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Biography of Yehuda Katz | Archives | This Week's Parsha

VAYERAH

"And Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he had stood before Hash. (19:27)

Vayerah "And Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he had stood before Hash. (19:27)

Chazal learn from this verse that a person should establish a set place for prayer( refer to Berachot 6b, Orach Chaim 90:19, Mishnah Berurah 59) A question can be asked, Why is it so important for a person to establish a set place for prayer? What difference should it possibly make?

The answer can perhaps be as follows: Many times a person becomes so enthralled in mundane matters that his or her spiritual sensibilities become dulled.....We forget who we truly are, and go around numbed to our true essence, namely the soul. Masks are put on and slowly spiritual endeavors and feelings are left by the wayside. But, how can we reawaken our spiritual identities, and thus rejuvenate our spiritual selfs?........Iwould like to ,bezer Hash. , set forth a solution to such a common dilemma based upon verse(19:27)...........In order to awaken the soul, we must somehow step out of the mundane realm, and establish a realm that is free of materialism......By establishing a set place for prayer, we do such a transformation.....We build for ourselves a mini sanctuary or mini Beis Hamikdash where the space is spiritually charged. By going back to that very location time after time for prayer, our minds establish a connection to the spiritual significance of that very location.....It becomes our personal spiritual realm, free of all mundane distractions.........We find that even Abraham established such a realm for himself......Lets follow Abraham's lead, and do the same for ourselves, Bezer Hash......have a good Shabbos, Bezer Hash.

 


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