Prayer must be relevant to our lives; specifically, we must understand the relevancy of the words in prayer. The psalms, in particular, convey essential truths, and varied emotional elements, intrinsic to human nature. How do we connect with the words of written prayer in a prayerbook? What is the nature of heartfelt prayers in our own words?

During the month of Elul, we are called to look past the surface level of ourselves, in order to gain an honest assessment of ourselves. Where can we start? In every moment, we have a starting point. That is to say, that we may start in the present moment

parashas Ki Seitzei 5781 - Honest Weights and Measures “A perfect and just weight shalt thou have; a perfect and just measure shalt thou have; that thy days may be long upon the land which the L-RD thy G-d giveth thee.” – Deuteronomy 25:15, JPS 1917 Tanach The Torah commands us that we should have perfect and honest weights and measures. This includes honesty and integrity within our very lives.

motzei Shabbos: parashas Ki Seitzei 5781  “Remember [zachor] what the L-RD your G-d did to Miriam on the journey after you left Egypt.” – Deuteronomy 24:9, JPS 1985 Tanach

parashas Ki Savo 5781 "And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which H'Shem thy G-d giveth thee for an inheritance, and dost possess it, and dwell therein; that thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which thou shalt bring in from thy land that H'Shem thy G-d giveth thee; and thou shalt put it in a basket and shalt go unto the place which HaShem thy G-d shall choose to cause His name to dwell there." - Deuteronomy 26:1-2, JPS 1917 Tanach

weekly Torah reading: parashas Nitzavim 5781 The promise of return to the Land of Israel includes a reassurance of teshuvah (repentance); in other words, that the Jewish people will be moved by H’Shem to do teshuvah.  The commandment to repent is phrased in the future tense, rather than the imperative command form, because G-d wanted it to be an assurance to the Jewish people that in due time we would repent.

Rosh HaShannah is a time of renewal. Through teshuvah (repentance) we prepare ourselves to face H’Shem: Avinu Malkeinu (Our Father, Our King) on the Day of Judgment for the New Year. Through proper reflection, and rooting out our sins well in advance of that day, we hope to begin the new year with the resolve to start anew.

The Akeidah: Binding of Isaac “And it came to pass after these things, that G-d tested Abraham, and said to him, Abraham; and he said, [Hineni] Behold, here I am.” – Genesis 22:1, JPS 1917 Tanach  “Such is the answer of the pious: it is an expression of meekness and readiness.” – Rashi, Midrash Tanchuma, Vayera 22, sefaria.org

“Turn Thou us unto Thee, O L-RD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.” – Lamentations 5:21, JPS 1917 Tanach The L-RD would like us to return to the simplicity of faith, by looking towards Him in all things. “Trust in the L-RD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5, JPS 1985 Tanach).

motzei Shabbos: parashas Vayelech 5782 “And they shall say on that day, ‘Surely it is because our G-d is not in our midst that these evils have befallen us.’” – Deuteronomy 31:17, JPS 1985 Tanach “They will be intelligent enough to conclude that all the troubles which suddenly overtook them must be due to G-d having deliberately left their midst.” - Or HaChayim on Deuteronomy 31:17, sefaria.org

“Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my supplanters [heels] compasseth me about” (Psalm 49:6, JPS 1917 Tanach). The "sins of my heels” refer to the breaking of lesser mitzvoth, that people, figuratively speaking, tend to trample upon, mistakenly thinking that they are insignificant.

d'var for Sukkot 5782 The sukkoth [booths] that we build at this time of year are meant to remind us of the temporary structures in the wilderness wherein our ancestors dwelt. According to some commentators, these structures symbolize the Clouds of Glory that served as a shelter from the elements.

Torah reading: Exodus 33:12 - 34:26 The word sakoti, similar to sukkah, means cover or covering, and is found in the following verse: “And it shall come to pass, while My glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover [sakoti] thee with My hand* until I have passed by” (Exodus 33:22, JPS 1917 Tanach). This is one connection found to Sukkot in the parashas chosen as the reading for Shabbat Chol HaMoed. *According to Ibn Ezra, some commentators translate kappi (hand) as clouds. Thus the rendering is that the cloud covered Moses, in like manner as the Cloud of Glory, also symbolized by a sukkah.

The words of kitvei kodesh (holy scripture) have meaning above and beyond the words themselves and are best understood within the greater context of the themes of the biblical narratives they portray, as well as their theological significance. The prayers in the siddur (prayerbook) may become an active means for inculcating the values, traditions, and beliefs of religion into our lives.

Mishnah Berachos 4:6 - prayer during travel "One who was traveling in a ship or on a raft should focus his heart opposite the Holy of Holies." - sefaria.org Mishnah Berachos 5:1 - preparation before prayer The recommended state-of-mind to acquire, before the Shemonah Esrei, standing prayer, when we stand before H’Shem, as if standing in front of a king.  (And how much more so, since He is sovereign King of the Universe).

weekly Torah reading: parasha Bereishis 5784 “The heavens declare the glory of G-d, and the firmament showeth His handiwork.” – Psalm 19:2, JPS 1917 Tanach

weekly Torah reading: parasha Noach 5784 “The dove came back to him toward evening, and there in its bill was a plucked-off olive leaf. Then Noah knew that the waters had decreased on the earth.” – Genesis 8:11, JPSN

weekly Torah reading: parasha Lech Lecha 5784 “Now the L-RD said unto Abram: ‘Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto the land that I will show thee.’” – Genesis 12:1, JPS 1917 Tanach

weekly Torah reading: parasha Vayera 5784

weekly Torah reading: parasha Chayei Sarah 5784 - A Life Well-Lived “And the life of Sarah was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years; [these were] the years of the life of Sarah.” – Genesis 23:1, The Complete Jewish Tanach