Davening Should Be Smoking
A man was davening with great intensity and suddenly he takes out a pack of cigarettes, waves them and then puts them back in his pocket. After davening his friend asked him what he was doing. He explained: "I was in the middle of davening and then I remembered I have a flight coming up. So I imagined myself driving to the airport, taking my luggage out of the car and going through security.
Then a stewardess asked me if I want to sit in the smoking or non-smoking section. But I couldn't talk because I was in the middle of davening! So I took out my cigarettes and waved them to show her that I want to sit in the smoking section."
In this weeks parsha [perek 24 psukim 64-65] we read that Rivka saw Yitzchak for the first time and asked "Who is that man?" The Medrash says in the name of Rav Huna, that she saw him in the midst of davening and she exclaimed "vadai Adam Gadol hu" - "He is certainly a great man!!"
The most accurate of identifying a spiritual giant is to watch him daven. When a person davens he stands completely in the presence of G-d and his entire being is immersed in the experience. At those moment of connection NOTHING else exists. The soul is floating in the highest realms of Godliness and senses the Divine anxiously listening to every word uttered. When a person davens he stands completely in the presence of G-d and his entire being is immersed in the experience. At those moment of connection NOTHING else exists. The soul is floating in the highest realms of Godliness and senses the Divine anxiously listening to every word that emanates from a heart overcome with emotion, passion and yearning for the ineffable.
Rivka saw that Yitzchak was a Great Man due to his intense prayer. Learning can be learning even if the soul is not involved. A intellectual tour-de-force. Chessed can be done with no feeling at all. But davening is different. If the Neshama isn't completely and intensely involved then it is not davening. It is merely a dry recital of an ancient liturgy.
Let us pray that we learn how to pray.
Love and blessings and a great Shabbos to my sweetest friends!!
Then a stewardess asked me if I want to sit in the smoking or non-smoking section. But I couldn't talk because I was in the middle of davening! So I took out my cigarettes and waved them to show her that I want to sit in the smoking section."
In this weeks parsha [perek 24 psukim 64-65] we read that Rivka saw Yitzchak for the first time and asked "Who is that man?" The Medrash says in the name of Rav Huna, that she saw him in the midst of davening and she exclaimed "vadai Adam Gadol hu" - "He is certainly a great man!!"
The most accurate of identifying a spiritual giant is to watch him daven. When a person davens he stands completely in the presence of G-d and his entire being is immersed in the experience. At those moment of connection NOTHING else exists. The soul is floating in the highest realms of Godliness and senses the Divine anxiously listening to every word uttered. When a person davens he stands completely in the presence of G-d and his entire being is immersed in the experience. At those moment of connection NOTHING else exists. The soul is floating in the highest realms of Godliness and senses the Divine anxiously listening to every word that emanates from a heart overcome with emotion, passion and yearning for the ineffable.
Rivka saw that Yitzchak was a Great Man due to his intense prayer. Learning can be learning even if the soul is not involved. A intellectual tour-de-force. Chessed can be done with no feeling at all. But davening is different. If the Neshama isn't completely and intensely involved then it is not davening. It is merely a dry recital of an ancient liturgy.
Let us pray that we learn how to pray.
Love and blessings and a great Shabbos to my sweetest friends!!
The Buba Sali was in Morocco praying in the Shul. A terrorist ran into the building, gun ablaze, while the congregates were in the midst of Shemonah Esrai. Everyone ran for their lives. A bullet zipped towards the Buba Sali who was praying fervently. He reached Modim and bowed. Had he not bowed at that very second the bullet would have hit the tzaddik.
The Buba Sali had been so enraptured in his prayer that he didn't realize a terrorist had stormed the synagogue until the congregants told him.
Posted by
Yaacov P |
12:33 PM
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