"עשה למען פארך"
“Act for the sake of Your magnificence.”

QUESTION: What is “pe’eircha” — “magnificence” referring to?

ANSWER: The Gemara (Berachot 6a) says that Hashem wears tefillin containing the pasuk, “And who is like Your people like Israel, one nation on earth” (II Samuel 7:23), which testifies to the uniqueness and greatness of the Jewish people. The Gemara (Berachot 11a) also says that tefillin are called “pe’eir” — “magnificence” — as we find that when Yechezkeil was in mourning, he was told, “Pe’eirecha chavush alecha” — “Put on your magnificent headgear (tefillin)” (Ezekiel 24:17).

Thus, when beseeching Hashem, “Asei lema’an pe’eirecha” — “Act for the sake of your magnificence,” this may be explained to mean that we are asking Hashem to act on behalf of His “pe’eir” — tefillin — i.e. the Jewish people: “Please forgive the sins of the Jewish people and make them the ‘one nation on earth.’ Thus, Your tefillin, which declare the praise and uniqueness of the Jewish people, will be telling the truth. Otherwise, the kashrut of Your tefillin will be questionable.”

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When tefillin fall to the ground they should be picked up immediately, and it is customary to give them a kiss.

When Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev once observed such a scene in his shul, he lifted his eyes to Heaven and said, “Al-mighty G‑d, when this simple Jew’s tefillin fell down, he immediately picked them up and kissed them. The Gemara (Berachot 6a) says that You, too, wear tefillin and in Your tefillin is written Your pride in the Jewish people. Unfortunately, Your tefillin — the Jewish people — have fallen, and have been lying in disgrace for many years with the nations of the world stepping on them. Why don’t You pick up Your tefillin — the Jewish people — and give them the ‘kiss’ they so well deserve?”

Rabbi Levi Yitzchak’s heartfelt plea to Hashem to “pick up Your tefillin and give them a kiss,” was that Hashem should immediately send Mashiach to redeem the Jews and take them out of exile.

(ר' ישראל זצ"ל מריזין — ספר רביד הזהב, ליקוטים)