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Divine Might

Ashkenaz · Weekday · Minchah · Amida · Divine Might

Nusach
Ashkenaz
Edition
Translation based on the Metsudah linear siddur, by Avrohom Davis, 1981

Divine Might

You are mighty forever, my Master; You are the Resurrector of the dead the Powerful One to deliver us.

God’s rule of the world is permanent and perpetual.—Kuzari

This is the emphatic expression of our belief in the immortality of the soul.—Kuzari

This passage begins the section of Shemoneh Esrei called “Gevuros” (Might) and its major theme is to praise God as “the Mighty One.” Who alone restores man to life, health, freedom, and well-being.—Vilna Gaon

From the Musaf of the first day of Pesach until the Musaf of Shemini Atzeres one should say:

He causes the dew to descend.

From the Musaf of Shemini Atzeres until the Musaf of the first day of Pesach you should say:

Causer of the wind to blow and of the rain to fall.

God’s might is as much manifested in causing the rain as it is in reviving the dead. In fact the Talmud (Maseches Taanis 7a) declares in the name of Rabbi Avohu: “The day when rain falls is greater than the day of the resurrection of the dead.” Rabbi Yochanan said, (Ibid, 2a): “There are three ׳keys’ which God retains in His own hands and does not entrust to any emissary: the key to rain, the key to childbirth, and the key to the resurrection of the dead.”

If you neglected to say this, and became aware of your omission before saying the blessing מְחַיֵּה הַמֵּתִים, “the Resurrector of the dead,” you must say it at that time. If you reminded yourself after saying וְנֶאֱמָן אַתָּה “You are faithful,” you must repeat it and then complete the blessing of מְחַיֵּה הַמֵּתִים. If you became aware of your omission after starting the blessing אַתָּה קָדוֹשׁ “You are holy,” even if you only said the word “You,” say the Shemoneh Esrei from the beginning. If during the first thirty days after Shemini Atzeres you are in doubt whether you said it, you must assume that you didnot say it. After thirty days, however, since you have become accustomed to saying it, you may assume that you recited the proper phrase and you need not repeat the Shemoneh Esrei.

Sustainer of the living with kindliness, Resurrector of the dead with great mercy, Supporter of the fallen, and Healer of the sick, and Releaser of the imprisoned, and Fulfiller of His faithfulness to those who sleep in the dust. Who is like You, Master of mighty deeds, and who can be compared to You? King Who causes death and restores life, and causes deliverance to sprout forth.

The most extraordinary manifestation of God’s might—to our perception—is when He restores the dead to life. Avudraham writes that the three following praises represent various examples of how God restores life to those who arc near death. When a person falls (either physically or morally) he is often near death; thus, when God supports the fallen he restores their lives. When a person is sick, he often faces death, so when God heals the sick He restores their lives. A person who is imprisoned—i.e., confined—is like dead; thus when God releases the imprisoned He restores their lives.

Just as God shows His faithfulness to the living, so too will He keep faith with the dead who lie in the dust. Others say that “Those who sleep in the dust” refers to the Patriarchs; God will remember the oath He made to them and keep His promises to them.—Avudraham

Deliverance will “grow” in stages rather than all at once.

(During the Ten Days of Penitence add: Who is like You merciful Father, Who remembers His creatures for life, in His mercy)

If you forgot to say this, the same law applies as above concerning “Remember us for life.”

And You are faithful to restore the dead to life. Blessed are You, Adonoy, Resurrector of the dead.

How remarkable is the Jew’s conviction of God’s faithfulness. When the Chazzan says the blessing of “Resurrector of the dead,” the Jew responds, “Amein” even though he has not seen God restore the dead to life; when the Chazzan says the blessing “Redeemer of Israel,” he responds “Amein”, even though he has not yet been delivered; and when the Chazzan says the blessing “Builder of Jerusalem,” he responds “Amein” even though Jerusalem has not yet been rebuilt.—Midrash Tanchuma

(When the Chazzan repeats the Shemoneh Esrei, the Kedushah is said here)

Where it comes in the siddur

Texts and sources

Every prayer text in Amidora comes from openly licensed editions published on Sefaria. Only editions released under CC-BY, CC0 or the public domain are included.