Adon Olom (Part 4)
In a previous article we described how the first part of
Adon Olom incorporates the meanings of the various
Names of Hashem. This is said at the onset of our
tefillos, as suggested by the Apter Rov in keeping
with the Vilna Gaon, so as to act as an initial declaration
of our correct intentions whenever we pronounce His Name in
our subsequent tefillos.
The posuk (Devorim 8:11) states: "Hishomer lecho
pen tishkach es Hashem . . . " Take care lest you forget
Hashem. The amazing fact about this phrase is that the first
letters of the first four words — Hishomer Lecho Pen
Tishkach — spell out the word tefilloh.
How can one forget Hashem during tefilloh, when one is
actually standing before Him in prayer?
Hashem's Name is in fact the most-frequently-pronounced word
in our tefillos, but how often are we aware that we
are even pronouncing it? His Name, together with the rest of
tefilloh, often simply slips out of our mouths,
totally unnoticed.
The Chayei Odom (Klal 5) brings a frightening story
that demonstrates the importance of concentrating while
pronouncing His Name. We need to appreciate that the
Chayei Odom was written as a guide in halochoh,
and not as a storybook. The purpose of this story is
therefore to help us understand the severity of this issue,
and to encourage us to take positive steps in order to avoid
this transgression.
He writes that one of the great rabbonim in his generation
fell asleep, and dreamed that he heard a loud proclamation in
the Heavenly Court: "Make room for this great tzaddik
that has just died," and he was subsequently welcomed with
great honor. This tzaddik was given a sefer
Torah to hold, and asked if he had kept all that it
contained, to which he replied in the affirmative. He was
asked to bring witnesses, at which a multitude of angels came
to testify in his favor.
He was them given the complete set of Tur and asked to
confirm that he had kept the Oral Torah too. Again he
confirmed that he had kept it entirely, and a multitude of
angels came to verify his statement.
He was then asked if he was careful not to pronounce Hashem's
Name in vain, but he remained silent and was unable to
answer. This question was posed a second time, but resulted
in the same silence. Witnesses were called, and a large
multitude of angels, all dressed in black, came as
prosecutors, each one specifying the exact date, time and
tefilloh where His Name was pronounced without
suitable concentration. He was then asked how it was possible
for a human being to have the audacity to pronounce His Name
without even thinking what he was saying.
The final judgment was that this tzaddik was given a
choice of either returning as a gilgul to this world
or of serving his time in Gehennom. This great
tzaddik surely did not pronounce His Name in vain, but
had said them during the course of his daily tefillos
and brochos. Unfortunately he did so without
sufficient concentration on what he was saying, and this
caused his downfall.
The Chayei Odom brings this story in order to make us aware
of the severity of pronouncing His Name without the required
concentration, so that we should not fall into a similar
trap. If this could happen to a big tzaddik, then what
are we to do?
The Torah tells us (Bereishis 28:12) how Yaakov came
to pray on the same spot that his parents and grandparents
had previously prayed and subsequently fell asleep on the Har
Habayis. He dreamt that he saw a ladder on the ground with
its top reaching heavenward, on which angels ascended and
descended. When he awoke, he realized that he had rested on a
spot that he described as the `Gates of Heaven' through which
all prayers ascend upwards to Hashem.
Prayer does not ascend on an escalator, where it stands on
the bottom step and is taken automatically upwards. Rather
prayer goes up a ladder where every step upwards requires a
new and exerted effort.
The Baal Haturim explains that a ladder is made from two long
poles that represent the articulated words of tefilloh,
while the rungs that help us climb to new heights
represent the concentration on the actual words of
davening. Without any suitable thoughts, one remains
on ground level irrespective as to how many pages one has
"davened."
The most important word that requires concentration during
davening and the reciting of brochos, is the
pronouncing of Hashem's Name. This is Step Number One.
The Vilna Gaon has made it easier for us in that he requires
us only to think of Hashem as being the Adon Hakol as
expressed in the first two words of Adon Olom.
We mention His Name over two hundred times in Shacharis
alone, so it is important to train ourselves so that
every time we mention His Name, we should stop for half-a-
second and think Adon Hakol.
This first step, like all initial steps one takes in life, is
a difficult but rewarding one. It might take weeks until one
can accomplish this initial concentration when reciting every
Name of Hashem, but it is important to persevere.
The Manchester Rosh Hayeshiva Rabbi Y. Z. Segal zt"l
always suggested that a person must set himself goals
that can be easily accomplished. He suggested that initially
one tries to think about His Name in the first brochoh
of Shemoneh Esrei. When he has become accustomed
to this, he should add a few more brochos, until
eventually he can manage to concentrate on all the Names
mentioned in Shemoneh Esrei.
You then continue to climb the ladder, at your own individual
pace, concentrating on additional brochos
periodically. Eventually you will manage to achieve the
complete Shacharis. Every time you mention His Name,
you will think of Him as being the Adon Hakol.
It is by concentrating on the meaning of His Name every time
we pronounce it that we will be able to succeed in adhering
to the command of, "Hishomer lecho pen tishkach es
Hashem," during our tefillos, thereby climbing the
ladder that takes our tefillos heavenward, and
guaranteeing that all our tefillos are answered.
