Praise

"And this is the blessing that Moshe blessed the children of Israel before his death. And he said: Hashem came from Sinai and shined from Seir onto his nation, He appeared from mount Paran and came with some of the holy myriads of angels, from his right hand (he gave) a fiery law to his nation".

Moshe began his blessings to his people by offering praise to Hashem.

Based on Moshe’s example the sages instituted that we too offer three blessings of praise in the Amidah prayer prior to the blessings requesting our needs.

There is one exception. On the first ten days of the year, from Rosh Hashonah to Yom kippur, we add “Remember us for life king who desires life and inscribe us in the book of life for your sake living G-d” to the first blessing.

Why? Aren’t the first three blessings reserved for the praise of Hashem?

Another interesting point: toward the end of the prayer we ask Hashem to “inscribe all the children of your covenant to a good life”. Why don’t we ask for a “good life” in the first blessing when we ask for “life”?

The life of a Jew is praise to Hashem. Jewish survival, like a sheep among seventy wolves, is the greatest testimony and praise to Hashem.

The Jew dedicates his life to praising Hashem by living a moral life, a life filled with dedication and service to Hashem

So when a Jew asks “remember us for life”, he is asking for the opportunity to praise Hashem. That isn’t a personal request for personal needs. We ask for a “good life” at the end of the prayer, in the beginning we are asking for life for his sake.

No one could put it better then king David who wrote “what gain will you have if I go to the grave? Can dust praise you? Can it proclaim your truth?”