The key to upleveling our tefillah experience

Last week, we learned about going Upstairs. Using Tefillah as an opening to move from the world of bechira (man’s choice) to the world of yediyah (Hashem’s control over the world).

When you tried this concept on for size, what did you experience? Did you notice a new sense of calm, the kind that comes when we surrender control to Hashem?

Well, yes, a bit, and that was very nice… but I also found the whole thing challenging. I spend my entire day working and sweating to further the goals I daven for. How am I supposed to ignore my hishtadlus (efforts) and step fully into this new reality?

Excellent question. If it resonates with you, don’t worry. You’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.

Chazal (Taanis 2a) refer to tefillah as “avodah shebalev” – service of the heart. Now, if you think about it, the last few topics we discussed kept us in our heads. We talked about learning and experiencing new spiritual realms through tefillah. We mentally explored this bechira-yediyah split.

So where does the heart come in?

Even more, what do Chazal mean by “heart?” Our emotions? Our lifeforce? Something else?

Today, hearts symbolize love and feelings. But look throughout the Torah and you’ll see the word “lev” used to symbolize wisdom. The men who worked alongside Betzalel to design the Mishkan (Tabernacle) are called “kol ish chacham lev” – “men wise of heart” (Shemos 36:1). In our prayers, we plead, “v’sein belibeinu lehavin ulehaskil” – “please, G-d, place understanding and enlightenment in our hearts.”

Hm. What’s the difference, then, between our heads and our hearts?

The Nefesh Hachaim (1:4) cites a passage from Chazal that provides an answer. The head is there to absorb and interpret ideas out of reach of our human senses. Like the reality of Hashem. The existence of a spiritual dimension. The paradox of yedyiah and bechira.

The heart is different. Physically, our hearts live in the center of our bodies. Spiritually, our heart serves as the concretizing agent that internalizes lofty, abstract ideas and places them at the center of our perspective, our operating system for life.

In a nutshell, that’s avodah – taking lofty concepts that seem above our heads and incorporating them into our lives. And that’s what Chazal meant by avodah shebalev. They were teaching us that prayer is the process of moving lofty spiritual ideas from a theoretical seat in our brains to a central position in our lives.

So, if you’re struggling to fully internalize that Hashem runs the world as you watch your own efforts pay off, well, that’s exactly the work of tefillah.

Great… but how do I do it?

Here’s where we’ll take our first introduction to the concept of hisbonenus.

What is hisbonenus?

Literally translated, it means “deep thought” or “contemplation.” The Targum, however, takes a different route, defining it as “histaklus.”

Histalkus means gazing. Staring at something in a way that brings you personal connection. Which is why the Torah forbids histaklus at improper sites. We’re not talking about superficial glancing. We’re talking about attempting to connect with the image in front of you.

When we need to understand and apply information, we’re used to using our minds. Histalkus brings us to a different type of understanding – one that’s closer and more connected to us.

This is the skill we need to learn to take our prayer to the next level.

Join us next week as we start the process.