Dear Editor,
I am a Lakewood yungerman with a mishpacha. Many of your readers have been davening for me, and the tefillos of so many people surely played a big part in the success of my surgery and will be”h continue supporting me through the ongoing treatments.
With the encouragement of leading gedolim, I have been trying to create an awareness of the importance and power of saying the Shem Hashem with the proper kavana. We say the Shem Hashem hundreds of times every day. The halacha is clear that it is assur to say the Shem Hashem without at least the bare minimum kavana of adon hakol - that Hashem is the Master of all. According to the psak of R’ Moshe Feinstein ZT”L (Ig”m O”Ch 5:5:2), being aware that you are saying the Shem Hashem may be enough to avoid the issur.
The Rishonim and Acharonim (see Ohr Zorua 103, Levush 98:2, Peleh Yoetz - kavana) say that although it may be beyond our capabilities to have full kavana 100% of the time, this does not absolve us from putting forth the effort to be mechaven as much as we are able. The gedolim that I asked agreed that any small improvement in saying shem shamayim bikavana, even if only once a day, is significant and a reason for great zechuyos.
This relatively easy undertaking is powerful for many reasons:
1. First and foremost, the fact that this is a serious issur that is so often overlooked, gives greater value to any improvement in this area.
2. When yidden need something, they turn to the koach hatefilla. Being mechaven in the Shem Hashem during tefillah gives it power; without kavana, it can’t accomplish. As a bonus, the Yesod V’shoresh Ho’avodah says that experience shows that if someone focuses on not missing shem shamayim b’kavana, he doesn’t let his mind wander, and without effort, he ends up concentrating on the entire tefillah. Anyone can try this and see this himself.
3. When a yid is in a difficult situation, he works on strengthening his emunah and bitachon. Saying shem shamayim b’kavana; thinking adon hakol, is an exercise in emunah and bitachon.
4. The Nefesh Hachaim writes that by focusing on the concept of ein od milvado, one merits tremendous protection; and that in essence is the kavana of adon hakol.
5. To top this all off, Hashem promises in the pasuk (Shemos 20:21) : “bechol hamakom asher azkir es shemi, avo eilecha uveirachticha”; like the Ra”n explains in Nedarim (7b): mentioning the name of Hashem appropriately, brings bracha and wealth.
By living with the awareness that Hashem is adon hakol, that Hashem runs the world, we are better able to deal with the various “crises”, whether in shidduchim, parnassah, health, or chinuch habonim, etc.; and at the same time deserve siyata d’shmaya to resolve these issues.
As a practical eitzah, I suggest that a person accept upon himself to have kavana when he says the Shem Hashem a specific number of times a day, whatever is realistic and sustainable for him, whether it’s 100, 10, or even just one.
Since I began spreading this message in various forums, thousands of people have transformed their tefillos and their lives, and many have reported special siyata d’shmaya. My hope is that readers of this letter will take on a kaballah in this area (possibly as a zechus for a friend or relative in need of a yeshua). Recordings of drashos that I and others delivered on this topic can be heard on the Choshvei Sh’mo hotline: 718-682-2922 x6x6. Feedback, suggestions, as well as actual kabbalos, can be left also, and would be appreciated.
May this chizuk bring brachos and yeshuos to all of Klal Yisroel.
Signed,
Mordechai Dovid ben Leah
Lakewood, NJ
I am a Lakewood yungerman with a mishpacha. Many of your readers have been davening for me, and the tefillos of so many people surely played a big part in the success of my surgery and will be”h continue supporting me through the ongoing treatments.
With the encouragement of leading gedolim, I have been trying to create an awareness of the importance and power of saying the Shem Hashem with the proper kavana. We say the Shem Hashem hundreds of times every day. The halacha is clear that it is assur to say the Shem Hashem without at least the bare minimum kavana of adon hakol - that Hashem is the Master of all. According to the psak of R’ Moshe Feinstein ZT”L (Ig”m O”Ch 5:5:2), being aware that you are saying the Shem Hashem may be enough to avoid the issur.
The Rishonim and Acharonim (see Ohr Zorua 103, Levush 98:2, Peleh Yoetz - kavana) say that although it may be beyond our capabilities to have full kavana 100% of the time, this does not absolve us from putting forth the effort to be mechaven as much as we are able. The gedolim that I asked agreed that any small improvement in saying shem shamayim bikavana, even if only once a day, is significant and a reason for great zechuyos.
This relatively easy undertaking is powerful for many reasons:
1. First and foremost, the fact that this is a serious issur that is so often overlooked, gives greater value to any improvement in this area.
2. When yidden need something, they turn to the koach hatefilla. Being mechaven in the Shem Hashem during tefillah gives it power; without kavana, it can’t accomplish. As a bonus, the Yesod V’shoresh Ho’avodah says that experience shows that if someone focuses on not missing shem shamayim b’kavana, he doesn’t let his mind wander, and without effort, he ends up concentrating on the entire tefillah. Anyone can try this and see this himself.
3. When a yid is in a difficult situation, he works on strengthening his emunah and bitachon. Saying shem shamayim b’kavana; thinking adon hakol, is an exercise in emunah and bitachon.
4. The Nefesh Hachaim writes that by focusing on the concept of ein od milvado, one merits tremendous protection; and that in essence is the kavana of adon hakol.
5. To top this all off, Hashem promises in the pasuk (Shemos 20:21) : “bechol hamakom asher azkir es shemi, avo eilecha uveirachticha”; like the Ra”n explains in Nedarim (7b): mentioning the name of Hashem appropriately, brings bracha and wealth.
By living with the awareness that Hashem is adon hakol, that Hashem runs the world, we are better able to deal with the various “crises”, whether in shidduchim, parnassah, health, or chinuch habonim, etc.; and at the same time deserve siyata d’shmaya to resolve these issues.
As a practical eitzah, I suggest that a person accept upon himself to have kavana when he says the Shem Hashem a specific number of times a day, whatever is realistic and sustainable for him, whether it’s 100, 10, or even just one.
Since I began spreading this message in various forums, thousands of people have transformed their tefillos and their lives, and many have reported special siyata d’shmaya. My hope is that readers of this letter will take on a kaballah in this area (possibly as a zechus for a friend or relative in need of a yeshua). Recordings of drashos that I and others delivered on this topic can be heard on the Choshvei Sh’mo hotline: 718-682-2922 x6x6. Feedback, suggestions, as well as actual kabbalos, can be left also, and would be appreciated.
May this chizuk bring brachos and yeshuos to all of Klal Yisroel.
Signed,
Mordechai Dovid ben Leah
Lakewood, NJ
