The fundamental practical component, separating the Shita of the Alter Rebbe from all other Talmidei Hamagid, is Hisbonenus.
In fact in the early days, our holy Derech was called ‘Shitas Hahisbonenus’.
Hisbonenus is an art that everyone can learn. And though as in all matters for some it is easier than others, nevertheless everyone is capable of it.
I would like to suggest that over the next few weeks we work step-by-step on ‘Hisbonenus’, before and during Davening.
***
The sea is calm. A light wind creating ever so peaceful waves. All one can see is water.
An ignoramus sitting on a small yacht in middle of this oasis of tranquillity, would reasonably assume that the sea is in essence a calm place.
But put on a pair of goggles and an oxygen tank, and dive under the water.
What you will really see is an entire world of fish, vegetation, mountains and valleys. Everything besides a weasel.
You see, the sea water doesn’t nullify what is in it – it merely covers it all over – showing to the outside onlooker just the water itself.
Furthermore, the elements within the water are so dependent on it – that they are Halachically considered a part of the water itself.
In Atzilus, everything is Elokus – and though even there Sefiros do exist, the Sefiros are totally connected to their source.
The reality of the infinite (Oir Ein Sof) is so prevalent, that the Sefiros cannot be discerned in any way.
Thus, if one is able to “look at” Atzilus – they would only perceive the Elokus at the core of it all – as one only sees the water of the sea.
***
When Hashem created the world on the first day, the entire world was covered by water.
The entire world, your house, the Yeshiva, the exact spot you are sitting now – was all under water.
Planet earth was one big sea.
On the second day of creation Hashem lifted large swaths of that water (one third) to the heaven’s, thereby revealing the sea-bed. Those areas are what we know as land; continents, countries, cities and towns.
***
Ask any scientist today they will tell you – the world is energy.
What they have yet to discover is the depth of the infinity of this energy.
Elokus is infinite, it is the only thing that exists.
The fact that we can feel ourselves as real, is only because we no longer see how everything is Elokus.
This lack of perception of real reality – is not a lack of reality, rather it is a lack of our understanding and perception of reality.
Were we able to perceive the actual reality of how Elokus is everything, then when we would look at the world, or look at ourselves, we would no longer see or feel a person, or a world – all we would see would be Elokus.
The level of perception where Elokus covers everything – as water once covered the earth.
That is the goal of Davening – to connect to Hashem in a way that changes our perception, making Hashem the reality of everything – blanketing the earth and everything in it under the light of Elokus.
The best physical preparation we can do to help our bodies connect to this higher reality, is to take the earthly body, and cover it fully with water.
This creates a reinstatement of the spiritual (Alma Deiskasiya – the hidden world, in which all separation and personality types are hidden under the true reality of what everything really is – Elokus) covering over the physical (Alma Deisgalya – the “revealed world” – in which Elokus is so hidden that one sees Elokus as separate physical entities).
In other words: ‘Toiveling’ in the Mikva – brings us back physically to the “Alma Deiskasiya” state, thereby preparing the mind and body spiritually to be able to connect to this reality intellectually and emotionally too.
Creating a level of Bittul needed to be able to appreciate Elokus.
So, part one of Avodas Hatefilla is: going to Mikva.
Think about this before Toiveling – Kavona always helps that the physical act effect the mind and the spiritual level we are attempting to achieve.
Note #1: These emails are too short to explain the full thesis – and I will IYH do so in my coming Sefer, but I am sure that if we follow these steps within two to three months, we will begin to see major change in our ability to connect to the Eibishter during Davening.
Note #2: Avodas Hatefilla follows a specific order, so though it is highly possible that many participants in these two week sprints already do one or more of the upcoming action items, it would nevertheless not do justice to the cause if we were to skip out the obvious steps.
Note #3: The first step is Krias Shema Sheal Hamita, actually before that even is ‘Iskafia’. But for the purpose of our growing together, we will begin with actual Davening.