Mifkad

Bnei Akiva snifim all over the world start or end their meetings with mifkad, a half-circle shaped assembly where announcements are made, members are counted, and our basic beliefs are enthusiastically reaffirmed. With slight variations, the text of mifkad is the same wherever you are- whether you’re in Bnei Akiva in Dallas, Denmark, or Degania.

Click here for the full text of mifkad.

Our Bracha- Hashem Imachem!

Our Rabbis teach us “A man should always greet his fellow man using the name of Hashem.”(Berachot 54.) The Talmud learns this from two biblical sources. Boaz greets his workers when he comes to his fields just before he is to meet Ruth for the first time, with “ Hashem Imachem”-May G-D be with you. (Ruth 2,4) Also, G-D’s angel greets Gideon just before he goes into battle with the blessing “Hashem Imcha.”(Shoftim 6,12) The Rabbis did not see this, as belittling G-D’s name, or blasphemous. Rather this is a sign of righteousness and away of showing our faith in Hashem and in His Hashgacha, or omniscience. We also often say G-D willing,(Im Yirtzeh Hashem)and Be’ezrat Hashem,( with G-D’s help).

When one blesses us with G-D’s presence, we should answer with a similar blessing: “Yivarechicha Hashem” –May G-D bless you!

Therefore, every general meeting of chaverim has this blessing and answer. So too, all correspondence should start with this blessing. And all correspondence should end with the blessing “Bevirkat Chaverim LeTorah Va’Avodah.” (or in short, BCLTVA)