Tips for Kavana In Tefila | Rabbi Yossi Goldin | November 18th 2025

to uh to Josh for for all of his hard work um in helping to uh increase the reach of of our Torah learning and uh and all that you do to help us in our limit. And of course, a special thank you to Ram Shur I saw is here as well for all of his hard work. I'm just going to one second. Um okay, so to um so two two technical announcements today's today's morning of learning is dedicated by Estelle Harris in honor of our dear brave soldiers. Thank you Estelle for sponsoring today's learning and um and and this year is is sponsored by Hedi and Ben Lipchits. Thank you as well for for your sponsorship. Um, and as always, we we dive in that uh our Torah learning this morning should be a a protection for ourim who are still on the front lines uh protecting us and we dive in that uh our learning should also bring to all those affected by the war and to all those who are injured and should give guidance to our leaders to make the right decisions. Is the sound okay? It sounds a little bit off. I wish I could tell you that I knew Josh. Can you see if if I don't know if is it Sam who sets it up? Is Sam McCartney here or someone who might >> Oh, Sam has a mazotov mazo. Sam, uh um just it sounds a little bit >> I wish I could say that I knew exactly how to do it. Uh is this better? >> Is this better? >> No. No. Maybe lower it. Lower it. I could try just talking without it, but >> how's this? Is this better? >> Okay. I think we'll we'll we'll try that. Okay. >> Who had a baby? >> Who had a Sam Sam had a baby? >> Sam McCart Sam McCartney. So, those of you who know Sam McCartney is the is the is the gentleman who's involved in all the all the set setting everything up. He's the young man who's like look, he's walking, but he's running when he's walking. He's like running in and out, always taking care of all the all the various things that are making sure that that everything happens. So, very special maz to Sam McCartney on the Birth of a Baby Girl and thank you to Sam for all that for all that you do. Okay. Um so today today what we're going to do is we are going to u end our pretty long but I think important conversation regarding regarding the concept of kavana in in file and what we're going to do today is really just run through a a number of suggestions that I've kind of kind of put together collated together suggestions for how we can improve our kavana. We've been talking a lot about the importance of kavana, the sources for kavana, the types of kavana that we've had, the what it means to have kavana. Um, and many of you have have noted the challenge. We've we've noted it many times the challenge. So, one so a couple of you had asked well then can we discuss what we can do to make our kavana easier or to try to improve our kavana? I don't know if we make it easier. It's it's going to be hard. That's the nature of kavana. Um, so what I did here is I really just brought a number of different ideas um for for us to think about. Some of these ideas have come up over the course of our conversations the last few weeks. But I wanted to bring it all together in one in one shore just to be able to go over it and hopefully it can be be food for thought. By way of introduction, we're going to review just something we saw at the very end of last week's year. Um just a way to introduce this discussion which is a recognition starting with source number one from Reverend Moon that there are no quick fixes. There's no um as Revon says here in source number one inulot there aren't you know certain things you can say certain things you can do jumping up and down or saying something or it's not this isn't there's no sigula that's going to automatically make our kavana better there is nothing that we could necessarily do that's going to magically enable us to have In order to have we need to work. We need to we we need to we need to work hard. We it's without putting in the appropriate effort and time we won't be able to achieve kavana. Kavana is hard. Kavana is hard to do. It's hard for us to have kavanad in our we have to first and foremost recognize very often we're looking for that quick fix. And with most things in life, all right, no pain, no gain. You have to push hard, you have to work hard, and you have to prioritize this in order for it to in order to achieve something. Um, source number two, Rabian also mentions this idea that there is no magic formula as he says, but he also notes that this is something that can be different for different individuals. Source number two, even though there is no magic formula that applies to everyone, there are ways to achieve kavana, meaning there are things that we can do to help ourselves. Each person's soul is a unique world unto itself. And what works for one person is not necessarily effective for another. Nevertheless, there are some pieces of advice that are likely to be useful to some extent for most people. And that's what hopefully we're going to discuss today are a number of different types of suggestions. I divided them by categories. Again, food for thought. whatever you think works for you that will help you. Something maybe to encourage us to to u to work a little harder. So the first idea, the first suggestion is actually the one that I that that I think is is very logical but is not the first one that comes to mind at least for me when I think about how we can improve our kavana. when I saw it uh I found it to be very very important and that is that kavana the concept of having kavana very much depends not just on the actions that we do which we're going to see soon how we prepare ourselves the physical context of where we are but it also has to do with our mindset and our belief system we saw this earlier we had quoted from reone earlier that one of the reasons why people have trouble with kavana is because they fail to properly internalize the message that Everything we have is from if we fully internalized that message that we depend on every single day for so much that we have then coming to Davening would be different because our attitude would be very very different. Okay. For example, many of us know that when when when we're struggling if a family member is sick or is struggling something that becomes much more meaningful for us very often during those times. Why? Because we recognize this is something that's acute. It's something that is right now on our minds and we and we're reminded of the fact that we're dependent oneshu for so many aspects. Obviously, we have to put in our hishad. We have to do what we can in order to make things better and try to solve things from our end. But we also recognize that we're dependent on when a person is struggling with various types of whatever it's going to be. So then certain parts of will become more meaningful. The more aware we are of our dependence on a karushu then the more meaningful or the the easier it will be for us to have kavana kavana in. Now one of one idea that's just you know the the the phrase that come that that that comes to mind also but you know in the similar context is you know there are no atheists in a foxhole. When a person is in is in a time of intense need, very often they'll turn to and and and I I can't help but think about so many of the inspirational stories that we keep hearing more and more now from all of the hostages that have come home and and and and I and and to me it's just it's astounding that they're still functioning that they're that they're that they're that they're you know and obviously I'm sure each and every one of them is is is is struggling and and and of course I I don't but but the inspiration that they give just by who they are and the stories they tell us And one of the things that I've seen over and over and over again is how much more connected they felt to au when they were in the times of captivity. And one of them even said that that's one of the things they miss quote unquote about captivity was that was that sense of closeness that sense of who is here. And again, I I don't understand it because it's something that it's it blows my mind from a from a perspective of for someone to be in such a challenging situation and yet to grow in their amuna and to grow in their connection to and it but but what I what I the theme to me that I hear from that is this concept that the more that a person acutely sees or recognizes their dependence on then the easier it becomes to turn to them for thing. So if you look here uh in source number three just to just to highlight this point uh also mentions this idea very often people think that their success it depends on them on their talents or their stature who they are. He doesn't always attribute his his accomplishments to to anything beyond him. Right? It's me complex as we say through. And I would even say what he's even suggesting is part of what helps a person in their person stresses or or or brings root into their heart. A recognition that everything that happens to us is dependent on Hashem. Of course, we have to act. We have to put in our but it's not your actions alone and your strength alone that's bringing about the success. It is it is divine. total dependence on Hashem who that is a foundation for and for having true when we re realize and remember that we're dependent on Hashem then this is valuable time this is our time this is our opportunity to talk to about those things that we want and the things that we need and the things that we're striving for in order for a person to feel this type of dependence The idea, the ability to recognize that it comes from hashem and isn't all attributable attributable to me. It requires preparation and requires hard work as he as he enters. That's what we call aodash. Part of it is it's not just about what we're going as we're going to see soon most of the practical things we do to improve our but it's also about our own about our own mindset and our ability to recognize first and foremost we depend on and we need for the things that we're going to get and therefore this is an opportunity and a real opportunity for us to for us to appreciate that before I get to the question I just want to finish one other thing then then highlight points out that there's other types of belief that we need it's not just a belief that we need that that we depend The other belief that we have to have in order for to be meaningful or to have is a recognition that our can do something is a recognition that when we dive in we have the the ability to help ourselves through this act of that's in the next part that he says the next paragraph one of the main aspects of being able to to achieve kavana is the recognition recognition of the unique power of we have to arrive based on a belief that through the we can affect change. Now we're not going to get into the phil tonight today into the philos philosophical discussion of how that how how that is done. Again maybe maybe we'll even do that uh soon. I think it's a fascinating discussion. And there's different approaches to how exactly what does that mean that does Hashem change his mind? Does do we change Hashem's mind? Do we change ourselves? That's a separate conversation. But we have to believe in the power of can affect change. Can help us achieve what we want. That is a fundament that is fundamental to having kavana because if we come in and we don't believe in the whole system then the chances of us being able to concentrate are much are much harder much lower. If a person is in a place of of not feeling good doesn't believe that is going to help, right? It's going to be very hard to dive in if you're coming in with a fundamental thought that this isn't going to do anything for me. And therefore, fundamental to our ability to have is number one is to help is to work on our belief system. Our belief system that number one we depended on and number two the file can be an act through which we can affect or impact h our relationship with Hashem and the things that that that that that we are going to achieve through that through that. So those are that's that's that's just suggestion number one. Section number one is one of the most important ways that we can improve our is by growing in our belief system on our our dependence on and the belief in the power of yes I love what you're saying and I feel it when I do because I understand the words but inim I say a lot of every day and it's very difficult and I feel connected and I feel that I'm asking a but I would understand it better in English but yet it sounds beautiful in English. What do I do? >> Okay. So you're asking you're asking a question that's come up a few times which is well you said that in certain parts of fa that you feel you feel exactly what we're saying but there are other aspects and you mentioned specifically whereim it's hard for you to connect to the words or to the themes as easily as it is when we're which you know if we put in the effort we can really understand the words of what we're saying and be much easier to do it in English even though it's not as beautiful as as it as in Hebrew. So it's it's a very very good question and this also comes up in the regular ding what if somebody is saying and they and they find it easier or someone is saying so we've discussed in the past that uically we do believe number one we believe that the ideal is certainly to say it in Hebrew because we believe that Hebrew has a certain co-op there's a certain power to the Hebrew language and also that is the text that was developed and written by Anchessa Tagodola of whom include and prophets and therefore there's a certain power to certainly but also to the words of there's there's definitely an ideal to say it in Hebrew. A person is allowed to say these in Hebrew, even if they don't fully understand what they're saying, there's still a power to it. Alternatively, if somebody feels strongly that they can't connect to the words in in in in in Hebrew, they can say it in their native language. You can say it in in in English if that if that would be much more meaningful for you. However, and this is the part that I think is always important to add at the end, that doesn't mean that we should we should we should we should keep it that way and keep that the status quo forever. We should always be striving to work on our to work on understanding more. So if we've if let's say for example you've been able to achieve kavana in because you you understand it in is an area that you don't understand as much then if you feel that it's much more meaningful for you to say it in English then you are hikally allowed to say it in English say the English translation but I think we should always be striving to to to work on this to meaning we shouldn't just be like well I'm never going to understand the Hebrew so I'll just always say it in English. No, you can say it in English if you feel that that'll make a big difference for you. But at the same time, you should also recognize that the ideal is Hebrew and continue to strive to understand it more to have a you know a weekly or a daily whatever it is day to try to understand more of it or to read it in the or use the interlinear many people like the interlinear where it has the English translation right under the Hebrew meaning we should always be some people don't like that some people find that very discombobulated whatever everybody is everyone is different but the point is is that we should never lose lose sight of the ideal which is to say it in Hebrew and to understand what we're saying, which for many of us come from a background where Hebrew as our native language is harder. It's one of the beautiful things I've always found that about when I learn with my kids and I like read NVI with them. I don't have to like read the Nvy and then translate it. I read the Nvy and they know what it means. It's amazing. That's what happens when you have kids that grow up in Hebrew. It's like it's like a totally different world. It's like you're just starting from a totally different different base. Um we're if we don't have that because of because of where we came from. Okay. So then we have to deal with our reality while striving and putting in the work to continue to try to find to get to the ideal. Okay. So that is that is that is one idea. One idea is again is not just about practical preparation but is very much about what we would call amuna preparation which is just thinking about our own thought patterns and our understanding and working on developing those ideas and trying to strengthen ourselves in those areas. The other section I call preparation for and post which is that we need to also be thinking about the things that we do on a practical basis before davening. By before davening I mean in the immediate before davening as well as at the end of daving and you'll see why I'm I'm adding at the end of davening because very often how you act at the end of davining shows a lot about your overall attitude during davining itself. Okay. So this starts with a number of gumarot that talk about how a person should not approach felah. Meaning if a person has a certain mentality or a certain or is is has something else going on in their head, the Torah said that the Gmorra says that is not the most ideal way for a person to approach. Look at source number four. A rabbi is taught a person shouldn't come to based on judgment. Meaning if you're in the middle of working on some kind of major legal issue or or or some kind of of issue that is very involved where coming all of a sudden it's going to distract you and you shouldn't come to David when you're engrossed in the world of what does that mean I shouldn't learn? What it means is if you're in the middle of a suga, you're in the middle of learning something and and and you're and you're overwhelmed with the and you're even if it's a good thing, you're excited about the learning and you're thinking about it a lot, but what's going to happen is all of a sudden you just close the book. Okay, now you start. If your mind isn't there, then it's very hard to have proper says. The ideal would be to try to not be in the middle of a of a of a large sugia while you're learning, but to have regular that are straightforward that don't involve in-depth thinking. That's what the Garra says. The gumar is basically talking about how we need to be thoughtful about how we enter our doning because what's going on in our minds right before we start dating is going to impact our ability to have kavana continues the gamarra a little bit a little bit more. We don't get up to d If we are in an unusual state of sadness, if we are in a lazy state of mind, if we're in a state of mind we're just, you know, not in the mood for anything. Okay, we're in a place of uh of gay or just overly happy, overly you know, uh gay I think is just appropriate word. If you're in the middle of a very intense conversation, which means emotionally you're invested in something at the time, right? And we shouldn't be joking around. And you also shouldn't be ding when you're involved in things that are a waste of time. Rather, our mindset should be one of approaching davening with a happiness to be involved in the mitzvah. >> Ah, good. So, someone is saying, "Well, that's a good excuse not. I wake up in the morning. I wake up in the morning. I'm feeling pretty lazy today." Oh, well. Okay. So, that's exactly what I think. Very important to realize the Torah, the Gmorrah isn't saying that if you're in that state, you're putter from from from davening. This is more a challenge than it is an excuse. What do I mean by that? What the Gorrah is saying is it doesn't mean, oh, all of a sudden I'm sad. I guess I don't have to do today. No. If you're in a state of sadness or you're in a state of frustration or you're in the middle of a suga, what that means is you need to take you need to make sure to give yourself time to hopefully work to get yourself out of that state. Okay? meaning it it doesn't mean what it means is wait you need to re you need to realize you need to say wait a second I'm in the middle of you know what it means is I shouldn't be running to doing right in the middle of doing something else I need to give myself time it's a recognition that before davening maybe I need 5 minutes 10 minutes 20 minutes to sit down and help myself get out of whatever intense emotions are going on at the time and then go to David now of course there's going to be situations where a person if a person dealing with an unusual sadness or unusual depression meaning that but that's not what the Garra here is referring to. The Garra is referring to a person who's rushing into dining from something else that will make it harder for him to do. What the Gar is basically saying is you need to take the proper time to stop and to enter the world of from a much more from from equilibrium and from also as it calls it mitzvah a recognition they're about to do mitzvah and an excitement to do that mitzvah. Now the truth is that there are certain practical things that are mentioned in the regarding this regarding these two regarding these two parts of the if you look in the source number five the mhammed in his book gives a couple of practical ideas. What does it mean? What does it mean I should enter the mitzvah? So there are a couple of minimunities have to help encourage this mitzvah. Example source number five the beginning many people have the to give before it's so that you're entering d you're entering the dvening through the of having done a mitzvah it doesn't just mean the mitzvah of ding it also means other mitzvah that you do and there's also I know many people have the minhug many women have the night to give taka before they light kanaka cand before they light chabas candles kanaka candles too I'm sure it's always good to give taka but the idea is you're entering you're domining in the in it involved in an act involved in a meaningful act. And then he says, "What's another reason why it's good to give before you info show that you have a certain side sense of mercy and a sense of care for your other people for other people and then hopefully will will respond in kind to you. This is also this has become much more popular in in today than it ever was in terms of known was known to say that what one of the ideas of what is one mitzvah we should be thinking about before we dive in. There's even a phrase and many communities have started to say this communally before Davening because the idea is again this is also again number one mitzvah I'm entering with this sense of connection to Israel this recognition and this understanding that that that who I am is part of a larger community and I think it also adds to the concept of the more that you connect to those around you the more that you think about those around you the more that can add to says says of all of our is mentioned it's said in the plural because as we know our itself is meant to be dvening for the entire for the entire community and then and then and then continues to talk about the what we mentioned before that not only should you be coming from but you also shouldn't be coming to Ding engrossed in other things the second paragraph In source number five, you shouldn't come to Davening when you're involved or or frustrated or upset, you're involved in other things. Even if you're somebody who has you you've decided that you want to beforeing, make sure that you learn something that's that's not going to be too, you know, get be too involved, right? You shouldn't be involved in an intense sug because you might because then you're going to be thinking about the back and forth the questions this opinion that opinion and it'll be hard for you to have oh rather what you should learn is either that's very straightforward or concepts in hashka concepts in amuna that will hopefully inspire you as you enter as you as you as you enter the ding and this is important but again it's very important this doesn't mean that let's say you have one of you're in one of these states of mind you say ah I don't need a davin no you shouldn't miss dvening and you shouldn't be misin with opinion if you find that you're frustrated about something do what you can to improve that but the the gamarra is saying that you shouldn't daven for your event in an ideal sense doesn't mean that you shouldn't do in if you happen to be upset or you happen to be to be thoughtful about something. And then he adds that in one of the things did to help facilitate this idea that we enter our learning or thinking about or or or learning about spiritual and and and important things. That's why the text of the what we say right before are actually themes that are meant to be inspiring. For example, one of the reasons says that the of the of Hashem who we believe has redeemed and will redeem Israel is said right before it's because these are themes that are meant to be inspiring that are meant to be meaningful for us. Now, unfortunately, they just become things that we're used to saying and we don't necessarily think about them as much. But the reason they were picked says of is because they're meant to inspire us as we enter we say ashray and ashray again is is is a praise of all of these. So so what so what mamid is pointing out here is that part of the text of the ding is created in such a way to help facilitate this inspiration and so that we enter in a certain state but of course we have to put in that work as well. Yes. >> But what if things happen to be ahead? Sometimes the lights down so you won't think of it again. It won't be on your mind. >> If things pop into your head, >> that means you're normal. >> Okay. I'm not familiar with anybody who does not struggle with this challenge. >> Is it good to write it down and say, "Okay, you don't have to think about." >> I think that every single person is different. And I think anything you can do before before to do something during is a little harder because you're in the middle of the act. So write it down. I wouldn't say write it down during schmanas. But if let's say there's something on your mind and you're afraid you're going to forget it. If you if writing it down before you start certainly the or the main part of davening will help you great and you know what chances are things are still going to pop into your head during and that's why we're going to get to it soon. But part of this is also going to require a certain effort that we have even during to create a certain environment and a struggle that each of us has to what we call bashas misa during the actual to to work on this. This again, this is this there's we're giving lots of different suggestions here. It's not going to solve everything, but it's all just about continued working. Yes. >> Sometimes I'm at a point that I I don't remember doing what I was just doing like I I'm here already, you know, did I do everything? Do I just stop and let myself? >> Yes. So, so in fact what you just mentioned is actually we learned this those are those of us were there the the first year we had on kavana we mentioned a rushali where where where where one of the one of the rabbis in the gamarra mentioned that thank god his body knows what to do when it gets to certain things so that when it gets to modem the body automatically knows to go like this he's basically saying that he's not thinking about it he doesn't even realize it right and and all the time that happens right finally you get to all of a sudden you're doing this you're like I'm up to that already totally normal and I think we're going to see soon the best thing to do is if you if get to a point where you recognize and we also we mentioned it used to be meaning the initial of the and specifically the of the was that when it comes to you needed to have kavana for the first of of and if you didn't the used to be initially was you should go back and repeat it nowadays the is we don't do that why because we don't have confidence that if we repeat it again we're going to have kavana again that's just the state that we're in and that's the now so you don't have to go back and repeat anything if you're in the middle of you find yourself up to mod all of a sudden you're going like this and you're like wow I'm up to that already yes stop right there collect yourself and strive to have kavana for the rest of for the for the rest of uh you know and and and recognize okay this is a challenge and next time I'll try to do better but right now this can I test I would even say challenge yourself can I have kavana for modim until the end of if you can do that then then you're probably better than most of us here in this room at least certainly myself so okay uh I see a couple of questions yes yes that one way of doing it is thinking that what you're praying for is something that you should be dealing with people. >> Sure. blessing Godless people also need to recognize bless and that as I learn from this that I should be doing this to God and >> so I I I I think it's a very I think I think it's a very it's a very nice idea I think I think every person I I'm I'm hesitant to give specific thoughts about what these are because I think every person will relate to it differently. Whatever a person can do, we're going to see whatever a person can do to help them be able to focus on what they're doing. If it's about connecting what you're asking from what the act of what you're asking from to how you deal with other people, if that works for you, amazing. Great. Meaning everybody's different, everybody's unique. And I don't meaning and therefore I think it's a very nice idea. The idea is to try to what you're basically saying is to try to personalize it. Try to personalize the message to make it meaningful for you. for you personalizing it means turning it not just into this into my relationship with Hashem but also into my interpersonal relationships which I think is very very meaningful. We believe that there's an idea of that that our our interpersonal relationships mirror our relationship with Hashem and and therefore if that's what's meaningful then I think that's great. Uh I I think for each of us it's going to be a little bit different and that's the beauty of of of who we are as a people is that is that for each of us how we do this is going to be a little bit different and again along the same lines along the regarding the importance of of of preparation before we have the famous that we've mentioned before we'll just mention it here source number six the teaches the following Somebody who dins needs to dedicate an hour before dvening and then an hour after how do I know that I'm supposed to dedicate an hour says and from there they learn that you're supposed to take time to sit and and and and ponder and and work on your before you start. Excuse me. How do I know after after the says okay it says that they're going to d for you and then they're going to sit in your presence after doning. So we have this idea of of sitting down or taking time an hour before dvening an hour after ding. And then the Gomorrah quotes famously the rabbis taught us the original they used to sit there for one hour and then they would dab in for an hour and then they would sit for another hour. Which means by the way that they spend double the amount of time preparing before and after than for the actual act of doing. Now, does this mean that every single one of us needs to now spend nine hours a day? Because before I'll leave that up to you. What I mean to say is is that the the the idea is the most important thing here, which is the idea of taking time before davening to gather your thoughts to recognize what you're about to do. Whether that means coming two minutes before doing or if it means those of us who put on talisinence fill in coming 10 minutes before doving so you can have your talisinence filling on before the doining starts or it means coming 15 minutes you can have a few minutes to learn for every single person there your ability what you can do what you can't do and this isn't about you know trying to guilt anybody into anything it's about recognizing that these are the things that will make a difference and the more that we can incorporate them into our lives in a meaningful way the more that we'll be able to dive in the more that we invest in this experience the more meaningful it's going to be and what's striking about this is that he's not just talking about that doesn't just talk about before doing because you would think that what's what when's the when's the focal point the pre-dvening this it after ding ding is over why why why do I need to sit there for an hour or even for a few minutes after doing ideas thoughts >> something that should be spoken to not just the person do but also to the >> Yes, I'm talking to everybody. >> Ah, I I don't want to get again. I >> How can this government consist of >> We're not going to go back. I'm sorry. I I I know this is a pet peeve of yours. I'm not I I'm not I'm not minimizing it, but I disagree with you. I dis I disagree with you on I'll tell you what I disagree with you on, and I don't want to spend too much time on it. I agree with you on the point that the kaza needs to be but I disagree with with the fact that we're so dependent on theore meaning let's say you do it in a place that's the kaza does number one I would challenge you to say and I'm just not you I would challenge each of us to say number one so maybe we shouldn't do in there maybe now again I'm not I'm not not talking to you specifically I'm saying if if if we're unhappy with the pace and the nature of the file and there's no shortage of although again maybe it's the most convenient maybe it's where your friends go I'm not minimizing other factors number one you can always ask should I be diving there? Number two, let's say that's the place that you go to. That's where your wife wants to go. That's where that's the closest to your sho. Okay, what can I do to make it easier for me? If I know that ding the pace of the doning is going to be quick, then maybe I should come 20 minutes before davening in order to I remember there was a time when I was in my my yeshiva days and I would sometimes I was I decided I wasn't going to go to the main minion when I was growing up. Maybe I went to the Ashkama because if I went to the Ashkaba minion then I have time to learn. This is when I was you know in my inspired days. The problem was Nashkin went really fast. So I I knew that if I was going to the Nashkin, I would try to get there earlier. I would even start I would start before the Tour. I wish I could say that I'm as consistent in doing that nowadays as I was back then. But the idea is still the same. We don't we're not always fully we're certainly dependent on certain aspects of the David. We're certain dependent on the Tibbor. But in many ways it's a personal thing. If we know that the pace is going to be hard for us, then get there earlier. There's no rule that you have to say every paragraph of Zimra with the Tor. Now maybe there is a con concept of trying to get there that when they get up to you should as well. But even that even that if you know the pace that if you know that if you start with the you will not be able to start with them because it takes you so much longer then you know what there's actually a concept of you can start by yourself. What you should ideally do is to try to get to the end of one of the when they get up to that you can that you can answer and meaning there are ways that you can improve this and not be fully dependent on the tibbor happy to talk about that in you know private specific situations but this is not just about the treor it's also very much very much about about us okay I see a couple more questions and then I just want to make sure we have enough time >> this tomorrow really raises a fundamental issue what's more important to sit for now thinking about god or to actually do something useful in the world. >> Again, again used to do this. This was again for them the act of was such an important powerful and I think they would even say active part of what they were doing that for them that was a proper investment. Whether or not that's a proper investment for each of us is is an is an individual decision. I again I don't think this is an either or and I don't think it's also necessarily for for the masses. That's why I don't think I don't think they're saying that every single person should strive for this. But I think the message is the same. The message of having time before doing and having time after doing that we don't rush into dominant. We don't rush out of doining. That message I think is an important message. Yes. >> I think too not an hour maybe but a few minutes just kind of to to just soak in the the kavana the relationship. It's not like you cut off your one of your kids tells you an important story you go okay we're move on to something. >> Correct. 100%. 100 and I and I and I exactly I think the idea I think this is getting back to what I had asked which was what's the value of spending time after domining the idea is that if you've been in an intense experience you take time to process that experience the purpose of doining is not just the act of domining is to hopefully incorporate whatever we've gained from that doing to our daily life if we just rush out that we're we're standing at the door with our with our twillin talis in hand by the time so when the last cottage ends everyone's running out the door and I'm as guilty as anybody else again I'm talking to myself here because these are things that we all struggle with in different ways. But if we take the the idea of sitting and taking time to process shows number one the importance of the davining and number two it enables us to hopefully incorporate and use the dvening to impact the rest of our day and that is only going to be done if we put proper thought into it and not if we rush and expect it to happen to happen automatically. Okay, just because of time, I want I want to if it's okay, I'm sorry. I just want to go on because I want to make sure that we cover a lot of these different things. And then uh just again a lot of a lot of food for thought. We're going to we're going to skip different different parts because again, I want to I want to make sure that we uh that we get to everything. We're going to skip now to section number four. Section number four creating in a conducive. So that was section number three was basically just the idea was pre-preparation, predominant preparation, and post-domination. Those are things that we could be thinking about that we can each do on an everyday basis to help impact our kavana. Next, creating an environment conducive to we have we have much more control over our environment than we than we realize if we think about it. For example, okay again I wrote here just little notes for you to think about the location of doing. Do I do it in a shul or do I d at home? Okay, now those of us who are high of an a minion definitely make sure you do it ideally in a minion. For many women that's a question that you have to ask yourself. For many women coming and ding in shul is much more meaningful for them. And there's also the power of ding of dining in ashul. But there are women who say no I find that I have better kavan at home. And again it could be certain you want to make you know we discussed the idea of davin bat andul for women. But that is more of a question there in shul. Okay we see also if you look at source number 11 the miri highlights that one of the reasons we're supposed to dav in a shul is because ashul is more conducive for davening. says the generally speaking a person is better is more able to concentrate when they're in shul. We associate hopefully shul with dvening and therefore when we enter the shul our mindset is a little bit different than when we're if we're in our pajamas sitting in our on our on our on our on our sofa in the in in in the in the salon. Okay. And again and therefore associations are important. Our associations our even subconscious associations are are are important. Uh if we keep going and we and again dominating with a minion is a similar type of idea. Davining with a minion enables us again there's the power of domining with a minion. For some people there are challenges domining with a minion. Certain challenges could be the pace or it could be or or it could be getting distracted. So then the question becomes well which minion do you go to? And these are all questions we should be thinking ourselves when we when we decide what menu we go to. Does the mini we go to depend on where our friends are going and where they have the best kdish after diving which is not to minimize the importance of kdish and being with our friends or do we or do we or do we rather the most important question we're asking is where what's most conducive for me for me to dive in. Do you have a mum kava in shul having a makum kava having a set place? We spoke about this before the importance of a kava. Look at source number 15. Again, we're jumping around a little bit just because of just because of time. Source number 15, Ra Nevansal talks about the importance of having a set place for for Davening again because when you have a set place, you're much more able to enter a certain mindset if it's the place that you associate with Davening says. Okay, a person shouldn't keep changing or he's in here ding here. He shouldn't then switch to another shul or to a based medish which maybe has a greater level of kadusha if it's a place where people learn and where they dit. You shouldn't keep changing your spot. Why? Because the more that you change your spot, you get confused. Your ability to sit and to focus is is is much less. He says when you have a it shows a certain prominence and importance that you have towards towards the so do we have a kava? Now again that doesn't mean you kick somebody out when right there there's always going to be balance if someone's in your seat. Find a place right next to your makum ko don't necessarily kick them out. There are some shs that unfortunately are notorious for that and it's and it's important to be welcoming while also recognizing the the value of makum kavo. Sometimes you have competing values and you won't say anything to somebody. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't have a makum makum kava. Where is your makum kava? Is your makum kava in the back in the peanut gallery next to your friends or is makum kava in the most in the place that you feel is most conducive to dvening. All of these are things that we decide and we have control over and they will impact our ability to have kavana just going down the list of things that I brought here. What type of shamyan and what's the pace of the minion? What's the decorum of the minion? Do you go to a minion that rushes and has a lot of talking or do you specifically look for a place that maybe has less talking and and an environment that's more conducive for for ding? There's a reason why the there's says that a person shouldn't talk in shul about things that aren't connected to davining because that's the association you should have. And again, not to minimize the importance of social of of social aspects of daving, not to minimize the importance of hanging out with your friends, but doing is a time for davining. If you care about ding that should be your priority more than more than more than anything else. In fact, there's even the wrote that many say blessing those giving to those who don't talk during dening because there is a value that dvening should be a time for davening and you should create and you should be striving to find a place that that that adds to that. Okay. Singing versus no singing. There's no right answer to that. Some people are inspired by singing. Some people are inspired by it. There are some shs that I think maybe sometimes take it too far. I'm somebody who always enjoys generally enjoy singing. Some shs I think prioritize the singing and dancing over the actual prayer part, the dominant part. But the concept of having singing that helps you in your is great. And this is an individual question. I'm just putting out these ideas, things for you to think about the overall vibe. What is the avira of the shul? Does it encourage you to grow in your in your kavana? And I want to show and I want to read with you this source number 16 from of Steinels where he again talks about how this is a choice that you make that will impact your kavana. All of these are questions that you need to ask that will have an an actual impact on your kavana. Source number 16. There's also the human environment the congregation in which a person prays. From one point of view the worshipper is always alone and isolated. Even when praying among a large group of people, the focal point of his prayer is the relationship between the I and the divine thou of God as he reveals himself at that particular moment. Even though prayer is mostly formulated in the plural form, uniting the individual with the nation as a whole, in essence, it is a private expression and a personal attachment. Right? It's very individual. Even when we're seore, we're still connecting with Hashem. Just as one cannot be nourished by the food eaten by another, so too he cannot pray except by himself. A person, right? No one can pray. People can pray on my behalf for me, but no one can pray in my place. The experience is an individual experience. But from another point of view, a person praying by himself does not does not do so only as a separate individual. The prayer of every Jew is always in truth in the name of all of Israel. As we've even we those of you with us we we had read a number of a number a couple of months ago a beautiful essay by Vyra Salvetik who talked about that the reason why the sh is called a betet is because we're representing all ofet Israelet is future and past the beautiful concept of recognizing the power of our of our individual standing alone in prayer carries with him his environment the people to whom he is connected in various ways and even the inanimate objects that around him where you sit the type the place where you're sitting impacts your dening For this reason, when praying in public, a person should always seek a congregation that will be supportive of his prayer rather than the contrary. In a praying congregation, the prayer of each person strengthens and encourages the prayer of every other individual. At moments of emotional weakness or dullness of the heart, one may participate in and be swept along by the praying congregation. And then he he he he brings a beautiful beautiful teaching of the Balento which I had never heard before. Really a beautiful idea. The congregation acts like a circle of dancers, giving constant support to one another, helping the individual overcome weariness and continue further than each one might do alone. The Balmtov explains this by means of a parable. In order to reach the heights, the worshippers create a kind of human ladder, each one standing on the shoulders of the next, thus enabling the individual to climb up high. Anyone who leaves his ladder not only removes the rung but destroys the entire ladder. On the other hand, one who finds a congregation suited to his prayers is invigorated and elevated through it and by his participation in it. Many of us remember those moments where we were in in in a in a certain community in a certain davening where we were just inspired tremendously by the entire experience. And with this is what we did each of us kind of kyak we kind of put ourselves on each other's shoulders raising each others to new heights. That is what a seor is meant to be. And when we're looking for a shul and we're talking about wanting to improve our kavana, we should be asking ourselves, where is that shul that will help improve my level of kavana in the most meaningful way possible. Again, just to just to finish this up, we only have a couple of minutes left, but other things to think about, important things to think about, wardrobe for what am I wearing when I come to Davin? Right? We know that there are many people in the certain communities that have a hat and a jacket and that's many people wear a gartle. There's different. We're not going to get into halikic analysis of that right now. But what we wear impacts how we feel and what we think about. And there are some people who cover their heads when they walk into deting, some people don't. Some people make sure they're wearing long pants, short sleeves, long. Again, it to me it's not about the specifics, but these are the questions that we have to ask ourselves when we talk about having kavana. We're all impacted by all of these all of these types of things. Other questions we ask. Now we're up to section number five. Removing distractions. Being active about removing distractions from our tila. Who do I bring with me to davin? We've spoken about this. Bringing kids to davining. Bringing young children to davening not only impacts you, impacts those around you. What do I bring with me to davining? Right? Last week we spoke a lot about phones. Okay? Even if you have the phone and it's on silent and it's right over here next to you, it's going to impact you subconsciously. You're thinking about that phone. If you put the phone away in the other room, that might be the only way maybe that you'll be able to not be thinking about your phone or the messages that you're going to get. What do I bring with me to Davening? What do I Now again, this doesn't mean that a person should never have their phone. If you need to have your phone, again, these are just food for thought and everyone can take them in the way that they want to. Alon Shabbat, right? I'm not going to, you know, Torah tidbits. I think that even says you shouldn't read it during davining, right? Read Torah tidbits not during davining or read it at times when you have a break during davining. But not these are things sometimes we we bring all these alone Shabbat like you see the guy comes into he has like 15 alone Shabbat sitting there right next to him. It's beautiful to read alone Shabbat but make sure it's not being used as a crutch to just get through the dvening time and and a way of kind of almost avoiding facing the actual the actual davening using a sitter versus by heart. Again the halaka supports both of them. It's an individual type of question. There are sources in both directions. Many sources suggest that you should use a sitter. Reading from the sitter will help you make sure you avoid mistakes and help you focus. Whereas other people find closing their eyes and and and almost entering a meditative state. Again, I'm just going to mention it quickly. If you look in source number 18, we're not going to see it inside. Arya Kaplan has a wonderful book called Jewish meditation on. And he talks about how no the goal is to close your eyes and enter a certain state of meditation. For some people, that's more mim than reading than reading a sitter, which will be which would be distracting for them. Um the other idea is we're trying to detach from everything else. We spoke about this as well. You asked what happens if if all of a sudden in your mind things pop up. So part of what we need to work on, I'm sorry for the question is just because we have to end. Uh part of what we need to work on and this is again you read sources people we can do this is work on controlling our minds. Something pops into our head stop for a second and work on trying to push that thought out. And if it's the beginning it's hard to do it. Again, Ari Kaplan talks about this beautifully in his book on Jewish meditation about how meditation is not as is not always sitting and crossing your legs and and doing what we envisioned in the you know in the Far East. Meditation just means controlled thinking and we we can have control of our thinking if we work on it and we and we and we work hard on it. The last thing just uh just to just to finish up um again a there's a lot here to talk about uh um out loud versus should you say the dominant out loud? Should you sing it versus quietly? You should never again if you're in shul you should not disturb other people. That's that's that's that should be a base. But if you're at home can you say it out loud? Each of this is different. Some people are better when they say it quietly. Some are better when they say it out loud. Uh shuckling versus not. We talked about that as well. Again these are individual but these are all things that we can be thinking about that will impact our ability to have kavana. And the last thing here is just to end uh oh I see here we didn't we didn't even do this part. Um the very very end look here a source of things. Study the tila. One of the best ways to be able to work on your kavana is to know what you're saying. Know what you're saying and continue to grow in it. Doesn't mean you have to sit there and spend five hours right now learning all of the tila. 10 minutes a week. 10 minutes a week can make a huge impact in your doning. And rever gives a number of suggestions which I brought here. Have a time set aside. Underline the parts that speak to you specifically. Make it personal. Add your own filot. Make headings in your sitter. He pointed out in certain serum they have the heading right before each braha. And that heading might help you just see it for a second. Ah, now I'm about to say what is that about? What is if you have a heading in your center? These are again every person can decide what works for them. But the goal is a recognition learn. If you learn more what you're supposed to be doing, it will help you get ready for what you're what you're supposed to do. And the final thing Remon says in source number 24, which I'm just going to mention out loud outside, is if you're having trouble with kavana, dive into hashem that he should help you for kavana. Again, that's not going to replace the work that we're putting in. But it's okay. It's okay for us to turn to Hashem at one point and be like, hashem, I I can't I'm just I can't think like I'm having so much dive into Hashem that he should know. It's like it's like we say that many people say when it comes to when it comes to tishov not being able to connect to connect to the destruction of the beta mikdash. So we should want to want we should want to want the beta mikdash. The same thing is here. We should dive into hashem that he should help us have kavana in our and that's okay. There's nothing wrong with that. We're asking hashem to help us in everything and everything that we're doing. And the closing message is as follows. We should continue to work and we should continue to work hard. All of these things, these are all just headlines, ideas for every single one of us to think about. But we should never lose hope. Work on it. But if you find yourself not being able to have a one day, as we've seen values all forms of and if one day we're able to concentrate for a little bit more and we're able to continue to work and other days were not, there still is power. If you talked about even that is said, the fact that you dedicated time to daving, even if you had trouble with your kavana, there is still value to that. It's just not the most ideal. Um, I know we ran through that very end, but I don't want to spend another week on on this. Uh, but I hope this was a lot of food for thought for everybody. Um, and and and bes should be this should help us improve improve our kavana moving forward. Just a technical announcement. Next week, next week, I think it's on the schedule, right? Next week, I'm not going to be here, so there won't be uh I think there won't be a class first class. We're going to start at 10 at started start at 10:15 next week. Um bes uh in two weeks we'll continue uh our journey for Sheila.