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<P>RMB wrote:</P>
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<P>I also wonder when Retzei was written. Was it during AKG, at a time when there<BR>was a chanukas hamizbei'ach and ishei Yisrael, but no Devir built yet? In<BR>which case, perhaps the tefillah was originally written to be read one way<BR>(vehasheiv as ha'avodah lidvir beisekha. Ve'ishei Yisrael usfilasam...), but<BR>period was moved rather than changing the nusach outright.<BR><BR>The problem with that idea is that there would have been no reason to keep the<BR>line "vehasheiv es ha'avodah" all the time of Bayis Sheini. The two versions<BR>make sense in their respective epochs, but what about the time in between?<BR>>></P>
<P>It have found a source which addresses the question of the meaning and time of composition of Retzei. The following is from the commentary found in Siddur Ashira LaShem, for Friday afternoon and evening prayers:</P>
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<P align=left>2. “And the fire-offerings of Israel and their prayers, in Love may you receive them willingly...” The</P></FONT><I><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2>
<P align=left>Amidah </I></FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2>was composed by the men of the Great Assembly to accompany the sacrifices in the Second</P>
<P align=left>Temple. This phrase remains from that period, although now it has connotations of asking Hashem to</P>
<P align=left>restore the </FONT><I><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2>Beis Hamikdash</I></FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2>, so that the offerings could be brought and accepted.</FONT></P>
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<P align=left><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2>The entire siddur can be viewed at <A href="http://www.aishdas.org/siddur_pg.pdf">http://www.aishdas.org/siddur_pg.pdf</A></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2>I have often noted on this forum the excellence of this siddur .</FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2>Saul Mashbaum</P></FONT></BODY>