Meaningful and significant and impactful. And, we need to give ourselves enough time, apply the brakes and slow down just a bit, to give ourselves ample time to know what we’re saying and be able to translate each word.
[The Rogotchaver gaon was the rov of the chassidim in Dvinsk. With his unusually swift mind, he completed shmoneh esreh before anyone else in the shul (although he was the rov of the chassidim, which means that even the chassidishe balei batim in Dvinsk davened slowly...). Once, he was approached with a complaint: It does not look right for the rov to be the first to complete davening (instead of everyone waiting for the rov). “What can I do?”, asked the Rogatchover, “when I’m done, I’m done!” “Why don’t you review a mesechta by heart in your mind, before taking 3 steps back (for oseh sholom)”, they suggested. “That”, the gaon explained abruptly, “I already do!” These days, it appears as if every minyan is populated with a bunch of Rogatchovers...].
So, the 2nd test is – do you know what you’re saying. Stop yourself in the middle of davening, and check if you know what you just said. Not just the general idea, but what each word was expressing, and how this part of davening was distinct from the part before and the part after.
If you fail the 2nd test, that’s another reason to slow down a bit. But, even if you’re able to pay attention to the basic pirush hamilos, that is still not enough. As chassidim, we need to enable ourselves to think about the chassidishe pirush hamilos. I’m not referring to lengthy hisbonenus and detailed contemplation of concepts of chassidus.
But a basic awareness of the chassidishe dimension of every part of davening is – seemingly – called for us. And that – just like the first 2 requirements – takes time, at least a bit more time. So, the 3rd test is to see if we’re giving ourselves enough time for chassidishe pirush hamilos (even when – for whatever reason – we are not davening “ba’avoda” at this time). To daven – a basic davening – as a chosid.
Which brings me to my suggestion: I think we can all afford to daven a bit slower. Chassidim, who were the ones who were given the tools to daven – we were the ones who were taught how to sing – should be the slowest and most conscientious daveners in the world! To slow down 5 to 7 minutes (no matter what our current speed is) should be something that we should all be able to manage, and should greatly enhance our davening in all of the above areas.
Are you davening (3 times a day)? Are thinking about the Eibishter? Connecting with the Eibishter? All it takes is a few moments longer, to make that take place in a much better manner.
Examples of Parts of Davening to Focus On
I want to give a few examples of parts of davening where – as chassidim – we could give (just a bit) more attention to (and fill up those 5 to 7 minutes very quickly):
Oleinu
Although it is the end of davening, and we are very preoccupied with our breakfast, lunch, supper or other inyonim ho’omdim berumo shel olam by then, it is an amazing tefilah. It is one of the most intense tefilos, both about achdus Hashem, and about Moshiach. It behooves a chosid, especially a Chabad chosid, to focus more then.
In fact, the siddur which I (usually) use is an annotated edition, with (in English) basic instructions and laws, and marei mekomos (so that we know what comes from Isaiah, what from Ezekiel and what from Ibid). It does not contain pirushim or anything of the sort, just the text of the davening, and the most basic instruction (when the congregation should answer omein, etc.), so that the user should know what to do.
And by oleinu, by the words וידעת היום והשבות אל לבבך כי ה' הוא האלקים בשמים ממעל ועל הארץ מתחת אין עוד, there is a footnote that reads “For further elucidation, see Tanya part 2 ch.6”. And this is found (in my siddur) not once. Not twice. Not 3 times. But – again – each time there is oleinu (more than 5 times).
The basic davening – with basic pirush hamilos – of oleinu (for the simple layman, who needs to be told when to answer omein etc.), requires elucidation by (and familiarity with) Tanya. You are speaking about the most fundamental concepts of achdus Hashem in Chassidus. Shouldn’t you be paying more attention?
Slow down, look in the siddur, and focus more closely on what you’re saying, and what you’re begging for, by Oleinu and ועל כן.
Vesechezena Eineinu
You’re almost at the end of shmoneh esreh, nearing the finish line (and, perhaps, winning the race). But do you know what you are saying? What is implied by ותחזינה עינינו בשובך לציון ברחמים?
In the maamar (ve’atoh Tetzaveh), the Rebbe explains the tremendous yearning of Yidden for Moshiach. Even when things are going well, both materially and spiritually, still, because a Jew cares with his entire being for giluy Elokus more than anything else, and the lack thereof causes him to be completely crushed, he is dissatisfied with anything less than the complete and ultimate geulah.
Where in davening is this awesome yearning for G-dliness expressed? In the maamar the Rebbe tells us: this is expressed in our begging three times a day (or more) ותחזינה עינינו בשובך לציון ברחמים!
So, when you’re saying shmoneh esreh, and about to get to modim (and it’s מנפשיך רע....), pause, and think – am I feeling and expressing, in the tefilah of vesechezena, what the maamar says I should be feeling and expressing? To pay a bit more attention to it would take just a few moments more.
Hashem Melech
Another possuk that’s repeated a few times in a few variations, and contains the basics of chassidus. The world that we live in is defined by time and space. The existence of time and space, the fact that we see past, present and future as separate entities, is a result of G-dliness being concealed from us (because if we sense G-dliness then ein od milvado, and there is no possible hischalkus of time and space).
The recognition that the separation between past, present and future – which stems from the “malchus” of the Eibishter which serves to conceal Elokus – is one with “Havaya” who is above time and transcends time, makes us realize that the world is really Elokus. With a few more moments of focus, that can (and should) be a perspective-changing declaration!
וכו הנה רבות. These are just some examples. There are many many more (including Boruch atoh Hashem etc. in every single brocho). The point is, if we take a few more moments (and 5 to 7 minutes could help us all move it to the next level...) so that every single tefilah will be just a bit better, we will be much better equipped to deal with the year and the world in a chassidisher manner.
So, are you in??!!
L’chaim! May we work on davening more as chassidim (even by those tefilos when we’re not davening like real real chassidim), and that should help us connect ourselves, our family and the world around us with Elokus, until the entire world becomes one with G-dliness with the immediate hisgalus of Melech haMoshiach TUMYM!!!
Rabbi Akiva Wagner
לזכות ב"ש דבן מרים, 'שיט" לאויוש מתוך בריאות הנכונה ס"וכ טבטוב! ג"הנרוהנ לזכות 'ריעקב שלמה' שיבן לאה, נעכעש" לרפו ובריאות הנכונה! ט"ואויוש לזכות 'רשמעון הלוי בן, לאה ש" לרפו ובריאות הנכונה! ט"ואויוש בתוך כלל שאר חולי ישראל וכל הזקוקים, לרפואה ש" לרפוק" ורפוי" תומ ממש! ממש נ" לעיח" הרה" ת" והרה' רמ" מר" ביהושע זעליג הכהן נ" לעירעייתו הרבנית גאלדא ה" ע אראנאוו נ" לעיה שלוחה מרים בת' ריהושע ה" ע נ" ולעיכ לאלוש הלכול עולמם, לאחרונה שישתדלו שמה להחיש י" תומ ממש אתה גאולה האמיתית. והשלימה
