Q. We are supposed to remember every day six occurrences that are printed at the end of shacharis in most sidurim.
Why is not the story of Bilaam included, as it says in the haftarah this week that we have to remember what Balaak and Bilaam planned to do to us?
A. The tradition of mentioning the "Shesh Zechiros" (six remembrances) after the Shacharis prayer is of Cabalistic origin and the six remembrances are printed there today in most sidurim.
Sidur Hashlo mentions four of them. Sidur Bais Yosef in the name of the Cabala sages, cites six and so does Likutey Tzvi, while the Chido and the Vilna Gaon in their respective Sidurim quote ten
Rabbi Yakov Emdin Zt"l in his Sidur adds in the name of the Mekubalim, that the one who repeats them daily will be assured a part in the world to come.
Rabbi Ezriel Tauber Shlit'a (Pirkey Machsava p. 292) explains that the mitzvos are the motor that drives life, while the zechiros are the fuel that makes that motor work.
On the four remembrances that the Chido adds we find indeed the one mentioned in Micha (6: 5); "My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab planned, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him"
The Talmud (Brochos 12b) reflecting in fact the great importance of this parsha, mentions that our sages intended to place the chapter of Bilaam next to the twice a day reading of the Sh'ma, but avoided it due to the excessive burdening of the community. However Poiskim (Maharshal) mention that the tradition to recite Ma Tovu at the beginning of the tefilah is due to this remembering Mitzva, others disagree (see Sinai 15 p. 274)
Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a explained that the Shesh Zechiros are all M'duraiso or biblical mitzvos (see Ramban, Ki Teitze 24: 9), the other four are not.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit"a.
Important Numbers
