Hisnaari meiafar kumi- התנערי מעפר קומי
Shake yourself off from the dust; arise
This is far from poetic language; rather, it is a call to shake off the dust of life, to come alive and live with pride—as if Moshiach were already here. Dust represents neglect. A house that has not been lived in will invariably be covered in dust. Likewise, the soul of the Jewish nation has wallowed in exile—depression, dejection, without a sense of pride and direction. Interestingly, the verse does not say “be lifted/elevated,” it instead says, “shake yourself.” If we wait for others to shake off the dust which has settled, we will continue waiting and its efficacy will be short-lived, because the problem that has been plaguing us will not go away unless we personally do something about it. Hisnaari,—“shake yourself”: the power to arise, to grow, to begin again comes from within oneself. Hashem wants us to know that we are not broken; we can be repaired, but we must initiate that repair by shaking off the dust—ourselves.
