'Your word is fire'

I should confess that for me, one of the most difficult parts of my BT life was praying. Due to my long history of reading, I was able to read the words of the prayer as any other reading: no kavanah, no emotional involvement at all. I gave up very often, but I tried to go beyond the rational barriers even more often and now I can say that in 3 out of 10 cases I can achieve a satisfactory level of concentration. I tried to follow both the encouragement of Vilna Gaon that the exercise of reading the prayer would help you to reach the kavanah, but also the emotional support of the Hasidic masters.

This Shabbat, I went through the lecture of various prayers of Hasidic Masters and I realized how powerful the lecture of the words could be to transport us beyond the rational meaning of the words.

Here are a couple of examples that impressed my heart:

'It is possible to be so humble

that your very humility

keeps you far from G-d.

A humble person may not belive that his own

prayer

can cause the Presence

to flow through all the worlds.

But how then can you believe

that even angels are nourished

by your words?

Know the power of your prayer

and serve your G-d in fullness!' (p.23)

'Enter into prayer slowly.

Do not exhaust your strength,

but proceed step by step.

Even if you are not aroused as your prayer begins,

give close attention to the words you speak.

As you grow in strength

and G-d helps you to draw near,

you can even say the words more quickly

and remain in His Presence'. (p.35)

'Think that the letters of prayer

are the garments of G-d.

What a joy to be making a garment

for your greatest of kings!

Enter into every letter with all your strength.

G-d dwells with each letter;

as you enter it, you become one with Him'. (p. 42)

'There are times when the love of G-d

burns so powerfully within your heart

that the words of prayer seem to rush forth,

quickly and without deliberation.

At such times it is not you yourself who speak;

rather it is through you

that the words are spoken'.

'One who reads the words of prayer with great

devotion

may come to see the lights within the letters,

even though one does not understand

the meaning of the words one speaks.

Such prayer has great power;

Mistakes in reading are of no importance.

A father has a young child whom he greatly loves.

Even though the child has hardly learned to speak,

his father takes pleasure

in listening to his words'. (p.102)

Shavua Tov!