Morning Prayer Has Never Been Like This: Find Renewal And Joy In Every Verse

Many struggle to say the Verses of Praise every morning in the Shacharit prayer, as it seems that the ideas repeat themselves, and there is no new insight from one psalm to the next, leading to the feeling that all the psalms repeat the same concept – to praise and honor Hashem for all His great deeds.

Rabbi Pinkus invites us to look anew at the recitation of the Verses of Praise, which are often perceived as a routine and monotonous ritual. He emphasizes that each verse in the psalms is not a meaningless repetition but an opportunity for unique soul work. Through thought, imagination, and emotion, the recitation of the psalms can become an exciting spiritual journey, where every word and idea ignites the heart.

Rabbi Pinkus's advice is to stop viewing the psalms as a single, boring unit but to focus on the details. By carefully examining and understanding the unique meaning of each verse and each psalm, one can discover the depth and novelty found in each of them and thus turn their recitation into a spiritually uplifting and meaningful experience.

The Rabbi offers several examples illustrating how to develop the heart and emotion:

'Praise Hashem from the Heavens' – Use imagination to envision the bright blue sky and think about how it itself praises the Creator.

'Praise Him in the Heights' – Leave the physical view of the sky and think about the concept of the 'heights' – lofty spiritual places above the skies, where voices of praise and honor are also heard.

'Praise Him, All His Angels' – Imagine the multitude of angels, countless spiritual beings, who are in constant service to Hashem, and praise His holy name.

'Praise Him, All His Hosts' – Move to the heavenly hosts, the high spiritual ranks mentioned in the Book of Ezekiel, and describe how they also participate in the praise.

'Praise Him, Sun and Moon' – Focus on the sun, its power, its immense size (170 times the earth, according to the Rambam), its role as a life-giver, and imagine how it praises Hashem at every moment.

'Praise Him in the Heights' – And having seen the sun, our heart is drawn higher, to the heights, where exalted angels such as 'Michael' and 'Gabriel' appear before us.

'Give Thanks to Hashem' – It is not just about general gratitude but stopping to delve deeply into gratitude for the countless details in our lives. For sight, hearing, health, livelihood, and every small or big detail in our lives, each of which requires its own acknowledgment.

'Call on His Name' – Here, the work completely changes: it is not a private gratitude, but a global mission. A person imagines themselves as a messenger on a high tower, calling the entire world to recognize the presence and greatness of Hashem. They imagine themselves moving from place to place – New York, London, Moscow, India, and China – teaching the peoples of the world who do not know Hashem about the wonders of creation and the depth of the Creator's governance.

'Sing to Him' – Here begins the work of singing to Hashem. The song expresses inner joy and elevation.

'Make Music to Him' – This is a different work, making music. Singing and making music are different; each has its unique nature. Singing is a general expression of emotions, while making music focuses on creating harmony and structured beauty.

'Speak of All His Wonders' – After singing and making music, comes the work of speaking. The person stops singing and starts simply talking to those around them, telling them about Hashem's wonders and the miracles their eyes have seen. It is a moment of personal and everyday connection, where even a bus becomes a place of conversation about the Creator.

'Glory in His Holy Name' – Here, the person is filled with pride that they belong to the Creator of the world. They proudly tell others: 'Do you know who made all this? It's my Father! And He loves me and cares for me. He promises that as long as I knock on His door, it will open for me.'

The Rabbi emphasizes that every verse invites us to new, unique, and lively work. When people get used to reading the psalms in this way – with thought, imagination, and emotion – they become a deep experience of daily renewal.

Thus, prayer is not just a routine action but a time of delight, attachment, and joy in Hashem, full of new insights and wonders. Every verse is an opportunity for soul work, and every day turns into an exciting spiritual journey, where one gets closer to their Creator and is filled with joy and strength in serving Hashem.