In Honor of Sharona and Josh Halickman’s 17^th wedding Anniversary

Balaam, the sorcerer and enemy of the Jews was sent by Balak the King of Moav to curse the Jews. However, God did not want the Jewish people to be cursed so he miraculously turned the curse into a blessing. The famous words of the Ma Tovu prayer that we recite upon entering the synagogue actually came from Balaam’s mouth (Bamidbar 24:5) yet they were placed there by God as a blessing for the Jewish people.

“Ma Tovu Ohalecha Yaakov Mishkenotecha Yirsael”, “How goodly are your tents O Yaakov, your dwelling places, O Israel.”

According to the Gemara in Sanhedrin 105b the tents refer to houses of study (tents of Torah).

The dwelling places were the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and later the Beit HaMikdash (Temple). In our time, since the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash, the dwelling places refer to our synagogues.

The next verse in the Ma Tovu comes from Tehilim, Psalms 5:8: “VeAni B’Rov Chasdecha Avo Veitecha, Eshtachave el Heichal Kodsheva BiYiratecha”, “As for me, through your abundant kindness I will enter Your House; I will prostrate myself toward your Holy Sanctuary in awe of You.”

Rabbi Nissan Mindel comments that as God welcomes us in to His Home each day, we must not take the opportunity to go to the synagogue for granted and we must be filled with awe and reverence, realizing that we are in the immediate presence of God.

The third verse comes from Psalms 26:8 “HaShem Ahavti Meon Beitecha UMikom Mishkan Kevodecha”, “O God, I love the House where you dwell and the place where your glory resides.”

Each time we are in a synagogue we must work on feeling God’s glory. When we visit the Kotel, Kever Rachel (Rachel’s Tomb), Maarat HaMachpela (Cave of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs), Shilo (where the Mishkan stood) etc. it is often easier to feel God’s glory then in the shul that we pray in every week.

The fourth verse is from Psalms 95:6: “VaAni Eshtachave VeEchraah, Evrecha Lifnei HaShem Osi”, “I shall prostrate myself and bow, I shall kneel before God my maker.”

When we bow down during the Amida, it is important to have proper Kavana (intent) and focus on the fact that we are bowing down to God, not just going through the motions.

The final verse originates from Psalms 69:14 and concludes: “VaAni Tefilati Lecha HaShem et RatzonElokim BeRov Chasdecha Aneni BiEmet Yishecha”, “As for me, may my prayer to You, God, be at an opportune time: O God, in Your abundant kindness, answer me with the truth of Your salvation.”

Here we see the concept of praying at an opportune time. The best time to pray, even for someone who for whatever reason can’t make it to shul is the time that the congregation is praying as the person’s prayers will join the public prayer and be answered.

This Sunday, we begin the three weeks of mourning for the Beit HaMikdash. These three weeks are an opportune time for us to think about the fact that we don’t have the true Mishkan which is referred to in the Ma Tovu prayer. As we walk through the streets of Jerusalem, it is uplifting to see how much has been rebuilt including the Hurva synagogue yet the Beit Hamikdash still remains in ruins and the Jewish people are forbidden to pray on Har HaBayit (The Temple Mount).

How uplifting would it be if by next year Tisha B’Av could be a true day of celebration where we could say with true kavana “As for me, through your abundant kindness I will enter Your House; I will prostrate myself toward your Holy Sanctuary in awe of You” in the Third Beit HaMikdash Bimhera Biyamenu, speedily in out days.