Tzaddikim and chassidim are our inspirational models. They radiate the joy of living a life dedicated to actualizing Divine values and ideals. They remind us that the state of Israel does not exist for the purpose of marketing Jaffa oranges. Rather, we have returned to our land to nurture within us and export to the world dedication to the ways of God. One of the pitfalls in the courageous and difficult task of establishing the state of Israel is the possibility that some of us will believe this accomplishment is our own doing and deny the incredible Divine Providence that has accompanied it. We need spiritual leaders to remind us that our worldly accomplishments are blessings from God, and we must always seek His partnership and assistance. We pray that God have compassion upon them and give good reward to all those who trust in His name truly. Note however that what epitomizes these spiritual models is not just their trust in God, but their trust in the name of God. What’s that all about? Perhaps you have experienced sitting on a train next to a stranger. You are sitting there and he’s sitting there, and a couple hours into the trip you start up a conversation. He mentions that he owns a small printing company, so you understand that he is a business man. Then you start talking about your families, and you find out that he has a wife and four children. So, he’s a husband and a father. Then you ask him why he’s on his way to Philadelphia, and he tells you that he’s going to visit his mother because she fell and broke her leg. So you find out that he’s also a son, and a caring son at that. You're going on with this intense conversation for hours, and you realize that you don’t know his name. You feel this awkward hesitation and you’re wondering, “Should I ask him his name?” Finally you say, "What’s your name?” And he hesitates for a bit. What’s the big deal about a name? You already know that he’s a businessman and a husband and a father and a son, and five years ago he and his wife did ten months of marriage counseling, which didn’t help much, but he’s hesitant to tell you his name. Have you ever been in that situation, where you know seemingly everything about a person, but you don’t know his or her name? Why is it that some of us feel uncomfortable asking a person his or her name? Very often people will start off a conversation asking, “Where are you from?” or “What do you do?” or “How long will you be here?” But most people are, for some reason, uncomfortable starting off a conversation with “Hi, what’s your name?” When you exchange names with someone you establish a direct relationship, essence to essence, soul to soul. Everything else you revealed until now—that you are a businessman, father, husband, son—add up to titles; they’re not your name. They express formal relationships, but not a direct intimate connection. One of the great mysteries about God and gift from God is that He has given us His name. He has committed to us that all we have to do is call and He will be there. He wants a relationship with us. He wants us to experience how He is ever-present in our lives. The spiritual greats among us are people who trust in God’s name. They constantly invite God into their life and commune with Him daily. We therefore ask God to give a good reward to all those who genuinely trust in His name. As straightforward as this prayer may seem, it begs a question: Is there really such a thing as a bad reward? Some commentators explain that a good reward is one that we can all see as being good. Pain, for instance, does not look good to us. While the Torah teaches that everything God does is for our good, it is still very difficult for us to see pain as positive. Therein lies the eternal question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” The Torah teaches that “bad things” only look bad; they, too, are good but their positive aspect is hidden. In this blessing, therefore, we pray for God to bring to all who trust in His name rewards that we can all clearly see as good. Then we will all feel inspired to be like them because we will clearly recognize the benefits of a vibrant relationship with God. And we will naturally ask that God “put our share among them forever, and we will not be embarrassed because we put our trust in You.” Once we ourselves are counted among the greats who sincerely trust in God’s name, we will no longer suffer the embarrassment that we only trusted in God and put in no effort of our own. In other words, to only trust in God is really an embarrassment to a Jew who should know better. God has established a relationship of covenant with us. He wants us to be powerful, confident and resourceful. He does not want us to just rely on Him and contribute nothing. Rather He wants us to participate, as His covenantal partners, in determining our future as do those who trust in His name. We benefit the most from our spiritual leaders when we live among them and encounter them in situations of everyday life. Just glimpsing a tzaddik can be an uplifting experience. Rav Avigdor HaLevi Nevenzhal, the chief rabbi of the Old City of Jerusalem, is a perfect example. Simply seeing him is an inspiration. First of all, he wears his tefillin all day long, rather than just during Shacharit, the morning prayer service. And wherever Rav Nevenzhal goes, he is always learning Torah. When he walks down the street, you will see him peering into a tractate of Talmud, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings yet acutely aware of them. I once saw him giving tzedakah as he walked through the Jewish Quarter. Long before he approached the person, he reached into his pocket and readied his money, saving the person the embarrassment of having to ask. It is an experience just to watch him buy milk at the supermarket. The way he relates to the cashier and the various people in the store is truly heart-warming and inspiring. Living amid this kind of spiritual greatness is what we ask for in this blessing.