"Blessed are you Hashem, who blesses His nation with peace."

This thought is taken from the last verse of Psalm 29. There, Psalmist speaks of the majesty of Hashem: "The voice of Hashem is upon the waters, the Lord of glory thunders, Hashem is upon vast waters ... the voice of Hashem breaks the cedars, Hashem shatters the cedars of Lebanon! ... Yet all the while, in His Temple all proclaims His glory ... Hashem will bless His nation with peace."

Malbim writes that this psalm was composed on the occasion of a mighty storm which swept through the land. The storm broke the great cedars of Lebanon; it wreaked untold havoc. Yet, when the storm reached Jerusalem, the dwelling place of Hashem, it stopped, and all was peaceful. The Psalmist saw in this incident a message for all time. Even amidst all the tumult and bedlam that at times appears to envelop the world, Hashem leaves a niche of peacefulness, a special corner of tranquility which He makes available for His people Israel.

This is the gift of peace which we speak of in our blessing. It isn't always easy to find. Sometimes our lives seem to be overcome by tumult and chaos. Events overtake us at breakneck pace, and we find it difficult to catch our breath. But if we search deep within ourselves, then we will find the ability to maintain that tranquility of heart which makes life liveable.

This last blessing, the blessing of peace, concludes the shemoneh esrei prayer. Throughout the shemoneh esrei, we have spoken of many different kinds of blessings which Hashem bestows upon His people. But we conclude the shemoneh esrei by speaking of the blessing of peace. For, as the Sages of the Talmud comment, "Hashem has found no other vessel in which to hold blessing than that of peace." If one cannot achieve peace of mind, then all the blessings which have been granted him are as nothing. He is unable to appreciate any of them.

So we ask Hashem, not only to grant us peace, but also to give us that inner energy which will enable us to find the peace of mind that will let us appreciate all our other blessings.

Copyright (c) 1998 by Rabbi Levi Langer

Courtesy of www.JewishAmerica.com
Have a good Shabbos!