Kavana in Tefila | Rabbi Yossi Goldin | October 21st 2025

No, it's Tuesday, but it's my first time seeing you. So, sh um hope everybody had a it is working or it's not working. >> Okay. I hope everybody had a uh a meaningful hug. A lot has happened since we last saw each other. It feels like it's almost a different uh a different world. Um but still a lot of unknown. So uh with all the sim that we have in in uh in having all of our live hostages come home, we continue to dive in and that our learning that our that our learning should be a uh as for the remaining remaining bodies of the hostages have not yet been returned should be as for the protection of our who still need our and our learning and uh protection or it should bring raffua to all those who have been injured and to those who have uh experienced loss during this war. And um as we always say should uh give guidance to our leaders to make the right decisions. Um and of course um I think this is the first class since u since his passing. So of course we should certainly mention um Rabbi Mosha Hower uh the executive director of the U. I did not know Rabbi Hower personally. I'd only met him once but he was um certainly a towering figure within the within the OU. uh OU community in general and in U Israel. Someone who was well respected and looked up to and a leader within the Jewish community. Um and his loss is certainly felt in and our learning should be Leela and Mato as well. Okay. So um I've been pushing off this topic for a while uh the topic of kavana in because I I I I feel that the topic of kavana is on the one hand probably one of the most intuitive and import intuitively important topics in the world of tila the concept of kavana actually we actually will define what kavana means in in a minute on the other hand I feel like kavana is one of the most challenging aspects of of um and so we haven't really gotten to yet and I want to start today this week we're going to begin to tackle the topic of of kavana in in now what does kavana mean so uh the truth is that um in his book that he he calls prayer of steinelt rabbinstein notes that there's a number of different potential translations for the word kavana uh can mean intention it could mean attention paying attention to what we're saying it could mean kun could be direction uh purpose concentration is probably the most common translation and kavan is really all of those things at once and that's part of the challenge. Um he's not here now but we actually had a we have a member of of of our class who a while ago had had sent me an email um specifically regarding this topic asked me a number of questions regarding like what should I be thinking about during davining? What are we meant to be thinking about during davining? There's so many different potential things to be thinking about if we're able to focus on the right things. um what should what should be our should it be and we we hopefully in future weeks we'll get we'll we'll we will try to define things a little bit more but what I wanted to do today was really start with a general background understanding the requirement for kavana some suggestions for why it is so important although it is intuitive suggestions for why it is uh important as an an important aspect of our and um also to really recognize and and just put out there that kavana is a challenge and that to normalize the challenge of kavana because it is something that we're going to see in the number of sources even the rabbis in the garra noted how difficult and challenging it is and was to concentrate during during davin so that's what we're going to do today we're just going to try to overview give a bit of an overview regarding regarding the requirement and hopefully next week we're going to spend a little bit more to understand the various types of kavana and things that that kazal talk about in terms of what a person should be thinking about during during domining. So the first is as I as you see here just to understand the requirement. Again it's intuitive like it makes sense that when I'm when I'm doing to hashem I should have some level of concentration and intention and attention to what I'm saying. But there's also a number of sources that stress the importance and how crucial it is to the act of in general. Source number one is a it's a pik in safer. Sorry. >> What does one do? When what does one do when >> what does one do in order to do this? >> Excellent. We're going to talk about that as well. Tips tips and suggestions in order to be we will definitely get to that as well. Not today, but we are going to get to that as well. Absolutely. Meaning what can we be doing? What are suggestions that we could uh that that have been made to help us improve our kavana? We'll we'll definitely get there as well. Okay. So, source number one is is a puzzer. Um the overall context I didn't bring the context. I don't want to get too tight shy texts but it's it's it's a bar talking about his disappointment and frustration with Israel or it's actually the Nvi expressing Hashem's disappointment. Why is Hashem disappointed or frustrated with so the Pik says Hashem said the the nation comes and with their mouth they honor me. They talk the talk, but yet as they're talking and they're saying the right things, their heart is far away. And I see that their fear of me is basically some is basically the actions that they do and the things that they do are what's called that is a phrase that has come to refer to people who do things out of habit. people who just do things because that's what I'm used to do. I get up and then and again if you want to if you want to bring this to to toil so we've seen many people and many of us are are guilty of the same thing where we get up we say the three steps back we go like this we go like this we go like this hopefully at the right time hopefully not on chabas but we do all the different things we get up and we do what we're supposed to do and we're doing it out of habit and as God describes they get up and they say the things they're supposed to say but their mind and their heart are elsewhere and so although the context of specifically what this what this puss is referring to could really be anything it could Somebody's referring to talking about other types of mitzvot and saying the right thing but not backing it up with action. The pik itself certainly beautifully describes the challenge of which is we get up and we dav and we do the things that we're supposed to do. We say the things that we're supposed to say and yet as he says libo our heart or our mind is far away is somewhere else is out in never neverland in baseball statistics in the stock market in in what's going on in the country anywhere and and that is obviously a challenge because saying that's not what I want yes >> saying hearts and mind can't you separate them >> yes certainly can >> I would say if your heart is there that you should >> okay so you are correct I am specifically And I was directly putting heart and mind together and you're noting that it could be that those are different types of things. A person's mind could be in one place but his heart could be somewhere else. I agree. Um I'm I'm referring to using heart and mind in the same cont at least in this part right now as both referring to a person's attention and and and assuming that you could be saying the things and and and you might in your mind this to ask you is is domining important of course it is. But your your mind which also sometimes is indicative of where your heart is at might be different. But you are correct. You are correct. We could >> nice to I really feel my heart is with Hashem. My mind does one thing. >> Okay. So you're pointing out and I and I think you're right. And we're going to see some who are going to point this out as well. There could be a differentiation between my heart is says one thing. My heart I'm doing it. I'm saying the words. I'm I'm taking the time out to say them that my heart is there. My mind is somewhere else. It's a good point. It's a good point here does refer to does does mention heart. Okay. So it could be that is then what is what is he describing? So it's it's a good question. I am grouping them together for now because I am kind of looking at as one thing but I agree with you that you could you could you could differentiate. Okay. The Mishna in a couple of places, the Mishna in a couple of places also refer to this concept or the importance of this concept of having kavana making sure having if you look at source number two it's a perishim excuse me you make sure to be careful about saying and is a reference to as we've mentioned And when you should make sure that when you dive in and you're dinging it shouldn't be what's what the Mishna describes as it shouldn't be literally keva means fixed. >> It shouldn't be fixed. It shouldn't be fixed. Rather it should be it should be a sense of mercy and a sense of supplication. Now what exactly does kev mean? All of our texts, most of our as we've pointed out, we have a set text that we say now there is a there is a concept of personal but we also know that most of our is a set text. So what exactly is the is is the Mishna referring to. So if you look at the medul is a commentary on the Mishna Rabuda who was a who lived in the in the 16th century um and he has a commentary on Perkavote. Look at source number three. here it means the intention what what the Mishna means it refers to when it says Keva it means exactly like Roseanne said doesn't just mean set it means by wrote it shouldn't be stale it shouldn't be something you just do that's set rather it should be it should be something real it should be something that's that that comes from the heart it should be something that feels that feels uh real and legitimate And you should and I.e. with since is something which is done at a set time three times a day. What could happen is the challenge is that because we dab three times a day, set times, set text, it could very easily turn into us saying the words, doing the actions without meaning without thinking about what we're saying, without having the proper kavana. And therefore, when the says, it means make sure that you add that element of kavana to to your we see this in source number four as well. Another Mishna that mentions the same idea. Alzar if a person makes his again the same language then it's not by nature it's not going to be full of supplication it's not going to have the heart that we're referring to and again we see the same thing what does keva there mean the assumption is by many of the is that keva means uh it refers to again the concept of I I didn't bring it here but many of the say that kev there means as well that that it means somebody who do without kavana, somebody who just davins uh by wrote and without missing missing some of the act the the actual feeling to the to the in fact the shalomi on on on this Mishna quotes a very interesting uh imagery about this idea look at source number five says what should what should you make sure isn't about make sure that doesn't turn into like you're reading a letter. What's he getting a letter? Right? When a person sits through, we get up. And again, just to stress and we're going to see this soon. This is it. It's normal. We all struggle with this. We all get up, we take up we take up this and we just read it. And that's that's a challenge and that's an issue, right? Fila shouldn't just be me getting up and reading the words like I'm reading a book, like I'm reading a letter that was written to me. But that that seems to be the recognized universal universal challenge. Source number six, the Gmorra says, the the the quotes that a person who has to have that he is dinging that his doing should be towards Hashem later on in that same also quotes something which we've mentioned before there are many things that we can learn from the story of Kana regarding towards I'm going to get to many of them hopefully in in in in the coming weeks in terms of various things that we learn from the story of Kana. One of them is the continues at the the Nvi describes that when Kana was ding Aliba. What does Aliba mean? She was pouring out her heart. It means she was expressing her heart. She wasn't just saying the words. There was clear meaning and emotion to what she was saying. continues the gumbo that somebody who davins needs to have kavana is clearly a crucial element to our and in fact u if you look at source number eight we're going to skip seven for now but source number eight the ram mentions and he and he and he concretizes the concept that there are that that that with a person who doesn't davin is missing a crucial element to their again next week we get into the details of what type of kavana a person needs and when might it might actually mean that your needs to be repeated. We'll get to some of the practical stuff next week. But says the Rambam source number eight. There are five things that prevent a person from properly ding even if the time to din has come and they are a person needs to make sure that his hands are clean. A person needs to make sure that he is appropriately dressed. There needs to be an appropriate place to things that are going to cause him cause a ruckus. Things that are going to cause him to be um yeah distracted but and then and the fifth one is making sure that you are in a position where you can have kavana. These are things that a person needs to make sure to have and if not it is as says the it is it should even prevent him from from domining. Now again we're going to get to how practical this is. What if somebody's going through a a a situation where he knows his life situation is so hard he can't dab? Does that mean I shouldn't dab in to begin with? Nowadays, we don't necessar we we we we encourage someone to dab in all of those situations. But the Mishna here is at least stress or the ra stressing for us the importance of kavana. Yes. >> Predicate problem though of not actually finding meaningful to you. Meaning somebody wrote these words for however long ago and this is what you're going to say 10 times a day. And if you don't find those words meaningful, how do you ever get to the like what if I just want to say what I want to say to God and I don't want to said that three times and then >> excellent excellent excellent question. The question is asked is basically is what if my issue for in Kavanaaugh is not that I can't concentrate. Meaning maybe if it was meaningful for me I'd be able to concentrate. Right? I I'm just thinking about this now. I was just talking with with with somebody about one of my children and we were noting how when something's important to him he could focus on it. But when something is not not of interest to him he's like out to lunch. I'm sure this is true of many kids. But so what if so you're asking what if the feel is it's not that I can't focus. It's that I just don't find meaning in it because someone else wrote it and I so so it's an excellent question. The truth is that we've we dealt with a lot of those issues last year uh in our classes. We talked about the idea of having a set text. We talked about why that is and the advantages and disadvantages to having that text and that there are clear disadvantages or challenges I should say to having a set text but yet there are also very clear advantages to that. Um we also talked about the fact that that the kazal specifically incorporate the opportunity to add your personal to that as well that even though there is a set text there are opportunities no pun intended right that purposely that kazal purposely set aside areas where a person should be uh should should be setting aside to do that and that the power of personal tila even outside of the context of we we did discuss this so I don't want I don't want to rehash it too much but what I would the one the one thing I would say and and this is just those who have been who have been on my class will will this is just my style. I put the onus more on us. What I mean by that is uh I believe that that that that the words of kazal have tremendous meaning and if we're not connecting to it, it's become it's a question of how much time and effort are we really putting into understanding it and trying to connect to it. Now that doesn't mean that and and that the same thing by the way is going to be when we talk about kavana. When we talk about how do I have better kavana, we'll get to it. But I I think the number one question we need to ask ourselves is well how much time and effort am I putting into trying to achieve kavana? Do I come do I do I come with enough time to sit down two minutes before davening and maybe focus myself or do I run in barely putting on at least me personally putting on my talis and fill in and then and just getting there maybe getting suk zimra and and do I really take time to sit meaning I think there's more things that we could be doing and only once we try those we then then then the other questions really come up but it's but it is it is a very good question yes >> is there a possibility you need cover but you also need saying the right words because If you're used to saying say your client will help you know distracted by something that you wanted to talk to God about and you did it but you're distracted doing something else that there's a certain value just in saying the word. >> Yes. In other words, >> what you're suggesting is that kavana what I think what you're asking if I'm understanding correctly is could it be that even though as we're going to see soon kavana is incredibly important might there still be value to that that doesn't have kavana just by the fact that I got up and I doesn't that doesn't that already say something is that is that I think what you're suggesting >> yes >> yeah just being there sometimes means something but on the other hand you're doing something you still want to say it say I love you Meanwhile, we're still doing something else. Don't you get counted a little bit? >> I don't know. Ask your wife. >> It's a good question. It's a very very good question. And I think I think I think you're right. We are going to see that there are some commentaries who will who will suggest even that and we're going to see this a little bit later on this year that even though kavana is a crucial part of tila, that doesn't necessarily mean that not having kavana is worthless. There might be there might be something more nuanced in this in this in this whole conversation which we're going to get to. Okay. So, what we've seen so far is yes. One more last question. >> When people put the Hebrew, they got him in Yiddish. I found that in a lot of places when I say it in English, it comes right here. And when I say it in Hebrew and I don't understand what I'm saying, it doesn't have as much. >> Yes, that's also also a very good point that what that one key to maybe help with and also connecting to it might be saying it in English. We discussed also the idea of saying in English versus not saying in English. I would once again challenge us and say that saying in English for someone who doesn't understand it is fine but that we should be striving to learn the Hebrew and striving to get to a point because we do believe and this is we discussed in the past that there is more a special ka to to the words in Hebrew in lashes and while those who maybe have trouble concentrating or have trouble saying it it's okay to say it in English but it shouldn't be the default you know for the rest of your life we all can strive to work on uh a mix and m mix and match continuously growing that that that I think would be the ideal Okay. So, we've seen a number of sources that stress the importance of kavana. Um, but now what I want to see is again some some suggestions to why why is kavana so important. And as although you might say to me, well, well, obviously it's important. I do think that it's that that that that that in seeing some of the way that that gazal described the importance of covenant gives different imagery and helps kind of bring it to life a little bit more. So if you look at source number nine um source number n say if written by there's two rabbaky one rabbaka who wrote a famous commentary on the Torah and then there was rabuakbakuda who wrote a a very important classic work called vavot he lived in the uh end of the end end of the 11th century so he writes the following and again what he's saying is very is very intuitive but I think it's important because he gives very important imagery. Source number non. The words that you say are the language the the in the the the usually means the the work the >> introspection or the or the or the investigation is literally the word that you do the basically the introspection or what he's referring to as the kavana a kavana is the is is in the heart. So you have the words you're physically saying but the the work that you're doing the inner process is in the heart the words are like the body of the and the inner thoughts the processes they're like the spirit that brings the to life when a person dins with his tongue and and and and and here I don't think necessarily means in his own language. I think here it means I think it means when he's using physically he's talking but at the same time he's saying the words but at the same time he's totally not focused. He's thinking about things that are not connected to below. It's as if you're bringing towards Hashem a gift that has a physical aspect without any spirit to it without anything in it. It's like the outer covering of something without the heart, without the inside, without the what brings it to life. Why? The actual physical words are there. You're saying them, you're bringing it into Hashem, but there's no heart to it. There's nothing to it. There's nothing bringing it to life. And then he quotes the Puk that we had quoted from Serish. right with his mouth and with his and with his lips he's honoring me but his heart is somewhere else then continues and brings a mash brings a parable he says this is comparable comparable to an a servant a servant is having his master come visit him and the the head of the household the e is command is making says to all the members of his family. He says to his wife and kids, "The master is coming. We got to get ready. We got to get We got to get everything all ready. Everyone needs to be all in. We're getting ready for the master to come visit and to and to take care of him." And then what does the Ev do? The Evan himself who was trying to get everyone else involved, he goes somewhere else and then and goes to a party and and leaves and and isn't involved in honoring the master. because the head of the household left, he instructed everybody else, you got to take care of this and then he then he went out and did his own thing. They weren't able to do what needed to get done. So So he says that because he was far away and of course understandably the master comes and the head of the household isn't there. the evid isn't even there. He the rest of the people in the family can't properly respect and take care of the take can't take care of the master and the master gets annoyed says says the uh says so says the same thing is true of someone who rake a person's heart and their conscience or I I'm also using consciousness but literally means their conscience rake is empty isn't connected then Hashem isn't going to want to see the things you're doing with with the words you're saying and the things you're doing with your body if it's empty of any meaning if it's devoid of any of the so then says the says it's not going to be meaningful and then he brings an example hello look at what we say at the end of we Right. They should be for an appeasement. The words of my mouth. And the thoughts of my heart should come before you. We're we're as And as we're saying those words, what are we probably not doing? Thinking about it. We're saying, "I want to bring my heart to you, Hashem." And as we're saying, "I'm bringing my heart to you." Who knows what we're thinking about? He says the irony is just is is, you know, it's crazy. A person thinks about whatever he's thinking about and then at the end he ends his with it's embarrassing. It's a disgrace. He's claiming that he spoke to Hashem and and he's claiming that he spoke to Hashem with his heart and yet. And then he adds afterwards, Hashem, can you please accept everything I just said? Hashem is going to turn and be like, "Hello, it doesn't it he says this is a he says it does it doesn't make sense." Like he said the language that he uses which has become a well-known language is without is like a body without a soul. You're giving something physical but there's nothing in it. And in source number 10 the which is safer written by the rishonuer he actually writes something sim this similar idea but he also uses a different type of language that highlights the issue. Um says the rush make sure you have your why is is is is a service of the heart and then says the rush I'll give you a if your son were to come to you and he would talk to you and he was talking to you about something and you can tell very clearly that he's not there right you're asking him questions and he's responding to you I'm sure many of us have seen this many times with our spouses with our children right we're talking to them and we're having a convers conversation and we're doing something important, but they're they're clearly not clearly not there. You're going to get upset. It's going to be frustrating for you. Like, either you're with me or you're not. Don't pretend that you're with me. Don't say the words. Don't have the conversation, but not but but have your mind be somewhere else. And what are you going to do? We are nothing in in in the face of we shouldn't be like we shouldn't be like an ev a servant where that the master gave you a great opportunity. How can we get up there and be like and as we're saying we're not even thinking about it. Forgive us. Forgive you for what? forgive you for what you're doing right now. Forgive you for not even paying attention or being conscious about so again it's it's harsh but I think it's important because the whole idea of davening of turning to and saying listen to us and yet as we're saying it it's missing the key element there's something very very wrong and that and and and there while it's intuitive I think that again the way that that they're that they're that that they are describing it is important ra Rabbit Kakoen of Lublin uh again a great Jewish thinker who was in the in the 1900s has also a very interesting take on how he describes the value of kavana and he uses the definition of kavana not as kavana as we've been saying attention or intention or things like that he uses the concept of kavana as being kavana means direction right when we talk in Hebrew about going in a certain direction we talk about it as a kun means I'm going in a certain direction says kavana helps direct your in a certain way. When a person is thinking about their doning, either thinking about daving in front of Hashem, thinking about the words that they're saying, it gives a certain direction to your he compares it to shooting an arrow that when you shoot an arrow, you not you don't just shoot the arrow and have want have it land wherever it's going to land. You have a certain area, you have a certain direction, a certain place you want it to go. So it when and when you shoot that arrow, you're very deliberate about where you're going to direct it. That is what does to our look at source number 11. Every time you d it's as if you're shooting an arrow opposite you those that are with you actually have in mind a certain specific goal a certain specific purpose which is basically the point of departure from your heart. you have in mind where you want what you want to accomplish, what you're trying to get out of this, which is the the center of your goof. When people are shooting an arrow, what do they have? They have in front of them very often, especially if you're training. What do you have a bullseye? He says it's like you have a bullseye that you have you have a specific bullseye where you're trying to direct your your arrow. The same thing is what kavana helps us focus on where we're trying to direct our it helps give a certain purpose to what we're trying to do. That is what the kavana of of is is all about in source number. Yes, please. that understand at least it should sound like words. We don't want to be blah blah blah and which raises for me the other question >> the question of speed. Yes, I >> we're in agreement on that. >> I agree. we it's hard it's hard to talk about if you can barely say the words yes >> and what is the abation of the >> also good question why is he saying it >> good question >> if he does it blah blah blah blah blah is that really >> I agree which is which means maybe we need to maybe we need to find places that are that are that are that meaning again for those of us who want to take art less seriously maybe we need to go to places where where we can be confident that the pace is going to be different. I agree with you. I agree that it's very hard. Again, everyone has to find that balance and for different people saying it, we've talked about this before. For some people saying it faster is actually better for their for their cabana. There are some people who will say if I say if I say it too slowly I my mind goes where if I say if I say it faster again people are different and therefore I'm not I'm hesitant to say that there should be a blanket. But there's no question that everybody should find the kind of and the pace of that helps them in their in their in their in their personal for the also again again that's that's more the it's more the responsibility of the community rav and the shul to set I've been at where there's a where where there's a where there's like a a timet that that the zim should take that at this point you should get to here at this point you should get to here I've always found that to be the easiest because that way it doesn't depend on who gets up to davin it's like you know when because sometimes when I need to get there to sh depends on who's going to be the cousin that day so if I know know that there's a certain pace and and everyone should find should find the sh that that they find that they feel adds to their as opposed to otherwise >> still to be saying it in a way >> again I agree I agree with you but that's that's responsibility of the rabbi that's really responsibility of the rabbi or of the leader of the community to try to set those standards I agree I mean if if you have a if you have if you it's it's it's a valid question and I like I said I I don't believe there's one there's one sizefits-all in terms of that that that question okay look at look at the kuzari Yes. >> Yes. >> It has to come. It can only come or maybe one can only. >> Yes. What you're pointing out Yes. I I didn't I I didn't get into that last line. What you're suggesting is maybe what they're saying is that the kavana really comes from well yes we are going and hopefully when we hopefully hopefully when we get to it we're going to see that yes the way that is structured the way that is structured is is that is is that ultimately the main we're there's actually the two times that a person needs to have real real kavanically are is shama and um and we're going to get to that hopefully um and the way is structured is meant to be an introduction a leadup now obviously you should have you should have kavana hopefully or some kavana when you're saying those as well But the but a lot of the way feli structures is meant to build up to shama and then build up to which is the main part which why we call it felah. Yes that is true. That doesn't necessarily mean that we don't have to have kavana the rest of the time but that if we but but that but with the way it's structured yes sometimes those that build up will help will help will help in the structure. Yes, you are you are correct. You are correct. Um oh you know what the truth is that I think we're going to just for time purposes we're we're going to skip the kuzari. Let's move on now to to one to one other source that I wanted that I wanted to do which I think is uh which I think is important. Um which is source number 14. Raone Resemon for those who not familiar is the is the is the is the is the love of the of the Gusha Tion and one of the big um leaders and postkim in Israel today. So he has a book on and he highlights another aspect uh uh regarding the importance of that I think that I think is is a part of this conversation as well. And he says the following source number 14. He says there is a term that when somebody is alive, when somebody has life, so then they're considered to carry themselves. For example, there's a that a person is not allowed to um to carry certain things when there's no. However, if you're carrying somebody who is alive like a baby or things like that, there are certain postkim who will say that that's notically problematic because there's a concept of called that somebody that is alive carries themselves. Says on the following idea, sorry that's a typo there. Continuing in source number 14, when a body does not have life, all of a sudden the body weighs a lot more. Right? A body weighs a lot less when when the person is alive than when they are when they are dead. The same thing is true says if our has life to it, has vibrancy to it. It's lighter. It flows. It feels less heavy. It feels less of a burden. If our has no without life, it becomes heavier. What does say mean? What does that mean? It becomes heavier. We enjoy it less. We leave feeling unfulfilled. If our does not have life to it below, it feels like a burden. How many of us or how many of us either ourselves or have encountered people who come and say, "Ding, I I don't connect to it. I don't I it I don't what what's one of the reasons we don't connect to it because the experience doesn't feel vibrant. It doesn't feel like we're doing something. And so without when we dive without kabana not only is are the feel that we're actually saying do they lose their meaning do they lose their power the experience itself has a negative impact on us and we leave feeling feeling less fulfilled. continues. Reverit that is said just meaning with your with your with your mouth and and and beyond. It is hard for us and it and it weighs on us. Sorry for the typo. When we don't feel that connection, we don't feel the vibrancy of the what's going to happen is we're going to go in and we say the words and they just it feels like it feels heavy. It feels frustrating. It feels like a burden. It feels like an annoyance. The ding doesn't feel like it's doing anything for us. When we have when our doning has life to it, Then it gives us the opportunity to to to have a positive and meaningful experience. It brings us to life. It brings us life. And then and then ironically it it gives us the power to d more. Somebody who has a has a negative or a frustrating experience with deting, what happens very often? What do I need it for? I don't I'm not getting anything out of it. And therefore, so so Cesaroon, interestingly enough, aside from the the the the negative impact that a lack of kavana has on the actual fil that we're saying, the experience that we have is is is less powerful, which then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy that our no longer feel meaningful and then and then we just don't get we we put less into it. It becomes, as I said, like a a cycle in a way. And therefore um and therefore says we need to have kavana not just for the tilot themselves but for ourselves in order to create a different type of experience. We've all had experiences where we left the daving and we were inspired by that inspired by whether it was the singing the avi the whatever event it was or there was an event there was something going on in our lives that caused us to connect more. That experience brings us closer to Hashem but it also encourages us to dive in more. And so the more that we can incorporate kavana into our lives to bring life to our the more we will connect to in a in a in a general sense. And so what we've seen so far is we've seen a number of sources talking about the importance of we've seen a number of reasons why is important why kavana excuse me why kavana is important. What I'd like to do now for the rest of the class is to kind of make us feel a little bit better because based on what we've seen so far it's a little bit tough. We know that we have trouble with that. I'm assuming I'm speaking for myself, but I assume I'm speaking for everybody as well. Kavanaaugh is very very hard and yet we see how important it is. So then what what what are we doing? So the two things I want I want to point out is number one uh is to point out that kavana and having kavan is a universal struggle. It is something that everybody I've I've yet to meet somebody who tells me that they don't have a challenge with kavana. And as we're going to see right now in the Gmorrah itself, the rabbis talked about the challenge of of kavana and how hard it was for them to to have kavana. If you look at look with me, please at source number 15. Source number 15, it's it's it's a it's a it's a it's a garam. So it's a little bit harder to understand. So I brought for you the English translation. I'll read it in Hebrew and translate, but you can follow along either in the Hebrew or the English. I most of my life I did not I was not able to have my one time I really tried to have an effort for kavana heart rate and I tried to really concentrate and then I started and then I mar and then I started to say to myself galut and then if you look at the English translation I said to myself who enters first before the king. Oh, excuse me for the the uh the uh uh the Russian. I'm not sure how that got in. I think that's Russian. >> Greek. >> Greek. Forgive me. Sorry. Forgive me. I'm not as uh I wish I uh u meaning what what what is pointing out is that is that he he tried to concentrate and all of a sudden his mind went into things connected to walking into the king. So it was connected to standing in front of God, but he still somehow got sidetracked to connecting to standing in front of the king. says says, "Whenever I would dive in, I would count chicks." Okay, how many of us have had that similar experience where we're just like counting doing something totally totally different? I counted stone rosemar. I am thankful to my headm because it knew that when it got tom it bowed by itself, right? meaning what's he basically saying I wasn't thinking about my daughter but s my body knew and I got to mot him to go like that okay so again I think it's important to see these sources because it it it it normalizes this experience kavana is not something that people that the people of yester year easily were able to achieve everybody for generations has had trouble with with kavana look at source number 16 amarav shal a there are three aim there are three that a person is never able to that that that a person can has trouble avoiding every single day thinking about sinning okay I think is an obvious one for us what is what is says the one he has trouble having in his okay so again The garra is saying that this is something that everybody everybody everybody struggles with. Uh sorry the rash the um the the the rashi of yilah um um we see see rashi says it in source number 18 as well that yun refers to having having kavana. Okay. And then we see here if you look at source number 19 we're skip 18 for now. This is a bunch a list of of of things that the rabbis said that they felt they should be praised for like a bunch of rabbis said I I did this and therefore I should be praised. Source number 19 says tastily you should praise meat because I I was I was always having three onat says tasty I should be commended because I was able to achieve having what we see from that it's not so easy it's not something that comes easily to people or totally totally naturally to people and and toos there says the same thing what does it mean it means Kavanat Kavanat. Okay. So yes, >> I just found it very interesting that I'm watching this morning. I really had more and the way you taught us when I insert >> to insert personal feelings >> when I put in my own feelings versus seeing what the This is all I do. I try to have kavana for them. It's more I have more for what when what I could. >> Okay. So what you what what what you said is that is that you found that kavana is much easier for you when it entails or involves your ability to add in your own personal tila which is connected to what to to what what we said before which sometimes it's hard to connect to words that were written by somebody else. I think it's a great point um and I think it's natural meaning but you did say for example that you had covenant rafu rafenu. Why did you have covenant? But because you mentioned all the names, but I but I but but the concept of what the words that they I'm assuming also that the words also are meaningful. So what you're really saying is that I as I understand it is that when certain topics or certain have particular relevance to your lives, then it becomes more meaningful. And that's something we're going to talk when we talk next week hopefully about about advice for how to do this. I think one of the biggest one of the biggest things we're going to learn about is we have to find ways to that's important too. There are certain things that are going to naturally become relevant to us in our lives, right? If a person knows people who are sick, Rafa is going to be more meaningful. Okay? I would also suggest perhaps the beginning of the war, let's say, maybe now already people are a little bit more used to it. Maybe the the of Shalom might have been more meaningful for some of us because peace was something that was on our minds. The more that we initiate connection to the things connect to to the brahood of then meaning which basically means that the maybe it's on us to find ways to connect to the it's okay for there are certain things that are always going to be more natural somebody who's struggling with is going to have somebody who's struggling with parnas maybe more naturally the ofenu will be something that they're able to to to think about and to concentrate on somebody that's dealing with I mean there there's so many different um somebody maybe is guilty for a for a sin they did Maybe we could have more. But what that means is that when we feel connected to a specific braha, it's more meaningful, which means we should be putting in more effort to connect to more parts of the maybe a big piece of this is what we're doing now, which is studying. The more time a person spends studying, it's natural that it will hopefully that's the goal, right? This isn't just to learn intellectually. This is to hope hopefully to to help improve our file on on a daily basis. And so you're right. I think that becomes the onus which is to try on us to to to try to connect how how much how many of us have really gone through the and tried to understand the words read them clearly understand what they mean right there should be in my opinion and and then and then I want to just want to continue because I have to end soon we should all have in the words of why don't we because it's less something that we connect to naturally but maybe we should build that okay we should all connect to These are all things that if you ask somebody are they important of course who doesn't want mashiach but at the same time because they're less relevant to our individual lives they become a little bit harder for us to connect to but if we put more effort into it more thought into it maybe hopefully we'll be able to develop that I'm just going to hold off on the question I'm sorry just because of time and I'm happy to take the question after after Ravon in his safer fil lists a few reasons and I think we've you know some of you have mentioned mentioned that but he lists a few reasons why in particular it is hard to have kavana. So number one, he mentioned what we mentioned before. It's familiar and it's routine. Something you're used to saying, something that's already u demanded of you to say. It's something that you you know, it's a text that's already when you say something every single day, three times a day, it's much harder to connect to it. Whereas if it was something that we said only in specific times, it would become more meaningful. Number two, distance. If we felt says, we feel a natural distance from if we felt a real distance. These these are these are these are sorry this isn't in your source sheet I'm I'm I'm saying it outside for sorry that wasn't clear the power of feel comes from a sense of closeness to hashen and when we're feeling a lack of that closeness so then naturally we're not going to necessarily feel or have the motivation to to continue to continue to David and it's hard to cultivate that connection in today's world where we're just all over the place and running around and number three the third thing suggests which I think is also an important thing for us to think about is that what he calls the ki complex is that we fail to remember and realize how dependent we are on for everything that we have. And when we think that everything we have is because of us and because of our accomplishments and because of what we're able to do and we don't remember I really should dive into because even if I'm successful now I need him for everything that I have. And so says when we fail to remember how everything in our lives is dependent on is is harder to concentrate if we've remembered and and that's why sometimes why do we sometimes remember Rafenu when we get reminded when a closed person is sick we get reminded oh my god who's really the one who can heal him so so Rafenu becomes easier but when we if we fail to remember that in a global scale that's when the that's when it becomes harder to to to concentrate the last thing I want to just mention and this is just an important as well just to kind of make us feel a little better. Number one, kavana is a universal issue, a universal challenge. But the other thing I wanted to note as well is that according to many mafim kavana does have value even if there sorry does have value even without kavana. There is no question that the ideal is for there to be with kavana. But there are a number of indications in some sources that even if a person davins and doesn't have the proper kavana, there is still value to his tila. Because of time I'm just going to say it say it outside. But if you look at source number 21, the rashba, the same version we saw earlier talked about the importance of tilah in the shashba. He mentions exactly what someone had mentioned ear what you had mentioned earlier which is that there are different levels of kavana. We're going to discuss this more specifically next week. But even if somebody came to Davening, came here, took time out of his day, put on put on his talis in filland or got a sitter, sat down and spent a half hour davening, and let's say throughout that entire half hour, his mind was elsewhere. Says the rashba, there is still value to that doning because by taking time and coming to shul and doing and saying the words, of course, is that the most ideal? It's not the most ideal, but there is still power recognizes that similar to what you said before. You say the words my wife would much prefer that I was saying it in in in in a with more intent and I was more there with her but it's still meaningful even without that and therefore says the rash we shouldn't think of davining as an all or nothing proposition a person can davin and having kavana is the most ideal form of tila but if a person doesn't davin nevertheless says the rashba there is still there is still value value to his uh to his to his fela and the last idea that I wanted to mention um is is something that's mentioned by in a few different places and it's mentioned in the name of the Arizal in source number 23 of Mameham mentions it as well and he says the following idea actually we'll read this we'll we'll read this inside page source number 23 the second paragraph so I think this is an important part in the name of the say the following is like the wings that through it a person's become received the the the wings that carries your words up to what happens if a person doesn't dive in with what happens a person do without he doesn't have the wings it won't go up to what does it do it stays here it stays it doesn't mean that the are thrown out your haven't yet achieved their ideal they haven't yet been carried up to shamim again the imagery is very important hereish And then what happens when you at some point three weeks later you do dive in with so then as the wings of that are carrying up that specific what's it also carrying up with it all the other that you had put there that you had put up there that didn't go up to was lacking that element of kavana. Now the kavana that you have here carries it all up. Just the fact that you got up to shows your expresses your desire to connect to just you didn't have the then you opened up the gates then you opened up the gates to all of your and I'll just end with this one within again I apologize uh we went a few It's overtime. This reminds me of a very very famous and very beautiful insight by the Katskarbi. The Kutskarbi uh notice is noted that in Shama we say we say we say we say that we should put the we should put the theot says the what does it mean? Al means on your heart. What should we be saying or says says the what often happens a person learns Torah and a person learns Torah and sometimes your heart is open for it and sometimes a person's heart is just not is not it's not there it's closed you're just not open you're not open to learning this or to connecting to this Torah so what do you do that Torah doesn't just disappear that Torah sits it sits on your heart and then if at some point in the future all of a sudden you connect to something and your heart opens because you're inspired by some kind of Torah. What then falls in together with that with that with that idea? Everything else that was sitting on your heart says the that's the idea of having Torah being al that even Torah learning or even that's not in its most ideal and pristine form and as we talked about it's important that it should be and we're going to talk about next week how to try to achieve what does it mean to have covenant what does it mean? Thinking about what thinking about God, thinking about the words, thinking about what I need. What what does covenant mean? We're going to talk more specifically about that and then we're going to also talk about some suggestions and ideas for how we can asashim achieve that level of of kavana. Um, thank you all again. Apologies for the for the few minutes uh over time but wishing everyone a wonderful wonderful day.