In describing G-d, Moshe used the words א-ל, גדול, גבור, ונורא – Powerful, Great, Strong, and Feared. Many years later, Yirmiyahu spent his lifetime warning people to repent but they did not listen. He described G-d as Powerful, Great, and Strong, but omitted נורא because he did not see G-d as feared. After the destruction, G-d didn’t appear strong or feared with his sanctuary destroyed and His children in exile. Daniel described G-d as Powerful and Great. Of course, Yirmiyahu and Daniel knew about the Awe and the Strength of G-d, but they articulated G-d as he was perceived in their generation.

The Men of the Great Assembly were a group of Rabbis who led the Jewish people after our return from exile to build the second Temple. They were called the “Men of the Great Assembly” because when they wrote their Siddur they described G-d as Moshe had: א-ל, גדול, גבור, ונורא – Powerful, Great, Strong, and feared.

The Men of the Great Assembly did not restore the words “Strong and Feared” because G-d seemed stronger and more feared in their times. History tells us that these were very trying times for the Jews. Intermarriage was at record highs, assimilation was rampant and the Men of The Great assembly had their hands full trying to preserve Judaism.

The innovation was not one in our recognition of G-d’s strength, but of strategy. The Men of the Great Assembly realized that if we sit around and wait until G-d’s Awe and Strength become obvious, we will have to wait a long time. And if we continue along the path of Yirmiyahu and Daniel we will need to remove the other adjectives as well.

Rather than allowing the prayer book to reflect our perception of G-d, the Men of the Great Assembly, wrote the prayer book and asked the Jewish people to try to perceive G-d as Moshe had described Him and – indeed – as he was. For G-d never stopped being א-ל, גדול, גבור, ונורא – Powerful, Great, Strong, and feared.

The Men of the Great Assembly challenged the people. No longer were we relying on intuition like our forefathers. No longer did we have a Moshe or a Yehoshua who could encompass the entire cannon of Jewish Wisdom. Not even a group of Rabbis could faithfully transmit it all. The Men of the Great Assembly asked the people to step up to the plate. This is what made them truly Great. In the words of our sages “They returned the crown to where it had been before”.