Last week, we started our discussion of the seventh bracha, R’eih v’anyeinu. We mentioned the opinion of Rashi who says the blessing refers to daily afflictions, a petition for redemption from present challenges rather than referring to the final redemption. We offered the explanation of the Siddur HaMeforush – that “afflictions” is referring to problems which occur from antisemitic sources. In this article, we will discuss some alternate understandings of this bracha.
The simplest interpretation is that “R’eih v’anyeinu – See our afflictions,” means the daily challenges we experience from people who are unfair to us – perhaps a boss, who is riding us unfairly. It might be a business competitor who is acting wrongly or an envious associate, neighbor, colleague, who out of jealousy is harassing us. We ask Hashem to ‘take note,’ V’rivah riveinu, fight our battles. In other words, please Hashem, we don’t want to get involved in the poison of machlokes, starting fights. We don’t want to get our minds dirty with bearing grudges or with thoughts of hate, nor do we want to get our hands dirty with acts of nekamah, vengeance. We don’t want to get our mouths dirty with sins of lashon hara and rechilus, evil gossip and tale bearing. So, we ask You, Hashem, please step in, fight our fights and remove the problem.
We cap off this request by pleading that Hashem should do it lema’an Sh’mecha, for the sake of Your Name. This refers to His Name of Shalom, Peace. Please Hashem, for the sake of Peace, remove the friction between me and others.
Another important idea to have in mind when saying this blessing is shared with us by the Yaaros Devash. He says that we should pray for the redemption of the nidchei Yisrael, those Jews who have been ‘pushed away.’ This can refer to the children in pain, the many off-the-derech. We say to Hashem, see our pain as we watch Jewish children sporting tattoos, body piercings and nauseating hair styles, as we watch the casualties of the woke generation – adolescents who are confused about their sexual persuasion or even their gender. We ask lema’an Sh’mecha, for the sake of Your Name, for You are known as the Rachum v’Chanun, the Merciful and Gracious One. We cap it off with Ki go’eil chazak Attah, For You are a powerful redeemer, since although turnabout for these children looks bleak and hopeless, for You, Hashem, anything is possible.
I would like to suggest another delicate meaning to this blessing. When attempting to define what v’anyeinu means in this bracha, let’s take a look at the Haggadah shel Pesach. There it says, “Vayar es anyeinu; zu prishus derech eretz – And Hashem saw our afflictions; this refers to the lack of marital intimacy (because the Egyptians blocked the women from going to the mikvah and kept the husbands in the field and the women at home). The Haggadah continues, Vayeida Elokim, that only Hashem knew the problem for this is a matter of privacy only revealed to Hashem Above.
Thus, this blessing also refers to couples that are suffering from dissatisfaction or dysfunction in marital intimacy. They say R’eih v’anyeinu, “Hashem, You can see our pain.” Please help resolve our issue, be it physical, emotional, or because of friction in the home. Please Hashem, do it lema’an Sh’mecha, for the sake of Your Name, for when a husband and wife successfully become as one, the yud in the word ish (husband) and hei in isha (wife) fuse to make Hashem’s name Ka”h, yud and hei.
This is the meaning of “Ish v’isha, shalom beineihem, shechina shruya beineihem – Husband and wife, if there is peace between them, the shechina rests between them.” This also the reason why the Talmudic word for marital intimacy is bi’ah, which is an anagram of Ba Kah, Hashem comes. Unfortunately, it is also an anagram of eivah, enmity because if it is an unsuccessful pursuit, it creates enmity between the husband and the wife. Thus, we petition Hashem to help in this area, Ki go’eil chazak Attah, for He is a mighty Redeemer and He can aid us in resolving our issues. It is interesting to note that in nusach Ashkenaz there are 17 words in this blessing which is the gematria of Tov which refers to the blessings of a good wife (matza isha matza tov).
In the merit of realizing that our salvation is in the hands of Hashem, may He bless us with long life, good health, and everything wonderful.
Transcribed and edited by Shelley Zeitlin.
