Day 24 - How to Pray

Teach us how to pray, a question that has puzzled many, especially those in the “thoughts and prayers” club.

Here's a fresh perspective. For the past year, I've been exploring ancient languages, fascinated by the cultures and brilliant minds that preceded us. In many ways, we are similar yet different.

I was taught that learning to pray is about building a relationship with God. Relationships thrive through connection and communication. But how does one do that with the Almighty? Can the Creator hear me? How will I know? While I can't provide all the answers, I have an insightful idea to share.

Let's delve into the language of the Hebrew Torah:

In classical Biblical Hebrew, there's a special way of using verbs called the hitpael verb stem. It's like adding extra actions to the verb, expressing that the action is happening to oneself or that it's done together with someone else. It adds depth and meaning, allowing us to convey different actions and relationships in a sentence.

There’s beauty all throughout this language but there is one word I want to draw your attention to:

HITPALLEL (התפלל)

Now, let's break it down in the simplest way and uncover the profound meaning.

Throughout the sacred texts, the word התפלל resonates as a symbol of prayer. But what was its original intention? Tradition has now taught me it implies "judging or walking within oneself.” The root is also related to a root found in Arabic, falla, which means “to fall apart, lose control, or make someone turn away from something”.

Imagine, instead of beseeching a higher power on your behalf, you were compelled to turn inward. In this prayer, we comprehend that its essence is reflexive—a sacred act of self-reflection and self-assessment. This is what many cultures understood before us. We are to turn ourselves over, every effort and point of intelligence, into an object of the Almighty.

How truly beautiful. I pray for you.

Reflection:

Accept this hard truth: the world extends far beyond your own existence. In the tender days of infancy, cries summon nurturing souls to attend to your every need. It is in this profound understanding that the beauty of growth resides, as you embrace the vastness of the world and humbly judge yourself in righteousness. For the righteous servants shall inherit the earth.

Practice:

Bow, kneel, stand or walk around when you pray. The Creator will hear you whatever you do, so choose a position that helps you focus.