| This
series has focused on the connection between the morning blessings and the individual's
daily renewal of spiritual energy and purpose. This installment discusses the
twelfth blessing. "Baruch ata …sh'asa li kol tsarki."
"Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe,
who has provided my all my needs." Everything is perfect. Up
to now we have heard the cock crow, stretched, arisen and dressed. Spiritually,
we have channeled Divine energy into our intellect, emotions and expression-modes.
We have established ourselves in this physical dimension, the plane in which we
can act and grow, and we have recognized that G-d is managing the world. Now we
have to do something! The Talmud relates this blessing, "Who has provided
me all my needs," to the putting on of shoes. To get out of our private domain
and into the world, we have to put on shoes. Without them we would be restricted,
unable to go forth and pursue our goals. In this blessing, we acknowledge G-d
for giving us the means to do this, as if He had given us our needs directly. This
blessing follows naturally the previous blessing, "Who
directs the steps of man." G-d not only provides direction, he allots us
footwear to help us accomplish our ends and not stumble over the physical obstacles
(or desires or illusions) which are a part of our environment. Thus, shoes function
as a shield between us and gross physicality. Shoes are also an expression
of our self-reliance. The kohanim, priest-servants of the Al-mighty, had
to go barefoot in the Holy Temple. Similarly, Moses at the burning bush and Joshua
in the beginning of his leadership were told by G-d to stand barefoot in His presence.
Being barefoot signifies the relinquishing of independence. Shoes also epitomize
man's supremacy. There are four levels of existence. The inanimate elements of
the lowest level are the foundation and sustenance for the second level, the vegetative.
Plant life in turn, is used by the third level, animal life, for food and protection.
Man, the fourth and highest level, utilizes animals for sustenance and clothing.
Putting on leather shoes to walk on the earth demonstrates our domination of the
three lower levels. (On Yom Kippur and Tisha b'Av, when we do not
wear leather shoes, this blessing is omitted in the Chassidic and Sephardic traditions.) The
past tense of the verb "asah" - "He did" - stresses
that G-d has already made the vessel. Our job is only to fill it; there is no
need to try to recreate ourselves. Nevertheless, the potentials that G-d bestowed
upon us which we have been describing and arousing through all of the previous
blessings have to be utilized or they will be wasted. Yet, with power comes responsibility.
Our mastery of our inner natures demands of us that we be masters of the external
- in the best and most appropriate way.
Rabbi Shaul Leiter is
the executive director
of Ascent-of-Safed.
This series is translated and adapted from Meah Shearim
and other sources | 
