In his shiur on Tuesday, Rav Welcher stressed the importance of the Kavanna in the first Brocha of Shomoneh Esrai. According to modern poskim like the Steipler and Rav Moshe, even without proper Kavanna one fulfills their davening obligation, but l'chatchila we should try to achieve proper Kavanna.
Rav Welcher pointed out that according to the Ramchal, the first brocha represents the three primary middos of a Hashem and the Avos who personified them. We begin we Chesed personified by Avraham and the word ha-gadol. Rav Welcher pointed out that for Chesed to be received in a usable for it has to be limited through Din. Yitzchak represents Din and the word ha-gibbur is used. The third leg is Tiferes, exemplified by Yaakov representing Torah and the word ve-ha-norah. Tiferes is the perfect synthesis of Chessed and Din and it is through Torah that this wonderous balance is achieved.
Of course it is impossible to give over the full flavor of the many beautiful ideas Rav Welcher conveyed while standing on one blog post. But on Tuesday at 8:30 we will hear a shiur on Modim and it is another good opportunity to increase our understanding and committment to meaninful davening.
