Prayer-latis: Exercise Your Prayers and See Results

Do you like to exercise? What kind of exerciser are you?

Do you take a walk every morning in the fresh air, swim once a week at the local pool, or does a gym call to you?

No matter what type you belong to, the next workout I assume you haven’t tried. Truth is, this kind is fitting only for the endurance-loving, so if you fit the description, lace up your suitable shoes and join me.

Ready?!

Millions of people walk the earth, each with their own burdens. As believing Jews, we know we have one address to turn to – our Father in heaven.

Have you ever checked what happens to you the moment after you lift your eyes up?

* * *

Think for a moment about the first male figure you met in your life.

Usually, it’s a father.

There is a rule that you cannot imagine something abstract without experiencing something similar in a tangible way.

That’s what happens to us with Hashem. As flesh and blood humans, we must feel everything tangibly.

And then our image of the heavenly Father gets mixed with the earthly father.

I hope everyone had a good, embracing, and supportive father. But unfortunately, not everyone is so fortunate.

And even most people raised in a normative home (like me) experienced mistakes made at their expense and sometimes heard that father can’t or not now, which is burdensome. Because our world is not perfect and not immune to mistakes.

Then, when we pray with tears and ask Hashem for so many things, our subconscious signals us not to burden. It doesn’t truly believe in depth that father can, wants to, and yearns to give us.

And many times, this deep and hidden internal prophecy – fulfills itself.

There is a concept in Kabbalah called "Itaruta Deletata" – according to the awakening, the faith a person influences themselves below, so they are granted above. And for us, sometimes, this channel is blocked.

There’s another point.

What happens to you after you leave the Kotel? Suppose you left the remnant of the Temple after crying your soul out in prayer for a worthy match. What happens to you upon leaving? Do you run to order a dress? Go buy clothes for the engagement party or a gift for the groom? No, right? Most girls I know, myself included, leave with a serious expression and wipe the remaining tears from the corner of their eyes with a tissue.

(Photo: shutterstock)

And again the prayer "is not received", and again nothing happens.

Perhaps also because we don’t truly believe that salvation will come. We already mentioned "Itaruta Deletata". It is written in the verse: "Hashem is your shadow". From the heavens, they act after us, as if like a shadow. According to your movements and beliefs, you are led.

I must share something personal with you. Last Purim, I moved around the homes of Israel’s greats and asked for their blessings. It’s true, it’s a wonderful thing that adds a lot of heavenly fear, to be with the righteous and receive their blessings. But today, looking back a year, I must tell you in embarrassment that when I left – the stone did not really roll off my heart. I had so many questions about how and when, that I returned home after this tour with some question marks.

From conversations with friends, I find that I’m not alone in this matter. I speak to a friend who tells me she traveled to receive a blessing. "Well" I tell her. " Hashem will help", she replies with a sigh. "Waiting for good news" another tells me with the voice of a Tisha B'Av. Hey, my dear, if you really believed in the blessing of that rabbi, you would come out of there rejoicing straight to the nearest bride’s salon, not continue to another rabbi, and another tomb, and another grave, and so on...

So what do we do?

First, knowing the problem is half the solution.

Secondly, knowledge is power.

We must learn faith. As much as possible. Train our muscles of faith in Hashem and His goodness. Books like "Duties of the Heart" can help us develop the true knowledge of the Creator’s endless love for us.

Thought has tremendous power. It’s not easy work. In smaller matters, I succeed in shaping reality for the good with positive thinking. In the matter of the match, it’s a bit harder – but we’re working on it...

Did we say Prayer-latis?