Rav Aryeh Kaplan: Preparations VI

Epilogue: It is interesting to note that my friend, Moishe, began to daven in the manner mentioned above, and gradually learned to make tefilla an extremely profound experience. As his davening improved, so did his sense of closeness to G-d, which in turn helped his learning. Indeed, the Talmud says that the learning of the Chassidim Rishonim was blessed because of the great amount of time they spent in worship.

Even more interesting is what happened to Lisa, the girl from Long Island. Before she was ready to make a commitment to Yiddishkeit, she was willing to daven. She knew how to read Hebrew, and even went as far as to memorize the first blessing of the Amida so as to be able to say it in the most effective manner. She soon admitted that she was finding davening a deeply spiritual experience . . . . She eventually enrolled in a girls’ seminary, and married a kolel man. She still finds her davening profoundly spiritual and a means of actually experiencing a closeness to HaShem.