Cycle of a Day

When I was in high school, one topic of discussion amongst my girlfriends was how one would know if she was in love enough to marry someone. Girls would say, “You know you’re in love if he’s the first thing you think about in the morning and the last thing you think about at night”.  That was just a fantasy, and it certainly is not an accurate barometer for deciding on a marriage partner, but it IS a goal to strive for in the service of Hashem.  We are told that we must love Hashem with all our hearts and all our souls, yet it is sometimes difficult to really feel that bond.  By saying the ‘Shema’ before sleep and waking up with prayers on our lips, we are nourishing that connection. The more we unite with Hashem through prayer, the deeper our love for Him will grow. 

Throughout the day there are so many opportunities to include Hashem in our lives.  As soon as we open our eyes we begin with the basic Morning Prayer, Modeh Ani, in which we show our appreciation for the fact that we have indeed woken up from our slumber; “You have returned my soul within me with compassion – abundant is Your faithfulness”.  How many of us erroneously take this daily occurrence for granted?  We then wash our hands in the prescribed manner (to remove the impurities from sleep) with another blessing which is followed by morning prayers, shacharit, and all the brachot (blessings) we are obligated to say over our breakfast meal.  It is not just because we are commanded to say these prayers and do these rituals that we perform them, but also because we want to thank HaShem for all the goodness he has brought to our lives.  Once we get into the habit of showing our gratitude to the Creator of our world, it becomes second nature.

By attuning ourselves to our surroundings, we will recognize that during the cycle of a day, barely a moment passes that one doesn’t have an occasion to speak to Hashem and thank Him for our abundant blessings.  Each step we take is a miracle and we can thank our Father for the ability to walk, if we are blessed with functioning legs.  The ability to bite into a sandwich is another event which should not be assumed as a given.  I recently was unable to chew on my front teeth and eating was difficult to say the least.  I prayed constantly for Hashem to heal my mouth so I could once again enjoy my meals without pain and sustain myself normally.  Grocery shopping and buying other important items should not be taken casually either.  We routinely run over to the supermarket to load up our basket with whatever we need, but consider how many miracles are involved in this seemingly straightforward, ordinary act.  The reality of the supermarket itself which stocks all the necessities, the ability to physically go there and choose what is required and the capability to pay through G-d’s open and generous Hand are constant miracles which should not be overlooked in one’s prayers of gratefulness. The sun, the rain, the dew, the crops… the list of Hashem’s bounty is endless.

For each difficulty and every trial we encounter in life, there are multiple wondrous bonuses offered to us in exchange.  We need only to open our eyes.  If the course of your life has not yet directed you to your zivug (soul mate), to a home of your own or to the new job necessary to support your family, there is no reason to despair as everything occurs in the proper time.  If, for some reason, it is not meant to be, then for motives known only to Hashem, it is for the best.  That is not to say one must accept everything as written in stone.  As long as we have hopes and desires which are for the sake of Heaven, we can and should attempt to alter the circumstances decreed upon us.  The Almighty has the ability to change anything, no matter how seemingly impossible the situation appears.  As we have heard many times, prayer, teshuva (repentance), good deeds and charity have phenomenal powers to sway the verdict in the Heavenly courts, if we only make the effort.  This is also the beauty of hitbodedut, the timeless gift of personal prayer.

Yet, it is not enough to simply pray and take upon ourselves all the mitzvot that are we are instructed to fulfill.  We must endeavor to internalize our obligations to such an extent that we can feel them in our souls. In turn the commandments will no longer be just rules to follow, but a longing to serve our Maker from the very core of our being.  For without His Loving Benevolence, we would surely not exist.  Existence goes hand in hand with our heritage and all those who came before us.  There is a paragraph of the morning prayers directly preceding ‘The Shema’ which states in part “Our Father, our King, for the sake of our forefathers who trusted in You and whom You taught the decrees of life, may You be equally gracious to us and teach us.” (Translation by Artscroll) We are beseeching G-d to enlighten us so we can live our lives according to His Will and continue the legacy our holy ancestors left us, to follow in their footsteps so-to-speak.  Our every waking moment should be spent in this lofty pursuit.

Many sources compare Hashem to a husband and the Jewish People to His bride.  Using this analogy, we can be assured that the affection we will feel for Him will be as undeniable and deep as the love between a bride and her husband, if cultivated properly. Men are reminded of this each morning as they wrap the Tefillin strap around their finger:  (Hoshea 2:21-22):“I will betroth you to Me forever; and I will betroth you to Me in righteousness, justice, loving-kindness, and in compassion.  And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness; And you shall know the L-rd.”

Finally, at the conclusion of the day, before we lie down for the night, we also enlist Hashem’s help though the recitation of the ‘Bedtime Shema’.  We ask Him to forgive any sins we may have committed and to guard us throughout the night with peaceful sleep.  What better protector can we solicit than G-d Himself!  In return, we are reminded of our duty to “love the L-rd, your G-d, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might. Let these matters which I command you today be upon your heart.  Teach them thoroughly to your children and speak of them while you sit in your home, while you walk on the way, when you retire and when you arise” (Devarim 6:5-7, from the [Bedtime] Shema)

If we try to follow the path of righteousness, Hashem will undoubtedly be the first thing we think about in the morning and the last thing we think about at night, and G-d Willing, all of our precious minutes in between.