Tefillah Tips - Baruch Sheamar VIII

The tefilla-prayer continues “Uvishiray Dovid Ovdecha Nihallelcha Hashem Elokaynu Bishvachot Uvizmirot- and with the psalms of David Your servant we shall laud you with praises and songs.” We are proclaiming to G-d that we will utilize the unmatched liturgical masterpiece of King David, The Psalms to approach Him and focus on His intrinsic greatness.

I would like to explore the implication of the phrase “laud you with praises and songs”. At first glance praise and song seem to accomplish the same goal-i.e. Proclaiming the wonders and greatness of Hashem and the world He has created for us.

Rav Avigdor Miller zt”l explains a distinct difference between praise and song. He writes that shvachot- means “expressions of contemplation of G-d’s wisdom, power and kindliness” and zmirot means “melodies which stir the mind and emotions and also express our love”. Rav Miller concludes, “that shvachot represent the activity of the intellect and zmirot represent the activity of the emotions”.

This understanding of the two words, shvachot and zmirot can unlock the doors to better Tefilla. One must call upon both his/her intellect as well as emotions when serving the Creator. We need to utilize our minds to better understand the meanings of the prayers; and our hearts and voices to properly present the verbal offerings to heaven.

This lesson is also taught to us by the Tefillin-phylacteries, which we wear while praying during the week. The prescribed locations of the Tefillin are on the arm (next to the heart-home of emotion) and on the head (home of the intellect). This implies that we need to approach Hashem in prayer with plenty of thought as well as heart.

In our world of fast food, lightning quick DSLs, instant marriages and divorces, and the pursuit of feeling good and quick fun it is important to remind ourselves that the Torah offers an alternative methodical structure to a successful life. The Talmud in Megillah teaches “Yagaata Umatzaata-Taamin- If you toil and achieve it is believable-Lo Yagaata Umatzaata al Taamin-if you don’t toil and you say that you achieved it is unthinkable”. It is only through consistent and diligent effort that fulfillment in general and prayer specifically can be accomplished.

May we all utilize prayer to the best of our abilities invoking shvachot and zmirot- the intellect as well as the heart. May Hashem hear all of our tefillot, redeem us from our enemies and return us to our homeland.