Reflections on the DIVINE Dialogue
No small question, this.
When we’re talking tefillah, Rabbi Dovid Gottlieb says that there are three ways in which we can frame the canvas of our life.
While the what of tefillah (let’s say good health and parnossa) denotes the substantive basis of our requests, our concern here is with the how of tefillah, which bespeaks of the way we approach Hashem in our thrice daily Q and (hopefully positive) A.
We can choose to put ourselves front and center, and title the picture, ME, as in only ME. And if we so choose, that’s the picture that will be before our eyes when we daven as opposed to that other one. In such a scenario our tefillah will track the picture we have created, and the thrust of our bakoshas will be, “give me (good health and parnossa) because I want.” Not a blockbuster of an argument to be sure, as we previously noted in EmunahSpeak: The King and I, but as we said above, the weakness as such is in its presentation, not its essence.
But instead of pushing our way into the center of the picture, we can choose to move a bit to one side or the other and leave the bulk of the center for Hashem, thereby morphing ME into Hashem and ME. And even though we are making a request identical to the one we made in the guise of MR. ME (good health and parnossa), in the context of this “picture” we are beseeching Hashem for a means to serve Him.
It’s all in the asking.
All of the things that one asks for should be for the purpose of serving Hashem. “Give me a means (good health and parnossa) to serve you better.” We are servants who are simply asking for a better tool to do a better job, and that is why we can express ourselves as servants of Hashem although we are asking for something.
And then there is the third way to frame our picture.
Rabbi Gottlieb says in the name of the Nefesh HaChaim that we have to understand that transgression hurts Hashem. Every time we perform a transgression we are causing the Shechina to scream. As such, the essential fear of transgression is not the fear of punishment, but rather the fear of causing Hashem pain which is something that we can’t stand. Moreover, Hashem also shares our “pain” in all of its manifestations, and herein lies an opportunity for greatness for the very few who will choose to remove themselves entirely from the picture in deference to Hashem and say with a lev shalom, “take away my pain because I know it gives You pain.”
Those on this rarified level entreat Hashem by saying, “give me (good health and parnossa) because it hurts You not to give me.”
In the first of Rabbi Gottlieb’s three approaches to framing our picture we put ourselves in the center and say “gimmie,” which is for our benefit. In the second, which is a very high madreiga, we practically remove ourselves from the picture in favor of Hashem, and say “give me” so that we may benefit Him.
In the third, Hashem is center stage in the picture, and we say “give me” solely for His benefit.
Who do you put in the center of your picture?
