Never Too Busy

Tefillah is something we try to do every day. Some people have time to daven with a siddur every day and others simply daven in their own words.

How can we add some more excitement to our davening?
One important thing to do is recognize what an amazing opportunity we have to be able to daven to Hashem and speak to Him at any given moment. He is always available for us and never too busy!

A Jew was seen davening with exuberant joy and enormous ecstasy in the back of the shul. No one knew who he was and people assumed that he must be a visiting tzaddik who understood the depth of meaning and mystical association of each word in the siddur.

After davening, the Rabbi welcomed him as befits a personage of distinction. “No, Rabbi,” he said, “I am but an ignorant tailor who can hardly pronounce the siddur correctly.”

“But,” the Rabbi asked, “How do you experience such enormous kavanah and simcha shel mitzvah?”

He replied, “I feel overflowing happiness in the realization that my station in life so low that no one bothers or has time to listen to me. I said “Good morning” to Reb Shmuel, the banker, in the street this morning and he didn’t turn to acknowledge my existence. I stopped Reb Dovid, the judge, to tell him something. He told me to make an appointment with his secretary. Even here in shul, the shamesh doesn’t know my Hebrew name so he doesn’t give me an Aliyah. No one bothers to take note of me.

“But when I wrap the talis around me and recite the words of the siddur, “Baruch Atta…,” addressing the King of Kings of the Universe, I have the assurance that He is listening to me. Reb Shmuel, Reb Dovid, and the shamesh wouldn’t bother with me but the Melech Ha-olam, the Sovereign and Creator of the Universe hears my prayers, should I not feel most privileged and fulfilled with ecstatic joy? This is the source of my exuberance."

This is what you should realize when you open your siddur to daven! You don’t have to make an appointment to speak to Hashem; He is always ready and listening to whatever you have to say. Thinking about this for a moment before you open your siddur to daven will add a feeling of excitement and joy to your tefillah.

If you are someone who doesn’t have the time to take out a siddur, or anyone else who takes advantage and speaks to Hashem throughout your day, this realization should have a special meaning to you. At any time during the day or night, you can talk to Hashem in your own words. If something is bothering you or something good happened, take the time to talk to your Loving Father! Tell Him how you feel! You are not interrupting Him – ever! He is not on the phone, in a meeting, in middle of texting a friend or checking His emails. :-)

How lucky we are to have the opportunity to talk to Hashem at any time!