Deeply entrenched in galus, there isn’t a person among us who hasn’t encountered a lost Jewish soul
Not everyone is a “klal person,” devoting large chunks of time to issues affecting the Jewish world at large. Perhaps some of us wish we were more involved in this holy work, yet recognize that time constraints, personality, or other factors limit our ability to participate. For those of us who wish we could do more, the next set of brachos in Shemoneh Esreh are reassuring.
The brachah “teka beshofar gadol l’cheiruseinu” represents a shift in the birchos bakashah of Shemoneh Esreh. In the previous six bakashos we focused inward, davening for our personal needs and for our loved ones. From this brachah on, we direct our focus outward, concentrating on the greater needs of Klal Yisrael. In these brachos we entreat Hashem for the greater good of our nation. In a very real sense, this offers us the daily opportunity to, “work for the klal.”
This brachah is our appeal for kibbutz galuyos, a fervent request for Hashem to gather the Jewish nation from remote corners of the earth to greet Mashiach. However, Rav Chaim Friedlander (Sifsei Chaim) adds another layer of intent: Geulah ruchanis, spiritual Geulah.
Every physical exile we’ve endured began with a lapsed connection to Hashem and His Torah. When we rejected our uniqueness as the Am Hanivchar, Hashem’s Chosen Nation, and ignored the responsibilities it engendered, we paved the way for our own demise. The direct result was exile from Eretz Yisrael and our dispersal throughout other nations.
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