OZER YISRAEL B'GEVURAH THE DIVIDING LINE

Tightening one’s belt symbolizes strength, preparing us to better perform the tasks we need to do. That is the gevurah we are referring to in the morning brachos. However, a belt serves a more important spiritual purpose: it separates the upper half of the body, representing the heart and mind, from the bottom half. We are required to have this separation when we daven. Some people have a minhag to wear an extra belt, a gartel, which they use only for davening. The name “Yisrael” is mentioned in this blessing, because one of our missions as the Jewish people is to be aware of the separation between the spiritual and physical.

Adapted from Emunah in the Classroom