PRAYER - THE BACKBONE OF JUDAISM
Prayer
The central prayer in our Davening is the Shemoneh Esrei, thus named because (originally) it contained 18 blessings. The Gemara teaches that they chose to compose 18 blessings corresponding to “the 18 vertebrae of the spine”*.
This is not a random connection. If they based their composition of this fundamental prayer on the number of bones in our back, it is because their is a connection between them. In this week’s Chassidishe Parsha, the Alter Rebbe presents a fascinating explanation and gives us a deeper appreciation of the importance and centrality of Davening.
According to a number of authorities, prayer is not counted as one of the 248 positive Biblical Mitzvos, it is only a Rabbinic enactment. Yet in some regards, it is treated even more strictly than Biblical Mitzvos (such as Shema).
In the Mishna, our sages enumerate 248 limbs of the body. One vital organ is not counted and that is the spinal cord. The spinal cord connects all of our limbs to the brain and were it to be severed ח“ו, everything else would lose its functioning. The spinal cord is not counted as a specific limb, because it is the inner life-force of all of the limbs.
The primary revelation of the Neshama and lifeforce of the body is in the brain. Sitting at the base of the brain the spinal cord receives this vitality. Passing through and contained by the vertebrae of the spine, this vitality is then drawn down and via the nervous system, conveyed to each of the specific limbs of the body.
The relationship between the spinal cord and the 248 limbs of the body reflects the relationship between prayer and the 248 positive Mitzvos. Just like the spinal cord serves as the inner life-force for the body, prayer reflects the inner intent (Kavanah) of the Mitzvos.
The Zohar describes the positive Mitzvos as the 248 limbs of the King. Like the limbs of the body that draw-down the vitality of the Neshama into them, the positive Mitzvos serve as vessels through which we draw down G-dly light into the world. The specific flow elicited by each Mitzvah is the Kavanah of the Mitzvah.
The Kavanah of prayer is the inner Kavanah of all of the Mitzvos - to draw down G-dly revelation into the world.
Even though the 18 Brachos of Davening are for specific requests, such as for health, sustenance, redemption etc. this is only on the external level. On a deeper level, in Davening we are requesting that the infinite light of Hashem that transcends the worlds, should be drawn down and manifest within the world.
The specific requests are merely the vessel through which and in which, Hashem’s light becomes revealed and expressed.
This Kavanah can be seen in the formula of the Brachos. In addition to meaning ‘bless’, the word Baruch also means to draw down. Atah - You - refers to the essential light of Hashem that transcends the worlds. The four letters of the Name י-ה-ו-ה (Havayah) represents the order through which G-dly light descends through the worlds, until Hashem’s Kingship is revealed down below - “Elokeinu Melech Haolam”.
The infinite light of the Or Ein Sof is like the brain. The inner Kavanah of Davening that runs through each of the 18 Brachos of the Shemoneh Esrei, is like spinal cord that flows through the 18 vertebrae, drawing this G-dly revelation down.
Our Kavanah in Davening at the start of the day is then channelled into each Mitzvah that we do, which like the 248 limbs, are the vessels that receive and actualise this vitality to express it within the world.
If the Mitzvos are like the body, Davening is like the soul. This is why Davening is not counted as an individual Mitzvah, because it is the inner vitality of every Mitzvah. But this is only when we say the Brachos of Shemoneh Esrei with a powerful, genuine and heartfelt desire for G-dliness to be revealed within the world.
The introductory parts of Davening such as the Pesukei Dezimra, Blessings of the Shema etc. are there to prepare us, through our meditations, to reach this desire so that when we say the words Baruch Atah Havayah in each of the 18 Brachos of Shemoneh Esrei, we really mean it.
Because the spine, and specifically the spinal cord, is so important to our body, we must take great care to ensure that our spine remains healthy and does not get damaged. If the spine is healthy, the rest of the body will be too.
The same is true with Davening. The quality and Kavanah of our Mitzvos depends on the ‘health and wellbeing’ of our Avodas Hatefillah. With the strong backbone of meaningful prayer, we will stand strong and upright and infuse our lives and the world around us with the infinite light.
*The sages had a different method of counting the vertebrae for the purpose of the limbs of the body than today’s medical definitions.
This is not a random connection. If they based their composition of this fundamental prayer on the number of bones in our back, it is because their is a connection between them. In this week’s Chassidishe Parsha, the Alter Rebbe presents a fascinating explanation and gives us a deeper appreciation of the importance and centrality of Davening.
According to a number of authorities, prayer is not counted as one of the 248 positive Biblical Mitzvos, it is only a Rabbinic enactment. Yet in some regards, it is treated even more strictly than Biblical Mitzvos (such as Shema).
In the Mishna, our sages enumerate 248 limbs of the body. One vital organ is not counted and that is the spinal cord. The spinal cord connects all of our limbs to the brain and were it to be severed ח“ו, everything else would lose its functioning. The spinal cord is not counted as a specific limb, because it is the inner life-force of all of the limbs.
The primary revelation of the Neshama and lifeforce of the body is in the brain. Sitting at the base of the brain the spinal cord receives this vitality. Passing through and contained by the vertebrae of the spine, this vitality is then drawn down and via the nervous system, conveyed to each of the specific limbs of the body.
The relationship between the spinal cord and the 248 limbs of the body reflects the relationship between prayer and the 248 positive Mitzvos. Just like the spinal cord serves as the inner life-force for the body, prayer reflects the inner intent (Kavanah) of the Mitzvos.
The Zohar describes the positive Mitzvos as the 248 limbs of the King. Like the limbs of the body that draw-down the vitality of the Neshama into them, the positive Mitzvos serve as vessels through which we draw down G-dly light into the world. The specific flow elicited by each Mitzvah is the Kavanah of the Mitzvah.
The Kavanah of prayer is the inner Kavanah of all of the Mitzvos - to draw down G-dly revelation into the world.
Even though the 18 Brachos of Davening are for specific requests, such as for health, sustenance, redemption etc. this is only on the external level. On a deeper level, in Davening we are requesting that the infinite light of Hashem that transcends the worlds, should be drawn down and manifest within the world.
The specific requests are merely the vessel through which and in which, Hashem’s light becomes revealed and expressed.
This Kavanah can be seen in the formula of the Brachos. In addition to meaning ‘bless’, the word Baruch also means to draw down. Atah - You - refers to the essential light of Hashem that transcends the worlds. The four letters of the Name י-ה-ו-ה (Havayah) represents the order through which G-dly light descends through the worlds, until Hashem’s Kingship is revealed down below - “Elokeinu Melech Haolam”.
The infinite light of the Or Ein Sof is like the brain. The inner Kavanah of Davening that runs through each of the 18 Brachos of the Shemoneh Esrei, is like spinal cord that flows through the 18 vertebrae, drawing this G-dly revelation down.
Our Kavanah in Davening at the start of the day is then channelled into each Mitzvah that we do, which like the 248 limbs, are the vessels that receive and actualise this vitality to express it within the world.
If the Mitzvos are like the body, Davening is like the soul. This is why Davening is not counted as an individual Mitzvah, because it is the inner vitality of every Mitzvah. But this is only when we say the Brachos of Shemoneh Esrei with a powerful, genuine and heartfelt desire for G-dliness to be revealed within the world.
The introductory parts of Davening such as the Pesukei Dezimra, Blessings of the Shema etc. are there to prepare us, through our meditations, to reach this desire so that when we say the words Baruch Atah Havayah in each of the 18 Brachos of Shemoneh Esrei, we really mean it.
Because the spine, and specifically the spinal cord, is so important to our body, we must take great care to ensure that our spine remains healthy and does not get damaged. If the spine is healthy, the rest of the body will be too.
The same is true with Davening. The quality and Kavanah of our Mitzvos depends on the ‘health and wellbeing’ of our Avodas Hatefillah. With the strong backbone of meaningful prayer, we will stand strong and upright and infuse our lives and the world around us with the infinite light.
*The sages had a different method of counting the vertebrae for the purpose of the limbs of the body than today’s medical definitions.