Birkot Hashachar reflects the process of awakening, both in terms of a realization of our identity, and also in terms of such mundane things as opening our eyes, stretching our body, standing on our feet, and so forth.
The next blessing reflects a different kind of awakening. It begins with reference to removing sleep from our eyes, in other words, that first splash of cold water to make sure we are fully awake. But “becoming fully awake” is not just about getting past the hangover. It is also being awake to the existential reality of our lives—our weaknesses, our challenges, our temptations.
In a brilliant display of psychological insight, this prayer captures our vulnerability to our inclinations. It’s not about knowing the right thing. It is assumed that we can figure out the right thing. The question is, how do we convince ourselves to do the right thing, and that is a much more subtle process.
Here is the prayer in full:
May it be Thy will, O Lord our G-d and G-d of our ancestors, that we become accustomed to walk in the way of Thy Torah, and to cling to thy precepts. Lead us not into sin or transgression and iniquity, or into temptation or disgrace; let not the impulse toward evil rule over us; keep us far from evil men and worthless companions; and help us cling to the impulse toward good and to good deeds. Bend our will to Thine. Give us this day and every day grace, favor, and mercy—in Thy sight and in the sight of all people, and bestow upon us Thy loving kindness. Blessed art Thou, Lord, who bestows loving kindness upon His people Israel.
Note the detailed awareness of our internal processes: “become accustomed”—habituation (if you can remember the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, you’ll recall how important this is.); “cling”—ambivalence. You cling to that to which your connection is not secure; “lead us not into sin”—rarely do we simply decide to do what is wrong. More often we find ourselves in over our heads and ask, “What the heck happened?”
“Let not the impulse toward evil rule over us,” as Jung would say, we have a shadow side, that, if not addressed properly, will rule our personality, often without us even being aware of it; “keep us far from evil men”—the negative influence of our social environment; “help us cling to the impulse toward good”—as much as we might wish it to be otherwise, goodness is not automatic, nor is it the default position; “bend our will to Thine”—Lincoln would call this appealing to “the better angels of our nature.”; “give us grace”—despite the pretensions of our ego, no man is an island; “in Thy sight and in the sight of all people”—we might hope for, strive for, or imagine we have the ability to simply do what is right in the eyes of G-d, and public opinion be damned. But not so fast. More often than not, people succumb to the view of their neighbors, and sacrifice the grace of G-d for the adulation of the masses. Achieving both goals is, truly, the stuff of prayers. But, and with this the prayer concludes, G-d does indeed bestow that loving-kindness on His people Israel.
Not bad for a Talmudic prayer (Berachot 60b) almost 2000 years old!