Jews pray. Abraham prayed. Isaac prayed. Jacob prayed.
But as I go through life, I notice that genuine prayer is really something of an acquired taste. Yes, prayer is certainly an integral part of Judaism, but it's often easier said than done. One can't just assume that by opening a prayer book he/she will be inspired to pray meaningfully. One needs the right mental posture, and some emotional availability, to bring prayer to life. It takes some preliminary attitude adjustment.
We find one element of this in the Talmud's advice to give charity before we pray. Indeed, many spiritual Masters would, as preparation for their prayers, seek opportunities to help the poor.
Chabad thought explains that my pre-prayer charity will actually enhance my own personal prayer experience; my prayers will come alive - energetic and enthusiastic - because I've contributed to another's life.
I was thinking about that a bit. Charity is a great thing. But what connection does it have with my prayers? How do I connect the dots between helping the pauper and my personal prayer enthusiasm?
Here's a thought:
Real prayer requires a sense of need.
If I feel totally self-sufficient, smug with self-satisfaction, then I really have no room for prayer in my life. I'm it. Numero Uno. The world revolves around me.
|Why open up to anybody, especially in prayer?
Genuine prayer is about yearning and connecting. Yearning for, and connecting with, my G-d. Yearning for, and connecting with, my destiny. Yearning for, and connecting with, my higher self. But first I need to yearn. It's crucial to the exercise.
Yearning means that I know there's something beyond me. I yearn to reach higher, to do better, to outrun my weaker self.
But if I'm all wrapped up in myself, I'm not yearning for anything. I'm not seeing higher; I'm just seeing me.
[As we approach Chanukah, with its emphasis on lights and flames, we need to remember that the soul is "G-d's flame". Just as the flame flickers higher, seemingly trying to reach beyond itself, so too does the soul consistently yearn to touch the Divine.]
So I guess Chassidic thought sees my charity as important therapy. If I can bring myself to feel for someone else's needs, if I can crawl out of myself to empathize with someone, then I'm ready to yearn.
I've left my spiritual prison of self-centeredness, venturing into the rela world.
Now, I just need to look up.
ב"ה