Swimming Beyond the Fishbowl - Episode 11

Tefila Today explores the power of prayer in our lives. It focuses on three stanzas of the Atonel Lem that encourage us to connect more deeply with Hashem. The first stanza reminds us to simplify and focus on Hashem's oneness. The second stanza emphasizes Hashem's eternal dominion and power. The third stanza reassures us of Hashem's personal involvement and support in our lives. Through prayer, we can step outside the distractions and challenges of our daily lives and connect to the bigger picture. The analogy of a fish in a bowl helps us understand this concept. We are encouraged to pause, reflect, and trust in Hashem's guidance and support. Prayer is a personal and powerful way to connect with Hashem and find peace in knowing that He is in control. Welcome to Tefila Today where we uncover the depth and beauty of Tefila as a powerful anchor in our daily lives. I'm so glad you're here. Today we're diving into three powerful stanzas of Atonel Lem that challenge us to think, reflect and ultimately connect more deeply with Hashem. Let me start with a question. Have you ever felt like life is just too much? Like the demand, distractions and constant noise around you are pulling you in a hundred directions? Let's think about that for a moment but with a twist. Imagine a fish in a bowl. To the fish, the bowl is its entire world. It's water, it's glass, the pebbles at the bottom. It has no concept of the vast ocean beyond. Now picture yourself as that fish. The bowl of your life is full of responsibilities, emotions and challenges that seem overwhelming at times. It's easy to feel like we see and experience, feel like what we see and experience is the whole picture. But Atonel Lem reminds us that there's a vast ocean beyond our bowl. A reality where Hashem is running the world. Through Tefila we step outside the bowl and connect to that big picture. Today we'll explore three stanzas of Atonel Lem that guide us to reframe our perspective. That's the goal of the Tefila. A mental exercise, a mental spiritual exercise. V'hu echad v'ein sheini reminds us to simplify and focus on Hashem's oneness. B'li ve'shes b'li sakhlif, that stanza invites us to trust in Hashem's eternal malchus, dominion. And three, v'hu keili v'chaygoy ali reassures us of Hashem's personal involvement as our, my, yours, goel, redeemer. So let's dive in. V'hu echad v'ein sheini, l'ham shilo, l'hachbira. He is one and there is no second. To compare to him, to be his equal. L'hachbira means to be his equal. Think about that complexity of our lives in 2024. Social media, endless notifications, deadlines. It's a world that glorifies multitasking and constant activity. But this verse cuts through the noise. Hashem is one. When we focus on him, everything else gains clarity. It's a logical recalibration of our priorities. Now let's go back to a fishbowl. Picture yourself as the fish, swimming amidst the pebbles of daily distractions. What's keeping you busy today? What's on your mind? This verse invites you to pause and focus on the one, capital O, capital O-N-E, on the one who matters most. It's not about ignoring the pebbles. It's about swimming with calm and purpose, knowing Hashem is running the ocean beyond. Tomorrow morning when you recite v'hu echad v'ein sheini, pause and reflect. What's cluttering your bowl today? Imagine Hashem's oneness cutting through the noise, simplifying your focus. Let it remind you that no matter how overwhelming life feels, you are anchored by Hashem's constancy. The next verse, v'lo haoz v'ha-misra. Hashem has no beginning and no end, and he has the power and dominion. v'lo haoz v'ha-misra. Haoz v'ha-misra is power and dominion. We live in a time when uncertainty feels constant. Global events, cultural shifts, personal challenges, science offers theories about beginnings and endings, but it struggles to answer the ultimate question, who governs it all? This verse reminds us that Hashem's dominion is eternal. He has been in control since the beginning of time, and will remain so forever. Picture the goldfish again, looking out through the glass. Outside the bowl, the world seems unpredictable and vast, but this verse assures us that Hashem governs not only the ocean, but also the bowl itself. Whether we understand it or not, Hashem's malchus is absolute. His dominion is absolute. As you recite this verse, think of an area in your life where you've been holding on too tightly. Release it to Hashem. Tell yourself, I'm in my bowl, doing my best, but Hashem is running the ocean. This perspective brings peace, reminding you that you don't have to figure out everything on your own. Hashem is our redeemer. The next verse, v'hu keili l'chaygaya li v'tzochev li be'eis tzara, Hashem is my God and my living redeemer, my redeemer. V'tzochev li, the rock of my pain, be'eis tzara, in times of distress. This verse moves from the cosmic to the personal. It's one thing to know that Hashem runs the universe, but it's another to feel that He cares about me, about you personally. In a fast-paced, often isolating world, this verse reassures us that Hashem is intimately involved in our lives. Now imagine your bowl being jostled, perhaps an argument, a setback, or an unexpected challenge has shaken your water. For the fish, the rock at the bottom of the bowl offers stability. For us, Hashem is tzorchev li, our unshakable rock, and chaygoali, the living redeemer who helps us rebuild. When you recite this verse, find a quiet space to talk to Hashem. Share what's on your heart, the fears, the frustrations, the doubts that are shaking in your bowl. Say, Hashem, I need your help, and feel His presence as your rock and redeemer. These conversations turn Tefillah into a personal and powerful connection. Do you find the fishbowl analogy helpful? Does it help you see your life and Hashem's dominion more clearly? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Please email me at inputtefillahtoday at gmail.com. Your insights shape this journey, and I'd be thrilled to share some of your reflections in a future episode. So today, we reflected on three standards of Adon HaLam, the Rehavim, to me, teaching us to simplify and focus on Hashem's oneness, Reuvei Shif, Reuzei Chlis, inviting us to trust Hashem's eternal malchus, the Hokeli, the Hai Galeri, reassures us of Hashem's constant closeness as our redeemer. Remember, each breath we take is from Hashem. As you go about your day, keep returning to the fishbowl analogy. Picture yourself as the fish, swimming with calm and purpose, trusting that Hashem governs the vast ocean beyond your glass. Hashem governs the world beyond your glass. This perspective can help you align your actions with Hashem's Midos, and find peace in knowing Hashem's running the world.