Capture the Moment

This morning, as I was davening (saying my morning prayers) I became cognizant of an issue for the first time. Well, perhaps it was not exactly the first time, but I gained a new and deeper understanding.

As is often the case while davening I found that I was not properly concentrating on the words and my mind was beginning to wander. I paid attention to the wanderings of my mind and realized that invariably they were focused on what I was going to do later in the day. Rather than focusing on what I was involved with at the moment, I was forgoing that for planning the future.

It became apparent to me very quickly that this is something I frequently do. Rather than savoring a moment, I too often lose the moment for my future concerns.

Next thing I need to figure out is how to combat this.

One (Part Three) - Out of Bounds

At this point in my thinking, I was finally beginning to grasp certain concepts I have seen in Chassidic writings, but could not until now wrap my head around.

Halacha (Jewish Ritual Law) teaches that although one can fulfill his technical requirement to pray by reciting the prayers in the absence of really paying attention to what he is saying, there are exceptions to this rule. One of those is the first verse of Shema which, if someone recites it while he is daydreaming about something else, he has not fulfilled his requirement, and must repeat the Shema.

Rabbi Isaac of Komarna, one of the most intensely Kabbalistic of all the Chassidic writers, says that rather than repeating the Shema one should accustom himself to remembering that God is in everything, even in his stray thoughts. One who truly understands this will realize that his day dream during Shema was not a violation of the will of God thereby invalidating his recital of Shema, but was indeed God's will. As such, he should not repeat it.

I would add that as the idea of Shema is the declaration of God's permeation of all of existence, filling one's mind with this consciousness and thereby not repeating the Shema, is in and of itself, the very same declaration.

To be continued