Hayom Yom 5 Kislev - The ladder that is prayer
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
One arrives at this
עַל יְדֵי הַקְדָּמַת הַהַשָּׂגָה וְהַהֲבָנָה בִּפְסוּקֵי דְזִמְרָה
by first attaining an understanding of Pesukei DeZimra,
בִּרְכוֹת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע וּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע
the blessings that frame the Shema, and the Shema.
Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English