Rabbeinu Bachya[1] comments on the human being’s power of speech as the human being’s superiority over other forms of living creations. He explains how speech is something that is an attribute of Hashem[2].
He says that when a person inserts intention before speaking, to make sure his words are proper, correct, and he is misader his words, or creates order in his speech through his higher intellect, it will be with simcha.
The reason being is that such a person does not allow his lips to even say the words until he organized them in his heart first. To organize one’s thoughts is in the “hand” of the human being.
It seems to me that the process of organizing one’s thoughts before speaking is very much related to a human being’s power of choice. When one exercises such care in his or her speech and is particular that what he or she speaks is consistent with the words of Torah, a person actually I believe fulfills the mitzvah of emulating Hashem.
I think this process is exactly the process of Davening. My understanding of simcha, is that it is a power of the soul[3]. When a soul is working at its optimum, one should be ‘b’simcha. I believe that Rabeinu Bachya is teaching us how to turn on our neshama so it is functioning optimally. Which means that when we daven , and we make order of our thoughts so our words are organized, as in the word “sidur” , we have an opportunity to recalibrate our neshama to function at its highest.
When we use our minds and choose to think before saying things, and are deliberate and prioritize, and organize what we want, and what we want to say to The King of all kings, we activate simcha. In other words we empower our neshama in a state of simcha. Davening is the speech of our neshama.
The midah of Pesach is joy according to what I learned from my Rebbie, Harav Simcha Leib Weinberg, n’’y. So perhaps the best way to prepare for Pesach is to really work at praying as a function of using our bechira, our ability to choose, an expression of true freedom.
May we all be zoche to access the simcha available to us on Pesach for true redemption quickly biezras Hashem.
[1] Rabeinu Bachya- Hakdama to parshas tazria
[2] בּוֹרֵ֖א (נוב) [נִ֣יב] שְׂפָתָ֑יִם שָׁל֨וֹם ׀ שָׁל֜וֹם לָרָח֧וֹק וְלַקָּר֛וֹב אָמַ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה וּרְפָאתִֽיו- Yishayahu, 57:19
[3] Ayelet Ahavim, Rav Shlomo Halevi Alkabetz
Rabbeinu Bachya[1] comments on the human being’s power of speech as the human being’s superiority over other forms of living creations. He explains how speech is something that is an attribute of Hashem[2].
He says that when a person inserts intention before speaking, to make sure his words are proper, correct, and he is misader his words, or creates order in his speech through his higher intellect, it will be with simcha.
The reason being is that such a person does not allow his lips to even say the words until he organized them in his heart first. To organize one’s thoughts is in the “hand” of the human being.
It seems to me that the process of organizing one’s thoughts before speaking is very much related to a human being’s power of choice. When one exercises such care in his or her speech and is particular that what he or she speaks is consistent with the words of Torah, a person actually I believe fulfills the mitzvah of emulating Hashem.
I think this process is exactly the process of Davening. My understanding of simcha, is that it is a power of the soul[3]. When a soul is working at its optimum, one should be ‘b’simcha. I believe that Rabeinu Bachya is teaching us how to turn on our neshama so it is functioning optimally. Which means that when we daven , and we make order of our thoughts so our words are organized, as in the word “sidur” , we have an opportunity to recalibrate our neshama to function at its highest.
When we use our minds and choose to think before saying things, and are deliberate and prioritize, and organize what we want, and what we want to say to The King of all kings, we activate simcha. In other words we empower our neshama in a state of simcha. Davening is the speech of our neshama.
The midah of Pesach is joy according to what I learned from my Rebbie, Harav Simcha Leib Weinberg, n’’y. So perhaps the best way to prepare for Pesach is to really work at praying as a function of using our bechira, our ability to choose, an expression of true freedom.
May we all be zoche to access the simcha available to us on Pesach for true redemption quickly biezras Hashem.
[1] Rabeinu Bachya- Hakdama to parshas tazria
[2] בּוֹרֵ֖א (נוב) [נִ֣יב] שְׂפָתָ֑יִם שָׁל֨וֹם ׀ שָׁל֜וֹם לָרָח֧וֹק וְלַקָּר֛וֹב אָמַ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה וּרְפָאתִֽיו- Yishayahu, 57:19
[3] Ayelet Ahavim, Rav Shlomo Halevi Alkabetz
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