Parashat
Ekev How Can
We Transform our Pitfall of Pride Into Prayer?
In the Good Old Days Having Less Made People
Appreciate More In the olden
days when specialties were scarce, people appreciated the little things so much
more. I recall reading a novel about life in the Shtetel in East Europe. There
was a poor family with many children and one day they got a specialty item for
all the kids to share. It was one orange! It really touched me how much
excitement just one orange segment elicited in each family member. When I
worked on translating my father’s memoirs into English, I was also amazed at
how few commodities and toys children grew up with when he was a boy. This was
not in a Shtetel, it was rather in the Western World less than a hundred years
ago. Here is one of my father’s testimonies – taking place in the late nineteen
thirties and early forties. You can learn from it how having less made the kids
appreciate more and become more inventive:
“There were
a lot of innovative games that could interest both boys and girls. For example,
puzzles and rebuses, building kits and paper dolls with various outfits, and
much more. I still remember a brainteaser. Out of eight matches you had to form
two squares and four triangles… “Some boys were technically inventive and built
‘crystal devices.’ These were primitive listening devices, which we boys had
great pleasure in. Occasionally, we also wanted to play football. This took place
on ‘The Meadow,’ about a 15-minute walk from our home. where some of us also
had a school garden. It was a magnificent open space with large green areas,
and playgrounds, though mainly designated for the younger children… The girls
played with marbles, swapped glossy pictures, skipped and played hopscotch and
of course, they also played with dolls. When we played with the girls it was
mostly hide and seek. There were plenty of hiding places, and this game often
lasted many hours. Where I live now in Holte, (a suburb of Copenhagen) there
are roughly 500 apartments with playgrounds for the little ones in several
places, but children are rarely seen there. One hardly ever sees older children
playing together the way we did when I was a child. A change must have occurred
in the children’s recreational patterns” (Dr. Salomon Vainer, My
Memoir: The Story of a Danish Jew who Fled the Nazis p 52-54).
My father also described the life of his mother who came from a poor Russian family. She was
only 11
years old when she arrived in Denmark. She did not attend school and was given
no education. Yet she had worked in a matzo bakery as a bakery assistant in
Russia. Her first meager wage was ‘invested’ in purchasing a silver cup. Her
grandmother wanted her to buy something that would last. The cup is still in
the family’s possession. It is a very beautiful cup, quite valuable today
(ibid. p 31). My father’s testimonies show how the children worked hard from a
young age and valued their meager possessions which they used in innovative
ways, this is such a far call from the overflow of stuff average kids have
today, which they hardly play with as they spend most of their time glued to
their phones, with little time left for creativity and play.
Is it ‘My power, the Strength of my Own Hand That Brought Me This Great Wealth’? The Torah foretold the times of material overflow we are living through today, with one of our main problems being how to get rid of all the extra clutter. Since the industrial revolution, we have learned so many clever ways of productivity, which tempt us to forget that Hashem is the only One who gives us the strength to succeed in anything we accomplish.
“When you eat and are satisfied, you shall bless Hashem, your G-d, for the good land He has given you. Beware that you do not forget Hashem, your G-d…lest you eat and be sated, and build fine houses and live in them, when your herds and your flocks grow abundant, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have increases, your heart might become haughty, forgetting Hashem, your G-d, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, of the house of slavery… You might be tempted to tell yourself, ‘My power, the strength of my own hand, has brought me this great wealth.’ But you must remember Hashem your G-d, for He is the One who empowers you to do great things, upholding the covenant that He swore to your ancestors...” (Devarim 8:10-11, 13-18).
The Only Way to Victory in War for Israel is Enlisting the Help of the Almighty Since Israel ranks among the ten most powerful countries in the annual list; and the fourth strongest military in the world (Roundup for 2022 published by US News & World Report), it is tempting to think that our victories are due to our sophisticated war techniques. Ralbag explains that the Almighty was concerned that it would seem to Israel that their own power enabled them to win their wars. To remove this false notion from their hearts, Israel must perpetually recall in our hearts how Hashem took us out of Egypt when Israel was weak without any war experience, yet nevertheless, we won. This could only be because Hashem helps us. The Exodus thus teaches us that it is not through our own military power but only due to the help of heaven that Israel wins the wars. During the current prolonged war, although Israel has gained victories in Gaza, things are intensified to the degree that even the fiercest, most confident general must realize that we need to turn to Hashem for help in order to overcome all of the enemies that surround us, all of whom have one unified agenda to “wipe Israel off the map.” These enemies include Iran, and its Shi’ite theocracy in the East, Syria, and Lebanon with its Hezbollah in the North, Gaza and its Hamas in the South, and the European Union in the West. It is no secret that the main objective of all Arab terror organizations – Fatah, Hamas, and Hezbollah – is the annihilation of Israel. The growing instability in Egypt, Syria, and Jordan, the looming threat from Iran’s nuclear weapons program, the Hamas/Fatah reconciliation, and the increased pressure from the U.N. and the E.U have created the greatest threat to Israel’s continued existence we have faced since the Yom Kippur War of 1973. Jonathan Bernis, Identifying Israel's Enemies. As all nations turn against our tiny nation it is now more than ever becoming clear to even the staunchest unbeliever that the only way to victory is to turn to Hashem with all our hearts and souls.
Bound to Turn to Hashem When Being Between a Rock and a Hard Place Hashem is squishing us hard these days so that we will understand how our ability to be successful is totally dependent on G-d, as it states in Song of Songs:
ספר שיר השירים פרק בפסוק יד יוֹנָתִי בְּחַגְוֵי הַסֶּלַע בְּסֵתֶר הַמַּדְרֵגָה הַרְאִינִי אֶת מַרְאַיִךְ הַשְׁמִיעִינִי אֶת קוֹלֵךְ...
“My dove in the crevice of the cliff, in the secret step, show me your countenance and let Me hear your voice…” (Song of Songs 2:14).
According to Rashi, this verse alludes to when Israel was squished between a rock and a hard place during the Exodus. While the Egyptians approached them from behind ready
to attack, the Reed Sea loomed before them threatening to drown them all. According
to nature, there would have been no way for them to get out of this situation
alive. Only by turning to Hashem in prayer could they be saved, that’s the
meaning of “let me hear your voice…”. Hashem brings us to these places of no
way out, to squeeze our souls into the deepest prayer. I hope it won’t take too
much more squeezing before our hearts become sufficiently resuscitated to truly
pray! Katav Sofer explains that in the desert Israel didn’t need any weapons as
it states, “Hashem will battle for you, and you hold your peace! (Shemot 14:14). Yet after making the
Golden Calf, the Israelites’ emunah took a gradual downward dip, spiraling into
deterioration. First they became arrogant, forgot about Hashem, and then they imagined
that it was their own strength that caused their success. Had they kept their
steadfast emunah of “…we will do and we will hear” (Shemot 24:7), they
would not have needed either spear or sword for Hashem would have conquered the
Land of Israel for them. Now, after they had lost their prior level of trust in
Hashem, they needed weapons of war. Although they no longer deserved it, Hashem
empowered them to conquer the land, “for the sake of upholding the covenant
that He swore to their ancestors…” (Devarim 8:18). This is why the
Almighty had to remind Israel, “But you must remember Hashem your G-d, for He is
the One who empowers you to do great things…” (Ibid.) Although at the conquest
of the Land of Canaan, Hashem was no longer battling their wars by Himself like
in Egypt, the Israelites still had to understand and remember that as they employed
their best war strategies, it was still Hashem who empowered them to be
victorious (Ketav Sofer, Devarim 8:17). This message from Parashat
Ekev applies more than ever to Israel’s current war. When we truly
understand and remember that just as Hashem helped us overcome our enemies during
Yehoshua’s time, so will He continue to empower us with complete victory from
our current war. All we need to do is to turn to G-d in prayer!
Gratitude
Focus for the Week of Parashat Ekev – Some Tips for Preventing Arrogance and Forgetting
About Hashem
Arrogance is one of the worst character traits
that turns away the Divine Presence. Therefore, our sages directed: “Hold
yourself very, very lowly” (Pirkei Avot, Chapter 4, Mishna 4). They also
declared that whoever allows his heart to be arrogant, has denied the basic
principle of the Torah, as it states, “Your heart be haughty, and you will
forget Hashem your G-d” (Devarim 8:14). Furthermore, they said,
“Whoever is arrogant should be placed under a ban of ostracism. This applies
even if he is only somewhat arrogant;”(Rambam,
Hilchot Deot, Chapter 2, Halacha 3). Whoever passes (מֵּפִיק/mefik)
a shield over himself at a time of arrogance, (whoever suppresses his yetzer
hara as though it were covered with a shield when he is arrogant, troubles will
be closed and sealed from him, as it is stated: “The channels (אֲפִיקֵי/afikei)
of his strong shields of pride are closed with a narrow seal. (Iyuv
41:7); (Babylonian Talmud, Iruvin 65a). This implies that by subduing
our yetzer hara at a time of arrogance our troubles will be closed and sealed
before us. There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance. Being
confident isn’t the problem, the problem arises when confidence turns into self-sufficient
arrogance, which makes us forget the Almighty without Whom we would be
completely helpless. When we are confident that Hashem is on our side, we can
be secure enough that we won’t need to go out of our way to show how amazing we
are.
·Remember Where You Came from and Where You are Going – We are all mortal beings totally dependent on Hashem’s blessing to accomplish anything in life. When you feel pride creeping into your heart, recall how we all came from a putrid drop of semen, and how our end is that our flesh will be consumed by worms. Meditating on our short-lived time in this world, and how the body eventually decomposes will remind us that Hashem imbued us with life so that we serve Him. Only by recalling our Divine purpose in the world will our souls gain eternal life.
·Attribute All Your Successes to Hashem – When you
worked really hard on something and applied all your abilities to finally succeed,
there is a great temptation to feel that “it was my own hand, that
brought me this great accomplishment.” When that happens, it is important to
turn inward and recall that every one of your own doings would be naught if it
wasn’t for Hashem, Who imbues you with your talents and abilities to work
hard.
·When Someone Compliments You for Your Great
Abilities and Successes – remind yourself that Hashem is using you as
his messenger. My spiritual healing teacher taught me to recite (תהילים פרקצג פסוק א) הָשֵׁם
מָלָךְ גֵּאוּת לָבֵשׁ לָבֵשׁ/Hashem Malach Ge’ut Lavesh–
“Hashem is King He is robed in grandeur” (Tehillim 93:1). Always
testifying that all our achievements emanate from Hashem’s greatness.
·Pray to Hashem for Continued Success and War
Victory – Remembering how Hashem took us out of Egypt
is one of The Six Remembrances that we must remind ourselves of daily. This is
to imbue us with the strong emunah that just as we were weak and helpless then,
but Hashem saved us from all our enemies, so will Hashem continue to save us
even now whether we are physically strong or weak!
·We are Used to Thanking Hashem for Everything
He Does for Us – I suggest, to also thank Him for everything
we do. Whenever you feel pride in yourself – you may want to thank Hashem in
the following way: “Thank You Hashem for everything I do!” Affirming in this
way that all our successes are Hashem’s working through us.
Parashat Noach Maintaining Gratitude Within Grief and Terror
How can we not be Angry at G-d for Allowing His People to Suffer in His holy Land?
How can I feel gratitude now, witnessing the greatest atrocities committed against my people? How can I be thankful when parents are burying their children, and the blood is flowing from the open wounds of our people? The other day an alumna student living outside of Israel called me crying incessantly in her inconsolable grief. She had just given birth to a stillborn daughter after 38 weeks of gestation. What can I say to comfort? How can I console the bereaved parents, the widows, and orphans? How can I feel grateful to Hashem and how can I even not be angry at G-d Who allowed all these suffering and cruel massacres to happen to His people in His holy land? “Hashem is punishing me,” cried my alumna student. “Perhaps we can view the calamities from another perspective, far from the self-blaming punishment perception,” I ventured. “You are grieving together with the bereaved parents in Israel. This is not a punishment but more likely to be an atonement to make us worthy of the final redemption. Although you have lost your beautiful baby, may her short-lived soul be considered as a sacrifice along with all the sacrifices of the murdered and the suffering our people are experiencing at this time, in the wake of the final redemption.” The challenges of these pre-messianic times that we are going through now were predicted by the rabbis of the Talmud. Ulla says: Let the Mashiach come, but after my death so that I will not see him, as I fear the suffering that will precede his coming. Likewise, Rabba says: Let the Mashiach come, but after my death, so I will not see him (Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 98b). So, isn’t there anything we can do to end this suffering? The Talmud continues, Abaye said to Rabba: Why are you so concerned? If we say it is due to the pains preceding and accompanying the coming of the Mashiach, isn’t it taught, “What shall a person do to be spared from the pains preceding the coming of the Mashiach? Rabbi Elazar said: They shall engage in Torah study and acts of kindness” (Ibid.). You don’t have to look far to behold the great kindness with which our people are responding to calamity. Just one example that especially moves me is the tzititz the chareidi yeshiva boys are busy making for the soldiers to help protect them. As for the Torah learning, this is why we have been working night and day to get our bomb shelter, so we can do our part to raise the voice of Torah on the land.
Our Soldier Duty is to Carry on with our Holistic Torah for Mind, Body, and Soul
G-d commanded Noach to build an ark within which he, his family, and all living beings would be saved from the flood:
ספר בראשית פרק ז פסוק אוַיֹּאמֶר הָשֵׁם לְנֹחַ בֹּא אַתָּה וְכָל בֵּיתְךָ אֶל הַתֵּבָה כִּי אֹתְךָ רָאִיתִי צַדִּיק לְפָנַי בַּדּוֹר הַזֶּה:
“Hashem said to Noach, ‘Come into the ark, you and all your household, for it is you that I have seen as a righteous man before Me in this generation’” (Bereishit 7:1).
The aim of the Ark is to provide a safe place – during the storms of life – to make us feel supported, encouraged, and empowered to achieve our goals and aspirations in serving Hashem. Therefore, it became crystal clear to me that in these troubled times when young vulnerable women, who have recently arrived in Israel experience great anxiety, it is my job to provide them with a safe space where they can feel cradled, cared for, and as secure as possible considering the circumstances. We (my students and I) aren’t soldiers on the frontlines, yet we have our soldier duty to continue our mission as a community of holistic Torah for mind, body, and soul. Our students are stepping up to help secure the funds for our safe space that we, with Hashem’s help, were able to bring to our land. I am thankful to Hashem who gave me the strength to pull the bomb shelter project through when most of our staff were unable to work.
From Left to Right Moshe, Rav Mechael, Meir
I’m filled with gratitude to the men in my life for their support and help with the bomb shelter project, first of all, to my dear husband Rav Dr. Mechael who laid out $25,000 without hesitation to secure the down payment for the bomb shelter, until funds can be raised to cover the heavy cost of the bomb shelter. No less thanks go to our son Mordechai Meir who spearheaded the bomb shelter project and worked tirelessly to find the only available bomb shelter in Israel. Meir coordinated all the necessary details and arrangements for the bomb shelter’s arrival. I’m also grateful to our dorm father Moshe Rozenbaum who returned from Jerusalem where his family was taking refuge, to be the key person on campus to measure, cut branches, and more. My heart is filled with gratitude to all the donors who sent generous donations. Without all of you, we would never have been able to get a bomb shelter and start our Fall Program on time as planned according to our schedule! We still need to raise more money to cover the cost of the bomb shelter. Please keep the donations coming! Click here to Donate to our Bomb Shelter and Protect our Students.
Entering the Saferoom of Torah and Prayer
The Hebrew word for ark is תֵּבָה/tevah also means ‘word.’ The everlasting lesson of Noach’s ark is to engage in the words of Torah and prayer. Just as Hashem instructed Noach to “Go into the ark,” so must we too “go into” our words and invest our whole self in every word that emanates from our lips, in Torah learning, in prayer, and in holy speech to one another (Based on the Ba’al Shem Tov, Amud Hatefilah - The Pillar of Prayer).
ספר בראשית פרק ו פסוק טז צֹהַר תַּעֲשֶׂה לַתֵּבָה…
“You shall make a skylight for the ark…” (Bereshit 6:16)
Hashem told Noach to make a skylight in the ark. This refers to either a window or a precious stone, which would shine and give light (Rashi, Bereishit 6:16). The window allows the light from outside to enter. This corresponds to when we share Torah we have read or heard from others. We must keep absorbing words of wisdom from our elders, mentors, and teachers, becoming a vessel for their Torah to shine through us. The precious stone is a source of light itself. “From where did Avraham learn Torah? His two kidneys became like pitchers of water, from which Torah gushed forth” (Bereishit Rabbah 39:3). When we purify our character and labor hard in Torah, we may receive our own spiritual insights from within, with which we can enlighten and uplift others. Especially at this time, we are called upon to share encouraging Torah words of chizuk that will strengthen everyone’s emunah!
Turning the Blame Reflex into Words of Encouragement and Faith
Perhaps the tevah – ‘word’ of Noach serves as a tikkun (rectification) for the domino effect of blaming that took place in last week’s parasha. Rather than being grateful for the woman Hashem created for Adam, he avoided taking responsibility by blaming his wife, Chava. Chava in turn blamed the serpent. Since eating from the Tree of Knowledge, whenever something goes wrong people’s natural reflex goes into blaming mode. People tend to take credit for themselves when things go well in life but blame circumstances when things don’t go their way. This phenomenon is called “self-serving bias,” and nearly everyone is a culprit. Yet Noach’s Ark teaches us to pull ourselves up from naturally drowning in the flood of negativity and blame. When the war started there was blaming thrown at me for not yet having gotten a bomb shelter for the midrasha (Torah learning center). Yet, with the help of the majority of brave and positive students speaking words of encouragement, we were able to uplift the spirit of our midrasha community by learning Torah, reciting Tehillim together, and singing spirited songs. While there may still be those who blame the Israeli government for the current war etc. The people of Israel as a whole are responding with courage and faith to the suffering brought by the brutality of the inhuman savage enemy. The Jews worldwide are uniting. Those who have never said a word of praise in favor of the Israeli army are now crying with tears for G-d to protect them and keep them safe. Soldiers with uncovered heads plead for tzitzit from those who arrived to offer them sweets. Real estate agents beg families from the south to enter their empty apartments for free. Community prayers are held worldwide, and the flag of Israel is flying high with words of emunah!
Gratitude Focus for the Week of Parashat Noach
Dealing with your Anger toward G-d
When you experience intolerable hardships, pain and suffering, you may not want to admit it, but it is normal to get angry at G-d for allowing this seemingly injustice. Rebbetzin Feigi Twersky pointed out that even anger is an indication of a relationship. In a similar vein, Rabbi Zelig Pliskin said that anger toward Hashem is possible only for one with deep awareness of G-d. The Gemara (Brachot 31b–32a) tells us that a number of great individuals spoke quite harshly to Hashem, either out of their personal pain or for the sake of the Jewish people. Great Jews have sometimes expressed much pain and frustration to G-d.
Take a walk and talk to Hashem, pour out all your pain, frustration, and anger to Him. You may even punch your fists into the air or use your body in any way to express your feelings. When you are done, be still, sit down, and close your eyes. Open yourself to receive Hashem’s response to your tirade. You may feel His compassionate affection caressing you softly, or you may receive comforting words of empathy. Stay still until you feel a bit of relief and your pain has been somewhat soothed.
Finding Relief within Suffering – Which good points can you find amid suffering?
Gratitude during suffering means looking deeper. It entails peering into the deep of your wounded soul and finding the light. It is a labor of love. It is the work of loving yourself well. It is the work of facing your life’s circumstances knowing you are held fast in the Hashem’s hug. Meditate on the points of light you experience within your fear, pain and grief.
We are our Words – Practice turning negativity into encouraging words of Emunah
Spend three minutes writing down three examples of something that bothers you. Then spend four minutes substituting positive phrases for your negative ones. Use language that creates an entirely different mental picture of whoever or whatever constitutes the person or thing that annoys you. At first, this might seem difficult, because she/it is really annoying. Once you’ve written down your word substitutions, the odds are excellent that your negative feelings will begin to dissipate as well. Try it and see where it takes you.
Transform Blaming Behaviors
You might start by changing your perspective to shift away from blaming external forces. Instead of focusing on what others are doing wrong, try to focus on what you could do to improve the situation. Here are some tips that may help you change your perspective. Practice gratitude: Gratitude can be a powerful tool to help you shift your focus away from blame and toward the positive aspects of your life. You might try to take time each day to reflect on what you are grateful for and focus on these things instead of what could be causing you stress or frustration. Take personal responsibility by acknowledging your role in the situation, without blaming yourself needlessly. Notice the way you are contributing to bettering the situation. Thank yourself and Hashem for empowering you with your particular contribution to better the world.
What is Wrong with Praying for a Specific Outcome?
Prayer is central in Judaism. One of the three pillars that the world stands on is service, which today refers to prayer (Pirkei Avot 1:2). The holy matriarchs and patriarchs pleaded with Hashem in heartfelt prayer, and Chana, the Mother of our Prayer, is known for lengthening in prayer for a son until she bore Shemuel. When I first came to Torah it was very difficult for me to pray, as it was something I had never learned to do or been used to. Even when I understood the Hebrew words of the Siddur, my mind would wander, and I lost focus. I asked my Rabbi for advice on this, and he told me to pray that I would be able to pray. That helped a little, but what really helps is having something of vital importance to pray for. Realizing that only Hashem has the power to grant my deepest aspirations, I would pour out my heart in prayer for a child, and I never stopped. Continuous prayer is needed for each stage of conception, pregnancy, birth, and child-rearing, and then for our son to find his other half, and it still doesn’t end here. Now, that thank G-d, Hashem has answered all these prayers, we continue to pray for a suitable home for the young couple. But is there a limit to how much we should pray? Can a person ever pray too much? It depends on what we are praying for. When I realized that praying for a specific outcome might not always be in our best interest, I stopped insisting in my prayer that Hashem grant my son and his bride a home in beautiful Bat Ayin. Although my husband and I are convinced that there is no better place for the young couple to start their married life than this loving, supportive community, our daughter-in-law- to-be feels otherwise. So, they have been looking in Jerusalem. It is quite challenging but realizing that only Hashem knows what’s really good for everyone, I changed my prayer from insisting that the couple find a place in Bat Ayin to praying that they find a home in a place that will be good for them.
Is There a Limit to How Much We Should Pray? Can a Person Ever Pray Too Much?
If a woman prays to marry a specific man, but he is not her predestined soulmate, her prayer can actually be harmful to her. Hashem may fulfill this prayer even if it goes against the master plan. Yet, just as it isn’t good for a child when his parents give in to his persistent cry for ice cream, it is not always in our favor to twist Hashem’s arm to grant us what we think we need. We cannot demand of Hashem what reality needs to be like, because we can never know anything for sure, we can only believe. There comes a place and time when we must accept Hashem’s will even if it may not be what we want. We are not in charge, and we mustn’t manipulate Hashem to fulfill our wishes. This is what Bilam tried to do through his witchcraft. Rather than praying for a specific outcome, Tefilah is to rise to the place where it is possible to receive the highest abundance that Hashem has dedicated specifically to us. The difference between manipulating Hashem and opening ourselves to receive Hashem’s blessing is very subtle. It can be compared to the prohibition to urge a person to give us an item that he doesn’t want to give. Asking is one thing, but to keep nudging is at best impolite and at worst bullying. So, too, in our relationship with Hashem, there comes a time when we must back off prayer. We learn a lesson on the limits of prayer in Parashat Va’etchanan. Moshe wanted so badly to enter the Land of Israel that he prayed for it 515 times, corresponding to the numerical value of the wordוָאֶתְחַנַּן/Va’etchanan – “I beseeched,” and to the hours between Erev Rosh Hashana and the crack of dawn on Shemini Atzeret. Yet, Hashem did not even allow him to continue to pray for entering Israel. According to the midrash Hashem asked Moshe Rabbeinu to stop praying because otherwise, Hashem would have had to grant him permission to enter the Land. This teaches us the principle that it is possible to pray too much because it is considered as if the person ‘forces’ Hashem to do his will.
The Subtle Balance Between Asserting our Will and Aligning it with Hashem’s Will
In EmunaHealing we teach the importance of activating our will, as we recite in the Ashrei prayer: “umaspia l’chol chai ratzon” (Tehillim 145:16). This verse can be understood as
“Hashem influences and bestows upon each living being a will.” We all received a will. When someone doesn’t have a will, it is because she doesn’t reveal the will within her. Our will can be compared to gasoline, without which the vehicle will not move. We need a will to accomplish anything in life. Depressed people lose their will, and therefore have difficulty getting up in the morning. We need to actualize and live our will. לחיות את הרצון. The more we can peel off the various exterior layers, the more natural it is to be ourselves. Although we choose, we only choose a vessel, we need patience. We have no power over the results, we can only pray and accept that the rest is up to Hashem. There is a fine balance between activating our will and balancing it to align our will with Hashem’s and make His will our will (Pirkey Avot 2:4).
“I implored Hashem at that time, saying, “O Hashem, You who let Your servant see the first works of Your greatness and Your mighty hand, You whose powerful deeds no god in heaven or on earth can equal! Let me, I pray, cross over and see the good land on the other side of the Jordan, that good hill country, and the Levanon” (Devarim 3:23-25).
I always cry over Moshe’s deep desire to enter the Land of Israel. Although his prayer wasn’t fulfilled in his lifetime, I believe that the power of his prayer instilled within the Jewish people the desire to make Aliyah for all generations to come. Moshe yearned to unify Hashem in the land, as “Whoever lives outside of the land is like someone who doesn’t have a G-d” (Babylonian Talmud, Ketuvot 110b). Therefore, Moshe used the term “your G-d” throughout the book of Devarim, to say that since the Israelites are entering into the Land Hashem’s name is called upon them (Siftei Kohen, Devarim 3:25). Rashi explains that the word וָאֶתְחַנַּן/va’etchanan is from the root חִנּוּן/chinun – ‘a free gift.’ Although the righteous may base a request on the merit of their good deeds, they request only a free gift of the Omnipresent. Alternatively, חִנּוּן/chinun is one of ten terms that denote prayer (Sifrei); (Rashi, Devarim 3:23). Moshe’s prayer furthermore teaches us that we must always praise G-d and afterward pray for our needs. The beginning of Moshe’s praise corresponds to the praises we recite in the opening of the silent Amidah prayer, “Your greatness” corresponds to –“The great G-d;” “Your mighty hand” to – You are mighty;” “Who is a god like You in heaven to – “You are Holy” (Chizkuni). Despite the sweetness of Moshe’s prayer, Hashem refused to grant the wishes of his soul.
“Hashem was angry with me for your sake, and would not hear me, and Hashem said to me, ‘Let it be enough, speak no more to me of this matter’” (Devarim 3:26).
Despite our strong resolve and urgency to continue praying, we need to lower our expectations that Heaven must follow our wishes and dictates and have faith in and acceptance of the unknowable. Moshe accepts the fact that his prayers will go unanswered for now. Or rather, he understands that although Hashem always answers our prayers, sometimes the answer is no or not yet!”
EmunaHealing Exercise for Activating and Balancing our Will with Hashem’s
1. Let yourself relax on your chair or cushion and become aware of your breath. Take several deep breaths and feel your body settle down and relax.
2. Get in touch with your will. Ask yourself, “What do I really want?” Perhaps you can dismiss some of your cravings emanating from your lower will and focus on your deeper inner will – the will of your soul, to evolve toward your higher self and cleave to Hashem. Visualize yourself acting the way you really would want to act, possessing the positive traits you strive for, and thinking positive thoughts.
3. See if you can verbalize this vision in prayerful words such as “Hashem please empower and help me keep x mitzvah in a higher more complete way. You may repeat this prayer several times with greater intensity.
4. One of the reasons Moshe wanted so much to enter the Land was to be able to keep all the mitzvot that only apply in the Land of Israel. Get in touch with your own desire to live in the Holy Land. If you already live here, then tune into how you can better connect and appreciate this special merit for which Moshe cried and prayed numerous heartfelt prayers.
5. Take several deep breaths while you marvel at the wonder of the Promised Land and all its goodness despite whatever problems. Tune into the rose and disregard the thorns.
6. Return to focusing on your will. From where in your body does it emanate? Breathe your will into your head, throat, shoulders, arms, and fingers. Allow your will to enter your heart and penetrate it. Breathe your will into your stomach, liver spleen, and kidneys, and let your will flow down your legs all the way to your feet. Allow yourself to feel grounded in your will.
7. Take a few moments to get in touch with your higher will. Think of the five deepest yearnings in your life, perhaps you can connect each of your desires with one of your body parts. Before praying for them, take a moment to evaluate if your desires are aligned with Hashem’s will for you. You may adjust them to become more aligned. Keep in mind to pray more generally rather than for a specific outcome. Now, cry out to Hashem in heartfelt prayer for each of your desires while focusing on the body part where this desire resides. Then be still and breathe softly.
8. Let yourself hope that your prayers will be fulfilled, yet simultaneously let go of being demanding of Hashem. Accept that Hashem’s will is what ultimately determines the outcome of our prayers. See if you can rise to a place where you will be able to receive Hashem’s abundance for you. Whether or not it is Hashem’s will to grant you your wishes, accept whatever goodness Hashem has in store for you!
Parashat B’ha’alotcha Why Should We Pray for the Shechina Within Our
Personal Pain?
What is so Special about the Shortest Prayer in the Torah? I have always appreciated the short and the small. Being a big
girl among skinny sisters and being quite lengthy in formulating myself may
have contributed to this penchant for the petite and the condensed. I value
small pocket-size books and brief but intense prayers. Time is short so
repetitive long Tehillim recitals are not my cup of tea. Yet, I revel in
reciting the super short Tehillim 100 for gratitude, and while I
struggle with mussaf prayer, my heart opens swiftly in the last intense neilah
prayer on Yom Kippur. In ParashatB’ha’alotcha we find the
shortest prayer in the entire Torah. When Moshe saw that Miriam had
turned white as snow from the spiritual skin disease of tzara’at (Bamidbar
12:10), he entreated Hashem for her healing in a succinct prayer of only
five short words: ‘Please, G-d, heal her, please.’ (Bamidbar 12:13). Why
did Moshe not pray at length? Rashi explains that he composed such a short
prayer on behalf of his sister, specifically because Miriam was his sister, and
as the leader of the Children of Israel, he didn’t want to show favoritism
toward his own family. So that the Israelites should not say, “His sister is in
distress, for her he prays at length, but for our sake, he does not pray at
length.” As a result, Moshe kept it short (Rashi, Bamidbar 12:13). We
learn from here that even an abbreviated prayer is considered prayer (The Vilna
Gaon, Kol Eliyahu, Bamidbar 23:23). Often short prayers are more intense
as in the case of Moshe’s prayer. The word וַיִּצְעַק/vayitzak – ‘he
cried out’ preceding Moshe’s succinct prayer indicates his raw emotion and
great pain through which Moshe cries out to G-d in prayer. (Ibn Ezra, Bamidbar
12:13). From Moshe’s imploring cry we learn that his prayer was not only in
his heart, but it was also expressed outwardly in keeping with the Talmudic
ruling learned from the prophetess Chana: When one prays, s/he must move the
lips and enunciate the words of the prayer (Babylonian Talmud, Berachot
31a). Articulating the words of our prayer enables our words to land in true
reality, bringing our prayer down from the ethereal, conceptual realm into
concrete existence. Moshe, who suffered from speech impairment (Shemot
4:10), now calls out with clear, concise, and articulate words of prayer –
Please G-d, please heal her!
Guidelines for Personal Prayer
ספר במדבר פרק יב פסוק יג וַיִּצְעַק משֶׁה אֶל הָשֵׁם לֵאמֹר
אֵל נָא רְפָא נָא לָהּ:
“Moshe cried out to Hashem, saying, ‘Please, G-d, heal her, please’”
(Bamidbar 12:13).
Commentaries wonder why the word נָא/na appears twice
in Moshe’s short prayer. It seems to me that since this word means both please
and now, Moshe used the word נָא/na
twice to indicate urgency, praying “Please, G-d, heal her, now!’” Five words - so clear on one hand; yet, on another, words that
over the centuries have inspired numerous commentaries, compositions, and
meditative chants. The Hebrew word נָא/na – “please”
takes up two of our five words. Please! It’s all we can ask. Like Moshe, we
pray to hold on to life, to be able to fulfill our goals to the end. Please
G-d, please, is all that we can say. Alternatively, Moshe prays: “My finest and
most glorious G-d, please heal her!” Here the first נָא/na denotes
praise, whereas the second נָא/na
indicates beseeching. Moshe’s prayer teaches us correct prayer manners.
Whenever we want to make a request, we must begin with some words of praise
before making our entreaty (Ha’Ketav V’Hakabalah, Bereishit
40:13).
Praying for the Pain of the Shechina
Rebbe Nachman explains that the double נָא/na indicates
that Moshe requested of Hashem, as it were, to pray and request from Himself to
heal Miriam. Moshe was addressing Hashem saying, “Please [pray to Yourself]
G-d, please request [of Yourself] to heal her (Likutei Moharan, Mahadura
Kama 105). It is a well-known Chassidic concept that we must always attempt
to pray not only for our own troubles but to fill the lack of the Shechina
(Divine Feminine Presence). Whenever we experience any lack in our lives, the
root of that very lack exists on the spiritual level in the Shechina herself.
When we pray for rectifying the blemish above, it follows that this
rectification will also be drawn down to our own reality. All the great rabbis
who accomplished great miraculous healings through their prayers mastered this
kind of prayer on behalf of the Shechina. Yet it is not always possible even
for the holiest person to remain on that level. At times, our personal pain and
black bitterness becomes so overpowering that we are only able to pray for our
own suffering while it’s impossible for us to feel the pain of the Shechina,
being so wrapped up in our own pain. Although it is easier for our prayers to
be answered, when we pray for the Above, Hashem has compassion for us. Even if
we try to pray for the Shechina, saying, “Master of the Universe, my pain is so
excruciatingly great, yet I still feel in my heart pain for the Above, and pray
for both,” Hashem knows our heart when our intentions are only for our own
benefit. A true tzaddik doesn’t trust in himself that he is able to sincerely
pray for the pain of the Shechina. Therefore, Moshe used the word נָא/na – “please”
twice in his prayer. The first “please” refers to Moshe’s request to heal his
prayer in its root Above in the channels of the Shechina, whereas the second
“please” was for the personal pain Moshe felt for his sister, Miriam the
prophetess. Thus, when uttering the second “please” Moshe prayed: “Please draw
down a complete recovery for her (Heichal HaBeracha, Parashat B’ha’alotcha).
Spiritual Healing – The Root of All Healing Miriam was stricken with tzara’at because she compared herself to
Moshe without giving him the benefit of the doubt. Therefore, she didn’t
realize that Moshe was on a completely different level than all other prophets
including herself. Just as in the case of Miriam, her illness was a result of
her sin, so all our ailments too have a spiritual root. In EmunaHealing we ask
Hashem to reveal the spiritual and/or emotional roots of the suffering of the
person who turns to us for healing. “By realizing how we have distanced
ourselves from Hashem, we can become close to Him. With the awareness of our
health and success in life is dependent on rectifying the underlying roots, we
can facilitate people to heal themselves. Before committing a sin, we are
called the children of the living G-d. Yet, through wrongdoing, we may darken
the great light of the Divine spark within us. We can then pray, “Please G-d
heal her now” intending to remove the block covering our inner point of Divine
light. This is the meaning of the prayer to Hashem “Please heal us for Your own
sake!” Hashem, so to speak, heals Himself – that is the Divine spark from Above
which is embedded and rooted inside the Jewish soul, as it states, “For My
sake, for My sake, I will do…” (Yesha’yahu 48:11). Thus, we pay, “Heal
me, O Hashem, and I shall be healed…” (Yirmiyahu 17:14). There are two
kinds of healing – healing of body and soul. When my soul is healed, physical
healing follows. Therefore, King David prays, “My flesh and my heart yearn; G-d
is the rock of my heart and my portion forever” (Tehillim 73:26). My
prayer request is eternally on behalf of the rock of my heart and the divine
portion that Hashem breathed within me. The matter of healing the soul is to
facilitate the soul to return and repent from the sin through which it
distanced itself from the divine light. The main healing and teshuva are
through surrendering and contemplating how we are null and void without the
Divine vitality that Hashem imparts within us. With this awareness, we will
always pray that Hashem heals His part within us, which will lead to our
complete recovery on all levels (Yismach Yisrael, Parashat Metzora).
Kosher Mantra Meditation Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan illuminates us regarding the numerous benefits
of kosher mantra meditations, referring to the recital of a certain word or
sentence over and over. Although biblical references to mantra meditation are
ambiguous and not clearly stated, the Hebrew word הָגַה/hagah denotes a
kind of meditation in which a word or sound is repeated over and over, like in
the cooing of a dove or the growling of a lion (Radak, David Kimchi). Among the
benefits of mantra meditation, it is an excellent relaxation method. When
repeating a mantra over and over, the mind becomes habituated to it.
Eventually, we can recite it without the words registering in the conscious
mind, thus erasing all thoughts from the mind while reciting the mantra. It is
therefore a highly effective means of clearing all thoughts from the mind. In
later Kabbalistic schools, such as in sixteenth-century Safed biblical verses
or selections from the Talmud or Zohar were used as mantras. Besides bringing
us into a higher state of consciousness, the purpose of this technique was to
provide us with deeper insight into the verse itself. As we repeat the verse,
it eventually appears as if the verse itself were telling us its meaning.
Rather than studying or analyzing the verse, we would then be communing with
it, by experiencing its spiritual essence. The Arizal describes this experience
by saying that the Zohar “spoke to him.” Rabbi Nachman said that if a person
does not know what to say, he should simply repeat the phrase Ribbono shel
Olam, (Master of the Universe). From the description of the technique, it
seems obvious that Rabbi Nachman was prescribing the use of this phrase as a
mantra to bring a person into a higher state of consciousness. A slight, very
slow swaying, perhaps a half inch in each direction, helps ease tension during
the initial meditative stages. After the meditation is over, remain in place
for approximately five minutes, allowing the mind to absorb the effects of the
meditation (Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, Jewish Meditation pp. 54-64).
EmunaHealing Exercise for Healing our Pain Through Kosher Mantra
Meditation 1. Close your eyes. Allow your body to relax in a comfortable
position. It's good to dedicate a certain space for your personal spiritual
healing exercises and meditations. When you enter that space, your whole
being will automatically be prepared to enter a meditative state. Take several
deep breaths in and out of your nostrils, while becoming mindful of the rising
and falling of your chest. 2. Moshe’s mini prayer for Miriam is powerful for all of us, to
engender healing on all levels. Visualize within your mind the five words of
this prayer אֵל נָא רְפָא נָא לָהּ/el
na refa na la – please G-d heal her please!” Let us combine this prayer
with our breath. Thinking or saying softly “El nah” on the in-breath and
“refah nah lah” on the out-breath. This sort of breath prayer can become
almost automatic, so that “with every breath” the prayers become a part of us.
Repeat this prayer/breath sequence four additional times. 3. Imagine the first part of Moshe’s prayer turned into your own, אֵל נָא /el na praising
Hashem, asking permission from the Most High Master of the Universe to beseech
His grace prior to making your request. 4. Reciting the words of Moshe’s prayer can become spiritually
healing for us all. It is a meditation for the healing of the Divine Feminine
within all of us, regardless of gender. Take a few moments to set an intention.
Something that you are ready to plead for with all your heart. Get in touch
with your personal pain. What is the most pressing issue you are dealing with
at this very moment? It could be a spiritual inadequacy such as a lack of
Emunah (faith), an interpersonal issue, or an actual physical ailment or pain. 5. Tune into the issue for which you seek healing. Now recite or
sing אֵל נָא רְפָא נָא לָהּ/el
na refa na la while having in mind your most pressing issue or pain.
Repeat the five-word prayer while envisioning the spiritual or emotional root
of the issue or pain you are dealing with. Perhaps you need to work on a
negative character trait like anger, arrogance, or jealousy to heal the pain
you experience. Perhaps your healing will come when you strengthen your
observance of certain mitzvot between you and Hashem like lighting the Shabbat
candles in time, preparing your kosher food more mindfully, or taking
additional time for prayer and meditation. It may be interpersonal issues that
you need to repair to eliminate the painful issues that you are facing. Are you
honoring your parents properly? Are you giving others the benefit of the doubt?
Are you careful to speak only positive, caring, constructive words? 6. Imagine that the words of our prayer infuse your pressing issue
or pain like arrows of healing light hitting the target that needs healing. Repeat
the words of the prayer over and over again and again while letting yourself
feel how this prayer’s healing laser beam light gradually dissolves the
pressing issue or pain. Little by little the pain lessens, and you begin to
feel relief. 7. Now in the midst of praying for your personal pain, can you
envision how the root of your pain, or all of the pain in the entire universe
is Above. Just as the mother’s heart and belly button is aching when her baby
is crying, so does it hurt our Divine Mother – the Shechina – when we are in
pain, when we are out of line, going astray off the mark. Now recite אֵל נָא רְפָא נָא לָהּ/el na refa na la
on behalf of the Shechina – the feminine Indwelling Presence – to soothe the
pain she experiences when we are out of tune with our Divine spark within.
Repeat this prayer four additional times. 8. Now, envision how the repair of the pain of the Shechina, as it
were, has ripple effects within our reality. Visualize a cosmic umbilical cord
bringing spiritual sustenance and healing from the Shechina to you and your
pain right now. Allow yourself to receive all the waves of healing flowing into
you as you keep repeating אֵל נָא רְפָא נָא לָהּ/el
na refa na la.
Listen to Rebbetzin Chana Bracha’s niggun (melody) for el na refa na la:(women only)
Gratitude
Focus for the Week of Parashat Ekev –
