Deeping The Connection 1

We now begin a series dedicated to strengthening and deepening our connection with Hashem through our tefilah.

In his commentary on Mesilas Yesharim, HaRav Don Segal shlita relates that someone came to him and shared how, at the end of each Shemoneh Esrei, right before the pasuk of “Yihyu l’ratzon…,” he takes time to recognize Hashem’s awesome kindness with him, starting with the day he was born and up to that day, and thanks Hashem. At the end, he says the words “Kein yirbu” – So Your kindness with me should continue and increase.

The first time I recall hearing these words was when I related to one of my rebbeim, HaRav Avraham Tzvi Wosner shlita, that I had my first grandchild. He wished me mazal tov and said those two words and instructed me to say them when experiencing kindness from Hashem and thanking Him. Having never heard these words before, it sounded strange to me. After such a huge kindness that Hashem bestowed upon me, I should say, “Give me more”?

One explanation is that Hashem created us to bestow kindness and goodness upon us, culminating in the ultimate goodness of delighting in His radiance eternally in Olam HaBa. Since Hashem wants to give us more kindness, we are in essence asking Him to continue fulfilling His “desire.” When we recognize Hashem’s kindness and thank Him, we fulfill the mitzvos of remembering and contemplating Hashem’s kindness and the mitzvah of Emunah, recognizing that what we receive comes only from Hashem, regardless of who the messengers are. We also strengthen and deepen our connection to Hashem (d’veikus), which, as mentioned, is one of the primary purposes of tefilah.

This can become a powerful way of enhancing our tefilah and connection with Hashem. Perhaps we can suggest focusing more on the very recent kindness that Hashem has bestowed upon us and save the lengthier thanks – covering our entire lives – for a quiet time when we have more of an opportunity. Focusing on the very recent kindness will help us to be more attuned to His constant hashgachah and kindness. We will find ourselves actually looking for specific acts of kindness throughout the day that we never noticed in the past, so that we can thank Hashem at the end of the next Shemoneh Esrei.

Forgive me for sharing a personal vignette that, for me, brought this to life:

I was recently in Eretz Yisrael, baruch Hashem, and went to see a Gadol. I had a scheduled appointment to be the first one in, and someone was supposed to escort me. I actually arrived second, in what became a very long line, but I wound up entering much later in the line for reasons that are not important to mention. My escort had not arrived yet, and it wound up being an hour before he arrived and could help me get in. Chasdei Hashem, as a result of my having to wait, I observed the Gadol writing a letter in a new sefer Torah and was very inspired by the way he performed the mitzvah. I hope Hashem will allow me to try to integrate some of what I saw into my own avodah. Second, I witnessed something else he said and did with someone before me, which, chasdei Hashem, inspired me to make an immediate, on-the-spot improvement to a mitzvah I perform daily. When I got in with my escort, I was treated with great warmth.

It didn’t hit me initially, but later, before the next Shemoneh Esrei, I began thinking about the events of the day prior to that tefilah, so I could recognize Hashem’s kindness and thank Him. That is when it hit me: The two significant inspirations and improvements that I walked away with would not have occurred if I had been taken in right away with the first appointment, which is what I was scheduled for. I would have left after my appointment and would never have witnessed those inspirational moments. And if not for this exercise that I learned from HaRav Don Segal shlita, I would not have given the matter any more thought, and I would never have recognized the great kindness that Hashem bestowed upon me that day.

Looking for, recognizing, and thanking Hashem for His kindness and then asking for more (Kein yirbu), can be a life-changing experience. It will no doubt bring us closer to Hashem and bring increased emunah, bitachon, and simchah along with it. Thank You, Hashem, for allowing me to share this with others. Kein yirbu!