A week or two ago, we discussed that one of the 613 Mitzvot (according to some opinions) is Lo B’Sidkatcha/, Not on your righteousness …. which means that when a person has something good happen to him, he shouldn't attribute it to the fact that he's good. He might be good, but that alone is not deserving. Rather, it's due to God's promise to our forefathers and His love for the Jewish people. Rav Wolbe has a rule: Any important principle can be found in the siddur. After giving that class, I noticed that it actually is in our siddur. It's an a part of the siddur called Korbanot , and it starts with the words, L’Olam/ Forever Yehe Adam Yerei Shamayim/A person should be God-fearing Ba’Seter K’Ba’Galui/Whether in hiding or out in the open. This was originally said when the Jewish people had to conceal their religious acts from the Romans, because open acts of religion were forbidden. Therefore, we say that one should be God-fearing when in hiding, just like when in the open. It continues.. U’ Modeh Al HaEmet/ You should be able to admit the truth, which is hard.. V’Dover Emet BilVavo And not only admit the truth externally, but the truth should be set in the heart. What should this truth be? And this is the statement— Ribon HaOlamim/Master of the worlds, VAdonei Adonaim and Boss of all bosses…. And now a pasuk from Daniel (chapter nine, verse 18) is quoted לא על צדקותנו אנחנו מפילים תחנונינו לפניך Lo Al Sidkotenu Anachnu Mapilim Tahanunenu Lefanecha It is not in our righteousness that we are supplicating in front of You. Rather, it's Your great mercy. This line shows up in our prayers on Mondays and Thursdays, and in our Selihot. There’s even a song sung by famous singer with these words ( Riboin by Beri Weber) It’s especially important to say this entire prayer throughout the month of Elul, so we’re going to spend some time on it. And if you want to take on a commitment for the month Elul, maybe say this prayer with kavana. It’s in the introduction of the siddur section called Korbanot, in our daily Shaharit prayers. So let’s understand exactly what this prayer means, and what the impact of this statement is. Simply, it means that I'm not coming to God because He owes me anything. It's not because He owes me anything. I'm coming Tahanumim , which means for a free gift . I need a free gift, and it's God's mercy. What is the impact of this? Number one, says Rabbenu Yonah in Mishleh ( 3,26), Even when a person has great trouble coming close, he's going to start hoping for God's salvation. Why? Because he knows that even though his sins are great and awesome, he hopes to God's mercy. If he was relying on his own good deeds, then when he has a big problem, he doesn't know if his deeds are enough to handle it. But that's not the source of his Bitachon. His reliance on God is not because of his righteousness, but rather because of God's great mercy, and Rabbenu Yonah quotes this pasuk. This pasuk is a source for this principle that we're not relying on God, because of our merits. Furthermore, the Sefer Ikarim , by Rabbi Elbaum (fourth treatise, chapter 16) says that when a person prays, he has to believe that, “ This goodness that comes is coming only because of God's kindness and mercy . God has mercy and kindness on all creations; absolute kindness It’s not that God gives us because He owes us. No, God only gives us out of mercy . And he quotes our pasuk. He says, I'll prove it to you . From a pasuk in Iyov, chapter 41. God says whoever beat Me to it and did something for Me before I paid him? Really? What do you mean? I do a lot of good deeds. The Gemara explains…Did a person ever put a mezuza up before he had a house? Did he ever put up a fence around a roof before he had a house? Did he ever put sisit on before he had a garment… and so on and so forth. So it starts off that God gave us already. How can we possibly say that God owes us anything . If I'm praying, it's with the mouth He gave me. If I’m doing kindness, it’s with the hand that He gave me. If I'm learning, it's with the brain that He gave me. Everything that I do comes from what He gave me. So He doesn't owe us anything . And yet we come to pray. Why? Lo Al Sidkotenu/ Not on our righteousness. And that's a fundamental every day, especially as we start our Selichot season. Have a wonderful day. https://www.dropbox.com/s/lreypsa8tq4zvhf/Beri.m4a?dl=0