The Torah foretells of a time when we will endure a seemingly endless chain of terrible tragedies. We will be so distraught over these increasing curses that have no apparent end in sight.
Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: "Rabbi Yehoshua testified that from the day the Temple was destroyed, there is no day without a curse…"
Rava said: "Every day's curse is worse than that of the preceding one, as it is said 'In the morning, you will say, "Who will bring evening?" and in the evening, you will say, "Who will bring morning?"' (Devarim 28:67)
Which morning does this refer to? If you say morning the next day, who knows if it will be better than today? Rather, the morning that just passed. (Sotah 49a)
The Talmud goes on to wonder, 'If so, on what does the world subsist?'
It answers: On Kedusha De-sidra [The Order of Kedusha] and on Kaddish of Aggada, as it is said (Iyov 10:22) 'The earth is dimmed in the mist of the shadow of death and בלא סדרים — without orders (sedarim);' but if there are sedarim, then it appears out of the mist.
The Kedusha De-sidra is the core of the "U-va le-Tziyyon" prayer we recite towards the end of our daily tefillah. It consists of the angelic triple expression of Kedusha as it appears in their verses of praise, that we also recite each morning in the blessing of Kriyas Shma, as well as in the responsive Kedusha of Shemoneh Esrei.
This Kedusha De-sidra is distinct from the earlier ones in that we include with the Hebrew Kedusha its Aramaic translation as well.
Evidently the incessant curses will eventually wear us down completely. There must be an antidote. The Talmud reveals that our survivability is contingent on the recitation of these verses of Kedusha and its Aramaic translation.
Is it that simple?
Even more perplexing is the fact that the Talmud doesn't indicate that reciting these verses will necessarily end the curses, it will merely power us to subsist.
Perhaps it wasn't as much their suffering that was intolerable, but rather the mental anguish of dealing with a pain that seems never-ending. Living in a mindset of entropy, which professes that nature has an irreversible tendency towards increasing disorder and inertness, one will simply be driven to madness. One who lives with that attitude indeed will suffer growing distress each day.
Isn't this indicated in the earlier quoted verse from Iyov that depicts the state of this tormented individual as one whose existence on 'the earth is dimmed in the mist of the shadow of death and בלא סדרים — without orders' — a world of disorder and chaos?
How are we to intervene and reorder this chaos?
The cure lies in our ability to make a drastic change in our attitude.
Rashi elaborates on the efficacy of Kedusha-De-sidra — 'The Order of Kedusha', and Kaddish of Aggada, and its objective.
"The Order of Kedusha" was established in order that all the Jewish people may involve themselves in [studying] a small portion of Torah daily, as reciting the verses and their translation is akin to immersing oneself in Torah. Since this has become the custom throughout Israel, amongst [Torah] students and amongst the ignorant alike, and since there are two important components קדושת השם — the sanctification of G-d's name and תלמוד תורה — Torah study — it is חביב — beloved. The same is true of "Amen yehei shemeih rabba" recited after the lecturer publicly teaches a portion of Aggada on Shabbos — this was the custom, since it was not a workday and many people could gather to listen — containing both תורה — Torah study and קידוש השם —kiddush Hashem.
In the earlier parts of prayer, we refer to the angels who thricely proclaim the holiness of the Master of 'Legions' — the order of infinite heavenly bodies that are organized to do His service.
In 'The Order of Kedusha' we translate that same verse in Aramaic, a language not understood by angels, and connect the 'Holy in the lofty heavens on high, the abode of His presence', adding that 'He is holy on earth, the product of his might', and concluding with 'holy forever and to all eternity is G-d; Master of Legions filled is the whole world with radiance of His glory'.
Our ability to promote the 'sanctity of His Name', sanctifying His Name in our role as 'Legions' upon earth, representing His will in all our actions upon this physical realm, is a privilege exclusive to humans and not available to angels.
We are a conglomerate of talents, each one of us unique in our own way. Some are very learned, while others are ignorant. We each strive to absorb as much Torah as we are able. But we all, regardless of scholarship, understand our mission to sanctify His Name in facing whatever may come our way, no matter how difficult the circumstance, and enthuse it with purpose. That is why we are here on 'earth'.
We must all 'translate' the Torah we have been privileged to receive, into 'life' at every juncture, stamping our every endeavor with His Name.
In that same vein, when we all — scholar and ignorant alike — join together in a common mission to gain inspiration from a scholar teaching Aggada on Shabbos specifically — when we are free of obligations and distractions — the section of Torah that seeks to inspire through parables and anecdotes regarding morals and ethics; closeness to G-d; improvement of character; which directs us how to implement in our life expressions that bring honor to G-d — that is the greatest קידוש השם — Sanctification of His Name.
The lecture concludes with the recitation of Kaddish and its climatic expression we shout in unison — 'May His Name that is great be blessed forever and for all eternity', we begin the path of restructuring a world of chaos and restoring it to its original and glorious 'order'!
Hopefully, our living robust 'ordered' lives will not only equip us to deal with equanimity whatever challenge we face, it will also bring us closer to the day when we will be free from all curses.
תכלה שנה וקללותיה — May the year end and with it, its curses.
באהבה,
צבי יהודה טייכמאן
