Hayom Yom 26 Teves - Uproot, shatter, and crush vs subdue

The daily Hayom Yom with Rabbi Yosef Katzman · Jan 14, 2026 · 4m

בְּבִרְכַּת וְלַמַּלְשִׁינִים

[In Shemoneh Esreh], when reciting the blessing that begins VelaMalshinim,

"מַפְסִיקִים קְצָת בֵּין “וּתְמַגֵּר" לְתֵיבַת "וְתַכְנִיעַ

one should pause slightly between the words u'semager and vesachniya.

מַתְאִים לְהַכַּוָּנָה

This reflects the mystical intent

"אֲשֶׁר "תְּעַקֵר וּתְשַׁבֵּר וּתְמַגֵּר

that [the requests expressed by the first three verbs] — se’aker, u’seshaber, u’semager (“uproot, shatter, and crush”) —

הֵם נֶגֶד ג' קְלִיפּוֹת שֶׁצְּרִיכִים הַעֲבָרָה לְגַמְרֵי

relate to the three utterly impure kelipos, [i.e., the three irredeemable forces of…