Torah sources on Kavanah to read or listen to:
Rabbi Avigdor Miller on HOW DO YOU TALK TO HASHEM?
And this I'll answer as follows. At first you have to be a hypocrite. You have to do it superficially; you have to say the words. And that's what we do when we daven, we're talking to Hashem but actually, korov Ata b'fihem vrochok m'kilyoseihem,the Navi said, You are close in their mouths but You're far away from their kidneys. Which means You're far away from their insides. That's the truth. That's what davening is. It's only if a man sincerely embarks on a career of learning to speak to Hashem that his davening finally becomes meaningful. After a while when he says Ato, he feels he's talking to Somebody. When that great day comes, you have arrived.
And so, first you're superficial, you're a hypocrite. Of course it's a good hypocrisy; you're doing it to train yourself. You talk to Hashem, and you say "I thank you Hashem that You have made me healthy." When you see a man hopping in the street with one empty trouser's leg, with crutches, and you have two good legs, you have to stop and think: Baruch Ato Hashem that I have two legs. You see a man walking on the street and oneempty sleeve pinned to his pocket, you have to thankHakadosh Baruch Hu that you have two.
And so little by little you get accustomed to saying the words, and after a while you're going to feel that there's Somebody actually listening, that the Mesillas Yeshorim says.
At first you say it, and after a while the realization enters your mind, because you have an instinct that all human beings have, that Hashem actually is there and is listening.
And so, first you're superficial, you're a hypocrite. Of course it's a good hypocrisy; you're doing it to train yourself. You talk to Hashem, and you say "I thank you Hashem that You have made me healthy." When you see a man hopping in the street with one empty trouser's leg, with crutches, and you have two good legs, you have to stop and think: Baruch Ato Hashem that I have two legs. You see a man walking on the street and oneempty sleeve pinned to his pocket, you have to thankHakadosh Baruch Hu that you have two.
And so little by little you get accustomed to saying the words, and after a while you're going to feel that there's Somebody actually listening, that the Mesillas Yeshorim says.
At first you say it, and after a while the realization enters your mind, because you have an instinct that all human beings have, that Hashem actually is there and is listening.
Jewish Observer Article on Tefilah
This meticulously researched article with extensive footnotes in the Sidebar originally appeared in the now-defunct Jewish Observer.
The author consulted with Rav Zelik Epstein, זצ"ל, who, in the author's opinion and that of others, was the גדול הדור in America at the time. ( He was asked to become the head of the מועצת גדולי התורה. He declined, but the respect for him the invitation represented is clear.)
The author consulted with Rav Zelik Epstein, זצ"ל, who, in the author's opinion and that of others, was the גדול הדור in America at the time. ( He was asked to become the head of the מועצת גדולי התורה. He declined, but the respect for him the invitation represented is clear.)
ARTICLE
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ARTICLE SIDEBAR
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Importance of slowing down to focus more on Hashem's name from Rabbi Avigdor Miller Zt"l
Here is the transcript of a question and answer given by Rabbi Avigdor Miller Zt"l during one of his Thursday night lectures:
Parshas Ki Savo 5774
QUESTION:
Is it more mitzvah to say the WHOLE seder hatefilah every morning, or to say part of them thinking more into the meaning?
ANSWER:
I won't tell you my own opinion, I'll just say what the Tur says. Tov m'at b'kavana m'harbeh shelo b'kavana. A little bit when you think what you're saying, is much more valuable. It's very important to utilize the opportunity of the tefilah. The Chovos Halvavos says, the purpose of tefilah is hamachshovo nimsheches achar hadibur, your thoughts follow your words. And once you accustom yourself b'shirei Dovid avdecho, saying the songs of Dovid your servant and the great emotions of the love of Hashem, then it awakes in us a response, we also gain that feeling.
Now you can't say the whole Shmonei Esrei with iyun because then it'll come time for Mincha already and you're still standing Shmonei Esrei. However, if you'll take everyday a little part of Shmonei Esrei and concentrate on it, think into it. You'll be surprised what you'll discover; it's like a gold mine. People don't realize, the Anshei Knesses Hagedolah who composed the Shmonei Esrei were nevi'im and the greatest chachomim, and they were able to concentrate very deep chochma in these words. You'll be surprised how much you'll get out of it. Now of course sometimes you might imagine wrong pirushim, but the more you think into it, you'll see more and more how profound are the words.
The purpose of davening with kavana after all, is not merely to say the words. L'hispaleil, means to make yourself think, pileil means to think. L'hispaleil, make yourself think, and that's the success that a person gets from proper tefilah; it elevates his mind and brings him to ahavas Hashem.
Parshas Ki Savo 5774
QUESTION:
Is it more mitzvah to say the WHOLE seder hatefilah every morning, or to say part of them thinking more into the meaning?
ANSWER:
I won't tell you my own opinion, I'll just say what the Tur says. Tov m'at b'kavana m'harbeh shelo b'kavana. A little bit when you think what you're saying, is much more valuable. It's very important to utilize the opportunity of the tefilah. The Chovos Halvavos says, the purpose of tefilah is hamachshovo nimsheches achar hadibur, your thoughts follow your words. And once you accustom yourself b'shirei Dovid avdecho, saying the songs of Dovid your servant and the great emotions of the love of Hashem, then it awakes in us a response, we also gain that feeling.
Now you can't say the whole Shmonei Esrei with iyun because then it'll come time for Mincha already and you're still standing Shmonei Esrei. However, if you'll take everyday a little part of Shmonei Esrei and concentrate on it, think into it. You'll be surprised what you'll discover; it's like a gold mine. People don't realize, the Anshei Knesses Hagedolah who composed the Shmonei Esrei were nevi'im and the greatest chachomim, and they were able to concentrate very deep chochma in these words. You'll be surprised how much you'll get out of it. Now of course sometimes you might imagine wrong pirushim, but the more you think into it, you'll see more and more how profound are the words.
The purpose of davening with kavana after all, is not merely to say the words. L'hispaleil, means to make yourself think, pileil means to think. L'hispaleil, make yourself think, and that's the success that a person gets from proper tefilah; it elevates his mind and brings him to ahavas Hashem.
Praying With Fire - Day 63 A Spirit of Excitement
https://app.box.com/notes/30217505989?s=ssrs4wz83tyr15ovgvb7q4scyqy7zouu
Praying With Fire - Day 47 Go Up One Rung at a Time
It was 1991, just one day before the fiery opening bomb-blasts of the Gulf War. Dayan Aharon D. Dunner asked Rav Shach, “What should we tell the people of America, England, and Europe to do? They want to do teshuvah — they want to do something!”
“Tell them to make small and meaningful pledges that they will keep for the next three months,” Rav Shach replied. He himself undertook for that period of time a commitment to recite Bircas HaMazon from a siddur (or bentcher) when dining at home.
Why did Rav Shach advise such seemingly minor commitments to meet the peril of imminent war? Rav Dessler explains that this is the true path toward growth. One cannot leap from a superficial level of spirituality and expect to land with secure footing upon the peaks of the profound. A successful climb entails small degrees of development each day, which carry one to higher and higher levels.
Spiritual growth can be compared to ascending a mountain in a wagon. As long as there is forward movement — even if progress is marked by spurts and stops — the wagon is still considered to be advancing. However, if the wagon stops straining forward, it will not stand still; it will slide back down the slope.
Chazal teach that “maaseh avos siman le’banim” — the actions of our Patriarchs are a model for the children. Yaakov Avinu, a paradigm of truth, was shown “a ladder stationed on the ground with its head (the top rung) reaching the heavens” as a symbol of his life’s task, to demonstrate that one cannot successfully ascend the spiritual ladder in one stride.4 In our service of Hashem as well, a person must complete the tasks required by each level of growth; it is not possible to reach the top rung in one huge leap.
Rav Chaim Volozhin5 explains this concept with a parable:
A master who asks his servant to fetch an item from the attic will not be angry when the servant does not leap from the bottom rung of the ladder straight to the top. He understands that his servant can ascend the ladder only one step at a time.
Our Master is not disheartened by our slow progress in climbing the ladder to better tefillah; neither should we lose patience with ourselves. Every small step that we successfully take toward our goal is not just a pause upon a new, higher level; it is a springboard that energizes our continuing climb.
The Torah states, And These words that I have commanded you today shall lie on your heart. The Rabbi of Kotzk explains the particular choice of words in the pasuk as follows:
Intellectual knowledge is similar to water that accumulates behind a wall. Eventually, the water will soften the wall and a crack will emerge, allowing all the water to surge through.
Even if the “words” learned about kavannah lie only on the surface of the heart, it is worthwhile to learn them, because at some moment in the future, a minuscule crack will emerge, and through it, all the accumulated wisdom will flow into the heart.
Having laid that foundation, in the following days we will examine some practical strategies that can help a person pray with kavannah:
-Removing distractions (Day 48)
-Preparing oneself (Days 49 and 50)
-Actively approaching prayer (Day 51)
-Feeling need (Days 52 and 53)
-Understanding the words (Days 54 and 55)
-Praying from a siddur (Days 56 and 57)
-Mastering the mind — Controlling extraneous thoughts (Day 58)
-Changing negative habits (Days 59 and 60)
-Finding joy in prayer (Days 61 and 62)
-Feeling a sense of excitement (Days 63 and 64)
-Adding personal requests (Days 65 and 66)
-Designating a personal place (Days 67 and 68)
-Using visualization (Day 69)
Each of these methods offers a means to traverse the vast ocean that separates what we know about tefillah from what we feel as we pray. It is our desire to get to the other side, however, that guarantees the success of the voyage.
“Tell them to make small and meaningful pledges that they will keep for the next three months,” Rav Shach replied. He himself undertook for that period of time a commitment to recite Bircas HaMazon from a siddur (or bentcher) when dining at home.
Why did Rav Shach advise such seemingly minor commitments to meet the peril of imminent war? Rav Dessler explains that this is the true path toward growth. One cannot leap from a superficial level of spirituality and expect to land with secure footing upon the peaks of the profound. A successful climb entails small degrees of development each day, which carry one to higher and higher levels.
Spiritual growth can be compared to ascending a mountain in a wagon. As long as there is forward movement — even if progress is marked by spurts and stops — the wagon is still considered to be advancing. However, if the wagon stops straining forward, it will not stand still; it will slide back down the slope.
Chazal teach that “maaseh avos siman le’banim” — the actions of our Patriarchs are a model for the children. Yaakov Avinu, a paradigm of truth, was shown “a ladder stationed on the ground with its head (the top rung) reaching the heavens” as a symbol of his life’s task, to demonstrate that one cannot successfully ascend the spiritual ladder in one stride.4 In our service of Hashem as well, a person must complete the tasks required by each level of growth; it is not possible to reach the top rung in one huge leap.
Rav Chaim Volozhin5 explains this concept with a parable:
A master who asks his servant to fetch an item from the attic will not be angry when the servant does not leap from the bottom rung of the ladder straight to the top. He understands that his servant can ascend the ladder only one step at a time.
Our Master is not disheartened by our slow progress in climbing the ladder to better tefillah; neither should we lose patience with ourselves. Every small step that we successfully take toward our goal is not just a pause upon a new, higher level; it is a springboard that energizes our continuing climb.
The Torah states, And These words that I have commanded you today shall lie on your heart. The Rabbi of Kotzk explains the particular choice of words in the pasuk as follows:
Intellectual knowledge is similar to water that accumulates behind a wall. Eventually, the water will soften the wall and a crack will emerge, allowing all the water to surge through.
Even if the “words” learned about kavannah lie only on the surface of the heart, it is worthwhile to learn them, because at some moment in the future, a minuscule crack will emerge, and through it, all the accumulated wisdom will flow into the heart.
Having laid that foundation, in the following days we will examine some practical strategies that can help a person pray with kavannah:
-Removing distractions (Day 48)
-Preparing oneself (Days 49 and 50)
-Actively approaching prayer (Day 51)
-Feeling need (Days 52 and 53)
-Understanding the words (Days 54 and 55)
-Praying from a siddur (Days 56 and 57)
-Mastering the mind — Controlling extraneous thoughts (Day 58)
-Changing negative habits (Days 59 and 60)
-Finding joy in prayer (Days 61 and 62)
-Feeling a sense of excitement (Days 63 and 64)
-Adding personal requests (Days 65 and 66)
-Designating a personal place (Days 67 and 68)
-Using visualization (Day 69)
Each of these methods offers a means to traverse the vast ocean that separates what we know about tefillah from what we feel as we pray. It is our desire to get to the other side, however, that guarantees the success of the voyage.
From Praying with Fire on Kavanah
The Next Step | Ref #49
Between knowing and feeling lies an ocean. Anyone who has given even a little thought to the concept of prayer knows that it is a conversation with the Almighty. Anyone who has pondered the concept of the Almighty knows that He is a King before Whom a person must stand in utter awe. Nonetheless, even with that knowledge, many people are perfectly capable of speaking the sacred words of tefillah, specifically the Shemoneh Esrei, without feeling a thing. We become expert at the mind-boggling feat of mouthing prayers while thinking about anything from the dinner menu to the weather.
Why — when we want to pray correctly, when we want to pray effectively, when we understand what all this means — is it still so frustratingly difficult?
Some comfort might be taken in the knowledge that this is a challenge of very long standing. The Gemara1 states that the one sin an average person commits every day is Iyun Tefillah, which, according to Tosafos2 and the Maharal,3 refers to a lack of kavannah during davening.
Nevertheless, the requirement for kavannah still stands; a key axiom of the Torah says that Hashem does not demand the impossible, and therefore, kavannah must be within our reach. According to Rav Yehudah HaChassid there is no single “magic formula”; each person must implement the ideas that attract him, based on his desires and abilities.
According to Rav Dessler, in general, when setting goals, a person should set a “minimum” and a “maximum” goal. The minimum goals give him a greater opportunity to gain strength from success, while the maximum goals give him a vision toward which to strive.5 Rav Dessler reminds us that a person who wants to succeed in climbing the spiritual ladder should set an initial goal to reach the spiritual height that is closest to his current level of free will; with a realistic goal in sight, he will have the motivation to climb to the next step.
A person must be able to envision himself clearly at the level toward which he is striving, Rav Dessler7 adds. He must feel that it has relevance to him, that he is already connected to this level. Otherwise, he is setting himself up for despair. He is like a clerk who decides he will strive to become president of the multinational corporation for which he works. He would gain far more momentum for his climb if he first set his sights on the senior clerk’s position.
As in every attempt at self-improvement, the key is to make a modicum of effort, and Hashem will help with the rest. To capitalize on even the smallest effort, however, it must be rooted in a sincere desire to change. This single factor is what distinguishes those who are able to improve themselves from those who spend a lifetime spinning their wheels.
The crucial factor of internal motivation is noted in the Gemara8 when Reish Lakish states: “Self-reproach in the heart of a person is better than one hundred lashes, as it is stated: The humbleness from reproach is more evident in an understanding man than a hundred lashes in a fool. Modern psychology heeds this truth in dealing with many types of emotional ills. Despite the plethora of techniques available to treat people’s distress, it is recognized that success depends not on any specific technique, but on the person’s resolve to change. Only when this is achieved can techniques be useful in treatment.
Rav Dessler suggests that before improvements can be implemented, amends must be made for the past. Rejection of past habits, he explains, is the workman’s tool for spiritual growth. Moreover, the degree of this rejection — which must be strong in order to last — influences and creates the degree of change. This step, although perhaps difficult, is necessary to achieving meaningful tefillah.
Rav Dessler reassures us that when striving to reach a worthwhile goal, a person will willingly work hard to achieve it regardless of the obstacles that he may face. Tefillah is a most worthwhile goal.
Between knowing and feeling lies an ocean. Anyone who has given even a little thought to the concept of prayer knows that it is a conversation with the Almighty. Anyone who has pondered the concept of the Almighty knows that He is a King before Whom a person must stand in utter awe. Nonetheless, even with that knowledge, many people are perfectly capable of speaking the sacred words of tefillah, specifically the Shemoneh Esrei, without feeling a thing. We become expert at the mind-boggling feat of mouthing prayers while thinking about anything from the dinner menu to the weather.
Why — when we want to pray correctly, when we want to pray effectively, when we understand what all this means — is it still so frustratingly difficult?
Some comfort might be taken in the knowledge that this is a challenge of very long standing. The Gemara1 states that the one sin an average person commits every day is Iyun Tefillah, which, according to Tosafos2 and the Maharal,3 refers to a lack of kavannah during davening.
Nevertheless, the requirement for kavannah still stands; a key axiom of the Torah says that Hashem does not demand the impossible, and therefore, kavannah must be within our reach. According to Rav Yehudah HaChassid there is no single “magic formula”; each person must implement the ideas that attract him, based on his desires and abilities.
According to Rav Dessler, in general, when setting goals, a person should set a “minimum” and a “maximum” goal. The minimum goals give him a greater opportunity to gain strength from success, while the maximum goals give him a vision toward which to strive.5 Rav Dessler reminds us that a person who wants to succeed in climbing the spiritual ladder should set an initial goal to reach the spiritual height that is closest to his current level of free will; with a realistic goal in sight, he will have the motivation to climb to the next step.
A person must be able to envision himself clearly at the level toward which he is striving, Rav Dessler7 adds. He must feel that it has relevance to him, that he is already connected to this level. Otherwise, he is setting himself up for despair. He is like a clerk who decides he will strive to become president of the multinational corporation for which he works. He would gain far more momentum for his climb if he first set his sights on the senior clerk’s position.
As in every attempt at self-improvement, the key is to make a modicum of effort, and Hashem will help with the rest. To capitalize on even the smallest effort, however, it must be rooted in a sincere desire to change. This single factor is what distinguishes those who are able to improve themselves from those who spend a lifetime spinning their wheels.
The crucial factor of internal motivation is noted in the Gemara8 when Reish Lakish states: “Self-reproach in the heart of a person is better than one hundred lashes, as it is stated: The humbleness from reproach is more evident in an understanding man than a hundred lashes in a fool. Modern psychology heeds this truth in dealing with many types of emotional ills. Despite the plethora of techniques available to treat people’s distress, it is recognized that success depends not on any specific technique, but on the person’s resolve to change. Only when this is achieved can techniques be useful in treatment.
Rav Dessler suggests that before improvements can be implemented, amends must be made for the past. Rejection of past habits, he explains, is the workman’s tool for spiritual growth. Moreover, the degree of this rejection — which must be strong in order to last — influences and creates the degree of change. This step, although perhaps difficult, is necessary to achieving meaningful tefillah.
Rav Dessler reassures us that when striving to reach a worthwhile goal, a person will willingly work hard to achieve it regardless of the obstacles that he may face. Tefillah is a most worthwhile goal.
From Praying with Fire on Kavanah
Day 58: Strategy 7: Master the Mind https://app.box.com/notes/29567925457?s=ttj3ccizkvgcrci3futm8kut7eqb4gyq
Rabbi Ashear talk #633 about the importance of concentration when daavening and saying a bracha.
Listen to Rabbi Ashear giving this short shiur: https://app.box.com/s/ca0xqir7kojhwxznyz8hoiimoua4xn91
Taken from the transcript of Daily Emunah #633 by Rabbi Ashear on Parshas Bereshis, Tishrei 26 5776, 10/9/15
The work Ki Atah Imadi tells the story told by a man who was trying for many years to get married, reciting many heartfelt prayers and shedding many tears. One day, he was studying the book Shevo Ve'ahlamah, and he read the introduction, which speaks at length about the remarkable effects of reciting berachot slowly, with concentration. The introduction cites the Gemara's comment in Masechet Berachot explaining the pasuk, וברך את לחמך ואת מימיך והסורותי מחלה מקרבך to mean that if we recite berachot over food the way we should, then Hashem eliminates illness from our communities. If a person can focus for just a few extra seconds on the three segments of every berachah - ברוך אתה ה', אלקינו מלך העולם, and then the conclusion - he can achieve wonders. Indeed, the story is told of a yeshiva student who became deathly ill to the point where the doctors had despaired. Hacham Bentzion Abba Shaul instructed the family to commit themselves to reciting their berachot slowly and with concentration, as a source of merit for their child. The entire student body of the yeshiva followed suit, and they all took this upon themselves. Some students spent an entire minute on just a single berachah. After three weeks, the boy was healed, and after two months, he was back in yeshiva learning as usual. Likewise, the Be'er Yaakov tells that somebody once asked Rav Meir of Premishlan for a blessing on behalf of an ill patient, and the Rabbi advised the man to tell the patient to recite the berachah of אשר יצר with concentration, as this practice has the power to cure illness, adding that this has been tried and tested. The Hafetz Haim, too, taught that reciting אשר יצר with concentration can cure illness, and he would read the berachah from a siddur while following the words with his finger. Rav Shimshon Pincus likewise taught that there is no better segulah for health than reciting אשר יצרproperly.
A man who had great difficulty with getting married told Rabbi Ashear that he received a great deal of inspiration from reading about the extraordinary power of reciting berachot properly, and so he decided to set this as his goal, focusing his attention especially on the berachot of שהכל נהיה בדברו (Shehakol) and אשר יצר (Asher Yotzar). Every time he recited שהכל נהיה בדברו (Shehakol), he thought in his mind that everything in the world happens only by the word of Hashem. And when he recited אשר יצר (Asher Yotzar), he concentrated with special intensity on the final words -ומפליא לעשות - and thought of how Hashem works in wondrous ways. He was inspired and uplifted by the constant reinforcement of these two fundamental precepts. When people would ask him about his marital status, he would respond, "With Hashem's help, I'll be married very soon," because he truly believed that Hashem causes everything to happen and He can bring him his shidduch in wondrous ways. Baruch Hashem, shortly thereafter, he was happily married.
Hashem can make wonders for us. We need to believe in His unlimited capabilities and strive to fill our brachos with this belief by saying them slowly and focusing on the meaning.
Taken from the transcript of Daily Emunah #633 by Rabbi Ashear on Parshas Bereshis, Tishrei 26 5776, 10/9/15
The work Ki Atah Imadi tells the story told by a man who was trying for many years to get married, reciting many heartfelt prayers and shedding many tears. One day, he was studying the book Shevo Ve'ahlamah, and he read the introduction, which speaks at length about the remarkable effects of reciting berachot slowly, with concentration. The introduction cites the Gemara's comment in Masechet Berachot explaining the pasuk, וברך את לחמך ואת מימיך והסורותי מחלה מקרבך to mean that if we recite berachot over food the way we should, then Hashem eliminates illness from our communities. If a person can focus for just a few extra seconds on the three segments of every berachah - ברוך אתה ה', אלקינו מלך העולם, and then the conclusion - he can achieve wonders. Indeed, the story is told of a yeshiva student who became deathly ill to the point where the doctors had despaired. Hacham Bentzion Abba Shaul instructed the family to commit themselves to reciting their berachot slowly and with concentration, as a source of merit for their child. The entire student body of the yeshiva followed suit, and they all took this upon themselves. Some students spent an entire minute on just a single berachah. After three weeks, the boy was healed, and after two months, he was back in yeshiva learning as usual. Likewise, the Be'er Yaakov tells that somebody once asked Rav Meir of Premishlan for a blessing on behalf of an ill patient, and the Rabbi advised the man to tell the patient to recite the berachah of אשר יצר with concentration, as this practice has the power to cure illness, adding that this has been tried and tested. The Hafetz Haim, too, taught that reciting אשר יצר with concentration can cure illness, and he would read the berachah from a siddur while following the words with his finger. Rav Shimshon Pincus likewise taught that there is no better segulah for health than reciting אשר יצרproperly.
A man who had great difficulty with getting married told Rabbi Ashear that he received a great deal of inspiration from reading about the extraordinary power of reciting berachot properly, and so he decided to set this as his goal, focusing his attention especially on the berachot of שהכל נהיה בדברו (Shehakol) and אשר יצר (Asher Yotzar). Every time he recited שהכל נהיה בדברו (Shehakol), he thought in his mind that everything in the world happens only by the word of Hashem. And when he recited אשר יצר (Asher Yotzar), he concentrated with special intensity on the final words -ומפליא לעשות - and thought of how Hashem works in wondrous ways. He was inspired and uplifted by the constant reinforcement of these two fundamental precepts. When people would ask him about his marital status, he would respond, "With Hashem's help, I'll be married very soon," because he truly believed that Hashem causes everything to happen and He can bring him his shidduch in wondrous ways. Baruch Hashem, shortly thereafter, he was happily married.
Hashem can make wonders for us. We need to believe in His unlimited capabilities and strive to fill our brachos with this belief by saying them slowly and focusing on the meaning.
Rabbi Ashear talk #635 on how Kavanah when making brachos brings wealth, Tishrei 30 5776-10/13/15
Listen to Rabbi Ashear giving this talk here . (Starting at 45 minutes he goes into this.)
Taken from the transcript:
reciting berachotproperly also brings wealth. This point in made by the work Mateh Moshe, which was written by a student of the Maharshal, noting the pasuk, ברכת ה' היא תעשיר - "the blessing of G-d - it brings wealth."
Rav Raphael Mamo, in the introduction to his workShevo Ve'ahlamah, writes that once a young man who studied in Yeshivat Porat Yosef left the yeshiva, went into business, and became very wealthy after just one year. Hacham Bentzion Abba Shaul, the Rosh Yeshiva, told the students that this young man earned his wealth because he recited berachot with great concentration. One student - whom we'll call Yosef - decided he wanted to observe how his former classmate recited berachot, and so he went to visit him in his office. The businessman was thrilled to see his old friend, and he asked one of his employees to bring the guest a cup of tea. Yosef noticed that only one cup of tea was brought, and he asked the businessman why he was not drinking.
"Things are very busy in the office," the businessman said. "Telephones are ringing, people are knocking on my door - there's a lot going on. I'm worried that with all the commotion I won't be able to concentrate when I recite a berachah." He explained that he did not eat or drink the entire day, because he did not want to recite a berachah without concentrating properly.
Yosef got up to leave, and the businessman handed him $100.
"Thank you very much," Yosef said, "but I don't need this. You just gave me $100,000." He explained that the Rosh Yeshiva attributed the man's wealth to the way he recited berachot. After seeing with his own eyes how careful this man is with berachot, Yosef learned this lesson and now had the ability to become wealthy. Sure enough, Yosef went on to become wealthy.
Rav Mamo proceeds to tell that when he established his yeshiva, he was trying to raise money for a building, and he approached Yosef and asked for a donation.
"Do you want $1000 or $100,000?" Yosef asked.
"Well," the Rabbi said, "$100,000 would certainly help me a lot more."
"Then take my advice," Yosef said, "as it is worth far more than $100,000." He told the Rabbi the story of his former classmate in Porat Yosef, and said, "Teach your students in the yeshiva to recite berachotproperly, and I guarantee you that you will never need a donation from me."
The Rabbi followed his advice, and he set aside time in the yeshiva to teach the students how to reciteberachot properly. That year, a man from Haifa whom the Rabbi had never met before, named Koby Zayid, came with his brother, Mordechai, to observe the yeshiva. They were very impressed, and they pledged to purchase a new building. Several months later, a new building was purchased, and numerous donors came forward to sponsor the renovations and the construction of a magnificent hechal, which still stands today. They did not need any money from Yosef.
Taken from the transcript:
reciting berachotproperly also brings wealth. This point in made by the work Mateh Moshe, which was written by a student of the Maharshal, noting the pasuk, ברכת ה' היא תעשיר - "the blessing of G-d - it brings wealth."
Rav Raphael Mamo, in the introduction to his workShevo Ve'ahlamah, writes that once a young man who studied in Yeshivat Porat Yosef left the yeshiva, went into business, and became very wealthy after just one year. Hacham Bentzion Abba Shaul, the Rosh Yeshiva, told the students that this young man earned his wealth because he recited berachot with great concentration. One student - whom we'll call Yosef - decided he wanted to observe how his former classmate recited berachot, and so he went to visit him in his office. The businessman was thrilled to see his old friend, and he asked one of his employees to bring the guest a cup of tea. Yosef noticed that only one cup of tea was brought, and he asked the businessman why he was not drinking.
"Things are very busy in the office," the businessman said. "Telephones are ringing, people are knocking on my door - there's a lot going on. I'm worried that with all the commotion I won't be able to concentrate when I recite a berachah." He explained that he did not eat or drink the entire day, because he did not want to recite a berachah without concentrating properly.
Yosef got up to leave, and the businessman handed him $100.
"Thank you very much," Yosef said, "but I don't need this. You just gave me $100,000." He explained that the Rosh Yeshiva attributed the man's wealth to the way he recited berachot. After seeing with his own eyes how careful this man is with berachot, Yosef learned this lesson and now had the ability to become wealthy. Sure enough, Yosef went on to become wealthy.
Rav Mamo proceeds to tell that when he established his yeshiva, he was trying to raise money for a building, and he approached Yosef and asked for a donation.
"Do you want $1000 or $100,000?" Yosef asked.
"Well," the Rabbi said, "$100,000 would certainly help me a lot more."
"Then take my advice," Yosef said, "as it is worth far more than $100,000." He told the Rabbi the story of his former classmate in Porat Yosef, and said, "Teach your students in the yeshiva to recite berachotproperly, and I guarantee you that you will never need a donation from me."
The Rabbi followed his advice, and he set aside time in the yeshiva to teach the students how to reciteberachot properly. That year, a man from Haifa whom the Rabbi had never met before, named Koby Zayid, came with his brother, Mordechai, to observe the yeshiva. They were very impressed, and they pledged to purchase a new building. Several months later, a new building was purchased, and numerous donors came forward to sponsor the renovations and the construction of a magnificent hechal, which still stands today. They did not need any money from Yosef.
Rabbi Ashear Talk #394 – September 11, 2014 on the power of Kavanah
It says in Tehillim, קרוב ה' לכל קוראיו - "Hashem is close to all who call to Him." The pasuk then continues by establishing one critical condition to this rule: לכל אשר יקראוהו באמת - "to all who call to Him sincerely."
Rav Shlomo Farhi noted that the pasuk does not say that the person has to be a generally sincere individual. Rather, it speaks of somebody who calls out to Hashem sincerely. Hashem listens to everyone, no matter who they are or what they've done, as long as they call to Hashem with sincerity.
The story is told of a group of destitute hasidim who barely had enough food to survive. One day, they noticed that a famous Rebbe visited the town, and all the townspeople warmly invited him into their homes and accorded him great honor. The members of this group decided that this could be the solution to their problem. They saved whatever little bit of money they could for several days and purchased the garb of a Hassidic Rebbe, which one of them wore to look like a Rebbe, while the others posed as his escorts. A week later, they began their tour. They hung up signs in the nearby town announcing the arrival of a distinguished Rebbe, and the townspeople graciously and warmly invited him and his men to eat with them. For a couple of weeks, they managed to go from one community to another, enjoying robust meals and royal hospitality.
One day, they were welcomed into the home of a certain wealthy man. But soon after they walked in, the wife came running down the stairs with tears in her eyes.
"You have to help us!" she cried. "My baby daughter is sick! We need your help, Rebbe, please!"
It turned out that the young girl had a very rare illness and had a very high fever.
The so-called "Rebbe" didn't know what to do. He wasn't expecting anything like this. His escorts were likewise startled and held their breath.
He took the child and asked for a private room. "I hope I can help," he humbly said.
A half-hour later, he emerged from the room. The girl already looked much better, and her fever was down. "I think everything is going to be ok," the "Rebbe" said. "There's nothing to worry about
When they left the house, the other hasidim turned to him and asked how he cured the child.
"I turned to Hashem," he explained, "and I said, 'I know I'm an imposter, a fraud, but I need You, Hashem. I need You now. Please help me.' I cried from the depths of my heart and prayed with absolute sincerity."
We could all become very close to Hashem. קרוב ה' לכל קוראיו - as long as we call out to Him באמת, with true sincerity
Rav Shlomo Farhi noted that the pasuk does not say that the person has to be a generally sincere individual. Rather, it speaks of somebody who calls out to Hashem sincerely. Hashem listens to everyone, no matter who they are or what they've done, as long as they call to Hashem with sincerity.
The story is told of a group of destitute hasidim who barely had enough food to survive. One day, they noticed that a famous Rebbe visited the town, and all the townspeople warmly invited him into their homes and accorded him great honor. The members of this group decided that this could be the solution to their problem. They saved whatever little bit of money they could for several days and purchased the garb of a Hassidic Rebbe, which one of them wore to look like a Rebbe, while the others posed as his escorts. A week later, they began their tour. They hung up signs in the nearby town announcing the arrival of a distinguished Rebbe, and the townspeople graciously and warmly invited him and his men to eat with them. For a couple of weeks, they managed to go from one community to another, enjoying robust meals and royal hospitality.
One day, they were welcomed into the home of a certain wealthy man. But soon after they walked in, the wife came running down the stairs with tears in her eyes.
"You have to help us!" she cried. "My baby daughter is sick! We need your help, Rebbe, please!"
It turned out that the young girl had a very rare illness and had a very high fever.
The so-called "Rebbe" didn't know what to do. He wasn't expecting anything like this. His escorts were likewise startled and held their breath.
He took the child and asked for a private room. "I hope I can help," he humbly said.
A half-hour later, he emerged from the room. The girl already looked much better, and her fever was down. "I think everything is going to be ok," the "Rebbe" said. "There's nothing to worry about
When they left the house, the other hasidim turned to him and asked how he cured the child.
"I turned to Hashem," he explained, "and I said, 'I know I'm an imposter, a fraud, but I need You, Hashem. I need You now. Please help me.' I cried from the depths of my heart and prayed with absolute sincerity."
We could all become very close to Hashem. קרוב ה' לכל קוראיו - as long as we call out to Him באמת, with true sincerity
Rabbi Jonathan Rietti on Tefillah:
Dynamic shiur: listen here
Recording of shiur from Rabbi Avigdor Miller on Intention that speaks about "l'havros es ha'guf l'avod es Hashem"
https://www.cubbyusercontent.com/pl/Music/_5f9e6daccb0d4dc287a0b53c75709158 NOTE: the part talking about "La'avod es ha'guf..." starts at 40 minutes.
Praying With Fire - Day 61
Click here to listen to the recording: The Strategy to Finding Joy in Davening