
(7) And ה' continued, “I have seen well the plight of My people in Egypt and have heeded their outcry because of their taskmasters; yes, I am mindful of their sufferings.
(ה) וְגַ֣ם ׀ אֲנִ֣י שָׁמַ֗עְתִּי אֶֽת־נַאֲקַת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִצְרַ֖יִם מַעֲבִדִ֣ים אֹתָ֑ם וָאֶזְכֹּ֖ר אֶת־בְּרִיתִֽי׃ (ו) לָכֵ֞ן אֱמֹ֥ר לִבְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ אֲנִ֣י ה' וְהוֹצֵאתִ֣י אֶתְכֶ֗ם מִתַּ֙חַת֙ סִבְלֹ֣ת מִצְרַ֔יִם וְהִצַּלְתִּ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם מֵעֲבֹדָתָ֑ם וְגָאַלְתִּ֤י אֶתְכֶם֙ בִּזְר֣וֹעַ נְטוּיָ֔ה וּבִשְׁפָטִ֖ים גְּדֹלִֽים׃ (ז) וְלָקַחְתִּ֨י אֶתְכֶ֥ם לִי֙ לְעָ֔ם וְהָיִ֥יתִי לָכֶ֖ם לֵֽאלֹקִ֑ים וִֽידַעְתֶּ֗ם כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י ה' אֱלֹ֣קֵיכֶ֔ם הַמּוֹצִ֣יא אֶתְכֶ֔ם מִתַּ֖חַת סִבְל֥וֹת מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(5) I have now heard the moaning of the Israelites because the Egyptians are holding them in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant. (6) Say, therefore, to the Israelite people: I am ה'. I will free you from the labors of the Egyptians and deliver you from their bondage. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and through extraordinary chastisements. (7) And I will take you to be My people, and I will be your God. And you shall know that I, ה', am your God who freed you from the labors of the Egyptians.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹקֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹקֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ אֱלֹקֵי אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹקֵי יִצְחָק וֵאלֹקֵי יַעֲקֹב הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל הַגִּבּוֹר וְהַנּוֹרָא אֵל עֶלְיוֹן גּוֹמֵל חֲסָדִים טוֹבִים וְקוֹנֵה הַכֹּל וְזוֹכֵר חַסְדֵי אָבוֹת וּמֵבִיא גוֹאֵל לִבְנֵי בְנֵיהֶם לְמַֽעַן שְׁמוֹ בְּאַהֲבָה:
Praised are You, Lord Our G-d and G-d of our ancestors, G-d of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, great, mighty, awesome, exalted G-d who bestows lovingkindness, Creator of all. You remember the pious deeds of our ancestors and will send a redeemer to their children's children because of Your loving nature (lit. for the sake of G-d's name, with love).
גֹּאֲלֵ֕נוּ ה' צְבָא֖וֹת שְׁמ֑וֹ קְד֖וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Our Redeemer—LORD of Hosts is [G-d's] name—
Is the Holy One of Israel.-a
צוּר יִשְׂרָאֵל קֽוּמָה בְּעֶזְרַת יִשְׂרָאֵל וּפְדֵה כִנְאֻמֶֽךָ יְהוּדָה וְיִשְׂרָאֵל, גֹּאֲלֵֽנוּ ה' צְבָאוֹת שְׁמוֹ קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' גָּאַל יִשְׂרָאֵל:
Rock of Israel, rise to Israel's defense. Fulfill Your promise to deliver Judah and Israel. Our Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, Lord of Hosts is G-d's name. Praised are you, Lord, Redeemer of the people Israel.
(ד) עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנָה הוּא אוֹמֵר, מִי שֶׁעָנָה אֶת אַבְרָהָם בְּהַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה, הוּא יַעֲנֶה אֶתְכֶם וְיִשְׁמַע בְּקוֹל צַעֲקַתְכֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' גּוֹאֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל.
(4) For the conclusion of the first blessing: Redeemer of Israel, he recites: [G-d] Who answered Abraham on Mount Moriah (see Genesis 22:11–18), [G-d] will answer you and hear the sound of your cry on this day. Blessed are You, Lord, Redeemer of Israel.
אתחלתא דגאולה היא - ואע"ג דהאי גאולה לאו גאולה דגלות היא אלא שיגאלנו מן הצרות הבאות עלינו תמיד
“It is the beginning of redemption” – Even though this redemption is not the redemption from exile, rather it is [a request for God] to redeem us from the troubles that come upon us always.
שכל טוב (בובר) שמות פרשת בא פרק יב
ובתפלה חתמינן גאל ישראל דכיון דלא אמרינן בההיא ברכה יציאת מצרים אלא מצלינן לקב"ה דיפרוק יתן מן גלותא חתמינן בה גואל ישראל לשון עתיד.
Sekhel Tov Bo 12
we pray in the amidah for God to save us from exile, so we finish the blessing “redeemer of Israel”—in the future tense.
וּמָה רָאוּ לוֹמַר גְּאוּלָּה בִּשְׁבִיעִית? אָמַר רָבָא: מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁעֲתִידִין לִיגָּאֵל בִּשְׁבִיעִית — לְפִיכָךְ קְבָעוּהָ בִּשְׁבִיעִית...
The Gemara continues: And why did they see fit to institute to say the blessing of redemption as the seventh blessing? Rava said: Since there is a tradition that the Jewish people are destined to be redeemed in the seventh year of the Sabbatical cycle, consequently, they fixed redemption as the seventh blessing.
...ר' אליעזר אומר אם ישראל עושין תשובה נגאלין ואם לאו אין נגאלין אמר ליה רבי יהושע אם אין עושין תשובה אין נגאלין ...תניא אידך ר' אליעזר אומר אם ישראל עושין תשובה נגאלין שנאמר (ירמיהו ג, יד) שובו בנים שובבים ארפא משובותיכם אמר לו רבי יהושע והלא כבר נאמר (ישעיהו נב, ג) חנם נמכרתם ולא בכסף תגאלו חנם נמכרתם בעבודת כוכבים ולא בכסף תגאלו לא בתשובה ומעשים טובים אמר לו רבי אליעזר לר' יהושע והלא כבר נאמר (מלאכי ג, ז) שובו אלי ואשובה אליכם אמר ליה רבי יהושע והלא כבר נאמר (ירמיהו ג, יד) כי אנכי בעלתי בכם ולקחתי אתכם אחד מעיר ושנים ממשפחה והבאתי אתכם ציון אמר לו ר' אליעזר והלא כבר נאמר (ישעיהו ל, טו) בשובה ונחת תושעון אמר לו ר' יהושע לרבי אליעזר והלא כבר נאמר (ישעיהו מט, ז) כה אמר ה' גואל ישראל וקדושו לבזה נפש למתעב גוי לעבד מושלים מלכים יראו וקמו שרים וישתחוו אמר לו רבי אליעזר והלא כבר נאמר (ירמיהו ד, א) אם תשוב ישראל נאום ה' אלי תשוב אמר לו רבי יהושע והלא כבר נאמר (דניאל יב, ז) ואשמע את האיש לבוש הבדים אשר ממעל למימי היאור וירם ימינו ושמאלו אל השמים וישבע בחי העולם כי למועד מועדים וחצי וככלות נפץ יד עם קדש תכלינה כל אלה וגו' ושתק רבי אליעזר
Rabbi Eliezer says: If the Jewish people repent they are redeemed, and if not they are not redeemed. Rabbi Yehoshua said to him: If they do not repent, will they not be redeemed at all?...
It is taught in another baraita that Rabbi Eliezer says: If the Jewish people repent they are redeemed, as it is stated: “Return, wayward children, I will heal your iniquities” (Jeremiah 3:22). Rabbi Yehoshua said to him: But isn’t it already stated: “So says the Lord: You were sold for naught, and without money you shall be redeemed” (Isaiah 52:3)? Rabbi Yehoshua explains: “You were sold for naught” means you were sold for idol worship, which is a sin with no basis. “And without money you shall be redeemed” means you will be redeemed not through repentance and good deeds, but through the will of God.
Rabbi Eliezer said to Rabbi Yehoshua: But isn’t it already stated: “Return to me and I will return to you” (Malachi 3:7)? Rabbi Yehoshua said to him: But isn’t it already stated: “For I have taken you to Myself; and I will take you one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion” (Jeremiah 3:14), unconditionally?
Rabbi Eliezer said to him: But isn’t it already stated: “In ease [beshuva] and rest shall you be saved” (Isaiah 30:15), indicating that redemption is dependent upon repentance [teshuva]? Rabbi Yehoshua said to Rabbi Eliezer: But isn’t it already stated: “So says the Lord, Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, to him who is despised of man, to him who is abhorred of the nation, to a servant of rulers: Kings shall see and arise, princes shall prostrate themselves, because of the Lord, Who is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, Who has chosen you” (Isaiah 49:7), indicating that redemption will come independent of repentance? Rabbi Eliezer said to him: But isn’t it already stated: “If you will return, Israel, says the Lord, return to Me” (Jeremiah 4:1), indicating that redemption is contingent upon repentance? Rabbi Yehoshua said to him: But isn’t it already stated: “And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he lifted up his right hand and his left hand to heaven and swore by the One Who lives forever that it shall be for a period, periods, and a half; when the crushing of the power of the holy people shall have been completed, all these things shall be finished” (Daniel 12:7), indicating that the time for redemption is set and unrelated to repentance? And Rabbi Eliezer was silent, unable to refute the proof from that verse.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, כִּי קְרוֹבָה יְשׁוּעָתִי לָבוֹא, כִּי קְרוֹבָה יְשׁוּעַתְכֶם אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר, אֶלָּא יְשׁוּעָתִי, יְהִי שְׁמוֹ מְבֹרָךְ, אִלּוּלֵי שֶׁהַדָּבָר כָּתוּב אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְאָמְרוֹ, אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אִם אֵין לָכֶם זְכוּת, בִּשְׁבִילִי אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה, כִּבְיָכוֹל כָּל יָמִים שֶׁאַתֶּם שָׁם בַּצָּרָה אֲנִי עִמָּכֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עִמּוֹ אָנֹכִי בְצָרָה: עִמּוֹ אָנֹכִי בְצָרָה, וַאֲנִי גוֹאֵל לְעַצְמִי,...
Another explanation of ‘For my salvation is near to come.’ (Isaiah 56:1) It does not say ‘your salvation’, but ‘My salvation’; may [G-d’s] name be blessed, for had not the verse explicitly said so, it would not have been possible to say it. God said to Israel: ‘If you have no merit, then I will do it for My own sake; for, as it were, all the time that you are there in trouble, I am with you,’ for it says, I will be with him in trouble ' (Psalm 91:15) I will now redeem Myself'