Kavanah – Concentration

To reach a more active role in the unification of the different configurations, one needs to understand and concentrate when praying. There are different levels of Kavanah – concentration. The basic Kavanah is to understand the words, and concentrate on the intention of the blessing or the prayer. The higher level is to meditate on the different systems of permutation of names and configurations, to get a particular action or result. Each word or part of the prayers has its own action or purpose. These actions are initiated by concentrating on the different names of G-od, their appellations and other arrangements of the Autiot – letters.

When saying a blessing with the Kabbalistic meditation on the appropriate words or names, we act and participate directly on the Tikun – rectification of the action or thing being blessed. The purpose of most of the blessings recited before and after eating or drinking is to liberate the souls that have been reincarnated in these comestible elements.

When praying, it is important to be part of a Minyan – a group with a minimum of ten men. Without this minimum number, the Kadish and other important parts of the prayer cannot be recited. For the morning prayer, one also has to wear a Talit – praying shawl, and Tefilin – phylacteries wrapped on the head and left arm.

As we can see, every element of the prayers, whether physical or spiritual, has very deep and essential meanings to give important forces and power to the one praying. It is a pity that these powerful and beautiful rituals are taken mistakenly for “folkloric recitations” in an incomprehensible language, part of “one has to do” type of thing when attending a prayer in a synagogue.

By making the effort to understand the deeper meanings of these rituals, one will discover a whole new definition and reason for his special relationship with the higher worlds and his Creator