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Rabbi Mordechai Kraft - Prayer
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they're onto Fela I'm leaving electric
tonight on prayer and there are many
ways to approach this topic this topic
is a vast topic and such an important
topic and I'm gonna give you my take a
little bit it's not the only take and
there's so much we can talk about when
it comes to prayer but I'd like to talk
a little bit about it tonight and even
if we just touch the surface I think
that it will be beneficial first of all
just a few question I remember once I
was giving a class and I had a student
and this is gentleman he's about 70 now
he comes to my classes someone I've been
close with for years and he asked me a
question he was he's actually an artist
he said he's a modern artist he asked me
a question he said rabbi because I've
always wanted to ask this I solely see
you you know people know what they're
doing
Orthodox Jews baby right we you always
stand there diving like this you know
because let me ask you a question goes
what are you doing what's happening like
what can you define it for me and I said
to him you know finally somebody had the
guts to ask and I said the class was
anybody else wondering what we're doing
we're like this you know and day and
then I was like yeah what's that was
happening like what are we supposed to
be doing like what are you what's going
on in prayer is there something that's
supposed to be happening the rapper's do
the same thing there's good point I
remember once I was a person told me he
said to me came up to me we had a
neighbor not Jewish
he kills to be said to me rabbi I now
know why Jews when they dive in to go
like this and I said why and he's told
me said I was watching channel 13 last
night and he said that because the Jews
were always moving from place to place
you know where the you know where the
wanderin Jews and when we would travel
we would travel on camels and so there
we have to pray while the camels so we
look like this you know we'd have to go
up and down up down and so we got in the
habit to go up and down I said that's
what they said on channel 13 it was
really said so it gave me an awesome
realization that there's a
this information out there in the world
so there's a lot of clarity that that
needs to happen let's see we could get
some clarity and what's happening during
prayer so first of all you know
sometimes you are up there and you have
your seat or open you know and you and
you're praying right and what are you
doing what are we doing what are we
supposed to be doing now sometimes if
you stop yourself you kind of ask
yourself that question like am I talking
to somebody you know am i talking to God
like what what am i what am i doing
what's supposed to be going through my
mind what wants us to be feeling or
experiencing so let's see if we can grip
it a little bit you know first of all
there's a problem that many people
suffer from you know some people the
world have kind all sorts of diseases
all sorts of chemical imbalances or
psychological disability whatever it
might be there's a type of syndrome that
some people might have in the world
something we might call 2d s 2 DS means
two-dimensional syndrome 2-dimensional
simple two-dimensional syndrome means
you look at the world in two dimensions
what I see is all that there is well I
can see what my physical eye is what
reality is
that's called 2d s two-dimensional
syndrome and it's a sickness because
there's a reality going behind the
scenes which we can't see and that
reality is what we call God and of
course that we have so many metaphors
for this in the world you know there's
so many radio waves that are shooting
around all over us right now and I'm
sure scientists and guys who study
science or girls studies I could tell us
all about it but we can't see it but
it's there but of course it's another
dimension the world of god is the
realization and
there's a third dimension going on
there's a world that we have to train
ourselves to plug into you know I'll
tell you the most beautiful story that I
heard that totally changed my life in
some ways I've been recommending this
book all year to many of my girl
students there's a book called the holy
woman by Sarah wriggler have you seen
that from the store
I recommend this book so highly it's
about a woman her name is Sarah Caius
our Kramer and she grew up in Eastern
Europe she went to the war and she was
in Auschwitz concentration camp 16 in
fact she was experimented on by Mengele
Amaka Shamu was iffy
Mengele was a doctor nauseous
she was able to survive Auschwitz a
whole family was killed she comes to
Eric Sorel remarries - a wonderful
person who actually was a became known
in Israel as a great psychic a person
people would go through for blessings in
the life and I went to him for a
blessing of my own life going back about
24 years ago and he gave me a certain
blessing and did it it came true a very
very holy person at the time I didn't
even know who he was they lived in a
dirt floor house way up in the northern
part of Israel but I didn't appreciate
who I went to until his book came out
and I realized that was the person so I
met them I didn't know how I was meeting
at the time I thought there were two
simple farmers so that they were to the
holiest people in Israel and a certain
woman who wrote the book came very close
to this woman later in her life she
moved from there to Jerusalem at the end
of her life and she got to know her and
this woman actually who wrote the book
she defines he tells about herself that
before she became a traditional Jew an
Orthodox Jew she spent over 12 years in
an ashram
- promise and ashram is in a Hindu house
of worship
she studied Eastern religion and spent
12 years studying in an ashram and I
should imagine that's a Jewish girl to
nastran for 12 years she met a rabbi I'm
not sure was in India or someplace else
but the travelin card should have come
to Jerusalem she came to Jerusalem she
ended up meeting certain people started
studying and learning in different
seminaries for girls now broker Shem
she's a very very Orthodox religious
woman
listen Jerusalem writes beautiful
beautiful books so she was having a
discussion with this woman hi sir Cramer
and she was tire Caius our crane bird
listen you know I've always wanted to
ask this question tell me please what
was it like in Auschwitz concentration
camp right we know what ash wood says
what was it like in Auschwitz we've all
had that question right what was it like
so I saw Kramer answers her and says to
her have to tell you something you were
an Indian ashram for 12 years
that was a bad place a schvitz it wasn't
so bad she looks at what do you mean how
it wasn't so bad so bad it was a place
of starvation a place of death it was a
death camp of crematoria gas chambers
what do mean the ashes wasn't so bad I
yeah she said listen know when you were
in this ashram in India for 12 years you
were meditating you're focused totally
on yourself when you're existing only
for yourself that's a bad place to be we
were in Auschwitz but I went with a
group of girls that I knew from
Czechoslovakia we were on the train
together we stayed together we did
kindness for each other whenever we
could we helped each other we gave each
other our bread if they needed the other
one needed more we shared whatever we
could share if we had time to dive and
we'd homage we could do a mitts that we
did a mitzvah those we've said she said
when I was on the train going to out
Raziel we knew this was the end she said
I never lie
the Russia Shana Dominic in case someone
would need to know it I would have it in
my head said another girl memorized the
Gillett Esther so she could read the
nuclear Vesta for they aren't permanent
we lived for God and for others when
you're living for God it for others it
doesn't matter where you are it's a good
place where you are in India that was a
bad place I'll tell you I read those
words I have to stop and think about it
for a half an hour
unbelievable words good means when
you're connected with God that is good
when you're just connected with yourself
that's two-dimensional you're missing
the third dimension
you could be in Auschwitz but you
understand that the person next to me
has created the image of God that would
do kindness for her or him I'm in
Auschwitz but I only have an opportunity
connect to my Creator that's a good
place you're where we're at an ashram is
only about you and you and you and you
and you
that's a bad place not two dimensional
if you're close to God in a
three-dimensional way you have a
relationship with God that is a good
place
she said compared to the ashram our
church was a good place those words
totally changed my life because it
totally redefined for me what life is
about
life is about gaining that
three-dimensional
relationship looking behind the surface
and discovering our relationships with
God now this day one one other story
that that blew me away
there was this a certain girl came to
Jerusalem and she ended up at you she
were there called the VAE Nevada Bush
line you know today the day we shall I'm
is the seminary for girls at Jerusalem
she came in she wasn't married but she
happened to be pregnant so she went to
speak to one of the rabbi's there and
she said to the rabbi he said listen you
know I've decided that I'm going to have
an abortion and the rabbi said an
abortion he said you know in Jewish law
it's not allowed she said doesn't matter
to me I'm not having this child and
having an abortion so he said listen I
can't stop you from doing what you want
to do but it is an operation it is a
procedure it's a medical procedure and
before we do anything medically we try
to get at least the blessing from a
great person
why don't you come with me and we got a
blessing from a very big rabbi so she
agreed and they went to speak to Roma's
Allah in Arabic at that time this going
back about that done 15 years ago 12
years ago maybe we're Chavez already
died about 10 that that's what visitor
well show bazan Auerbach was at that
time maybe the biggest person in Israel
because you can think about what big
means I mean a great great rabbi a giant
of a human being when he died you know
how many people came to this funeral
have you been to big funerals before he
may be the big funeral big civil America
might be I don't know a hundred people
200 people thousand people at the radish
low Islam and our Buck's funeral 300,000
people and in the population in Israel
of 4 million there's been eight percent
of the Israel is at his funeral
okay this type of person he was a huge
giant of a human being he would see
people at his home and shower heads
which is a neighbor in Jerusalem between
12:00 and 2:00 in the morning he had to
get there anything online at midnight
and he would give blessings and speak to
you
between 12:00 and 2:00 she had to be
there at midnight so they went got their
midnight got a line we wanted to speak
to her - the turn sits down with this
girl
he says toward the what you know what
can I do for you and she says that you
know I want to have an abortion she
looks at I said you know what do you do
she said just starting to be a doctor
said why he's starting to be a doctor
she said because I want to save life and
so he said so new yeah see that's not
life who says it's life life is when it
comes out who sows life on the inside of
me hold it is like who says it's life on
the inside not like so he didn't argue
he only said two worth of fine words he
said to listen the way I see it is you
have two choices
says you can have the baby and I'll take
the baby and I'll raise the baby as my
child and he looked at her and and he
you know she didn't know him she said
look you know and he was old man he
started very successful very nice
children I raised them very nicely
people don't be in the neighborhood my
name is our about ask anybody they know
me you know you know 300,000 people come
to his funeral believe people know him
you know he said he the people know me
things are about ask anybody godly know
me you could trust me he said I'll take
the child I'll raise the child as my
child so she looks at them and she said
what's my second choice second choice is
you have the child and you raise the
child and that's what she did and now
did she do that she ended up becoming a
religious woman what changed in her
heart
in her mind the baby on the inside is
only a baby there's no soul when she saw
that somebody lived in three dimensions
he sees a human being and he said the
human being has something so deep that
you can't kill that I don't think the
child availed you want to destroy this
child if you no other convenience
inconvenience I'll take the child
because I want it I know there's
something that you can't see it totally
turned her head around there's a part -
if you would think that I'm missing that
it's worth this person taking my child
what am I not seeing there's another
dimension to human being that's the soul
life is all about getting in touch with
that third dimension getting in touch
with our souls and getting in touch with
God and that's what trying to do so step
number one in prayer is we have to
realize that there is another dimension
called God and we have to start relating
to it and we can to know him so this is
how it begins it really begins like this
prayer begins like this I stand before
God I have to start focusing a little
bit I have to start thinking you know
and if you really start thinking
sometimes you feel a little bit
uncomfortable even you know you should
take you know first of all the halacha
says you're supposed to start physically
preparing yourself for this encounter
with God you know now how do we do that
physically just like you would do it
with another person you know if you're
going in for a business meeting or an
interview at a job company rights like
that interview for graduate program what
do you do
well first you do you check to make sure
you've highest rate right you want to
make sure that nothing is dangling from
your pockets all right everything is
nice looking and neat looking you know
your cups are sticking out a little bit
right
you know you get ready physically
prepare yourself to be aware of the
reality that I'm now standing before God
and then what do you do we know we take
three steps back with our left foot
three steps forward with our right foot
why the right because the right is
always the side of strength and we want
to show an eagerness a desire to go
forward and we stand with our feet
together our hands in front of us like
somebody's gonna ask something when you
ask to request you do it in a very
humble way before God we want to get our
body positioned correctly in order to
visualize the experience and then you
know what happens at this point you're
kind of in your head all of a sudden you
start thinking what am i doing you're
like no what am I supposed to be like
what about just be visualizing you know
it's just be for us just be thinking
about you know I almost feel a little
uncomfortable you know first you like
you know you know like you look around
or else is doing it but if you're really
focusing in your thinking like you know
I know you're there God but like I can't
see you exactly now it's interesting our
sages tell us it's for this reason that
God created imagination you've probably
noticed that you have very very good
imaginations have you found that in life
that you can imagine all sorts of
bizarre crazy things or you can imagine
all sorts of things that you might even
want to imagine we have something very
very powerful in the human mind called
imagination why do you think God gave us
imagination he gave us this abstract
ability so we should get to know him we
have imagination in order that we should
be able to picture something which is
abstract but it's there so what we
thought to do we're supposed to start in
our minds actually conjuring that on
before God but what does God look like I
can't tell you we're not allowed to tell
you we're not allowed to give him an
image but we can use our powerful brains
and our imaginations to actually
visualize that we are before God in some
way now what that looks like I can't
define it for you in my own mind I can't
define it for you all I know is that now
before you go I can't there's no picture
but it's a reality that I feel an
experience in my mind
that's called imagination and that's the
power of the brain the brain is very
very powerful very able to create this
abstract reality and that what do you do
supposed to talk to God like you talk to
a friend so what does that mean it means
that if you're really diving well if
you're really praying well you know I
know I've never seen any two friends
talk to each other like this you know no
I mean like they don't like each other
very much but when you really like
somebody what do you do you know I mean
the hands start talking you know I talk
with my hands right you probably notice
that someone said to me Robert Kraft is
someone cut your hands off you'd be mute
but if you really are into an idea the
hands start talking with you when you
really talk to god your hands talk the
talk it's a dialogue speak like you
speak to a friend do you probably
noticed in prayer that we whisper what's
that all about
it was very interesting the Muslims when
we pray what do they do they scream the
Christians when they pray what do they
do well the totally silent quiet holy
son what we Jews pray what do we do we
whisper what's the whispering all about
what's whispered oh God well whispering
is all about when do we whisper in life
what you want to communicate with
somebody that you're really close with
you whisper right you whisper
if you're very close to somebody talk
softly and you whisper that's the
reality if you're not a nice date with a
person you hope will be your wife or
your husband you're not gonna be sitting
across the table each other don't you'll
be sitting across the table talking very
softly paycheck right because you're
building an intimacy
when you want to create intimacy what do
you do well creating an intimacy with
God what a queen of course with God I
see what else he wants the closest we
have to whisper
Kent's queen he can't remain silent
intimacy means whispering talk to God
that was interesting by the way that's
why we talk you know people ask me this
question all the time you know God knows
what's inside my heart right what are
you talk about it for you know why we
talk because when do we talk you know
you'll notice in life that there's
what's called male speech and female
speech what's male speech male speech is
did you take the car to the mechanic
today you know did you you know you know
I I went you know the tomatoes cost
$2.99 a pound that's male speech it's
very to the point concrete gets things
done
another's female speech the men kind of
feels people look at the male speech
it's just that this is the prototype
female speech is you talk because you
want because you want to establish
closeness women talk why because they
want to create
well that's why sometimes you'll see
this whole time you'll be walking it's
kind of funny sometimes right you'll see
walking down the street you know man and
woman the man's like you know is that
true
and one time I remember I was sitting I
was walking past a restaurant and I
noticed that you know couple were
sitting there like at a restaurant or
like something outdoors in the city and
he was and she was sitting there I felt
like I felt like I had to intercede I
felt like I had to do an intervention
over here you know I just wanted to go
over them and say it's not enough
already
let her talk but it's hard you're
killing the night you're killing lights
you have to talk listen but you know but
I felt it wasn't in my business
and there I felt it wasn't anybody
business but it's interesting you know
such you'll even see two women two women
will walk down the street right and
they'll both be talking at the same time
yeah and there's nothing wrong with it
it's because it's creating closeness
talking creates intimacy that's why with
God the reason we talk is because of
course God knows what's going on but the
purpose of speech is to create
connection closeness when you talk with
somebody you get close you get close and
xem god wants us to get close with him
he's got a whisper you have to talk now
what should be going on in ourselves is
create this vision before us I can't
describe the feel but it's there and you
feel it and get a sense of it and the
more you do it the more you get a sense
of it like yeah guys you're in front of
me
start talking whispering thank you focus
on the way now
it's interesting that into Fela when I
meet the feel right now I'm speaking
about the part of the Fela prayer where
we actually come before God and we make
requests you know we know that to feel
it is a ladder to get this intimacy with
God doesn't happen in one moment just
like creating intimacy with a friend or
with a spouse doesn't happen in one
moment it's a process with God it's a
process also it's like a ladder that
we're climbing it begins with the
section which we call be accomplished up
huh bo khosh afar they call the morning
blessings if you look at those morning
blessings what are they all about things
for all about gratitude all about
recognizing how incomplete we would be
in life if not for the gift that God
gives us now it's interesting God
created us in a way in which we have so
many lacks there were the only animal in
creation by the way that's bothered by
its own smell I never thought about that
it was worth coming tonight just for
that if you go to CVS Rite pharmacy guys
right if you go to CVS what aisle is the
largest aisle
take a look cosmetics and children's
deodorants the logic you'll find aisles
and aisles and aisles of rightguard and
sure and Old Spice and yeah it's a huge
billion-dollar market why does it
billion one multi-billion dollar market
why could we bother brother way we snow
dogs aren't bothered by the way they
smell huh horses for sure
right goats you don't see it but we are
we're bothered by it so I so watching
the whole little bubble great rather
they were about a thousand years ago
he says Hashem made us that way why so
we should realize how much we lack how
incomplete we are we're bothered by even
the way we snow is so imperfect even her
own smells upset us gonna shower now
take a shower for a day how do you feel
oh I'll take a shower there right you
know can we feel so incomplete my kids
are little kids are you sure
let them in the bath no they ate it yeah
nobody liked it right you like it you
know but we're so we feel so much it's
such like now if you look in the warning
what we're doing in the morning will be
getting the latter of intimacy with God
the first way to create that ladder the
first rung on the ladder is the wrong
that says a Shem I am so incomplete if
it's not if not but for you and
therefore we start thanking God for all
the things in life that without which
our lives would be totally different now
think about it in the morning
no first thing we do we get up in the
morning and what do we thank a Shem for
we thank you chef wistful for the mind
into that's the first blessing you make
in the morning you know the olden days
you're supposed to make that blessing
actually from the bed it's a blessing
you supposed to wash your hands they go
basket on your bed sometimes the people
do that some people do today right you
can walk to the sink if you want to but
if not some people have their water
right under the bed they take it one two
three four five six right and they start
making a blessing a Shem bola Qatar
shell and okay Nobel kosher and the Sun
the surf we Deena how that came in
arrival oh sure
thank you for giving me intellect the
mind works blessing number one what
would life be if my mother work the way
it work right we start thanking God
things that without which our lives
would be totally totally different an
appreciated what how much we lack and
how much God takes care of us then we
start as we sit up on the bed we start
making blessings over our spinal cord it
amazing we make a blessing every morning
Oh
our spinal cord but as we get up we make
a blessing over the building to stretch
right
then we make a blessing over the ability
to walk amazing blessings blessings
which we thank God for the basics of
life and we was how much he gives us and
we try to experience what would life be
if I didn't have these things how I
would be lacking I'm something complete
and then we go here we make a very
fascinating blessing we make a blessing
over the digestive tract right
I'll show you outside the blessing we
say every time we use the bathroom and
that blessing is supposed to focus us
and realize how miraculous the body is
number one at the same time to realize
what would life be if it wasn't working
this way and there's a word that we send
a blessing that says EF sure the Hozuki
aim but alone live on therefore it would
be impossible to stand up and had a
friend who had kidney stones it's such a
severe case of kidney stones he actually
crawled on the floor and could not stand
up he said to me I understand those
words very well now when that just
attract is not working the urinary
system not working properly it's
impossible to stand can't stand now this
is the process first thing in the
morning it's the beginning of the
realization of the fact that we need to
God so much for our basics and how
goodness I'm on the rug now now we want
to begin climbing this is you I want to
start talking to you I want to have a
relationship with you and how we start
climbing a little deeper ohayo we go
what we call the pursuit Gators in there
now these are usually Psalms a bunch of
Psalms over there both you study them
you know truth the matter if you don't
have time you don't want you're
obligated to share the butter Shammar I
strain you're stubborn okay three do
more time you see them all but if you
look at them all they're all talking
about God Wow
you are so wonderful in nature what
you've done for the Jewish people
throughout history
we start seeing the depth of guard guard
not only in my life but look how
wonderful you are nature
I wonder if here throughout history then
we start moving the next section is down
in the next ladder in which we start
focusing on God as a designer of
creation you're the creator of the Sun
creator the moon then we make a very
beautiful blessing over God's love for
us
I have Arabah how much you love us we'll
see God's love for me and then we put
our hands over our eyes and we declare
here o Israel the Lord our God the Lord
is a God it's all yours everything of
you nothing in this world is not you and
then we stop and we finish it and we say
ash ml okay Graham and let it's true
it's true and then what do we do we
start praising God being the God it's
all ended fear covers everything he
redeemed us from Egypt now we step three
steps back three steps forward oh we're
ready to go and now what are the first
three words we say six first six words
we send out in the first six words death
now we're before God we say six words
what do we say i do' sure mr. Forsyte
Tita Oh fie yagi - he'll attack oh I
shall open my lips so that my mouth
shall declare your praise God without
you I can't even open my mouth you give
me the strength to even have speech to
have a mouth that can formulate words
and communicate with you is a gift from
you I don't shove separate item to open
my mouth allow me to speak thank you
it's closed and you'd help I'm so
dependent it's all you and I want to
talk to you and speech by the way
there's a function of the soul because
speech is the most abstract thing we
have in the human being did you think
about when that speech come become part
of mankind by the way so the Torah tells
us when God breathed the soul into
autumn but they became a speaking being
nefesh mamola rubber mullet says a
speaking creature because wkn a witness
he became a speaking creature speech is
a function of the soul because what is
speech speech is amazing if you think
about if the vibration of the air
against the vocal cords and through that
vibration I'm able to express ideas
which are very abstract
it's amazing concept speech it's a gift
of the soul the God without you I
wouldn't have that a chef opened my
mouth now give me the strength all I
know that's all you don't you I have
nothing and then we begin now here's a
problem the problem is like this let's
say a person is sick Kishan so they come
before God now in our prayers and by the
way our prayers are written by the men
of the great assembly they gave us the
formula these are the great prophets all
the texts they gave us the game of the
perfect text to say but there's time in
our text also when you could say what
you want to say even the Shema : o or at
the end when you say at the end you
could see you could add your own wood
let's see your praying now you finished
the text and now I want to speak to
straight from my heart you're about to
do that you should do and now you want
to pray for let's say you're sick god
forbid you're sick you have a sickness
dev illness so god I want to speak to
you now how about my illness
god forbid I handle this I need your
help I believe in you I'm here I'm
talking to you God now I have to I want
to I want to get better so some people
might go before God and have the
following dialogue and say you know a
Shem you know I you probably haven't
realized but I'm sick you might not know
it but I'd like to bring it to your
attention that I'm in a lot of pain and
I have it show them a disease and you're
the source of all cures please heal me
what's wrong with that dialogue
what's wrong with that dialogue no it's
wrong to dialogue not only God is God
not only does God know believe me God
knows he knows about the sickness not
only is God aware of the pain that the
person is in but you know what God's the
cause of the sickness he's the cause he
gave the sickness it's from him so might
be forgotten said God you know by the
way I'd like to make you aware of the
fact that I'm sick and I need your help
to cure me and you know God would turn
back and say you know look I know you're
sick yeah I'm the cause of it I made you
sick who do you think did it it's me
right you know when we say these words
every day and this together I'm saying
when we say SH Maya Ellis Schemmel okay
Noah Shem Akkad hear o Israel the Lord
our God the Lord is one when we say God
is one we don't think that God is one as
opposed to to sound like there's one God
but not two guys that's not we're saying
that we're saying god you're one there's
that what molecule in creation that
isn't constantly being controlled and
directed by you everything is you when
you reach into your pocket and you want
three coins before
- that was Jim when you stub your toe at
night it was the cream from above what a
person got something get sick who gave a
sickness God God's oneness means he he's
directing everything that third
dimension we're talking about it's all
in we don't experience it that way all
the time but it's all him so what am I
supposed to be doing when I pray you
know about it God number one right you
could stop it if you want it to you're
the source of it and then there's
another problem now wait a minute you're
the source of it and by definition god
you're all good and anything you give me
my definition is for my my benefit so
maybe I shouldn't ask you to change it
it's like going into surgery you know a
person sees that the surgeon
taking the scalpel you know and he's
about to remove a cancer and you said oh
please stop sir Julius I can't stop I
gotta remove the cancer nope but you're
close to campaign can I do there's a
cancer my telling God to take away the
sickness aren't we that's insane god I
know it's good I know it's for my
benefit how could I pull him to stop he
has to do it I need a sickness or
something whatever reason it is but
today I might have done in the past
whatever whatever might be whatever is
something I need to learn whatever it
might be
sorry I forgot to stop do here the
problem what's the answer tonight what's
the answer
interesting
sorry important what's going on
yeah number one hundred percent god
knows about it he's the source of it we
don't have to inform him he's well aware
of the illness he brought it for example
so what's happening I'd like to feel
what you're really going out of my
prayer what's really going on when I
come before God there's a different
dialogue this is the dialogue dialogue
sounds like this Hashem I know this
illness is from you I know you gave it
to me because you want me to feel that
my life is totally in your hands that
without you I cannot exist without you I
cannot be healthy as a result of this
sickness I have realized how fragile I
am and how much I need you I take in the
sickness now and I have elevated myself
with it because of my realization that
I'm so dependent on uhm I become a
different person I closer to you I
realized that I need you even more oh
you know what happens now God can
respond you know what because God gave
the sickness to the bee who wasn't
totally totally aware of him but now if
through the sickness I realized that I
have to get even closer and closer to
him I've used the sickness to create
deeper intimacy God can say all that was
the purpose I gave you the sickness cuz
I want these people into the sea I want
you to be even closer with me it's add
to create another lap in your life and
through that lack oh you used it right
you use that black come to me and ask me
get to know me deeper there was no
purpose of the sickness get better
here's the cure oh go to the doctor next
week
look at that miraculously the whole caps
cans different it's gone where'd it go
I don't know maybe it was a mistake on
the cat scan machine I don't know I saw
didn't use it it's gone what happened to
them
you hear the stores little timeline I
hear the whole time yes
yes that's good question that's good
question you know is a very very
interesting question you're asking
yeah but again you know even in of
course in mental illness there are many
degrees of mental illness
you know many degrees is it's not a you
know it's not you help the mental
illness is another illness there are
many areas of awareness but you might be
talking about a situation where a
person's mind is gone completely
so they're like you know not even aware
and can't even go through this process
of even asking God to undo it perhaps
right
you know this art is a something very
important I always thought about this
you know I'm in digital what I do a lot
of different things is a rabbi my main
thing of course is you haven't caused
outrage
I don't worry it's my main focus right
over here all of you but I've also been
for a number of years a chaplain in a
nursing home so I did started my calling
years I stayed with it because I feels
meaningful I always asked myself a fine
question this is I think with search
questions I ask myself the question you
know sometimes you go into these nursing
homes and you see people who are
literally like vegetables I'm sorry use
the word I don't mean to in any way put
anyway those issues are the words we
understand right you see people who had
such productive lives
and sometimes you'll even see pictures
on the wall of what they look like when
they were young and you almost can't
believe it right see a guy standing
there on a new piece suit from the 20
the thirties before you know and they
look at him now and he's he's not there
he's a shell of a person and not only
that you know what a person gets to that
stage you know a person can't even eat
by themselves right you have to feed
them
I'll pay something when you feed a
little baby and little baby spits up
what do you do what do you say I you say
wasn't that cute so cute
you know look you spit up clean up
you're so cool when a 90 year old man
spits up his apple salsa over you what
do you say
yep that nobody says look how cute it
boys
you don't say you're a little bit
disgusted and you might be a wonderful
son or grandson there or whatever it
might be granddaughter it doesn't mean
that's some whelp you disgusting that's
it just always ask myself the question
how can little babies God created them
so cute you know and then they spit up
all over you it's so beautiful
you know it's cute it's funny it's it's
sweet an old person also has the same
functions of a little baby on some level
but they spit up all over you and if you
discussed it so I'm sure - I think which
is very fascinating point the greatest
gift the God can give us in life
is to allow us to have intimacy with
them as we're pointing out but intimate
closeness with them old age is the point
where a person is going to leave this
world now the greatest gift that God can
give a person towards the end of life is
the realization that it's only about me
and you that's your children who you
thought you can rely on to discuss this
by your body what you thought with you
it's not you your money doesn't mean
anything
you're almost trapped inside of your
mind and the mind is still there on the
inside they might better express in the
outside there's a lot going on the
inside
what's the person doing on the inside
creating that connection with God create
an intimacy and the greatest gift you
can give someone before they leave this
world is to give me God to tell them
look don't think any mistakes anymore
the third dimension that you might have
ignored during your life I never really
spent time to to to to nourish the
connection with me now I'm giving you
the opportunity because everything else
is gone it's just you and me that's
what's happening I dare say a person
lets you so much feel they can't speak
to God what's going on inside their
minds but we can't see yeah there's an
intimacy being create with God a
realization that God it's all about you
and me that's all you know what the most
profound moment of life is what's the
most important moment of life the moment
just before you die you know why because
that moment just before you died you had
the total realization that God it is
about me and you and nothing else
everything else was a lie
was an illusion not alive illusion you
know I thought my money was imported I
thought my career was important I
thought my clothing was important I
thought it was so important to drive a
fancy car am i right
this is the Jewish concert this is this
is a human concept that moment before
that means you gotta give it back to God
it's not me and you got I just won
intimacy with you because that's reality
that's all there is
it's that third dimension I can't see
and now here it is and that's why by the
way in Judaism we have a death penalty
now we very hard to enforce nobody panic
in fact it hasn't been enforced in
thousands of years and very few cases
throughout Jewish history but there is
such a cancer and the reason is that
there's such a concept is because
sometimes the only way to achieve
atonement is the death process because
that point just before death what does
the person do Shuba God it's you
nothing else I just want to be with you
and I'm sorry
see you hard work and that's why I
rabbis tell us when God really loves you
what does he do of course that punishes
it causes pain in your life when he
loves you because you certainly Ahava I
quote Eucerin pain to create connection
hello when you feel everything's going
well in life you know my stomach is full
my gas tank is full my bank account is
fall right you know everything I want is
going well well when you got for know
God says I desire intimacy with you so
much and you desire them to see with
least so much and the only way we could
create it sometimes in life is to cause
a lack and through that last through
that pain through the financial loss
through that emotional pain whatever it
might be I have to come through a shaman
session I know this is from you but now
I'm using it as a means to get closer to
you please change it chef can say oh
that's exactly what I was looking for I
was using it as an opportunity for you
to gain that intimacy with me and you
used it correctly
now I could remove the pain the
financial loss the emotional pain that's
how it works that's why it says God
loves those two flicks sometimes a guy
causes pain in life it could be for many
reasons it could be for the reason that
it could be for something we did in a
past life even you know it could be
something I did in my life and the only
way to undo it is through a degree of
pain to help me realize the mistake that
I made repent on it or sometimes it
might have nothing to do anything to do
with past life or anything I did in this
life it merely because God loves me so
much he wants me to get even closer to
him he flicks those he loves so lady
said to me the other night she said God
don't love me so much
no for the love already yeah but you
know it's not true because that
connection that intimacy and we create
with God through the lack that we
experience is what we cherish and take
with for eternity because it's that
connection that we create with God in
this world will be the connection that
we're going to actually have forever to
cops doing up the greatest gift by
allowing it to create intimacy in this
world there's nothing greater with that
it you know anything to see what kind of
closeness to God in our lives in this
world is so much different and you could
be a high surah Kramer you know you
could be an Auschwitz passion and say
compared to an ashram it wasn't at that
place because we used it to gain an
intimacy with a guy we've lived in that
third dimension that intimacy because
this did not intimacy it's a good place
you could find goodness and everything
in life and that's what the feel is
doing the Fila is taking us on that
ladder gratitude praise God's love God's
oneness his truth and now an opportunity
to come before him and it's a bit
discussion and dialogue that's the
beauty of it and it's so essential and
so important and so powerful now when
you do it right it's just so good you
feel so good
and we have to remember that every time
we ask God for something even if we
don't see the direct result from it by
the way all prayers are heard and all
prayers are answered and our sages teach
us you know how they're answered
sometimes sometimes they're answered
even for the next generation
so you know the fact that all of us that
are sitting here today listen to this
lecture and we're trying to come closer
to the Almighty to our Creator and we
know that we're Jews and we're proud to
be Jews and we realize the beauty of
Torah the beauty of mitzvoth and we want
to get on this path and live our lives
with this dedication you know what my
and what whereas there are 14 12 you
know 12 14 million Jews in the world you
know I would say about 11 of million of
them have never even heard of this type
of discussion and here you're part of
this elite group that merits to even and
be in the game you know why that could
be it could be because the prayer of
your grandparents prayers of your
grandparents that maybe didn't get
responses of in their lives but get
saved up for the grandchildren we have
the merit of our craft and their parents
or our rabbis tell us when things go
well in life when things go smoothly in
life well if they show what a good day
today you know the car just missed me
you know right you know I got you know
the facts came on time what a noise
everything went well I arrived in my
point without traffic you know things go
well my kids endure well Broca sham you
know oh honey it everything's going well
when things go well in life you know
what it is that's God taking those
prayers that he might not have news for
the situation we asked him for because
maybe he felt that we needed that pain
still for whatever reason I said but
believe I heard it I would have used
those prayers over here when things go
well do our prayers are being answered
they don't have to go well when they go
well in life it's because God is using
the prayer always answer always heart
that's why prayer - fela it's a mitzvah
like no other nits it's not that we pray
like we have 613 mitzvahs and Prayer
happens to be water them it is one of
them but it happens to be the crown
jewel of the wall because if the purpose
of Terror the purpose of MIT's phone is
to gain connection to God that intimacy
with God in fact the word myths of on
Hebrews from the he would salve which
means connection we have 613 points of
connection in fact the goal mitzvah to
connect us with 613 points
prayer Tefila it's the way in which that
intimacy is actually included is the
highest point intimacy it's a dialogue
it's a discussion it's a speech that's
my personal about so my friends I tell
you you know don't tell God how big your
problems are tell your problems how big
God is speak to God talk to God develop
an intimacy it's the greatest pleasure
if we can have a life
thank you so much you listen everybody
we have some delicious kugel waiting for
us over here yes
Oh