Intimate Connections

Sometimes I just get a bit demotivated.  I want to speak to Hashem but my thoughts don’t seem to want to connect to my speech. I’ve got good reasons, really I have.  My life is quite intensive yet uplifting.  Looking after a parent who is struggling with the infirmities of old age is a challenge but also a holy task if one can keep Hashem in the picture. Nevertheless, trying to keep the standard and personal prayer, psalms, and the rest going has been at times a bit of a struggle.  

Several months ago I discovered a wonderful book called “Living On”, compiled by Rabbi Daniel Travis, in memory of those holy souls who perished in the Har Nof terrorist attack in Israel.  One of the essays was written by Rav Yaakov Hillel, and I decided to take on some of his suggestions for strengthen my emuna, increasing divine protection, and increasing my love for all Jews.  I would like to share these ideas with you, as well as an idea from Rav Shalom Arush, as I found that by taking them on, not only did it help me connect with Hashem in a very easy way but also helped reassess and benefit my personal prayer sessions:

Divine Protection 

* On leaving your home, kiss the mezuzah and ask Hashem for divine assistance and guidance both for outdoors and indoors.  Rav Hillel points out that accidents occur outdoors and also in the home, something we sometimes forget.  I try to do this and to ask for protection for my mother as well, particularly if I have to leave her for any period of time on her own.  Really, it works!

* Another suggestion is to verbally express the intent that I am  about to engage in a mitzvah, which could be shopping for kosher food, for Shabbat, going to visit someone in the hospital, etc. [and Rav Hillel includes even smiling at someone you know to cheer them up].  For example, when I do something for my mother, I can say: “I am fulfilling the mitzvah of honoring parents”.  Rav Hillel says this will also increase divine protection because we are in the process of fulfilling a mitzvah.

* I heard that Rav Shalom Arush asks for divine protection when crossing roads in Israel.  I have taken this on and it has made me realize that we are all vulnerable to traffic accidents.  Several times I have passed by the aftermath of some vehicular incident.  I also try to include other pedestrians who are crossing at the same time.

Loving all Jews 

* Before praying, verbally accept upon yourself the mitzvah of loving all Jews [the Arizal].  The Arizal says that this statement of intent binds a person’s prayers to all the Jewish people’s prayers. On a personal basis, I think this is also important because when one expresses this mitzvah verbally, particularly on a regular basis, it causes us to internalize the message much more than just thinking about it.

* My favorite suggestion though is to make the verbal declaration “b’shem kol Yisrael”, “on behalf of the Jewish People” before we do a mitzvah.  Every mitzvah we do helps other Jews.  The sages tell us that the Jewish People are considered one soul and therefore we are all dependent on, and are guarantors for, each other.

The above suggestions are particularly pertinent to the times we are living in.  As we approach the Messianic era there is a noticeable increase in suffering throughout.  People are struggling with all manner of ordeals and we don’t always have the strength to engage in prolonged prayer.  I found that by taking on these declarations, whenever I can, it has strengthened my connection to Hashem just because it’s so easy to do – as long as you remember! And it feels good to say “Hashem, I’m doing this mitzvah on behalf of all the Jewish people” and know that it will have an effect in the upper worlds and by extension here in this world.  

The other advantage is that we are making these statements at different times during the day, and fulfilling another spiritual concept of “shivisi Hashem l’negdi tamid”, “I place you Hashem before me always” [Psalms 16:5]. I can personally attest to the fact that by making these declarations during the day, even if only a few times, it definitely brings Hashem into my life in a really tangible way.

Every little effort we can make in this area, either to acknowledge that Hashem is the ultimate Protector or to connect ourselves to other Jews in love will usher in the Messianic era.