“Are you telling me that you don’t at least have a niggun in your heart – somewhere deep within – that you can extract and explain on that typity type thing that you do every week? Come on! You of all people?”
Located in the beautiful “Ribon Kol Olamim” tefillah after Shalom Aleichem, we find the words of thanks that say it all; ‘Thank You Hashem for the kindness that You constantly do for me and for my family.’
In these turbulent times, we can be more thankful than ever for the gift of Shabbos, and this song should definitely help.
How can we ever repay Him for all the goodness that He bestows? I believe this is a question that is somewhat rhetorical, for it really has no answer. However, this does not mean that the question shouldn’t be asked.
In this song we proclaim that even if our mouths were filled with song like the ocean, and our tongues alive with exultation like the waters’ waves, our praise for Hashem would still not suffice!
Imagine if you only had one day a year to express your thanks to Hashem for everything that He does for you. Imagine if you only had one chance to say ‘thank you’ – What would you say? How would you say it?
If there is one thing you’ve learned from our weekly posts, it’s that every Shabbos zemer has a lot more going on than what meets the eye. Hidden beneath the surface of each poetic allusion and mystical reference, one can discover layer upon profound layer of deeper meanings, each of seismic spiritual significance.
While we may have had different tunes that got us to this point, one thing remains universal: we all want nothing more than for our tefilos to reach Hashem’s Heavenly Throne.
No matter who you are or where you find yourself, you must remember that failure is apart of growth, and that it’s never too late to get back up and start over again.
If you will find it in your heart to take me back, then I will see this flag and know that I am welcome to return. But if you cannot bear to see me again after all the grief I’ve put you through, and please know that I would understand if you felt this way, then simply don’t show up at all and I will remain on the train as it passes on through.
With love and respect,
Your Son