Friday, July 16, 2010

Tziyyon beMishpat Tipadeh

There are several brachos in which the Minhag "Seems" to deviate from the
Talmudic formula


1 Boneh BERAHAMAV Yerushalayim


2 Mechahem Tziyyon Bevinyan  Yerushalayim


The "classic" siyyumim are


1 Boneh Yerushalayim
And
2 Boneh Yerushalayim respectfully :-)


Opponents of the "change" from the classic style cite the Passuq "Tziyyon beMishpat Tipadeh". - Which closed last week's Haftara of Hazzon - as a prooftext for eschewing these alterations.


What's Pidyon got to do with it?


However, a careful read makes this prooftext problematic; Viz. What's BINYAN have to do with PIDYON? How can we conflate the 2 verbs?


Rather this prooftext MUST be al pi drush and not al pi P'shat!  So what is the reason for the anti Rachamim Position?


Glad you asked! It has to do with a fundamentalistic view of the matbei'a of brachos.


However, in Ashkenaz, that kind of rigidity was never enforced. Rather minor thematic embelshmints of siyyumim or chasimos was permitted, or even embraced for ad hoc puposes.


Is there a precedent? Yes during the 10 days of Teshuva the Talmud itself flexibly alters the chasimos in order to conform with the season's theme. By extension of Talmudic Methodology, the brachah of Menachem Tziyyon is similarly enhanced.


May we merit the rebuilding of Yerushalayim
Mercifully and Speedily


RRW