Garden of Hashem in Colorado Springs
I had an epiphany while davening Rosh Hashana.
It seems that every group of Jews chooses to use the ancient prayer of Rabbi Akiva as point of song in prayer.
Interestingly the verse sung seems to reflect the ethos of each group.
The Veltishe tune focuses on the nadir of man - our baseness and lack of good deeds:
אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ חָנֵּנוּ וַעֲנֵנוּ כִּי אֵין בָּנוּ מַעֲשִׂים עֲשֵׂה עִמָּנוּ צְדָקָה וָחֶסֶד וְהושִׁיעֵנוּ.
The Chassidisher Olam focuses on the answering of our prayers, the needs of the many and the desire for physical blessings (I site the Belzer Avinu Malkeinu)
אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ פְּתַח שַׁעֲרֵי שָׁמַיִם לִתְפִלָּתֵנוּ
In Chabad we sing the Alter Rebbe's tune . . . we hone in the inner meaning of Rosh Hashana - accepting the kingship of Hashem upon ourselves.
אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ אֵין לָנוּ מֶלֶךְ אֶלָּא אָתָּה
Tatteh in himmel - du bist dach unzere eintziger kenig - mir hubbin keiner nisht a chutz fun dir!
I'd like to ask anyone I may have offended to please forgive me. Of special note, there was a rather intense exchange of words on this blog with Chaim Rubin from the Life of Rubin blog. I'd like to publicly state that I have nothing personally against him, and if chalilah I've been cruel and vicious to him, I'd like to ask his mechilah.
May we all be blessed with a good sweet year.
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