Imitatio Hominus

We make God in our own image.  Ask any child.  They will tell you that God has brown hair, a long beard and sits on a throne.  Kids conceive of God in the only way they can; they look at the universe and draw parallels.  The Ultimate Master probably resembles some powerful patriarchal figure, at once benevolent and stern.

As we grow from children into adults our thinking becomes more abstract.  We know that the Almighty is not physical.  The Holy One is neither make nor female: He is unknowable in any human way.  Our conception morphs from a secure portrait of God to a more fluid, ethereal idea.

As we grow, more mature faith teaches that God is beyond our senses.  Yet, there is another sense which we all posses but do often access.  It goes beyond description, even though everyone knows what it is.

Abraham Joshua Heschel told the tale of the shoemaker.  The old cobbler had a problem with his morning prayers.  If he stopped to daven at Synagogue his morning’s work would be delayed.  Worse, if the shoemaker spent time at the Shul mind would not be on God but getting through his prayers quickly.  On the other hand, as a God-fearing Jew, he knew his responsibility.

With trepidation he brought his problem to God.  “Ribbono Shel Olam, is it enough when I raise my hammer that I sigh?”

Some of the holiest prayers are nothing more than a sigh.  In fact, the greatest prayers originate in the moment when we feel most keenly.  From deep within comes a great wellspring of feeling.  The Hasidim used to say that there are times when a sigh can break the whole universe.  All the prayers in the Siddur are for one purpose; to ignite the internal soul fire.  In other words, we pray in order to express our experience of life, the way we feel it.  A sigh then is a response to feeling life. And that is why a sigh can be so holy. 

To feel life is the entryway to prayer – in fact it is a prerequisite.  Sighing is a great prayer because it expresses wonder.

Prayer is an answer to life.  What then is the question?  It is your name.  The realization that we are called by the One.  It is an expression of profound proportions.  A sigh, a word uttered with genuine conviction, is a prayer for it is a response to God

The Un-Taboo Life

                                  

Psychoanalyst Carl Jung wrote, “We wish to make our lives simple, certain and smooth and for that reason problems are taboo.”

I suspect that this is the reason why most of us respond to, “How are you?” with “Fine,” unthinking.   I usually want to ask, “Are you really fine?” because I know it is rarely true.  Most times we are a hodgepodge of mixed feelings ranging from euphoria to anger.  We are “fine” because we do not want to “own” – much less advertise - the things that trouble us.

Prayer, tefila (Hebrew) is complex.  Tefila is difficult because it asks us to tell the truth.  That is never simple or easy.

When a Bar or Bat Mitzvah comes to the bima I tell them: “As you stand before this Holy Ark you have G-d’s attention.  You have taken your place with your people.  You have learned Torah and shown yourself capable.  Now is your opportunity to say what you want before HaKadosh Baruch Hu.  Ask G-d for what you need, not what you want.”

I never ask a young man or woman have requested of G-d but I know what I have told them to do is not easy.

Tefila is not rote.  It is not simply repeating what others have said before us.  Sure, that is where it begins but then scores of sages have told us, “You must add an element to your prayers that comes just from your heart.”

The Baal Shem Tov taught, “When wood burns, it is only the smoke that rises; the grosser elements are left below.  With prayer, it is the same thing; only the sincere feelings ascend to heaven.”

Problems are a great clarifier.  When we acknowledge what gives us pleasure along with what pains us we are honest.  And when we integrate that combination of difficulties and blessings, living becomes more integrated, more whole.

We do not always feel safe with others when revealing our feelings.  That is, when someone asks, how we are, “okay” is an acceptable response even if we are not okay. But, at the very least, we ought to acknowledge within our self the truth.  This is where tefila comes in.  It asks us to be fiercely honest with praising G-d for what we have and, at the bare minimum, concede what is missing.

Reb Hirsch Melech Dinuber once turned to the front page of his siddur, placed on the reading desk and stated, “Almighty G-d, I do not know what prayer to offer You.  Here is the whole prayer book; select whichever prayer pleases You best.”

Knowing oneself is not a simple task.  Prayer is not easy because it involves being fully aware of your feelings and accepting them.  Yet, once we have accomplished this task we will have grown immeasurably.

Jews pray three times a day probably because we need every opportunity to pry open our hearts to see what lies within.

Suggestion: Try opening your heart fully.  You may find it to be the ultimate liberation.