Prayer- Middos 2

One essential part of prayer is to ‘direct the heart to Hashem.

“ A blind man or one who is unable to locate the directions should direct his heart to his Father in Heaven ; as it is said, “And they pray unto Hashem” (I Kings viii. 44).

יְכַוֵּין לִבּוֹ כְּנֶגֶד אָבִיו שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְהִתְפַּלְלוּ אֶל ה׳״

How does one direct his heart to Hashem?

When looking at the words of Pirkei Avos of “וּלְאָן אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ”, “to know where you are going”.  I think we can get some hints of what is required to become one who directs his heart to Hashem.

Rabeinu Yonah first describes a two step process” in the words that lead one to know where he is going to,  דַּע מֵאַיִן בָּאתָ, to first know where comes from.  That first knowing this will lead to becoming  humble in spirit.  And, second, if one masters the middah of “Sh’fal Ruach”, humble in spirit he will then be SAVED from the middah of arrogance. ^[1]

Rabeinu Yonah describes the next process of knowing where you are going to be one who  “thinks” in his heart to where he is going.

I find it very telling to me, how one really needs to be saved from the measurement, or middah of arrogance as per Rabeinu Yonah, תנצל ממדת הגאוה, as per Rabeinu Yonah.

He then describes it is only then when a person can even think properly, in order to direct his heart to Hashem.

Arrogance is something we need to be saved from!  Which implies that we are literally teetering on death every moment, unless we can acquire the measurement, or middah of humbleness in spirit.  It is something we need saving from.  The verse in Isaiah seems to equate the “saving” as being revived, or given life from death, a form of “techias Hameisim” , as the verse states, וּשְׁפַל־ר֔וּחַ לְהַחֲיוֹת֙ ר֣וּחַ שְׁפָלִ֔ים וּֽלְהַחֲי֖וֹת לֵ֥ב נִדְכָּאִֽים, reviving the spirit of the humble and to give life to the hearts of the contrite.

So, When I take my three steps backwards contemplating where I have come from, I imagine those steps as essential moments, in order  for me to choose life. It is a pivotal moment.

My three steps backwards are a gift from the Ribono Shel Olam , kavyachol waiting for me to come free from any remnants of arrogance so He can crown us with Life, with Attachment to Him, וְאַתֶּם֙ הַדְּבֵקִ֔ים בַּה׳ אֱלֹקיכֶ֑ם חַיִּ֥ים כֻּלְּכֶ֖ם הַיּֽוֹם, And you, who attached to Hashem, your source of all powers, are all alive today.^[2]

^[1]If one really contemplates for where his Neshama is from, and the idea that Hashem and His entourage dwells in The Highest abode just for a human being who is “Sh’fal Ruach” who knows where he comes from, to then be a vessel that can receive all he needs to elevate himself in this world. (Pirkei Avos 3:2- Rabeinu Yonah, and Ibn Ezrah on the words “Sh’fal Ruach” (Isaiah, 57:15)

May we all be zoche to be saved from the middah of arrogance so we can all direct our hearts to our Father in Heaven for true attachment to Him, Biezraso.

 

^[2] Devarim, 4:4