Recap We will continue where we left off in the issues before Yom Tov, going through the specific inner intention of each bracha in Birchas Hashachar.
Mattir Assurim
Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the universe, Who releases the bound. We thank Hashem for giving us the ability to move our bodies. We recognize that even our basic ability to move comes from Hashem.
Zokeif Kefufim
Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the universe, Who straightens the bent. We thank Hashem for giving us the ability to straighten ourselves and stand up. We are no longer only awake and aware; now we are ready to get up and actually do something.
Inner Intention
Thank You, Hashem, for giving me a body that can stand up and move around. Please help me use my body to physically serve You today.
Deeper Dive
The Arizal teaches that these two brachos are connected, and that they are both rooted in chochma. Chochma is the first point where something begins to emerge from its root and move toward expression and action. In these two brachos, we move from simply being awake and aware to being able to act. Hashem gives us a body that can move, straighten itself, and get up so that we can begin using the new day to serve Him.
Malbish Arumim
Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the universe, Who clothes the naked. On the simple level, we thank Hashem for giving us clothing. As we explained in earlier weeks, clothing surrounds a person’s body. In pnimiyus, this represents the spiritual goals and aspirations that “surround” us — the levels we have not yet reached, but that we hope to reach. In Malbish Arumim, we thank Hashem for giving us new makifin d’kedusha: new goals and new possibilities for growth.
Inner Intention
Thank You, Hashem, for giving me new spiritual goals and possibilities for growth. Please help me reach higher today than I did yesterday.
Hanosein Laya’eif Koach
Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the universe, Who gives strength to the weary. On a deeper level, this bracha represents Hashem renewing the parts of our neshama that have become tired or need to be repaired. Every morning, Hashem gives us fresh ratzon and hishtokekus (longing) to connect to Him. Even if we made mistakes yesterday, or parts of our avodah have become tired and weak, today we receive new strength to begin again.
Inner Intention
Thank You, Hashem, for giving me fresh spiritual energy today. Please help me use that strength to fix the mistakes I have made and bring new life to the tired parts of my neshama.
Deeper Dive
The Arizal teaches that these two brachos are connected. Both represent the new makifin that we receive each day. The first represents the new spiritual heights we can reach, while the second represents the renewed strength Hashem gives us to repair the parts of ourselves that need fixing.
In these two brachos, our thanks to Hashem becomes even more detailed. We thank Him not only for giving us another day, but for renewing us and giving us new opportunities to grow. Hashem gives us fresh strength, new goals, and a new desire to become closer to Him. This corresponds to binah, where the shefa becomes more detailed and awakens within us a deeper yearning to connect to Hashem.
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 103.