Moshe Rabbeinu was moser nefesh for Klal Yisrael by begging Hashem to erase his name from the Torah rather than destroy the nation. That unbelievable expression of selflessness was paid back, says the Baal HaTurim, by the mention, over and over again, in Parashas Pekudei, that Moshe did exactly as Hashem commanded him to, as it states, “Kaasher tzivah Hashem es Moshe.” Actually, how many times does the Torah say that? Eighteen times! Says the Baal HaTurim, these eighteen times hint at the eighteen berachos we say in Shemoneh Esrei three times a day. (He adds that the pasuk “Kol asher tzivah Hashem kein asu” hints at the nineteenth berachah that was added later.)
In the sefer Mishcha Shemen, Rav Chaim Kaufman zt’l brings from the Yerushalmi (Berachos 4,3), that not only do the 18 times in our parashah hint at the 18 blessings of Shemoneh Esrei, but so do the 18 bones in the vertebral column as well! And the question arises: What is the depth behind this connection?
Based on the words of the Sefer Yereim, he explains: Why do we daven three times a day? Why don’t we just ask Hashem for what we need each and every time we need something? He explains that the idea of tefillah is that we should always recognize that everything we have is from Hashem Yisbarach, from His decree, and from His providence; thus, one should utilize all that he receives, in his body and his possessions, for Hashem.
This means that the main goal of each Shemoneh Esrei is to come to a clear recognition that everything is from Hashem.
The Or HaChaim writes, explains Rav Kaufman, that the depth behind the verse above, “Kaasher tzivah Hashem es Moshe,” that is repeated so many times is that with each and every melachah performed in building the Mishkan the Yidden would say that they are doing it for Hashem Yisbarach. This is, with each donation of their money, and with each aspect of their avodah, they would recognize clearly that all they had been given was from Hashem, for the service of Hashem!
Says Rav Kaufman, this is exactly what the tefillah of Shemoneh Esrei is! Thus, the hint of the 18 blessings fits right into the 18 times of that special pasuk.
The question still remains: How do the 18 vertebrae fit that theme? The Gemara explains (Berachos 28b) that when one bows in Shemoneh Esrei, he must bow to the point that all the vertebrae in his spine are bent. Rav Kaufman explains that this is so that a person can show HaKadosh Baruch Hu his complete humility and his awareness that all he is, and all he has, are only from Him Alone.... Thus, the message and the connection all fit beautifully together.
Klal Yisrael once again is at war in Eretz Yisrael; and it behooves us now, more than ever, to take the above message to heart. So much is in upheaval. Yidden must leave their comfort zones in Eretz Yisrael for safety; schools are closed... so many people trying to get home and unable to because of the matzav... and most of all, Klal Yisrael is in an eis tzarah needing great protection from HaKadosh Baruch Hu.... It is times like these that make us more aware that we have no one to rely on but Him Alone... B’Siyata DiShmaya.
