Prayer Skills: Degel Machane Ephraim: For the Shechinah

The 17th of Iyar is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Moshe Chaim Ephraim of Sadlikov, grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, author of Degel Machaneh Ephraim (1748-1800): The matter has to be understood on the basis of this saying of my master, my grandfather, his soul is in Eden, may his memory be for the life of the World to Come, that all things derived, as it were, from the Divine Presence. A man should know that what ever he lacks is a lacking in the Divine Presence, blessed be He and blessed be His name.

With breadth of knowledge my grandfather illuminated our eyes in this matter. Consequently, all prayer should have as its aim that the Divine Presence’s lack should be filled, as it were, and man’s only needs will automatically be satisfied.

This is the meaning of this saying that the righteous are the deputies of the Matrona, for when the righteous experience any lack, they know that, corresponding to their own, there is a lack in the Divine Presence, and they cause the Divine Presence to attain to complete unification. (Degel Machne Ephraim, Toledot)