Becoming One with Hashem - Episode 6

Prayer is a powerful tool that can shape our faith and bring us closer to God. It has the ability to influence our lives, protect us, and bring blessings. Through prayer, we align ourselves with God's will and connect to our purpose. It can save us from danger and negative decrees, and it is essential for our success and safety. Prayer is like a child reaching out to a parent, maintaining our bond with God. Starting our day with sincere prayer sets the foundation for success, as positive actions create a chain of blessings. Lack of focus in prayer can lead to missed opportunities and spiritual disarray. Prayer should not only be turned to in times of distress but should be a proactive measure to avoid hardship. It invites God into every aspect of our lives and offers us protection, guidance, and strength. Each morning, as we pray with intention, we create a shield around ourselves and stand in the presence of God. Prayer is an opportunity to renew our connection and strengthen our purp Imagine starting your day with a sense of purpose, knowing that each moment, each action, each word has the potential to open doors and change the course of your day, maybe even your life. What if instead of just going through the motions, we began each day with a mindful focus on our connection with Hashem, knowing that futzillah, our daily conversations with Him. We have the ability to influence our lives, protect ourselves from harm, and bring blessing into everything we do. Today, we're exploring how powerful prayer is not only as an act of worship, avodah, but as a force that shapes our faith and binds us closer to Hashem. The great sages teach that to feel it isn't merely a ritual, but one of the most, one of the most transformative tools in our lives. It's through prayer that we align ourselves with Hashem's will, connect to our purpose, and bring merit and protection to ourselves and those around us. Rabbeinu Bechaya in Kanak Kanach illuminates the profound effects of tzvilah, explaining that it can save a person from danger and even a null negative decrees. He writes, tzvilah has the power to change one's model, one's destiny, and is essential for one's success and safety. While our circumstances and challenges may be shaped by the natural course of our lives, tzvilah, prayer, allows us to transcend these limits and access Hashem's compassion and intervention. The Ne'emi in Bava Kamma 80 verse 2 emphasizes that understanding tzvilah is central to grasping the essence of our faith, calling it the greatest form of avodah, service, essential to our relationship with Hashem. And he even adds, if tzvilah doesn't do everything, it does at least half. Imagine, imagine a child who never speaks to their parents, never reaches out, never asks for guidance or help. How distant would the relationship be? Tzvilah is our way of actively maintaining our bond with Hashem, like a child reaching out to a parent. For Leona Szebeg-Schatz and Yair Rostovach, the first chailek, first section, Drush 4, teaches us that when we start our day with a sincere recitation of shacharis and kriyashima, we are setting the foundation for success. He explains that those who dabben with focus and devotion in the morning will find the merit to engage in mitzvot throughout the day and be granted success in their endeavors. He says, even if a person initially feels that their efforts are unsuccessful, they will find in the end of that day that they were indeed blessed with success. He writes, this principle, mitzvah gorevesh mitzvah, or one mitzvah leads to another, reminds us that positive actions create a chain of blessings, while a lack of intention can disrupt our spiritual flow and clarity. So, Vionis and Aphids goes on to reflect his own experiences, saying, woe to me for the waste of time that I did not pray with true intent, for then I am unable to grasp my Torah learning, and it is as if I am dressed in torn garments. This imagery powerfully conveys the feeling of spiritual disarray and missed opportunity when we lack focus in our tefillah, in our prayers. Our sages in Sanhedrin 44b, Hazal, emphasize the importance of tefillah as a proactive measure, not just something to turn to in times of distress. They explain that a person should always precede tefillah before a time of trouble. The example of Adam Ravindo comes to mind. He built an altar between Beit Kel and Ai, creating a foundation of protection for Bnei Yisroel long before they entered the land, and if not for this prayer, our sages say Bnei Yisroel might not have had a survivor during the conquest of Ai under Yehoshua. In Shabbos 32a, Rav Yitzchak advises us to consistently ask Hashem for compassion so that we may avoid illness and suffering. He teaches that it is better to pray for protection beforehand, rather than waiting for hardship to prompt our prayers. This is why tefillah holds such a central place in our lives. It is more than just a daily ritual, it is a way of inviting Hashem into every corner of our lives. Through tefillah, through prayer, we bring ourselves closer to Hashem, and this closeness offers us spiritual protection, guidance, and the strength to face whatever lies ahead. Each morning, as we recite Shemona Esri with intention, with kavanah, we create a shield around ourselves. As Shaarei Kedusha, chapter 87, 307 states, those who say Shemona Esri with true intent are saved from Gehenem, our Chachamim reveal that this form of prayer is like standing in the presence of Hashem, protected by His infinite compassion. So as we go about our day, let's carry with us the awareness of the incredible power of our tefillah. Let's make an effort to begin each day by opening our hearts to Hashem, knowing that through tefillah, we are building a foundation of blessing, protection, and closeness to Hashem. Every word of tefillah is an opportunity to renew our connection and strengthen our purpose. Thank you for joining me on this journey through tefillah today. Next time, we'll explore how tefillah continues to shape us and serve as a guide through every challenge. Until then, may each of our tefillahs, our prayers, bring us closer to Hashem, providing us with strength, peace, and a deeper sense of purpose.