Tefillah: Journey of a Lifetime - Birchos Hashachar {B'yomeinu}

[music] >> So, we'll begin our journey at the very beginning. In the Ezras Nashim, in the large [music] area outside of the Beis Hamikdash proper, Chassidim and Anshei Ma'aseh would gather in the Ezras Nashim in the very early morning. They would learn Torah there. They would say Tehillim there. They would say various tefillos there in preparation to enter the Beis Hamikdash when the Mikdash would open at sunrise at Hanetz Hachamah. The introductory tefillos of the Siddur, Ma Tovu, Adon Olam, Yigdal, correspond to the Ezras Nashim. When we say those introductory tefillos, we are as if standing in the Ezras Nashim preparing [music] for our grand entry into the Beis Hamikdash at the crack of dawn. Leading up from the Ezras Nashim into the Ezras Yisrael was an ascent of 15 stairs. 15 Shir Hama'alos, 15 steps. The Leviim would sing Shirah there. The Birchos Hashachar correspond to the 15 steps leading up from the Ezras Nashim to the Ezras Yisrael. Do you think it's a coincidence that we have precisely 15 Birchos Hashachar? Ha notezein lasechvi vena, shelo yasani shelo yasani oved, and so on and so forth. The 15 Birchos Hashachar, each one is important. Each one is critical. We have to be careful to say each one clearly, not to skip one. Each one is literally a step that will help us ascend from our Ezras Nashim leading into the Ezras Yisrael. We now come to the Ezras Yisrael. If you would enter the Beis Hamikdash, you would notice that on the wall there was a sign, "La yavai amani umayavi b'kalasha." Only Jewish people are allowed entry in this area and on. So, if you came to the base hamikdash with your friend who was a gentile, who was a and they were allowed to come to the base hamikdash, they could even send carbonois, but from here and on, entry was allowed only to klal Yisrael. They would have to stay behind. Now, this might get a little testy, a little dangerous. They may not be so appreciative that they traveled so far and only klal Yisrael could enter. So, at this point in time we declare how fortunate the Jewish people are. How fortunate the Jewish people are that we have the privilege to daven to Hashem and declare every single day, "Shema Yisrael, Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echad." And even if it's a little dangerous, it's a sacrifice we're privileged to make. This part of davening, Ashreinu, corresponds to the Ezras Yisrael. We now encounter the next part of the base hamikdash, the Ezras Kohanim. This was the location where the Kohanim performed the daily avodah in the base hamikdash. And the highlight location of the Ezras Kohanim was the mizbei'ach, where the carbonois were brought. When we say carbonois every morning, that corresponds to the entry into [music] the Ezras Kohanim. We say the parshas hatamid. We say ketores. We say ezehu mekoman shel z'vachim. But the bare-bones minimum required recitation of carbonois is the parshas hatamid. The Shulchan Aruch Harav writes in siman mem ches, "Nahagu kol Yisrael v'kavu chovah al atzman." It is the minute of all of Israel. They established it an obligation on themselves to read the daily. Rebbe Yoshev even writes in his Koveitz Chuvot Siman Yud Daled that even women are obligated to say the when we say the each morning we are literally being given the opportunity to encounter the Mizbe'ach of the Beit Hamikdash and we like the Kohanim are empowered to do the on the Mizbe'ach every single [music] morning. The Ezras Kohanim leads up to the Ulam. It leads up to the Ulam through an ascent of 12 steps, 12 steps and a platform, a total of 13 levels. Do you think it's a coincidence that the next part of Davening Rebbe Yishmael the the Braisa of Rebbe Yishmael corresponds to the 13 levels that take us from the Ezras Kohanim and allow us to ascend into [music] the Ulam. Join the revolution [music] of thousands of Jews around the world who are committing to elevate their Tefillah as a merit [music] for their families and as a merit to see the Beit Hamikdash Bi'ur Mayim [music] in our time. Contact [email protected] to join.