Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on September 11, 2020

Its a daunting task. To pray, to think aboutthe pertinent intentions, to feel the feelings appropriate for prayer. Butsometimes, Gd helps us out.

There are times that you think about Gd. Hisoneness, His greatness. And your soul is ignited and drawn to Gd. It almostfeels like youre getting more than you bargained for. Who is pulling your soulwith thick cords of love?

The words before the Amidah prayer shed somelight.

A-dnaisifatai tiftach, ufi yagid tehilatechaGd, open mylips, so that my mouth can declare Your praise.

In a Chassidic discourse, Rabbi Schneur Zalmanof Liadi, the Alter Rebbe, explains these words, turning their meaning on itshead: When my mouth declares the praise, when I invest effort to learn aboutGds oneness and feel love towards Him through my own efforts, then Gd will open my lips. I will feela level that is not commensurate or proportional to my efforts, but so muchmore than that.

I need to put in effort, to make myself into avessel to hear and connect to higher levels. Its like tipping a bucket ofwater, and only then does the water spill over on its own. My mouth is acatalyst, tipping the bucket, and the emotions overflow. I feel it in my soul.I dont only create feelings for Gd, but I draw them down and allow them toflow.

What is this higher level that my soul tapsinto? My soul is tapping into the source of all Jewish souls, called KnessetYisrael (see Step Zero). This soul levelis constantly in a state of desire to reunite with Gd, like a fetus thatcraves the comfort of the womb. It sings, so to speak, about its intensedesire and yearning for Gd Himself.

While we might not consciously feel that waybefore the prayer process, once we put in effort, we can be granted access tothat higher level. By enunciating Gds praises and thinking thoughts that willlead us to feeling passionately about Gd, we cause a trickle-down effect to our soul. We put in alittle bit of effort to merit the overabundance flow of yearning for Gd.

I do a little; Gd does the rest. When I praythis way, I dont only hear the song of my own soul, but the song of the source of all soulsthesong of Knesset Yisroel above that shines brightly into the songs of all Jewsbelow. That is why prayer is called the song of songs.

As the Talmud says: Open a door as tiny asthe eye of a needle, and I will open your gates wide enough to let carts andhorse-drawn carriages drive through.

I use my own abilities to think thoughts aboutGds greatness, and Gd gifts me with the ability to feel emotions that arebeyond my natural capacities.

(Inspiredby Shir Shirim Likutei Torah, as expounded in Chassidut Mevueret, AvodasHaTefillah Chapters 3 and 4.)

More here:

The Trickle-Down Effect - Song of the Soul - Chabad.org

Category: Talmud
Tags: