Tag: individual prayer

Prayer before Prayer

Every so often, it is important to come back to certain basics of spiritual growth as a means of reflection. Perhaps, even more than that, it is important to habituate ourselves in practices that enhance our spirituality while at the same time finding ways to make the habits into something that continues to feel new. One of those is the opening words of the Amidah,

ה’ שפתי תפתח ופי יגיד תהילתך

Gd, open up my lips and my mouth will share Your praises.

While we could offer the same thoughts on the entire prayer piece, the Amidah, at least as it pertains to the opening 3 and closing 3 blessings, this line in particular is quite special and meaningful.

First, if we consider the structure of the prayer service as a whole, much of what we have already done before getting to the Amidah is praise of Gd. Second, if the point is that this prayer is like a gateway prayer to further prayer, why here, why now? Third, if we are really in this place of struggle, how can we even presume to open our mouth with a prayer to be able to pray?

As I find myself focused on this line, I would offer that a prayer before prayer is the most profound and important of prayers and that it being in the midst of prayer, not at the very beginning of each service is also of crucial importance. If you are like me, by the time you reach the Amidah, you are of two minds. There is the anticipation of having opportunity built in for more personal reflection while at the same time much energy has hopefully been exuded to reach this place. As such, I would offer that the line introducing the Amidah is the chance to regroup and recharge. It is a chance to remember and reflect on how we can only say these prayers because Gd has granted us the ability to speak these words.

I found the inspiration for this in thinking about something from last week’s Torah portion. As Moses is arguing with Gd about not wanting the job of leading the Israelites from Egypt, he tries one last argument (Exodus 4:10-12):

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֣ה אֶל־יְהֹוָה֮ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנָי֒ לֹא֩ אִ֨ישׁ דְּבָרִ֜ים אָנֹ֗כִי גַּ֤ם מִתְּמוֹל֙ גַּ֣ם מִשִּׁלְשֹׁ֔ם גַּ֛ם מֵאָ֥ז דַּבֶּרְךָ֖ אֶל־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֧י כְבַד־פֶּ֛ה וּכְבַ֥ד לָשׁ֖וֹן אָנֹֽכִי׃

But Moses said to יהוה, “Please, O my lord, I have never been a man of words, either in times past or now that You have spoken to Your servant; I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֵלָ֗יו מִ֣י שָׂ֣ם פֶּה֮ לָֽאָדָם֒ א֚וֹ מִֽי־יָשׂ֣וּם אִלֵּ֔ם א֣וֹ חֵרֵ֔שׁ א֥וֹ פִקֵּ֖חַ א֣וֹ עִוֵּ֑ר הֲלֹ֥א אָנֹכִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה׃

And יהוה said to him, “Who gives humans speech? Who makes them dumb or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, יהוה ?

וְעַתָּ֖ה לֵ֑ךְ וְאָנֹכִי֙ אֶֽהְיֶ֣ה עִם־פִּ֔יךָ וְהוֹרֵיתִ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תְּדַבֵּֽר׃

Now go, and I will be with you as you speak and will instruct you what to say.”

In addition to the irony of Moses using this as a final argument after seemingly having many words for excuses, what is most interesting is the point that it is not Moses who is able to speech on his own but Moses who is able to speak and argue because Gd allows him to argue.

In other words, we may be praying, expressing praises and wishes to Gd, but it is important to be regroup and ground ourselves time and again in the midst of prayer with the notion that Gd gives us the ability to pray and offer these words. Each prayer service is a journey, and on a journey it is important to take stock and recognize where you have come from, where you are and where you are going.

As we work on spiritual growth as it pertains to our prayerful lives, may we recognize the importance of knowing from Whom our prayers come and to Whom we direct our prayers.

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Strength to the Weary

Among the morning blessings is one that blesses Gd for giving strength to the weary.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַנּוֹתֵן לַיָּעֵף כֹּֽחַ:

Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who gives strength to the weary.

Many of us recite this in the midst of feeling tired, either physically or emotionally, yet within this blessing is a moment of the inspiration to feel energized for the day ahead. I read a short piece that I believe helps frame the deeper sense of this blessing.

Consider: two persons, one young and the other old, walking the same road, or climbing the same mountain, with the goal far out of sight; who will reach it: the young one, starting out with full strength, but with little hope, or the old one, lacking in strength, but full of hope? The youth will soon get out of breath, and, despairing of ever attaining the goal, will give it up in frustration. But the old man will steadily forge ahead constantly renewing his strength by hope and confidence. This is what the prophet tells us: Physical strength will be of no avail, where there is no hope, but “they that hope in Gd will renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31).”

And so, when we start a new day, which may be a difficult one, it is good to bear in mind that it is Gd “who gives strength to the weary.” With hope and trust in Gd, no road is too long or too hard, and no obstacles are too difficult.

My Prayer Volume 1 by Rabbi Nissan Mindel pg. 34-35

So often we burn bright and burn out too fast because we get caught up in the moment and lose sight of the goal and the steadiness goal setting can provide us. If we take a moment to trust that the process is going at the pace it needs to and that we are along the right path, we can maintain the strength needed to forge ahead. The strength comes from the hope in the correctness of the path. This doesn’t mean the path is always the right one, but the path, right or wrong, will lead to the next crossroads and to the next new beginning. In one sense, every day is this opportunity. And so we recognize that when we are weary there is a strength we can draw on each day to strive forward.

For more information about New Beginnings Spiritual Coaching and Consulting LLC, and how we can support you on the journey through the waves of life, please check out: https://achaplainsnewjourney.wordpress.com/about/

Reflections on Communal vs. Individual Prayer

The following are a rough recreation of remarks given in synagogue over Shabbat, August 13-14, 2021:

The question we as a community have been grappling with this summer is, what makes us a community, a congregation, a gathering of people to pray in one location. I have been reflecting on this question for months. What makes a community? Is it similar goals and purpose, a singular language of prayer or is it perhaps our differences?

Since our particular exploration is dependent on prayer as the nature of a synagogue is to be a gathering place to pray as a community, what does this search unveil for us in these weeks leading to Rosh Hashanah? Allow me to offer a couple of approaches on merging the communal with the individual needs we encounter in prayer.

  1. The 6th Rebbe of Chabad, R. Yitzchak Yosef Schneerson, shared an anecdote about prayer that has sat heavily on my mind for many years. (This is found in a work Likkutei Dibburim though I cannot recall exactly where it is, so I am reconstructing this story from memory, so any errors are mine alone). He describes how (I think) his grandfather one time spoke about a non-Chasidic man, describing the man’s virtues, but concluding with the statement, “But there is one flaw the man has…He prays in a minyan (prayer quorum).” This is a strange vignette, yet, I would like to suggest that the statement about praying in a quorum is meant to convey a deeper message. There is much within the Jewish tradition that lends itself to the power and importance of communal prayer. For example, there are certain specific prayers that may only be recited when there is a prayer quorom. The Rebbe is not disparaging communal prayer. Rather, I think he is suggesting that prayer cannot be seen merely as a communal obligation because then a person is liable to get subsumed in the communal, forskaing prayer’s inherent individuality. We must not presume being in community is enough. During the earlier days of the COVID era, when we didn’t have the opportunity to gather together in person, we yearned to be together. At the same time, many of us found something in spending time at home, praying on our own, at our own pace, in a manner that cannot be fully duplicated in a synagogue. Coming back together, slowly but surely since June 2020, was a process of learning how we can bring the new things we learned in our solitude back into our communal setting.
  2. The first Rebbe of Chabad, R. Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the Alter Rebbe, in his work Likkutei Torah, presents the famous metaphor about how in the month leading to Rosh Hashanah, Elul, G-d, in the role of King, is in the field readily accessible. He writes: “Its like a King who is greeted by the people of the city before entering the actual city. They receive the king in the field. And the King receives them, granting permission to whoever would like to get an audience. The king receives everyone with a warm and welcoming countenance. Afterwards, when the king enters the palace, only those who have explicit permission may enter to see the king.” In a letter quoting this passage, the 7th Chabad Rebbe, R. Menachem Mendel Schneerson, defines this experience using the imagery of praying during the month of Elul. We should see ourselves as praying face to face, with no barriers, before Gd. There is nothing in our way during this time. This description expresses the same duality of communal and individual prayer. The community greets the king, greets G-d, yet each individual is granted private time to commune. We need the communal greeting to open the door to the individuality of our being face to face with G-d.
  3. There is a custom among Hasidim and among those who identify with more mystical forms of Jewish worship to recite the words of Leviticus 19:19, “Love your neighbor as yourself” as a preliminary reflection before the formal prayer service each morning. This practice is attributed to R. Isaac Luria. While we each come to prayer with our individual needs, we know how much value there is placed on communal prayer. Communal prayer is seen as carrying a certain strength to overcome judgment upon the individual. There is a power in numbers. Yet, prayer is often an individualistic confrontation with the Almighty. We often bring our own needs into our prayers. Yet, there is concern we would get too preoccupied with our individual needs, so as a meditation, we are to remember that we are gathering as a group. By recognizing how we are to open our hearts to our neighbors like they are ourselves, connecting to each other, we can find the bridge between our individual needs and our communal needs. We remember that we are interdependent.

As we can see from these three examples, prayer is a complicated dance of our individual needs and emotions while simultaneously remembering our responsibility to be together communally in engaged with Gd. If we are just a community gathering, we can often allow the functionality of communal prayer to be the driving force. At the same time, without the community, we aren’t afforded the unique opportunity of this time of year to grow and change as individuals. We cannot be just about ourselves but must connect with one another through a sense of love and heart. This is not an easy balance.

As we continue to navigate and negotiate these needs during this crazy time, may we merit to find the balance that will help guide us smoothly into a new and better year, where we can find a normalcy and stability to continue to inspire each other and grow, both as individuals and as a community.