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In this week's Parashah we have the famous pasuk of the 13 attributes of Mercy: ׳׳ויעבר ה׳ על־פניו ויקרא ה׳ ה׳ קל רחום וחנון ארך אפים ורב חסד ואמת׳׳
“Hashem passed before him and proclaimed: “Hashem! Hashem! G-d compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and truth!” (Shemot 34:6)
Rashi explains that Hashem’s name here means Hashem’s mercy, so how could Hashem show his presence before we ask for his forgiveness?
The Gaon of Vilna explains that the pesukim can be rearranged. He explains that these prayers were said before Hashem brought his presence. Moshe said them when they lost Hashem’s presence. After Moshe said these Hashem brought his presence back to the jewish people, and passed before them.
The question on this explanation is as follows. How come the Pesukim are written in this confusing way, just write them in chronological order?
Hashem did this to ensure that when we say these 13 attributes of mercy we merit being in the presence of his Shechina. Without Hashem ensuring us that we can come back to Him what is it worth saying these lines? This proof is not only here when we say ויעבר ה על־פניו, it is every time. Whether Selichot, Yom Kippur, or any other times, its a reminder that Hashem is guaranteeing our gaining of the Zechut to be in His presence.
Rabbi Yeshayahu Horowitz writes in Shnei Luchot HaBrit, that in this Pasuk we see the one commandment which comprises all other commandments: “to walk in Hashem’s ways.” We have to try and emulate Hashem as much as we can.
He continues on that we all know how many times we recite the thirteen attributes and nothing seems to happen and our sins do not seem to disappear. Often times we have trouble asking Hashem for forgiveness, and we may have trouble connecting with the davening but that’s because we aren't taking notice of the words in front of us. The Gaon of Vilna interestingly holds by Shmoneh Esrei one shouldn’t use their own words to connect with Hashem but to connect to the words in the text. A gift we don’t realize we have is having a script to talk with HaKadosh Baruch Hu. Hashem ensures our connection we have with him when we daven. These are special words we are saying, we often take for granted the fact that we have three opportunities to daven to Hashem every day. May we have the Zechut to merit having ויעבר ה׳ על־פניו, but through our hard work of trying to connect with Hashem through the words that we have been given. Shabbat Shalom.