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The Sabbath Amidah Prayer
Unlike the weekday Amidah ('standing prayer') that
contains nineteen blessings, the Sabbath Amidah only has
seven blessings. Why seven? The Talmud (Berachot 29a) explains that
these seven blessings correspond to the seven times the
phrase "God's voice" appears in Psalm 29.
Waters of Destruction
The world appears most advanced and perfected when seen in its developed,
built-up state. But upon deeper reflection, it is possible to recognize
that there is also a need for destructive forces in the world. If we can perceive
the benefits of destructive phenomena — like the positive role played by
forest fires in the growth and regeneration of a forest — then we may grasp
how also these forces indicate the underlying purpose and Divine wisdom
governing the universe.
Water is a particularly apt metaphor for nature's destructive forces.
Water, the seas and the oceans, are the antithesis of human progress and
civilization. David composed Psalm 29 while reflecting "upon the water."
He contemplated the great destructive forces in the world — leaving mighty
cedars shattered, deserts shaking, and forests stripped bare — and in their
deafening roar of upheaval he was able to hear the voice of God. Thus the
phrase "God's voice" is the psalm’s leitmotif, repeated seven times.
This insight is most clearly revealed in the spectacular devastation
of cultivated land by floodwaters in the time of Noah. Thus the psalm
concludes by recalling the tremendous destruction of the Flood — "God sat
enthroned at the Flood" (29:10) — a destruction that cleansed the world of
all that was irretrievably evil.
Sabbath Rest
What does all this have to do with the Sabbath? We mistakenly think
that our greatest achievements are to be found in our actions and practical
accomplishments. Idleness and inactivity are assumed to be inconsequential,
if not negative, aspects of life.
In truth, it is rest that perfects all actions. Rest is a contemplative process
that gives meaning and purpose to our endeavors. This is the value of menuchah,
the spiritual rest on the Sabbath day. It deepens our intellectual awareness
and enhances our spiritual life. The Sabbath rest crowns our weekday
activities, directing them toward their true purpose.
Seven Blessings
Now we may understand why the Sabbath Amidah prayer contains seven
blessings. The number seven incorporates six — corresponding to the six
days of creative activity — plus an additional seventh dimension of direction
and purpose (cf. Maharal, Tiferet Yisrael, ch. 40).
The seven blessings of the Sabbath Amidah teach that
the menuchah of Shabbat is not just a negative quality, a cessation from productive
work, but rather the development of our moral faculties and spiritual
direction, cultivating our closeness to God and His ways.
(Silver from the Land of Israel, pp. 31-33. Adapted from Olat Re'iyah vol. II, pp. 19-20;
Ein Eyah vol. I on Berachot 29a (4:43))
Copyright © 2010 by Chanan Morrison
Why did the Sages associate this psalm, which contains not a single
mention of Shabbat, to the Sabbath prayers? Also, why did they describe
this psalm as the one that David composed "upon the waters"? Why the
emphasis on water?