"אבינו מלכנו הרם קרן ישראל עמך"
“Our Father, our King, exalt the glory of Israel your people.”

QUESTION: If “keren” means “glory,” why doesn’t the liturgist use the popular expression of “hod” or “kavod”?

ANSWER: When one invests in an enterprise, the principle invested is called keren. The keren is invested with the expectation of receiving interest or a share of the anticipated profits.

When the investor realizes that the business is failing and not only will he not receive the interest but he may lose the principle too, he will quickly pull out of the enterprise and forego the interest and be happy to secure his keren — principle.

The Gemara (Pesachim 87b) says that the reason Hashem put us through the galut — exile — is so that there may be geirim — proselytes — joining the Jewish people. Hence, the galut is, so to speak, an investment. The Jewish people are the keren — principle — and the geirim that will join are the anticipated profits and interest.

Unfortunately, while this endeavor is taking place, many Jews are lost from the fold due to assimilation with the societies of the nations. Hence, we beseech, “Our Father our King, lift up the keren — the principle — i.e., the Jewish people. Speedily send Mashiach to take us out of galut and bring us to the Holy Land, because the strong risk of losing our Jewish identity overweighs the potential gain of our living in galut.”

(ר' משה ליב זצ"ל מסאסוב)