לְאֵל עוֹרֵךְ דִּין - בִּתְפִלַּת מוּסָף.
בְּמִנְחָה אֵין אוֹמְרִים הוֹדוּ, אֲבָל אוֹמְרִים פָּתַח אֵלִיָּהוּ.
Before the Minchah Service, we do not recite the psalm beginning Hodu,3 but we do recite the passage beginning Pasach Eliyahu.4
מַה שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּסִּדּוּר, שַׁעַר הַקְּרִיאַת שְׁמַע, דִּבּוּר הַמַּתְחִיל לְהָבִין הַהֶפְרֵשׁ (ע"ד עָמוּד א'), שֶׁקּוֹדֶם תְּקִיעַת שׁוֹפָר אוֹמְרִים אָנָּא בְּכֹחַ, פֵּרוּשׁוֹ: בְּדֶרֶךְ כְּלַל הֵם הַכַּוָּנוֹת מֵהַפְּסוּקִים שֶׁרָאשֵׁי תֵּיבוֹת שֶׁלָּהֶם שֵׁם שֵׁנִי מִשֵּׁם מ"ב, אָמְנָם יֵשׁ שֶׁמְּכַוְּנִים הַתֵּיבוֹת אָנָּא בְּכֹחַ כו' בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה, אֲבָל אֵין אוֹמְרִים הָאוֹתִיּוֹת וְהַתֵּיבוֹת. וְהָעוֹסֵק בְּכַוָּנוֹת צָרִיךְ לִלְמוֹד הָעִנְיָנִים בָּרוּר בְּכִתְבֵי הָאַרִ"י ז"ל, וְאָז כַּוָּנָתוֹ רְצוּיָה.
It is stated in the Siddur5 — under the heading Shaar HaKerias Shema, inthe maamar entitled LeHavin HaHefreish (p. 74a ff.) — that before sounding the shofar we recite the passage beginning Ana BeCho’ach.6 Generally speaking, the [intent of this instruction is that one should have in mind] the mystical significance7 of the verses [recited before the sounding of the shofar], whose words form an acronym for the second [component8 ] of G‑d’s Name of 42 Letters.9 Some individuals, however, picture the words of Ana BeCho’ach in their minds, without articulating the letters or words. Whoever engages in mystical intentions must study the concepts clearly from the writings of the AriZal. [Only] then will his intention be acceptable.10
To Fill In the Background
The spiritual endeavors that we undertake follow one of — or combine — two contrary directions. For example, Torah study involves grasping a glimpse of G‑d’s infinite wisdom with our finite, mortal minds.11 This draws Divine energy downward to the mortal level.12 When we pray, by contrast, we are initiating a connection that is intended to elevate the mortal upward.13 The latter kind of avodah is associated with the Divine Name that is spelled out by the initial letters of Ana BeCho’ach.14 Hence this prayer appears at those points in the liturgy that mark particular stages in one’s ascent to ever-higher spiritual levels.
The first of the above two directions — “from Above, downward” — characterizes our endeavors in the month of Nissan, when the Exodus came about by virtue of Divine intervention initiated from Above. The opposite direction — “from below, upward” — characterizes our endeavors in the month of Tishrei, the month just started in the present work, when our task is to take the initiative and work our way upward by tackling the tasks of teshuvah.
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