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Сила Теилим

1 Tishrei · Yahrzeit

Yahrzeit/Hillula of Rabbi Amnon of Mainz and the Prayer "U-netaneh Tokef"

Rabbi Amnon of Mainz (Germany, 11th century). The Story of the Prayer "U-netaneh Tokef" Long ago, in the city of Mainz, there lived a man named Rabbi Amnon. Everyone in the city knew him. He was honest, kind, wealthy, and influential. One day, the duke's courtiers informed the Rabbi that if he renounced his faith, the duke was prepared to make him a minister. Rabbi Amnon paid no attention to the courtiers' words. Soon the duke himself approached him with the same proposal, and again the Rabbi refused. Day after day, the duke's messengers pestered the Rabbi, until he asked them to give him three days to think it over. After the duke left, Rabbi Amnon felt ashamed of his own words: "There is nothing to think about! How could I ever renounce my Jewish faith?" The Rabbi felt so troubled that he decided to fast. For 3 days the Rabbi ate nothing and grew very weak, so he could not come to the meeting on time, and the duke ordered him to be brought by force. "Why did you not come and give your answer at the appointed time?" "It is my fault. Punish me. Cut out my tongue for having doubted my faith." "I will not cut out your tongue," the duke replied. "I will cut off your legs and arms, because they refused to carry out my order." And so it happened: Rabbi Amnon's fingers and toes were cut off, and, tormented by the torture, he was carried home. All this happened just a few days before the holiday. When the day of Rosh Hashanah arrived, the Rabbi asked to be carried to the Beit HaMikdash [the synagogue]. When his request was fulfilled, a sudden silence fell over the synagogue. And then the Rabbi began to recite the prayer, quietly and slowly. It began with the words: "U-netaneh Tokef". From that day on, "U-netaneh Tokef" became one of the most central and important prayers of the New Year. The Prayer "U-netaneh Tokef" "Let us proclaim the mighty holiness of this day, when You, Ha-Shem, will judge all people. You see all our deeds, good and evil. You remember everything we have done this past year, and You see what no one else can see. Just as a shepherd who watches over his flock sees all the sheep as equal, all alike, so too are we all equal before You. And we ask ourselves what will become of us this year. We do not know who will be blessed and who will go hungry. Who will be filled with anger and who will be happy. Who will be surrounded by good friends and who will be alone. Who will do well in school and who will not. Who will help those in need and who will remain indifferent. Who will try to understand friends and parents, and who will refuse to listen. We do not know what this year will bring, but we know for certain that if we help our neighbors and all who are in need, if we sincerely repent of our wrongdoings, if we pray with a pure heart, all of us will become better. The Almighty knows this, takes it into account, and judges us according to our deeds." (From the siddur "Majora Ieladim," Seminario Rabinico)