Hayom Yom 5 Kislev - Prayer is the ladder it stands on the ground its top reaches up to Heaven
The daily Hayom Yom with Rabbi Yosef Katzman · Rabbi Yosef Katzman
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Show Notes
וְהִנֵּה סוּלָּם מוּצָּב אַרְצָה
“Behold, a ladder was standing on the ground.”
תְּפִלָּה הִיא סוּלָּם הַהִתְקַשְּׁרוּת שֶׁל הַנְּשָׁמָה בֵּאלֹקוּת
Prayer is the ladder by means of which the soul is bound to G‑dliness.
וַהֲגַם שֶׁהוּא מוּצָּב אַרְצָה
Though it “stands on the ground,”
הַתְחָלַת הַתְּפִלָּה הִיא בְּהוֹדָאָה לְבָד
for prayer begins with a simple acknowledgment of G‑d,
אֲבָל וְרֹאשׁוֹ מַגִּיעַ הַשָּׁמַיְמָה
“its top reaches up to Heaven:”
בִּבְחִינַת בִּיטוּל עַצְמִי
[it brings a person to] utter self-nullification (bittul atzmi).
אֲבָל בָּא לָזֶה עַל יְדֵי הַקְדָּמַת הַהַשָּׂגָה וְהַהֲבָנָה
One arrives at this by first attaining an understanding
בִּפְסוּקֵי דְזִמְרָה
of Pesukei DeZimra,
בִּרְכוֹת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע
the blessings that frame the Shema,
וּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע
and the Shema.
Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English
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