“This is the blessing that Moses, the man of God, blessed the children of Israel before his death” (Deuteronomy 33:1). Halakha: A person of Israel who passed before the ark1He served as prayer leader. and erred,2He is unable to continue the prayer for some reason. how must he act? So the Sages taught: One who passes before the ark and errs, let another pass in his stead. Our Rabbis taught us, Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: If one erred in the first three blessings, he returns to the beginning of “Shield.”3“Shield of Abraham,” the first blessing of the Amida prayer.
Rav Huna said: If one erred in the middle three4There are actually thirteen middle blessings in the weekday Amida prayer. Thus, the midrash is referring to a case in which someone made a mistake in one of the thirteen middle blessings. In the Musaf prayer of Rosh Hashanah there are three middle blessings. blessings, he returns to “the holy God.”5The third blessing ends with the words "the holy God."
The midrash states that the person who made the mistake starts from the fourth blessing, which begins right after the words "the holy God." Rav said: If one erred in the final three, he returns to the beginning of “we give thanks.”6Which is the first of the last three blessing Another matter, one who passes before the ark and erred, another passes in his place. From where does he begin? It is from the beginning of the blessing where he erred.
From where did they derive it? It is from the patriarchs of the world. Why? It is because each of them would begin only from where the other ended.
How so? Abraham blessed Isaac. From where is it derived? It is as it is written: “Abraham gave all that was his to Isaac” (Genesis 25:5).
What did he give him? Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda says: He gave him the birthright, like the matter that is stated: “He sold his birthright to Jacob” (Genesis 25:33). Rabbi Neḥemya said: He gave him a blessing, like the matter that is stated: “May God give you [of the dew of the heavens and the fat of the earth…]” (Genesis 27:28). Isaac arose to bless Jacob, he said: ‘From the place that father ended, I will begin.
Father ended with veyiten, I, too, will begin with veyiten,’ as is it is stated: “May God give you [veyiten lekha].” With what did Isaac end? It was with summoning, as it is stated: “Isaac summoned Jacob and blessed him” (Genesis 28:1). Jacob arose to bless the tribes, he said: ‘I will begin only with summoning,’ as it is stated: “Jacob summoned his sons” (Genesis 49:1).
With what did he end? It was with zot, as it is stated: “And this [vezot] is what their father spoke to them” (Genesis 49:28). Moses arose to bless Israel, he said: ‘I will begin only with zot.’ From where is it derived? It is from what is written regarding the matter: “This is [vezot] the blessing.”