TRANSFORM YOUR EMUNAH!

381 - The Real World

We've been discussing how one of the highest forms of expressing our emunah, belief in HaShem, in a practical way, is to talk to HaShem in our own personal words. And at the same time, how do we deal with the reality that it can be difficult to talk to HaShem, because HaShem is not seen nor heard. And ultimately it comes down to growing more in our emunah, because the more we believe He is there, the more real and obvious it will become to us to take our talking to Him seriously. 
On the other hand, the more we talk to HaShem, the more we are able to grow in our emunah, because again, the solution to all problems is reaching out to the source of all, to our Creator. So on the one hand, if we believe more, we will talk more, because we know He is there, and we know He is the only one who can help us. And it's actually absurd to explore other avenues over and above our Creator. But to sincerely internalize this belief is our life's work, and has countless levels. And at the same time, the solution to all problems, always, is to ask HaShem for help. And in this particular area, the problem might be, "I would like to ideally believe more, that HaShem is listening, and sincerely feel the emunah more. However, I don't." So how do I deal with this problem? As mentioned many times, there might be other things we can also do. We can certainly seek inspiration, and perhaps other things that might help us grow in our emunah. But ultimately, over and above everything else, the solution to all problems is to go to the Creator Himself and ask Him to help me in this challenge. 
"HaShem, my Father, thank you so much for guiding me towards living a life where I am trying my best to follow the path of emunah. It is such a gift to be able to explore your true perspective, what the Torah teaches us about how to live a true life, and not a life of an imaginary, fake world. This is the real world, the world of emunah. I am trying so hard to grow in my emunah, be it by seeking inspiration, by learning books about emunah, or whatever else. And of course, this being my life's work, HaShem, it is sometimes difficult. I might sometimes have good days in my emunah, and sometimes I drop. And that's okay, because you made me a human being, and you don't expect me to be more than my maximum capacity. And I've also learned about the importance of speaking to you. And in fact, it is so obvious that if you are there, you would want me to have a personal relationship with you, and what an opportunity I have to be able to have a personal relationship with you. Nevertheless, when my emunah is strong, HaShem, then I am able to reach out to you and talk with sincerity, and perhaps even for longer periods, without difficulty, because I actually know that you're listening to me. But when my emunah is feeling shaky, the truth is that it's so difficult to talk to you, HaShem, because I'm struggling to believe that you're there listening to me, even if in theory I know it, I don't really feel it and it's difficult to do something you only know in theory, with passion, meaning, and for a long time. And therefore, I'm asking you, HaShem, help me, please, to grow more in my emunah, to believe that you are listening to me. And perhaps in return, what I could do for you is make a commitment, because although I might not feel the constant inspiration to want to talk to you with dedication and motivation and for long periods, something I can do is to make a commitment of a certain amount of time that I will talk to you every single day, regardless of how I feel. Because I know that if you see me making a commitment from my side, even when I'm feeling uninspired, you from your side could in turn build my emunah and help me to be motivated to what the basic and simple truth is. Thank you, HaShem, for teaching me that you are listening to me and for the gift to talk to you about anything and everything, whenever and wherever I choose to."

380 - Walking the Walk

We've discussed many times that the Torah commentaries write, that the ultimate way for us to gain our place in the next world is by making our maximum effort to grow in our emunah. We've also mentioned how one of the highest expressions of emunah, belief in Hashem, is to place high focus in our dedication to talking to Hashem in our own words. We've mentioned previously how the Chofetz Chaim writes that the reason tragedies were befalling the people of his time was because although people were accustomed to praying the three prescribed prayers, Shacharis, Mincha and Maariv, nevertheless he was calling on people to also talk to Hashem in their own words multiple times a day, because, as he says, the prescribed prayers are said daily and therefore for many people sometimes become monotonous and lack the real meaning and intention of what a prayer should look like. We've also mentioned what the Sefer Chareidim and the Shelah Hakadosh write, that the effect of this deep connection in the form of secluding oneself away from other people and communing with Hashem alone, talking to Hashem in one's personal words, the effect that this has on one's soul is seven times greater than the effect that Torah study has on one's soul. Anyone who is somewhat familiar with Torah literature will have read many passages about the great value of Torah study. The one that we recite every morning that many are familiar with is that Talmud Torah, the learning of Torah, is equated to all of the mitzvahs put together. Yet we are taught here that the effect of personal prayer, talking to Hashem with sincerity in one's own words, is seven times greater than even that. And there are many other Torah passages throughout Torah literature and Torah commentaries that Bezrat Hashem over time we will have the opportunity to explore together, highlighting the importance of personal prayer with Hashem. 
For many people, talking to Hashem in one's own words, especially for longer periods, can be difficult. Of course, the more one grows in one's emunah, the easier that becomes, because one doesn't anymore feel like one is talking to a wall. It can be very difficult to talk to Hashem when one doesn't really believe and feel that He is listening. And our sincerity, dedication, and motivation to talk to Hashem will very much depend on the degree of our belief; not only that He exists and is running the show, but that He is actually listening to every word that I utter, even though I do not hear any response. As we grow in our emunah journey and we try to internalize the belief that Hashem is present and listening to every single thing that I utter, if we stop for a moment and internalize that thought, it will quickly become apparently obvious that we should, ideally, be dedicating a lot of time to talking to Hashem, because why would we go to an alternative address? Nevertheless, after all is said and done, talking to Hashem can be a difficult endeavor, because even though we might be trying to believe that He is listening to us, we nevertheless don't hear a response, and much of the time, perhaps, don't see nor experience any fruits to the prayers we might have made, and therefore it can be very difficult to be motivated to talk to Hashem in our own words. 
"Hashem, I know that You are listening to me, but it's also so difficult to be motivated to talk to You in a serious and sincere manner, for longer periods especially, because I don't hear Your responses, and You are not like another human being where I can see You and hear You. I do believe, and I want to believe more, that You are listening to me, but it is also difficult to internalize that belief. Hashem, I'm asking You to guide me to the things that will motivate me to not only grow in my emunah and belief in You, but also take it to the next level, to apply that belief in a practical way, and be sincerely dedicated in talking to You in a serious and sincere way."

379 - Changed Your Mind?

Hashem runs the world exclusively, He does not need my help. Nevertheless, I have a commandment to perform the mitzvah of Hishtadlus, to make my own personal effort, although this might seem like an apparent contradiction. As discussed many times, if this is what Hashem commanded us, this is what we do. And the best advice of how to find out what our personal requirement should be, in terms of how much Hishtadlus we ought to make, is to talk to Hashem in our own personal words and ask Him for clarity and guidance.
There is a well-known story told about Rav Chaim Volazhinne, the main student of the Vilna Gaon. In times of old, it was a form of medicine and healing to place leeches over one's body. Rav Chaim Volazhinne was once seen with leeches placed over his body, and whilst wearing the leeches, he attended a Torah class by the Vilna Gaon, where one of the concepts that was discussed was how Hashem exclusively runs the world and if one internalizes this emunah, that Hashem exclusively runs every single detail in the world and doesn't need our help and Hishtadlus, then sometimes, if we have truly internalized this belief, we might be absolved from our obligation to perform Hishtadlus. And Rav Chaim Volazhinne was so inspired by hearing these words, that although he actually needed these leeches on his body for his health, he then and there decided to remove the leeches from his body, because he now felt no need to show a display of what might seem to be helping Hashem, because he had internalized with absolute clarity that Hashem exclusively is the one controlling every single detail about our health and He doesn't actually need our Hishtadlus. And at that point, because his emunah was so strong, he was now absolved of his obligation to make efforts about his health in this way. And later on, during the same day, Rav Chaim Volazhinne was seen wearing the leeches again and when asked, "didn't you mention earlier that you don't need those leeches anymore, because it was so clear and vivid to you that Hashem runs the world exclusively after we heard those words from the Vilna Gaon? So why are you wearing the leeches again?" And Rav Chaim replied, "earlier on, I was feeling so inspired by the words of the Vilna Gaon that Hashem exclusively runs every single detail in the world, it actually felt like a super absurdity for me to try and make any effort in an endeavor and pursuit of my health. However, now, a few hours later, I do not feel that same inspiration and clarity and although, of course, I know that Hashem runs the world exclusively, I nevertheless do not have that same level of absolute clarity of Ein Od Milvado that I achieved earlier today. And right now, I feel that I am not absolved of the mitzvah of Hishtadlus." 
To find the exact line in all the areas of our lives is so difficult. We are so privileged to be able to reach out to the One who created us. "Hashem, You are my personal Father, and You can give me my correct perspective. Please Hashem, show me the exact path that would be the ideal course for me to follow in my life."

378 - Backup Plan

We've been discussing that truly internalizing emunah, that Hashem exclusively runs the world, can and perhaps should lead to us sometimes being uncomfortable about having to make our own efforts in our endeavors, otherwise known as hishtadlus. There is no black and white law in Torah literature which outlines subjectively how much hishtadlus each and every one of us is required to make and therefore, as discussed previously, what we ought to do is of course learn any Torah literature that might be available, as well as consult Torah leaders - otherwise known as da'as Torah, and ultimately, after everything is said and done, we ought to talk to Hashem with sincerity and ask him to guide us to get it right. 
The verse in Tehillim teaches us, Hashem Tzilcha - Hashem is your shadow, and as the commentaries explain, just like the shadow one sees reflects the actual item being portrayed, so if one puts out five fingers, the shadow that reflects will be of five fingers, whereas if one puts out only one finger, the reflecting shadow will be of only one finger. And in the same way, the more emunah and bitachon we opt to live with, the more Hashem comes through for us. So in a sense, the more I grow in my emunah and bitachon endeavor, the less hishtadlus I might be required to make.
I saw a nice analogy that helps illustrate this concept. There was once a beggar who did not have enough provisions even for his basic necessities and he would go from door to door asking people for donations. Usually people would donate relatively small amounts. He once approached a well-known wealthy individual and nevertheless received only a small sum. Then there was a second beggar who decided that he was not going to go from door to door asking for money, but rather he went straight to the wealthy individual's house. And upon arrival, he begged him, saying, "I'd really appreciate it and be grateful to you. And if you don't, I may starve and who knows what will become of me. Please help me." And the wealthy individual felt a tremendous responsibility to help the poor man and in the end gave a substantial sum to help him out. The reason the first poor man did not receive the substantial sum like the second poor man is because the wealthy individual realized that this poor man was going to many addresses and in the end, after much effort, although he was receiving small sums from everybody, he might make ends meet after collecting all of his small donations. Whereas the second poor individual made it very clear that he is not going anywhere else and therefore the wealthy individual felt responsible to help out significantly. 
And in the same way, Hashem Tzilchah - Hashem is your shadow. When we approach Hashem for help, but in a sense have many backup plans and alternative addresses should Hashem not come through for us, we might be comparable to that first poor individual. And as taught, the way Hashem comes through for us is like a shadow; because we have not relied upon Him exclusively, He might not come through for us in a way where we are able to witness clearly the hand of divine providence. Whereas when we approach HaShem with sincerity, as if He is our only address, then HaShem, so to speak, responds like the wealthy individual who feels completely responsible, because this is the only address.
"Hashem, Hishtadlus, is not an easy area to find the right balance. And I ask you to help me out to fulfill this mitzvah in the right way. At the same time, I ask you to help me in my endeavor to grow with sincere emunah and believe in you and live my life in a way that you are my only go-to address."

377 - Open Miracles

We've been discussing the seemingly absurd mitzvah of Hishtadlus, because again, if Hashem runs every detail of the world exclusively as Emunah teaches us, my job is actually seemingly to do the opposite, to internalize that I don't need to help Hashem. So why then, Hashem, did You command me to make my own effort to perform Hishtadlus, to try to succeed in my endeavors? We've discussed that the basic reason we perform Hishtadlus is not because of our understanding of the mitzvah, but rather just because He said so. We believe in Hashem, and although it might seem like an apparent contradiction that on the one hand we are called on to believe Hashem exclusively runs every detail and internalize that belief, and on the other hand we are called on to make our maximum effort to do what seemingly seems like we are helping Hashem, which sometimes could appear to be the antithesis of Emunah.
We've mentioned previously that some Torah commentaries nevertheless do offer some reason as to why Hashem would have commanded us in this seemingly absurd mitzvah, and they explain that by Hashem commanding us to perform the mitzvah of Hishtadlus, He is actually providing us with an opportunity to grow more in our Emunah. Because by us performing an act which seems to contradict everything we know about Emunah - it seems to be like I am making it happen now and it's not HaShem - I nevertheless now have a chance to overcome what seemingly meets the eye. Although it might appear like Hashem is not orchestrating the details to my life, nevertheless the truth of the matter is that yes, we might have a mitzvah to perform the Hishtadlus, but we also have a mitzvah to internalize that our Hishtadlus is completely disconnected from the results we might think we are achieving, because only Hashem sends us our results. The money I make, the recovery from illness, finding one's soulmate, resolving a relationship issue or whatever other area one might be dealing with, only Hashem exclusively pulls every single string.
The difficult question becomes how much Hishtadlus should I contribute to the situation, and as discussed previously, if I make too little Hishtadlus, that is just being lazy, forgoing my obligation and mitzvah to perform Hishtadlus, which is certainly wrong, and if I do too much Hishtadlus, that can borderline idol worship many a time, as discussed. So how much Hishtadlus am I required to make? Some Torah commentaries explain that the litmus test to help us determine how much Hishtadlus we might be required to make depends on what makes us feel comfortable in the situation that we are not relying on an outright open miracle. So for example, if I am looking for a marriage partner, and I decide I'm not going to make any personal effort whatsoever, I'm just going to continue with my own endeavors without making any active effort in finding a spouse, and let's say one day somehow my destined spouse would arrive at the door of my house without me having made any effort, and after witnessing that situation, I would get the shock of my life and talk about this open miracle for the rest of my life, that would be an indication that I have not done enough Hishtadlus in this particular situation. Whereas let's say that I have made only one phone call in my endeavor to find my respective spouse, and although others might suggest that I ought to make more phone calls because having made just one phone call is not enough of a Hishtadlus - of an effort, for some people that Hishtadlus could be enough, because if one would see success in finding their spouse from that situation, it won't now be considered in their eyes as an absolute open miracle. 
Ultimately of course, seeing as Emunah is our life's work, and getting the right balance of Hishtadlus is perhaps one of the most difficult mitzvahs. As discussed, the wisest thing to do is to ask Hashem for clarity. "Hashem, please guide me in the right direction of how much Hishtadlus to make, not too much, not too little, but just exactly what you require of me."

376 - Connected?

Seeing as our life's work is to internalize the meaning of the words Ein Od Milvado - there is nothing else in the world except for Hashem - not just to know Emunah in our heads, but to truly grow in internalizing the Emunah in our hearts and in the very core of our beings, it is worth revisiting a question we've discussed previously. 
If Hashem runs the world exclusively, why do I need to try make any effort in what looks like I am trying to help Him, otherwise known as Hishtadlus? Whether trying to contribute and help Hashem in order to make money, or perhaps for a sick person who is trying to get better, where one might make an effort to go to a doctor or take medication, or whatever other area one might be dealing with, if Hashem runs the world exclusively, why am I called on to make any effort whatsoever? 
It is important to ask this question and perhaps even be slightly disturbed by this question, because again, the more that we internalize the Emunah that we learn, the more we sincerely try to live by its values. It's not just a theoretical subject of something interesting that we learn about and then move on with our lives the way we might be used to living them. Growth in Emunah is about taking the concepts that we have learned and making our own efforts to grow in our personal lives in a practical way. So if Hashem runs the world exclusively, why do I need to do Hishtadlus? Why do I need to try make an effort to help Hashem out? I am trying to grow in my belief that Hashem exclusively is running the show, so it is difficult for me to understand why I should be needed to do anything. 
As mentioned previously, the simple answer to this question is just because Hashem told us to do the mitzvah of Hishtadlus. Whether we understand it or not does not change our commitment to Hashem's mitzvahs. Although Hashem has commanded us to believe in Him and grow in our Emunah and Bitachon and treat our pursuit of sincere Emunah with highest priority, nevertheless He has also commanded us to perform the mitzvah of Hishtadlus. And therefore, if I am sick and I take medication, I am not going against Hashem's will by doing so. Rather, I am fulfilling the mitzvah that He has commanded me to make an effort, whilst of course at the same time remembering what the Torah commentaries teach us about Hishtadlus, that the Hishtadlus that we make is completely disconnected from the final result that we achieve, meaning to say, the medicine that I am taking is not the conduit to making me better. The only thing that can make me better is Hashem, and at the same time, I have a mitzvah to live with a contradiction that I am nevertheless required to make an effort. So the simple and most core reason for us fulfilling the mitzvah of Hishtadlus is just because Hashem told us to. 
The more we explore what the Torah sources and great sages have said about and how they related to Hishtadlus, the more we will be able to bridge the gap of being able to live a life of absolute emunah, whilst at the same time being able to fulfill the seeming contradiction of the mitzvah to perform Hishtadlus.
"Hashem, I am asking You to please guide us to have clarity in how to reconcile these concepts. I have made it a priority in my life to try my best to internalize the concepts of emunah, and I know that if I relate to Hishtadlus in the wrong way, it can certainly be detrimental to my emunah, because I might be led to think that You are not exclusively running the show, God forbid. Please Hashem, help us to gain insight and Your true perspective."

375 - At the Core

We've discussed previously with regards to the famous verse that states ein od milvado - there is nothing else in the world except for Hashem exclusively - and we've discussed that there are many levels to what it means to truly understand and internalize this verse. Simply speaking, if someone were to ask me, "do you believe that Hashem runs the world?" and I am to answer in the affirmative, that certainly is a milestone in having understood to some degree what the verse ein od milvado means.
However, as discussed many times, Torah commentaries point out that the distance between knowing Emunah in our heads, meaning knowing the information, that yes, Hashem does run the world, as opposed to truly internalizing it in our hearts, which will translate into the way we live our lives with real life Emunah, that distance is greater than the distance between heaven and earth, meaning that there are many levels to what it means to have Emunah. Our life's work is of course initially to grow in our knowledge about Emunah, because without knowing what we are trying to internalize, we can't really move forward. But after one has already understood in one's head that our main purpose in this world is in order to grow in our Emunah, the next step is to try internalize that Emunah more and more into the core of our beings, to the point that Emunah does not just remain an abstract concept or subject, but rather translates into the very core of our beings and the way we live our lives.
There is much information available to us about many Torah concepts, from the study of the Chumash itself, Tanach, the Talmud, Halacha, Kabbalistic material, inspiration for character development, and much more. They are all important, and we are certainly encouraged to strive to explore as many areas of Torah as possible. Different people are attracted to different areas of Torah, and although we are all called on to learn all areas of Torah to our best ability, and we should certainly strive to do so, it is nevertheless motivating to remind ourselves about what many Torah commentaries write, that ultimately all the branches of Torah are super important, and again, we should make our maximum effort to explore all the branches of Torah. However, as pointed out by many Torah commentaries, Emunah is not one of the branches, Emunah is the trunk of the tree itself, because when one has Emunah, it automatically leads to all of the branches of the Torah. So whilst it is so vital to explore all the branches of Torah, it is also important to highlight and remind ourselves that the trunk of the tree itself should never be forgotten about, and our highest focus should be placed in not only knowing the concepts of Emunah, but also making our maximum effort in trying to internalize the Emunah in our bones, in a way that it translates to the way that we live our lives. 
"Thank you, Hashem, for the incredible privilege to be able to know about Emunah, and to be able to learn about Emunah, and to have the ability to try make an effort to truly internalize the concepts of Emunah. Hashem, please help me from this moment on to grow more and more in not only knowing the concepts of Emunah, but also truly internalizing and changing the way that I live, to living a life of sincere Emunah."

374 - Making a Sincere Difference

When we approach prayer, tefillah, we know that there are different forms. As discussed previously, one of the highest forms of tefillah is when we offer our thanks and praises to Hashem. Hashem knows exactly what we need, and when we thank Him for what He is already giving us, that gives Him reason to shower more blessings upon us, seeing our appreciation for what He is already giving us. We of course also have the prayer in the form of requests, asking Hashem for the things that we need. It is also important to remember the mitzvah that we have to daven for other people. 
The Gemara says that if we know another individual is experiencing suffering, and we neglect to pray for their salvation, we are considered a sinner. And as the commentaries explain, one never knows whose prayer will be accepted in order to alleviate an individual's suffering. And therefore it is of paramount importance to daven to Hashem for other people's needs, as well as all of our own needs, which as taught by the midrash, although Hashem knows exactly what we need, we have a mitzvah to articulate in our own words as if Hashem doesn't understand exactly what we are seeking.
And we should also never forget to pray to Hashem for our spiritual needs. Sometimes we might be thriving in our spiritual endeavors. We might be running to perform mitzvos with enthusiasm, loving our learning of Torah, seeking more opportunities to perform chesed and the like. And at other times we might feel no enthusiasm to run after Torah, mitzvos, chesed and the like. And we should always use the opportunity to beg Hashem, “Hashem please help me to love my Torah learning. Hashem please help me to run after more chesed opportunities. Hashem please help me to perform the mitzvahs that you have commanded me with enthusiasm and joy.” And the more we believe, the more we will pray to Hashem in our own words to help us, both in our physical endeavors as well as in our spiritual endeavors.
And perhaps the main prayer, over and above everything else, should be, not what do I need -physically or spiritually; it's not about me anymore. “Hashem, what do you need? What can I do for you? Hashem has created us as beings that have a lot of needs in many ways.” And it is a mitzvah to pray for all of our needs. However, it is important to remember that it's not all about us and to bring Hashem into the picture. And Daven, “Hashem, I want to make a difference in this world, not for me, but for you. When it comes to me, I have many dreams and aspirations. And yes, I know I have a mitzvah to Daven for those things, so Hashem, I will do so. And even in a sense, when I'm thanking you, Hashem, for the things that you've given me, what you've taught me in your Torah sources, is such a high form of prayer, in a sense, the spotlight is still on me. Where did you come through for me? 
Hashem, I want to shift the spotlight and put it on you. Please, can you help me to make a difference for you in this world? You created me for a reason. And if you created me, it means, as the Gemara says, that every single thing encompassed within all the worlds was created just for me, which means that I am important and I can make a difference to you within your master plan that you designed for this world. Please Hashem, help me to be able to fulfill my purpose for your sake. Please help me, Hashem, to live my life with you at the forefront of my mind.
Help me, Hashem, to be the best mother that I can be. Not because I want to be the best mother, but because that will be sanctifying your name and serving you in the best way. And if I'm not feeling well, Hashem, please can you heal me so that I can serve you and perform my service to you, not for my sake, not because of my need to alleviate my pain, but rather because, Hashem, I want to serve you in the highest possible way. Thank you, Hashem, for the gift of tefillah at every single moment.”

373 - In the Millions

As discussed many times, our main job in this world is to grow in our emunah, our belief in Hashem. And one of the branches of emunah is to believe in the potency of the words of the prescribed prayers. If we were to see the spiritual impact of the words that we say, we would not have the free choice anymore whether to say these prayers and how to say them, whether we have devotion, intention and meaning. because the potency of the prescribed prayers would be obvious to all of us and none of us would choose to forgo that opportunity. 
Imagine when I am about to say the bracha over a glass of water, that there is a score card out of ten, one being the lowest and ten the highest. Whatever I score for that bracha is the reward I receive in the millions. So, if I had only a little bit of intention and let's say I got a three, I'll get three million dollars for that blessing. If I had full intention, I'll get ten million dollars. If that would actually be the result we experience in this world, most of us would get ten quite often because we want that ten million dollars. But again, our job in this world is not to see, it's to believe. We are taught that the reward that we will receive for each bracha is much greater than one million dollars, much greater than ten million dollars, much greater than all the money in the world. But we don't see that. We have to build that belief and that is our job in this world. 
And in the same vein, when I arrive at shul and see that the leader is praying at a very fast pace. Sometimes I might feel, that's great, today I'm going to be able to get an earlier start and that makes sense based on one's logic. But again, our logic can be mistaken if it's not on par with Hashem's perspective. The Emunah approach teaches us that we believe that the potency the prescribed prayers will have in bringing us success is much stronger than any of the practical efforts we might be rushing to. Let's say that after davening today, I plan to go to a business meeting. It very well could happen that I go to this business meeting and it could be a long process of many phone calls, emails, discussions and negotiations before we're able to move forward. And it's also possible that I'll wake up to a situation where I go have a meeting and can close the deal almost instantly without having to go through the hassle of phone calls, emails and many other things. When we build our belief that Hashem is the one running the show, absolutely “ein od mil vado”” - there is nothing else in the world, and Hashem is the one who pulls every string - He can make it that I will approach a situation that could have taken me 10 hours of effort and instead will take me 30 minutes. Because if I am able to build that belief and also internalize the belief that the same words and letters that created the world, the letters of the alphabet, were prescribed by the great sages using certain formulas and combinations of these holy letters to bring out tremendously potent results that lead to blessing, salvation and all of our success, although we might be enticed, based on our logic, when in the middle of the final prayers of the prayer services, such as in the prayer of Aleinu Leshabeach, to finish up the prayer while walking out shul rushing to my business meeting, it would be much wiser to spend a few extra moments saying those words with real meaning and intention and by doing so, reaping much more benefits than any of our personal efforts could reach. 
“Thank you Hashem for the gift of personal prayer with you and the opportunity to do so at any given opportunity. And thank you Hashem for the opportunity to pray your prescribed prayers, to say your blessings throughout the day, every single day and tap into these holy, powerful letters and words which I believe and want to believe are much more potent and powerful than anything else I could imagine doing on my own accord. Thank you Hashem for the gift of tefillah.”

372 - Holy Combinations

As discussed many times, our job in this world is to believe, to have emunah, even when we don't see, when we don't understand. When it comes to the prescribed prayers that have been outlined to us by the sages, the brachos over food and drink, and the many other prescribed blessings that have been outlined to us, we need to believe and internalize that the words that have been outlined in these prescribed prayers are imbued with a special holiness beyond anything we can imagine. Of course, the basic meaning of the words is something we should strive to understand and mean what they say, because there are many levels to the meaning of the prescribed prayers, including their simple interpretation. However, it is important for us to internalize the belief that the prescribed prayers outlined to us by the great sages are not limited to their simple meaning and interpretation. They are much deeper beyond anything we can imagine. And therefore, when we tap into the power of a tefillah prescribed by the sages, we are tapping into the special holiness that they imbued in those words.
To help us digest this idea a little bit, we are taught that the world was ultimately created by Hashem with the letters of the alef-bet, and somebody who is able to look through a spiritual lens will just see different combinations of the alef-bet letters in everything that is expressed in this world. There are many anecdotes recounted in Torah literature about people over the ages who were able to perform what is called Kabbalah Maasit, which means that they were able to use the secrets of the Torah to manipulate the way the world runs. If a holy individual who was connected to Hashem in the right way and knowledgeable in this field was able to use the letters of the alef-bet in different combinations and by doing so, literally change nature. It would be crazy for us to imagine that somebody could teleport to the other side of the world within a matter of seconds by saying a few letters or names. And in today's day and age, this is certainly not practiced by and large, but this is something very real that was done over the ages. And it is not difficult to understand when we are taught that the world in essence is the letters of the alef-bet. When you know the combinations and how everything works in the spiritual realm by the combinations of the letters of the alef-bet, if one knows how to manipulate those combinations, then it is easy to understand how nature can be altered for that individual.
Although we do not know how to manipulate those letters and we are not aiming to do so, it is motivating and encouraging to internalize the fact that everything in the world is ultimately the letters of the alef-bet - the same letters that we say in our prescribed prayers bring about the potent results that they do, but the sages of times of old who prescribed the prayers were on such a level where they were able to see things on the spiritual realm. Let us take to heart when we say the prescribed prayers, be it Shachris, Mincha, Maariv, Birkas Hamazon, Asher Yatzar - the blessing after the bathroom, or whatever else it may be, that we are now tapping into holy combinations of the same letters that created the world.