Shemot תרנ”ג 4
שמעתי מפי מו”ז ז”ל כי כל הלשונות שכ’ במכות ויצעק משה ויעתר כו’.
I heard from my honored grandfather of blessed memory that all the expressions written regarding the plagues—“and Moses cried out,” “and he entreated,” etc.—
The Sefat Emet reports a teaching from the Chidushei HaRim: the various verbs of prayer used during the plagues are intentional and meaningful.
הוא כי ע”י עשרה מכות ניתקנו עשרה לשונות של תפלה כו’.
They indicate that through the Ten Plagues, ten modes of prayer were released.
The plagues did not only punish Egypt; they spiritually repaired and liberated ten distinct levels of prayer that had been constricted.
והוא כענין הנ”ל שהדיבור הי’ בגלות והי’ צריך תיקון.
This is related to what was said above—that speech itself was in exile and required repair.
Before redemption, Israel’s capacity for true, elevated speech was trapped; the plagues began the restoration of holy speech.
לכן צריכין לסמוך גאולה לתפלה.
Therefore, we must connect redemption to prayer.
The liturgical rule of transitioning directly from the blessing of redemption to the Amidah reflects this spiritual process.
כי ע”י יצ”מ נפתח פיהן של ישראל.
For through the Exodus, the mouths of Israel were opened.
Redemption enabled Israel to speak to God with full spiritual clarity and power.
וז”ש א’ שפתי תפתח.
And this is the meaning of “Lord, open my lips.”
The verse is understood as a continuation of the idea that prayer requires divine opening—an echo of the Exodus.
וקבעוהו בין גאולה לתפלה כי זה תכלית הגאולה להיות פתיחת פיהם של בנ”י.
And they established this verse between redemption and prayer, for the purpose of redemption is that the mouths of the Children of Israel be opened.
The placement of this verse in the liturgy is deliberate, expressing that redemption culminates in restored, sanctified speech.
לכן איתא דבשבת א”צ לסמוך גאולה לתפלה כי השבת עצמו הוא בחי’ הגאולה ונפתח בו פיהם של בנ”י כי שבת סהדותא איקרי.
Therefore it is taught that on Shabbat one does not need to connect redemption to prayer, for Shabbat itself is a form of redemption, and on it the mouths of Israel are opened, for Shabbat is called “testimony.”
Shabbat embodies the same spiritual release as the Exodus; it naturally opens the soul to prayer, without requiring the liturgical structure of weekday redemption–prayer continuity.
Summary: The Sefat Emet teaches that the Exodus and the plagues repaired the exile of speech, unlocking ten modes of prayer. Because redemption restores holy speech, Jewish prayer is linked to the remembrance of redemption—except on Shabbat, which itself is a state of inherent redemption.
