In Machshevet class today, the tenth grade was discussing the Mitzvah of Talmud Torah and the request that we articulate in Birchat HaTorah: והערב נא, Please make it sweet.
I invited the class to engage in studying the Amidah, as an example of Talmud Torah. We used this diagram.
As we progressed from the introductory section of praise to body of request, we examined the concluding blessings of each individual request. The girls’ questions came “fast and furious”, and we soon found ourselves exploring fundamental concepts of davening.
I asked the girls if they knew the root verb of the word, תפילה. Everyone thought it meant “prayer”. The shoresh is actually פלל, which means to judge. When we place our requests before Hashem, we are supposed to engage in a process of judging. What are our needs? What is the difference between needs and wants? Which needs should we prioritize? What pathways can we propose as a means of achieving them?
Ideally, the person who engages in תפילה will emerge from the process a different person, with a deeper understanding of herself, her objectives and her relationship with Hashem.
I asked the girls if the diagram helped them in any way. A few described how it clarified all the parts,helping them to focus on each bakasha individually and appreciate how it differed from the others. We then talked about an aesthetic reaction to the diagram, recognizing beauty in the symmetry of the tefilah structure. That form contributed to our understanding of both the content of the brachot and the overall tefilah process. We were then able to appreciate its conceptual beauty as well. When I asked the girls if they had experienced “והערב נא” today, the answer was a resounding, “YES!”
May your learning with your families this Shabbat be sweet! Gut Shabbos!
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