Description: Review 03
Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh
Review of Volume I
The first thing we worked on is the belief that Hashem created the world. It is a very simple and straightforward belief. What we need to internalize is not deep philosophical debates, nor is it long refutations of Darwin’s theory of evolution. Those are complicated. Belief is very simple. The simpler it is – the realer it is.
Think about a very clear and truthful statement. The sky is blue. Now that is an irrefutable fact, and we’ve witnessed it, so that although it may be night or we may be indoors, we know it to be true. But if someone starts to argue the point with you, and you need to start proving it to be so, and you concoct all kinds of proofs that the actual color of the sky is blue – each proof actually diminishes the strength of your belief that the sky is blue. What you most likely would do with such a person, is tell him, “Look, there’s nothing to discuss or prove. The sky is simply blue. Go outside and figure it out yourself!” The more you complicate the idea with discussion, the less powerful it becomes within ourselves.
Likewise, the belief that Hashem created the world is something which needs to become extraordinarily simple and clear to us, that it requires no discussion and proofs, and scientific backing. The more we achieve this, the closer we are to the truth – to Hashem.
We are taught from the youngest age what has to occupy our mind at the very first moment of the day. Modeh ani lifanechah Melech chay v’kayum, she’hechzartah bi nishmasi. I acknowledge and am aware of the fact that I exist only ‘before you’ lifanechah! I live before you, I breathe before you, and I am getting up, before you. I recognize that You, the King of the world, who is alive – ‘chay,’ and exists – v’kayum!
Chazal wanted our very first waking moments of the day, when our mind hasn’t been clouded by anything else, to be full of this thought – Hashem is alive. Hashem exists. He is the King of the world, and I live before Him. The rest of the day now has a foundation to build upon. We can go from thing to thing, from mitzvah to mitzvah, tefillah to tefillah, our work and lives – incorporating this realization and thought into everything we do – we are doing it ‘lifanecheh,’ in front of Hashem.
What Chazal wanted to happen next, is that a logical train of thought should develop – each and every day. Who woke me up from my sleep? You Ribono Shel Olam! Who gave me the strength, health, working back and spine, strong muscles, to be able to get up and stand? You Ribono Shel Olam! These all are addressed in the brachos Chazal have us say every day. We say them all together, but if you look at the source in the Gemarah, they were originally said as we did each thing. We get up – we say ‘hamaichin mitzadei gaver.’ We woke up? We say, ‘Hanosain lasechvi binah!’ Think how meaningful these brachos are when they are made as we are appreciating the fact we can stand!
The heart of a man is referred to in the Torah as ‘leiv ha’even’, the heart of stone. It means that we are set in our ways, and it isn’t easy to make inroads into whats habitual. But ‘avanim shachaku mayim,’ stones are carved out by water, and it’s the simple thoughts, just repeated again and again, that eventually worm their way into our hearts and change it.
We can begin by making reminders for ourselves during the day. Perhaps we’d like to take a moment to recognize the reality of Hashem’s existence before we daven. So, a moment before the three times we daven, or however many times we make a brachah, we’d like to think this – we need to make some plan how to remember to do that. Everyone is creative and can come up with a way that works for them.
Once we are successfully doing that, it’s time to add! We can now try to think of Hashem’s existence for a moment before we eat. Here too, we need to implement strategies to help remind ourselves to think this. We can move on only after we have successfully achieved this. It’s of key importance not to move on to a new step before successfully mastering the previous step – this has to work like a ladder where we ascend one rung at a time. This kind of change of thinking, that really will result in a change of lifestyle can’t be adapted to or adopted quickly. We have to grow into it.
After achieving this, we can start dividing up our day and trying to see more times where we can insert this simple yet powerful thought – Hashem is here! He’s watching me! He’s providing for me! He exists! Once we have succeeded in that, we now can work on adding more and more times, so that we reduce the span between our ‘forgetful’ times, less and less.
The importance of this achievement can’t be stressed enough. Living with Hashem is the ultimate goal. With the mastery of this way of life, of constantly acknowledging Hashem’s presence, we have successfully brought Hashem into our life. What a level! It’s a life goal! As we can see, it will take a lot of work to make this truly a part of us. But it’s worth it, and every step of the way is worthwhile.
Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh
Review of Volume I
The first thing we worked on is the belief that Hashem created the world. It is a very simple and straightforward belief. What we need to internalize is not deep philosophical debates, nor is it long refutations of Darwin’s theory of evolution. Those are complicated. Belief is very simple. The simpler it is – the realer it is.
Think about a very clear and truthful statement. The sky is blue. Now that is an irrefutable fact, and we’ve witnessed it, so that although it may be night or we may be indoors, we know it to be true. But if someone starts to argue the point with you, and you need to start proving it to be so, and you concoct all kinds of proofs that the actual color of the sky is blue – each proof actually diminishes the strength of your belief that the sky is blue. What you most likely would do with such a person, is tell him, “Look, there’s nothing to discuss or prove. The sky is simply blue. Go outside and figure it out yourself!” The more you complicate the idea with discussion, the less powerful it becomes within ourselves.
Likewise, the belief that Hashem created the world is something which needs to become extraordinarily simple and clear to us, that it requires no discussion and proofs, and scientific backing. The more we achieve this, the closer we are to the truth – to Hashem.
We are taught from the youngest age what has to occupy our mind at the very first moment of the day. Modeh ani lifanechah Melech chay v’kayum, she’hechzartah bi nishmasi. I acknowledge and am aware of the fact that I exist only ‘before you’ lifanechah! I live before you, I breathe before you, and I am getting up, before you. I recognize that You, the King of the world, who is alive – ‘chay,’ and exists – v’kayum!
Chazal wanted our very first waking moments of the day, when our mind hasn’t been clouded by anything else, to be full of this thought – Hashem is alive. Hashem exists. He is the King of the world, and I live before Him. The rest of the day now has a foundation to build upon. We can go from thing to thing, from mitzvah to mitzvah, tefillah to tefillah, our work and lives – incorporating this realization and thought into everything we do – we are doing it ‘lifanecheh,’ in front of Hashem.
What Chazal wanted to happen next, is that a logical train of thought should develop – each and every day. Who woke me up from my sleep? You Ribono Shel Olam! Who gave me the strength, health, working back and spine, strong muscles, to be able to get up and stand? You Ribono Shel Olam! These all are addressed in the brachos Chazal have us say every day. We say them all together, but if you look at the source in the Gemarah, they were originally said as we did each thing. We get up – we say ‘hamaichin mitzadei gaver.’ We woke up? We say, ‘Hanosain lasechvi binah!’ Think how meaningful these brachos are when they are made as we are appreciating the fact we can stand!
The heart of a man is referred to in the Torah as ‘leiv ha’even’, the heart of stone. It means that we are set in our ways, and it isn’t easy to make inroads into whats habitual. But ‘avanim shachaku mayim,’ stones are carved out by water, and it’s the simple thoughts, just repeated again and again, that eventually worm their way into our hearts and change it.
We can begin by making reminders for ourselves during the day. Perhaps we’d like to take a moment to recognize the reality of Hashem’s existence before we daven. So, a moment before the three times we daven, or however many times we make a brachah, we’d like to think this – we need to make some plan how to remember to do that. Everyone is creative and can come up with a way that works for them.
Once we are successfully doing that, it’s time to add! We can now try to think of Hashem’s existence for a moment before we eat. Here too, we need to implement strategies to help remind ourselves to think this. We can move on only after we have successfully achieved this. It’s of key importance not to move on to a new step before successfully mastering the previous step – this has to work like a ladder where we ascend one rung at a time. This kind of change of thinking, that really will result in a change of lifestyle can’t be adapted to or adopted quickly. We have to grow into it.
After achieving this, we can start dividing up our day and trying to see more times where we can insert this simple yet powerful thought – Hashem is here! He’s watching me! He’s providing for me! He exists! Once we have succeeded in that, we now can work on adding more and more times, so that we reduce the span between our ‘forgetful’ times, less and less.
The importance of this achievement can’t be stressed enough. Living with Hashem is the ultimate goal. With the mastery of this way of life, of constantly acknowledging Hashem’s presence, we have successfully brought Hashem into our life. What a level! It’s a life goal! As we can see, it will take a lot of work to make this truly a part of us. But it’s worth it, and every step of the way is worthwhile.