Notes of Tefillah Class 7/2/09: The 19 Steps to God

“To man belongs the arrangements of his heart, but from God comes the response of speech.” (Proverbs 16:1) The Vilna Gaon explains that a human being must simply prepare his heart to pray and then turn to God for help in finding the proper words.
This must be the intention after taking three steps back, before taking the three steps forward. This will initiate relationship in the prayer itself: God will assist the prayer.
“God, open my lips.” The “God” must be silently cried out: Rabbeinu Yonah on Berachot explains that this verse is the expression of someone who has nothing other than prayer and recognizes the absolute need for this prayer to work and that it will only work if God helps. The “God” must be cried out with that desperation.
Avot: God is willing to be known as the Lord of Abraham… God empowers us to be living representations of His Presence on earth. This prayer is an acknowledgement of the potential granted to human beings. This is why we accept to give up our lives for the Sanctification of His Name when we conclude this prayer.
We often feel frustrated by our false starts and what we perceive as failures: “Shield of Abraham”: Even though Israel must go through the stages of Isaac and Jacob, they will be successful because of the seeds you, Abraham planted.
“Helper, Savior, and Shield”: Gra: Depends on level of awareness of God’s participation in your life. Ramchal: Depends on your preparation to battle the evil inclination.

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