And where,
exactly, does one learn how to formulate an honest Tefillah?
So asked Rav
Yaakov Weinberg z”l, as quoted in EmunahSpeak:
So Say Something Already!
And he answered that
we should learn it from a child. If you have a need, cry. You have
a Tatte up There Who is going to take care of you.
Tatte, I have
a need! That’s enough in itself. Your need requires a
response.
Your desires
are another story.
Chazal tell us
to seek Hashem where He can be found, and they then point us in the direction
of the Aseres Yemei Teshuva. And on these
days, in contradistinction to the rest of the year, your desires are
very much the story for we are told that we can ask for anything we want
because Hashem is close to those who call out to Him.
Rav Avigdor
Miller z”l notes, however, that there are different degrees of closeness. You merit some kind of a
response (albeit a possible NO) just for asking, because Hashem’s default position vis á vis His
People during these holy days is one of closeness.
Seek Hashem for
whatever you heart desires but ultimately, if your wish list is properly
prioritized, you should be seeking Hashem to get close to Him over and above all else. Getting
close to Hashem is the real deal, and He is close, as in tight, with those who call out to Him for that very purpose, rather then squander their entire opportunity on
mundane wants and needs.
Rav Miller z”l
reminds us that that the closer one gets to Hashem in this world the closer he
will be to Him in the next world for ever and ever. True enough, but it’s not a free lunch because he also tells us that before one can even
hope to come close to Hashem he has to implicitly believe in His existence to the extent
that he has a clear cut sensory perception that He’s here right before him.
The one who
seeks to come close to Hashem, vaults that hurdle only to discover that he is separated
from Him by mechitzas (barriers) that are constructed from his aveiros (sins) and
character flaws, and there’s no getting close to
Hashem as long as they remain standing. Teshuva gemura, and only a Teshuva gemura is the means by which
these mechitzas can be toppled. But
that’s only the first step because we still have to propel ourselves forward
toward Him, and to that end Rav Miller z”l walks us over the fallen mechitzas and
reveals to us three things that will bring us close to Hashem.
In the name of
the Rambam he informs us that the very best way to come close to Hashem is to take a good hard look at His Creations in Nature. We
are supposed to utilize the phenomenon of this world to see Hashem. The purpose of spiders, porcupines, electric
eels, snow, rain, lightening and every other
manifestation of Nature is to teach mankind about Hashem. If their purpose is to teach then ours is to learn, and as we begin to take notice of things around
us our minds become enriched and we are drawn closer to Him.
But the myriad
upon myriad of miracles that are documented by Nature all around us are not the
only avenue by which we can aspire to come close to Hashem.
Speaking to
Hashem can also make you great, and you can seek Him within yourself, where the
Spirit of Hashem is well ensconced, by consulting your own mind. And in the course of time you can come closer
Hashem because when people discover the greatness that’s within them they burst
forth in praise of Hashem, be it by way of their own unique niggun from within
or their recitation of Tehillim with kavana and feeling as recommended by the
Mesillas Yesharim.
And there’s the
third way, by which we jam pack our minds with thoughts of Hashem. Love what Hashem loves and hate what Hashem
hates. Have in mind doing Avodas Hashem
(korbanos) in addition to the rest of the mitzvahs because if your mind becomes
full of Torah thoughts then you are already coming close to Hashem.
Seek Hashem
where He can be found so as to come close to Him, and He will meet your gaze.
