I would like to take my dear readers on a personal journey. Let me explain. I’ve been reflecting lately upon a vital component to a successful life – and that is to pray to Hashem properly. After all, the Navi tells us, “Ahm zu yatzarti li tehilasi yisapeiru – (Hashem proclaims), This nation [Yisrael] I created for myself to relate my praise.” Our national name, Yisrael, is an anagram of shir Keil, a song to the Almighty. Another national name of ours is Yehudim, the people who give thanks. The great king of Israel, Dovid HaMelech characterizes himself as ani sefila, I am prayer.
So, I’ve been asking myself how sophisticated is my prayer and, to be brutally honest, upon contemplation, I was very disappointed at my prayer accomplishments through the decades. If I honestly asked myself, ‘Has my knowledge of prayer grown regularly?’ the answer is sadly ‘No.’ More appropriately would be the blunt observation of the Gemara in Brachos which describes prayer as, “Devorim she’omdim berumo shel olam u’bnei adam m’zalzalim bahem – Prayers are something that goes to the very top of the world and yet people neglect them.”
The Tanna cautions us in Pirkei Avos, “Al ta’as tefilosecha keva – Don’t make your prayers fixed.” With my recent ruminations, I believe this means, ‘Don’t let your prayers stagnate without giving them new thought and meaning as you grow and mature.’ Let’s remember that in Yaakov’s famous dream when he saw a ladder on the ground with its apex at the Heavens, he was being shown, says the Zohar, a message that just like steps are the way to get to the next floor, the way to connect from earth to Heaven is with prayer, for sulom, a ladder, is the same gematria, numerical value as kol, the voice of prayer, and the melachim, the angels that were going up and down the ladder, were representative of the angels who carry up our prayers and then come down to carry out our requests. Connecting with Heaven is the essence of life, as Moshe Rabbeinu taught us, “Ma Hashem Elokecha shoel meira ki im liyirah – What does Hashem ask of you but that you should be aware of him [yirah, meaning to see].” Prayer is the root to life’s success.
Upon further reflection, I determined that if I want to make a real change in my prayer habits, it’s not going to happen overnight. I would need to dedicate a little time every day to slowly think about what I’m saying and to study the commentaries, to upgrade my personal devotion. Then I thought, why can’t I take my readers with me on my journey? So, with the help of Hashem, let’s give it a try.
We preface our Shemone Esrei with the words, “Hashem sefasai tiftach, ufi yagid tehilasecha – My (dear) G-d, open my lips and my mouth will relate Your prayers.” The Alei Shur comments that although we say much more than praise, as we ask Hashem for health and wealth, forgiveness and intellect, and peace and much more, this is all included in the word ‘praise,’ for it is the biggest praise to Hashem that we acknowledge that our health, wealth, peace, etc., comes from His benevolence.
The Talalei Oros breaks this preface into two parts. The first stanza, Hashem sefasai tiftach, refers to our petitions. We acknowledge that when it comes to our needs, we don’t really always know what’s good for us so we ask Hashem to open our lips and guide us as to what to ask for. The second stanza, Ufi yagid tehilasecha, is referring to our praise to Hashem, that we say we can do, without guidance, with our own mouths, because Hashem’s magnificent benefits are clear and evident to us.
Now, for the first blessing of the Shemone Esrei. We say, “Elokei Avraham, Elokei Yitzchak, v’Elokei Yaakov – The G-d of Avraham, G-d of Yitzchak, and the G-d of Yaakov.” This is absolutely critical because this formula is the password, our passport to get us into the palace of Hashem. We are saying that we are worthy to gain entry into the inner sanctum of Hashem since we are descendants of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov. This is why it is so critical to concentrate in the first blessing.
The Likutei Torah teaches us that when we say meivi go’el, that Hashem will bring redemption, the word meivi is an acronym of the four exiles, Mitzrayim, Bavel, Yavon and Edom. And we are hoping that just as Hashem redeemed us from the first three, he should quickly redeem us from the long galus of Edom as well.
Okay! We have just started. With the help of Hashem, we should continue to grow together and in that merit, may Hashem answer our prayers and bless us with long life, good health, and everything wonderful.
Transcribed and edited by Shelley Zeitlin
