BS’D
The power of teshuva is found in one’s mouth; by virtue of speech. When one speaks, she gives expression to her soul and awakens the G-dly spark within as written in Shir HaShirim, “My soul came forth when he spoke”. Indeed, true yearning is found in words spoken from a broken heart; to the point where one can find her soul about to part because of the pain caused by separation. The Gemara depicts this state in Ta’anit 8a where it is written, “A person’s prayer is not heard on high unless he places his soul in his hands.”
The mode of prayer by tzaddikim is to break open one’s heart and ask Hashem to bring him out of darkness to light. We are a stiff-necked nation and we should use this stubbornness to remain strong and firm in our tefillot. Rashi teaches that we must pray repeatedly until our prayers are accepted and plead with Hashem to bring us closer to Him.
It makes no difference whether we feel we are praying properly or not. Words express the emotions that need to come forth and find precious favor in Hashem’s eyes. In fact sighing and groaning while longing to come close is all it takes to open the door to one’s soul.
Today’s daily dose of emuna is dedicated to my great uncle Ya’akov Picker ben Aharon z’l. May his memory be blessed and may his neshama bask in the Divine Shechinah among all the righteous who have departed from this world, Amen.
