עננו ה' עננו
A Call for a Divine Reaction
1. Answer us God, Answer us 2. On our day of fasting 3. For we are in great turmoil
1. Do not incline to our evil 2. Do not hide Your face from us 3. Do not ignore our pleas
1. Be close to our salvation 2. grant us kindness in consoling us 3. Before we call out, answer!
This little poem of three stanzas across and three down has a consistent rhyme and meter. It is a bit strange in that the nature of the prayer is a plea for salvation yet the author chose to formulate it in a poetic style.
The poem begins and ends with its leading word--anenu, answer us revealing the author's focus from which he never veers. To ask for an answer or rather a 'response' implies there is an initial call on the part of Israel. What else would God be answering?
In truth while we associate answering in a verbal manner, this poem refers to a physical response. We say to God that we have initiated an action of teshuva, our fasting which represents an active pursuit of God amidst our turmoil, we ask, almost expect from God a reaction--anenu!
The first line stays in the positive and ignores the ultimate root for our necessity to fast (almost as if to cut off the fourth parallel stanza). The second line goes to the double negative telling God not to incline towards our negative; not to hide from us, not to ignore our supplications. The final line returns to the positive asking God to save, console, Answer!
This prayer could only be recited while in the midst of fasting. There is a major difference between the prayer of an objective observer and a subjective sufferer (I learned this from Rabbi Carmy about the difference between Isaiah and Jeremiah).
When we are suffering and we act instead of remain passive the poet tells us that we are justified in calling out to God and even demanding a reaction on His side. We are not silent, we tell God, nor have we been passive. Our fast represents our actions of returning to God, introspection, ultimately of a movement towards our spirit and away from our physicality.
We turn to God in this state and only in this state and beseech--Anenu, answer, react, save us, עננו
A blog dedicated to the analysis of Tehillim--psalms-- as well as their adaptation to daily Orthodox Jewish liturgy, attempting to answer questions such as "Why did our sages use Psalms as the medium with which to commune with God?"
My new book...
The Poetry of Prayer: Tehillim in Tefillah, published by Gefen Publishing House, can be ordered at http://www.gefenpublishing.com/product.asp?productid=715 or bought at your local Jewish bookstore.
About Me
- Rabbi Avi Baumol
- Efrat, Gush Etzion, Israel
- I was Born and raised in NY and studied at Yeshiva University, receiving an MA in Medieval Jewish History as well as Semikha, Rabbinic ordination. Studied in Yeshivat Har Etzion for several years where the love for Torah and Tehillim developed. I am married to Hadley and we have five beautiful children, Elisheva, A.J., Ashira, Tiferet and Techelet. I have taught Tehillim as well as Torah, Halakha, philosophy and Talmud in day schools, high schools, Yeshivot and Seminaries as well as adult education for the past 18 years. I served as the rabbi of Congregation Schara Tzedeck in Vancouver, British Columbia from 1998-2003. From 2009 until 2013 I was the Rosh midrasha of a new and exciting seminary called Midreshet Tzvia (www.tzvia.org) and have finished a book on Tehillim called The Poetry of Prayer. I am taking a new position serving the Jewish community of Krakow, teaching Torah and Jewish identity to the revitalizing Jewish community.
