The Grainstalks or the Pearls?
Rabbi Judah Zevi of Stretin decalred: "We say: 'And may You assemble the dispersed as one assembles grainstalks.' Why do we not say: 'as one assembles pearls'? The reason is this: when we gather assembled pearls, we cleanse them of all impurities and select only those that are pure. Had we, therefore said: 'Assemble us as pearls out of Dispersion,' it would imply that we asked only for the Redemption of the pure Zaddikim. But he who gathers grainstalks does so with hay clinging to them. We likewise petition that we may all be redeeemed - the grainears with the haystalks, the Zaddikim with the ordinary Jew."
Source: Esser Tzachtzchachoth
