What do we mean to say in the concluding bracha with the word “mishan,” supporter? What type of support are we referring to? If this bracha is discussing bitachon, what are we sticking in with this word “mishan?”
I’d like to share with you an explanation of this word, which is a thought on bitachon that relates to Purim and Pesach. It’s interesting that the Megilla devotes much time to discuss the whole story of Haman leading Mordechai around the city on the king’s horse and with the king’s clothes. If you analyze this, it really has nothing to do with the actual neis of Purim. It has the same characters, and has Mordechai on top of Haman, but it is irrelevant to how the neis of Purim actually went down.
Why is it necessary to mention it then?
The Gaon, in the peirush Avnei Eliyahu in the siddur ha’Gra on the bracha of “Mishan U’mivtach La’tzadikkim,” addresses this and has the following explanation. Hashem rewards those who trust in Him with their requests after time. Until then, Hashem sends them what to lean on, so that they don’t lose their bitachon. We find an example of this by all the nissim that Klal Yisrael witnessed in Mitzrayim. Similarly, we find this in the Megilla when before Haman was hung, Hashem showed klal yisrael that the yeshua was on its way, when Mordechai rode through the streets with Haman saying “Kacha yei’aseh lu’ish asher ha’melech chafeitz bikaro” (6,11).
So it’s true that it had nothing to do with the yeshua, but it was Hashem’s way of telling klal yisrael that He was right by our side, and the final yeshua is coming soon. We must daven for Hashem’s help in all areas, and we must add in our tefilos the idea that we need these kinds of signs for encouragement to enable us to keep our hope. Whatever challenge anyone is facing, he can use something to lean on, to know that Hashem is right by his side, and that the yeshua is coming.
By this bracha of “Mishan U’mivtach La’tzadikkim”, we can have added kavana, pleading that Hashem gives us those situations that we can lean on, and when those situations come, that our eyes be open to see them, enabling us to strengthen our bitachon even more.
