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I consider myself to be a “good” davener and I’m not about to stop. I honestly believe that if people would talk to Hashem more, people would be a lot happier and calmer.
Question 1: The weekday Shmone Esrai is made up of Shevach, Bakasha, Hoda’ah. With Shevach being defined as praise, isn’t that sort of flattery? Telling Hashem He can do anything and then comes in Bakasha, “…and while we’re on the topic, please give us ___”
Question 2: I’m one little person in a huge world, which Hashem created. Technically, why should He want to hear about my life?
Like I said before, I very much enjoy davening and I have no intention to stop. TIA.
1.Sincere praise is not flattery.Insincere,hidden-agenda praise is flattery.It’s due respect to shower “royalty” with deserved praise,before addressing the topic at hand.Even if you must ask for a personal favor afterwards.BECAUSE WE PRAISE HIM IN THE SHABBOS SHEMONA ESRAY–EVEN WITHOUT BASKOSHOS.So Hashem knows we are for real!
2.To Hashem,you are not just “one little person”–you are His creation.The tiniest child is never ,ever just”one little person” to his parents,right?
2. every single thing Hashem created He cares for He knows what you do and cares for you and wants to hear what you have to say
The same way we feel it(Hashem’s personal caring for us) so strongly when everything works out perfectly,is the way we should at least TRY to feel when the road is bumpy.
1. we say in birchos krias shma – “tov yatzar kavod lishmo” – it is good that Hashem created honor for His Name. Our whole purpose in this world is to give honor and kavod to Hashem. Hashem doesn’t blush – the praising we’re doing isn’t for Him it’s for us to help realize His greatness, that’s the whole point. It is a kindness to us that Hashem created the concept of honoring His Name. It’s not flattery, it’s showing a sense of correct kavod. In davening, it’s having us say out loud a few times what we should be knowing and feeling every moment of the day, that’s all.
2. Of course bnei yisroel are here as a whole, part of a group, and Hashem looks down at the nation as a whole and loves us for all being the children of Avraham Yitzchak and Yaakov. But we are so much more than that. Hashem sends down many neshamas into one world together. He could have made a million worlds and given each neshama its own separate world, but He did it this way instead. That doesn’t take away from the purpose and mission of each individual neshama. You asked – “I’m one little person in a huge world, which Hashem created. Technically, why should He want to hear about my life?” I’ll go really Jewish on you and answer your question with a question – why wouldn’t Hashem care? Are you really that unimportant? And if you are, then why would Hashem bring you down here in the first place? We believe that Hashem didn’t only create the world but He also is actually being mashgiach over it every day. I believe that this applies to people as well. Hashem isn’t just going to create a neshama, bring it down to the world, and leave it to get on with all the other work He has to get done that day. He is mashgiach on us 24/7 whether we talk to Him or have anything to do with Him or not. Either way, He’s always with us, He’s always listening. It’s not like He only listens when we He hears us starting to speak up, and then once we’re done He leaves. In that case, I would agree, why waste His time to come and listen? But since He is always listening, we’re not wasting His time when we talk to Him, if anything we’re wasting His time when we don’t.
Nice!
smile66 –
Please make paragraphs and double space them, it would make the reading pleasant on the eyes as well as the heart.
To add to your point,
The punishment of the snake was that wherever he goes, he will have his food. Chazal say that this is equivalent to a king who was upset with a servant and had him get all his food outside so that he shouldn’t have any business at the king’s table.
Teffila is an opportunity to connect to Hashem. Hashem purposely set up the world so that we should have what to ask Him for what we need. Kapusta knows this inherently, which is obvious by the commitment and love of Teffila expressed in the OP. When we Daven, the main focus is that we are positioning ourself as recipients of Hashem’s outstretched hand; it’s not just a list of needs.
The best way to bring yourself to this point and position is to first focus on the greatness of Hashem, and from there go on to the point of mentioning our requests.
Remember, Hashem knows what you need and what you want. The reason we Daven is not to let Him know anything, it is to make yourself a requester of Hashem. When you Daven to Hashem you are making yourself a vessel for His blessings. First you stand up the cup, then you begin filling it.
As to why Hashem would pay attention to you when there is a whole universe out there: First of all, all that out there was created for Yisroel. We are Hashem’s children; would a king lose sight of his children while running a great land?
But the question itself is actually disturbing. A human can only focus on one thing, but how can you apply the same thinking to Hashem? Why don’t you lose focus of yourself when you become aware that there is a great big universe out there? The answer is because you feel yourself. You are aware of all your feelings. Now, do you think Hashem does not know those feelings?
It says, Ki Ha’adam Yir’a L’Einayim Ve’elokim Yir’a Leleivav. A person sees that there is another person standing in front of him, but has no idea what is going on inside. I noticed that often times people feel that they can describe another person in one sentence. If you ask that describer to define himself in a sentence or two, he wouldn’t know where to start. A person is aware of his own vastness of nature and feelings, but the next guy is reduced to a few twitches and pet peeves. I think that you are applying this viewpoint when you ask why Hashem would focus on you. You have to look understand Hashems view of you like you view yourself.
Very well said. Big thanks to Ruff, Smile, Joe, and Eclipse. I came to CR to catch up on hock, but that was very well written and insightful.
A Rebby of mine recently told me an interesting point. The only time we mention the highest level of Kedusha in Shomayim (or close to it); the Kisai Hakovod is in Asher Yatzar. We see from here; Hashem in his tremendous glory, by the Kisai Hakavod, still worries about and tends to the seemingly lowest of our needs. The act that commands the Brachah.
We can thank Hashem just for this, that he hold’s us so so dear and precious to him!!
ruffruff – thanks for the pointer i’ll try to pay more attention to that in future posts 🙂
Why should one take away from the other? A computer runs many programs simultaneously, but each process focuses on its own goal. I avoided bringing up this idea before because Hashem is not separated into different parts. However, now that you ask, I an illustrating that one focus does not disturb another.
I don’t really understand why He shouldn’t be interested in you, or anyone? Being small and one of many can’t be reasons because He made you small and one of many.
I think the real thing here is basically, for whatever reason, Hashem does care. If we find some reason why He shouldn’t care He’s not going to ch”v stop caring. So now, we just gotta pick up from there and live our lives with this in mind as much as possible.
btw thanks for the thread it’s really helping me solidify this stuff for myself
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