Will the Real Me Please Stand UP?

One of the more commonly asked questions about the notion of institutionalized prayer is -

Isn't Tefila a personal expression between me and Hashem? Why pray from a Siddur?

Rashi and Rav Hirsch point out a foundational truth about the nature of Tefila.

פלל is one of the words used in Yaakov's blessing to Yosef.

There are 2 types of mixtures. לערב is to mix in a way that the 2 substances mix with each other and appear to be one new creation. However, the compound may be split back into its original 2 forms via a process. Contrast בלל [like בלבול] is a mixture that once formed creates a new substance that cannot be separated. פלל and בלל are interchangeable.

One of the terms for prayer is להתפלל. The idea is that when I pray I am not expressing a prayer of a personal nature. The "Direction of Influence" is actually one of an external to internal direction. Prayer, specifically, the prayer of the siddur, holds the keys to the eternal truths that exist outside of us. When I pray, I am actually changing myself by ingesting these truths. This change is one that is more of a mixture that changes the essence of who I am. It is not a facade of 1 element that is in truth 2 separate entities.

It is the New Me.

Life or Death? Vayechi II

There are 2 parshios that really are about death. Both of them have the term Chaim or life in its title.

Parshas Chayei Sarah is about her death.

Parshas VaYechi is about Yaakov's farewell to his family. Again, it is about his leaving the world and not living in it....

Why is this so?

Hint: Think about when life has value and what constitutes REAL life...

What do you think?

Vayechi

Yakov blesses Yosef's children: "May (God) bless the boys, and let them carry my name, along with the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac. May they increase like fish in the land." [Gen. 48:16]

3 Questions about this blessing.

(1) Since when do angels bless people? Is not Hashem the source of all blessing?

[note that the verse previous to this one references Hashem]

(2) Fish lay thousands of eggs during their lifespan. Rodents and insects do as well. What is the significance of fish? Why were Joseph's children blessed to be like fish?

(3) The phrase "increase like fish in the land" is odd. Fish live in water and not on the land? What kind of blessing is this?

see http://www.ravkooktorah.org/VAYEHI59.htm for 1 approach to these questions.

See also Rav Hirsch [Chumash] who shares significant ideas to help solve these questions.