TrYiNg wrote on 21 Aug 2009 03:54:


An awesome idea!

I began yesterday by davening to Hashem for different people that I know as I was out and about. Im trying to internalize the yesod that Hashem really is our best friend, and He wants us to cry out to him for every little thing. Even for the last pickle jar at the supermarket. So I asked Him- in my own words- for guidance in my learning towards the right pshat, that I should understand what Im learning, and that I should fully internalize it. And that the food should be good this Shabbos. (I like to eat.) I also asked that He should remind me to constantly speak to Him. I haven't noticed any difference in the way I feel but its too soon to tell. Onward!

TrYiNg wrote on 21 Aug 2009 03:54:


Trying, the purpose of davening is reflexive, to remind us of who is the source of everything.

With that simple thought, you can answer tons of questions about davening, such as why we daven a set nusach, how tefila helps and tons more.

If your interested in more, search the web for "Rabbi Tatz mp3 prayer". He explains it all.


Pintele, I find it intense because any sort of regimen is tough for me. I need to be free, like the little sheep. I can do a program to try to ask Hashem for help more often in the day, but not at predefined points ABC etc.

Yechida, I guess that makes me a P, no?  or maybe the N part of me says that it is not 'real' to predifine when I will ask... it has to come from within.
I think its the P, though.


kutan

a lady opened a car door next to our car. My glasses were off (of course Cheesy)and I wasn't focusing on her. But I noticed the car service driver (who is an irreligious Russian Yid) looking and looking and looking...I had he feeling of how "low" and "base" this looks to a third party observer and this is how Hashem watches me when I take that extra look.  What rude awakening!

This hasn't been the first time I noticed this and unfortunately the other times didn't involve Russian drivers - V'hamaiven Yuvin. It looks even worse when the person staring has a beard or long Peyos.

Pintele, you hit the nail on the head. This observation is one of the motivators to help me get this under control. its a BIG time motivator. when you see it by 'yenem', all the excuses and rationales fly out the window and left is only the grubbe animal on two feet.

Will wrote on 22 Aug 2009 20:43:


Will,

I love your attitude!

I am doing this now for several days and I can tell you that my awareness of Hashem on a almost continuous basis is getting stronger every day.

My davening has just exploded. Today's Shachris was so so special. Tears are in my eyes as I am writting this. Shemona Esrai took a half hour and I didn't want to finish. I felt such a connection to Hashem.

I also had 2 open messages from Hashem that my short tefilos were working. Due to personal circumstances, my entire family was away for Shabbos - even my wife is out of town visiting her very sick Grandmother.I ate by someone's house for Shabbos and after davening, before the Shabbos morning meal, he came over to me and told me to go to his house and not wait for him, since he had to make a stop before going home to say Mazel Tov at another shule. I didn't want to hang out in his house without him and I didn't want to come to his house later than him so I asked Hashem to make me meet  him at the entrance to his house. I stayed and learned for 15 - 20 minutes and then went to his house.
Guess what, I arrived at his house exactly when he did

Yesterday, after Mincha, I stayed for a few minutes to learn. Whenver possible, I want to learn before and after davening to be meychiad Kidshu Borichu Ushchintai as it says in the Tikunei Zohar. I rarely get to learn after davening, but I sometimes get the chance on Sunday.

Upon exiting the shule, I realized that it was about to "really" rain. It was around 7:00 P.M. Since I didn't have an umbrella, I asked Hashem to hold off the rain until I get into the house. As I was passing a seforim store on 16th, I noticed that they had seforim outside for sale so I stopped in to tell them to take it in. Then someone in the store asked me for Tzedokah (time was ticking away). When I went outside it already started to drissel but to make a long story short, the second I walked into my house there was a downpour.


So what am I trying to say - I guess not too much of a Chidush except that if you start asking Hashem for his help, and really mean it, he helps

E.L. - I want to respond to your post but ran out of time. Will hopefully do it later today or tommorow.

Kutan - I never realized how bad it really looks.

Hatzlacha Rabbah,

Pintele Yid

Hi Pintele,

posting from my vacation place.one of the most important things you are pointing out is that you just don't talk to Hashem about major events in your life.You talk to Him and ask Him about even the smallest nitty-gritty detail,please help me not trip as I go down these stairs,I feel a cold coming,please help me feel better,I'm starting Maariv now,please help me with my Shemonah Esrei,etc etc.

as you brought your rain story.not the end of the world if you got a little wet but why not ask Hashem for help?He could do that and much more!!and even if He decided that Pintele could use a nice summer shower,and allowed it to pour on you,you still developed a stronger kesher with Hashem.You would have heard Him say "Reb Pintele,thank you for asking,but you can use a shower"

all these things aren't earth shattering events.No reason to wait for one,even a great one,to communicate to Hashem and be close to Him.

went on a family hike today.we were crazy enough to take the hardest trail half the way.steep cliffs,very high.we had to turn back.All the while we were davening hard to get back safely,and when we did we said the perek tehillim that says "Kol Haneshama T'hallel Kah"

Those state parks are amazing.trails,trees,brooks "Ma Rabu Maasecha Hashem"

keep it up here Reb Pintele

yechida

Yechida,

Thaks for the Chizuk and your clarity!

Pintele

Efshar Letaken wrote on 21 Aug 2009 05:40:


Heiliga E.L.,

As an adjunct to what Battleworn said, I hope I explain my feelings clear. First let me congratulate you on your wonderful clean streak. Hakodosh Boruch Hu should give you the koach to stay clean forever. You are a real hero and a flagbearer to Klal Yisroel.

1. Although you are correct that many of the brachos we say can have other meanings, not all the things we ask for are can be eluded to in the brachos.

2. After your suggestion, I tried doing it and realized that I am putting in my own personal Tefilos in Shemonah Esrei and soem of the Birchos Hashachar. But I find it hard to do it in other berachos.

3. Fromthe fact Hashem told Moshe Rabbeinu to again warn the Yidden not to go on Har Sinai right before the Aseres Hadibros and not to rely on what he said before, we learn that it is important to do things in the immediate time proximity of the of the actual Maaseh. So asking Hashem for Hatzlacha immediately before and Maseh and thanking him after the Maseh is very important. It is Chas Vesholom not to negate doing what you can during davening.

4. If we are only expected to talk to Hashem only during davening and making brachos, what is the meaning of pesukim like "kol zman are Neshoma Bekirbi Modah ani Lifanech etc.. and "Hashem Alokai Leolam Odeka"
and many other Pesukim like that.

The constant interaction with Hashem is so precious and creates a much deeper connection with Hashem. I believe this is the long short way to Bilvovi Mishkan Eveneh rather than the short long way.

Pintele Yid

Helige Pintele,
I'd like to preface, that we have different neshamos. I'm a cute little lamb, and you are some celestial powerhouse of a star or similar object.  I'm not referring the the avatars alone, but to our writings and the outlook on life that they show.
Now I know that most people will say wow to a celestial star, and give the little sheep a pat at best... but we do have our function in keeping people grounded (beside the nice wool we grow that is perfect for keeping people warm and dry... a separate shmuz on an amazing niflaos haborai)
That said, I'd like to pick up on something that Yechida hinted at, from his vantage point in the pristine wilderness... that is, that this idea of seeing signs from Heaven is a dangerous thing. I know R' Pam was against it, and I know R' Tatz quotes R' Eliyashuv as saying we can not today's days judge from events a specific lesson. This is for schar v'onesh, which in days begone was clearly meant to be used to figure out where we went right  or wrong.
Kol Sheckain here, where we are dealing with 'cute' things, it is dangerous to decide that since we are in some sort of 'deal' with HKBH and since we are doing our part, He is going out of His way to show us that He is with us.

At the most, we should simply thank him humbly for the kindness that he shows us, even in these mundane humdrum matters such as coming exactly on time, or reaching home at the very moment it rains. These do not hold a candle to the myriad of mofsim he does with us constantly in our body's functions, in our asek haparnasa, in our gidul banim, etc etc but they are as you say important anyway, just as the Gemara calls taking out the wrong coin 'yesurim', since, as R' A. Miller would explain, by the very fact you realize it is min hashamayim, you elevate it to importance and you can use it as needed yesurim.

Sincerely,

Kutan

PS: I had Hashem in  mind with a short personal tfila twice today.
(sheepish look).
But that is double as much as yesterday!
Grin.
Bl'n I'll try harder tomorrow.

k

Kutan

there is a heart of a strong  lion in that meek sheep

yechida

yechida wrote on 25 Aug 2009 13:29:


Wow!

Really?

I'm going to start looking for it.

k

kutan shel hachabura wrote on 25 Aug 2009 03:35:

Heiliga Kutan (Ari) and to others who might have knowledge in this area,

I am using these events as a Chizuk for me that my personal Tefilos have an immediate impact. I am therefore very motivated to continue. Were Rav Pam and R' Eliyashuv against that?

I guess that possibly Hashem knows that I am maybe not strong enough to continue these personal Tefilos in the long term, if I don't see at least some short term results. So he is giving me chizuk that normally doesn't happen - who knows?

I am now very confused.

Did they ever discuss the Tefilo of Eliezer that right way produced a result? Was only he zocha to such S'yata Dishmaya and we shouldn't expect it? Permit me to ask a rhetorical quesion. Is the Torah a storybook Chas Vesholom of lives of Tzaddikim/Reshaim or something that we can apply to our daily lives?

One confused Pintele Yid :-\

Pintele Yid wrote on 25 Aug 2009 21:47:


Dear confused,
Your question is a good one. Maybe better than my answer. But as I understand it, our generation has fallen so low in the hishtalshulis, that we have only hester panim today.
We still have a chiuv to be mefashpaish b'masov, but only in a general way. No "midah k'neged mida" type of thing.
BTW, as an aside, there is a huge machlokes if Eliezer was allowed to rely on a siman that his tefila was accepted. It may have in fact been assur, part of the issur of making signs for oneself, and the p'shat is simply that a woman who excels in chessed is by essence the right zivug for Yitzchok. It was a siba, not a siman.
You ask what is wrong in doing this in a positive way...
When Shabtai Tzvi was on a roll, he was causing a massive teshuva movement in Europe and some Rabonim felt the same way, they believed it would be worth it to use him as a tool, even if it was not real. But the danger in doing that is clear, as history showed.

We need to find Hashem in our lives the way the yiddin did in Megilas Ester = Hester. Mordichai went right back to his sack and taanis, even after the amazing events of Haman's  leading him around Shushan, and getting his daughters garbage on his head, etc.

This type of closeness to Hashem is actually stronger. As the Chasideshe story goes, believing that the ushpizin are there in the Sucah is greater than actually seeing them.

All this said, I need to report back to you that today again I remembered two times to daven for something. At least I'm not sliding backwards. Hope to continue, in your z'chus.

Kutan

Ive gotta admit my progress with the Hashem convo is not as far as Id like it to be. I forget too often to speak to Him and ask for what I need...Although yesterday I was feeling a bit down so I asked Hashem "Please! Give me some feedback!". 30 minutes later I decided to read the Hakdama to Cheshbon Hanefesh...there was a hashkafic question that was asked to me, and I simply couldn't answer it. For months I could not come up with a decent svara. Then, finally, 30 minutes after I asked Hashem for some light, He directed me to the hakdama that presented a beautiful idea that completely answered up my question!! I was so excited, that I ran around telling everyone the question and answer...it was simply awesome!!! Thanks Hashem!!

By the way, Trying is the one who suggested we post our progress, and I haven't seen anything from Trying yet.

Will wrote on 26 Aug 2009 11:51:


Pintele,
Sorry to confuse the matter further, but somehow I have no problem with what Will wrote. So now I'm confused.

I think that there is nothing wrong with thinking that Hashem answers our tfilos, but there is something wrong with thinking that these are signs our tefilos are 'working'.  We cannot look for 'signs' from above. If we get answered, we can appreciate it. That's it though.

But then again, you can feel free to ignore anything kutan writes. He is just blogging his impressions, based on what he has learned. Who says I'm right?

Perhaps you can bring this question to your Rebbe and advise us on what he says. If you can do it, I'd appreciate it.

k

Pintele, weren't R' Pam and R' Elyashiv speaking about acting on signs (like if I find a parking space, it's a sign that I should shop in that store)? Are you sure they were saying that we shouldn't be on the lookout for Hashem's hugs and His answers to our Tefilos?