[Avodah] Retzei

[Samuel Svarc]

>From: Elliott Shevin <eshevin at hotmail.com>
>Subject: [Avodah] Retzei
>
>
>I've usually prayed from siddurim in which the brocha "retzei" is
>punctuated, "... vehashaiv et avodah lidvir betacha (period). Ve-ishei
>Yisrael utefilatam be-ahava tikabel...."
>
>In English, this becomes "... and return the service to the Holy of
>Holies of your house. And receive with love the fire-offerings of Israel
>and their prayers...."
>
>I've only recently noticed that many siddurim punctuate it, "...
>vehashaiv et avodah lidvir betacha (comma) ve-ishei Yisrael (period).
>Utefilatam be-ahava tikabel...."
>
>Or in English, "... and return the service to the Holy of Holies of your
>house, and the fire-offerings of Israel. And receive with love their
>prayers...."
>I find the latter awkward; "return the service to... and the fire-
>offerings?"


The way my father explained it to me is the following: If one will say,
"Ve-ishei
Yisrael utefilatam be-ahava tikabel..." "And receive with love the
fire-offerings of Israel
and their prayers....", he has just said something incomprehensible. There
are no fire-offerings these days (unfortunately). The most logical construct
is, "vehashaiv et avodah lidvir betacha
ve-ishei Yisrael" "and return the service and the fire-offerings of Israel
to the Holy of Holies of your house".

KT and GS,
MSS