Feeling and Davening for Our Spiritual Needs
Getting to the Root
Tefillah was created in order to provide for the lacks of a person. Now, which deficiencies actually matter? The trivial and inconsequential ones?! The main significant lack is the spiritual one—and not only because ruchniyus is forever and is the main aspect of life, but because when a person lacks ruchniyus, he doesn’t have gashmiyus either. Everything becomes a problem... technically, because he is distant from the Ribbono shel Olam and the shefah doesn’t come to him, and his nefesh is also not serene because he is lonesome and distant.
So, if a person sees that he is running into problems, he should examine his deeds (Berachos 5a). Don’t address this problem, and then this problem, and then another problem... get to the root of all the problems at once. Everyone knows that when there is a leak, we must call a plumber who will find the source of the leak. We can’t just try and stem the flow of water where we see it... we must find the source. Similarly,
