{"id":63244,"date":"2019-09-22T13:08:44","date_gmt":"2019-09-22T10:08:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=63244"},"modified":"2023-04-17T08:56:05","modified_gmt":"2023-04-17T05:56:05","slug":"deep-joy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/deep-joy\/","title":{"rendered":"Deep Joy"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[743,512,437,506],"acf":{"old_id":"63244","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":33992,"related_cahpter":"312","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"What is necessary for prophets in their prophecy, is no less important for our ability to connect in prayer","content":"

An alliance of three unlikely kings, Israel in the North, Judah in the south, and Edom in the east, unite in an effort to suppress the rebellion of King Mesha, the Moabite.\u00a0 As they approach the place, they run short of water and fall into terrible despair. In an attempt to figure out their own future, they turn to the prophet at hand, Elisha. And before he can prophesy to them, he asks for a musician!<\/span><\/p>\n

Why?<\/span><\/p>\n

Commenting on this unusual demand, Rambam points out that one must be in a joyous mood in order to be able to reach the levels of holiness that prophecy requires. And Rashi adds that he requested musicians because music has the capacity to lift one\u2019s spirits and bring about a sense of joy and calm. So important is that insight that our rabbinic sages insist that one should not initiate prayers if one is sad. Prayer, like prophecy, can only emerge from a state of deep joy.<\/span><\/p>\n

This teaching has been largely lost in a popular association of prayer with a kind of check list mentality (three times a day, check! Step forward, step back, bow three times, check! Bend from the knees, bounce on your heels three times, check!). And how much have we lost in the process! No one can pray on command, and it\u2019s hard to imagine God desiring a formal adherence to an empty ritual if it doesn\u2019t come with heartfelt honesty as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

Prayer, real prayer, wells up from our deepest springs of soul. Flowing streams of joy and engagement open the heart, allowing us to connect ourselves to the ever-present One. Small wonder that King David danced the ark into Jerusalem. Small wonder that the Baal Shem Tov <\/span>davened <\/span><\/i>in ecstasy.<\/span><\/p>\n

And our chapter of Tanach sees this as so self-evident that it mentions the musician without even sensing a need for explanation. Isn\u2019t it obvious that connecting to God presumes calm, quiet, and joy?<\/span><\/p>\n

Maybe it\u2019s time to remind ourselves of this fundamental Jewish teaching, one that emerges from the Torah itself, flows through the prophetic writings, and flowers out in the Talmud and beyond.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tap into joy. Search within for whatever makes your heart smile. Then, and only then, pray.<\/span><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":63245,"id":63245,"title":"2kings3-joy","filename":"2kings3-joy.png","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings3-joy.png","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/deep-joy\/2kings3-joy\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"2kings3-joy","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":63244,"date":"2019-09-22 10:08:31","modified":"2023-06-19 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