[Be-Ahavah
U-Be-Emunah – Ha-Azinu 5774 – translated by R. Blumberg]
Question:
How can one increase one’s concentration in prayer, study, and life in general?
Answer:
As with all such questions, there are two closely-related approaches: the lofty
and the down-to-earth. The lofty approach involves achieving an elevated
understanding. The down-to-earth approach means accustoming oneself to the way
things work on the ground.
The
Lofty Approach: Understanding
Understanding
is a supreme ideal, as is explained in Rav Kook’s treatise Mussar Avicha, in
the chapter, “Bechol Derachecha Da’ehu”. Whatever one does, G-d is present
there. We must therefore do everything to the best of our ability.
There
are two interpretations to the verse, “In all your ways, acknowledge Him”
(Mishlei 3:6). The broader interpretation is that G-d can be found in
everything. The narrower interpretation is that whenever a person does
something good, G-d is there at that moment and not elsewhere. When a person
prays, G-d is there with him in his prayer. At that moment, he won’t find G-d
through Torah learning or kind deeds.
When
a person is learning Torah, G-d is with him in his learning. At that moment, he
won’t find G-d through prayer or kind deeds.
When
a person is doing kind deeds, G-d is with him in his kind deeds. That is not
the time to pray or study.
As
the Talmud explains (Berachot 10), even though Torah study transcends prayer,
when one is praying, he must to pray and not study Torah. There is a time for
study and a time for prayer.
What
is the source of Rav Kook’s idea? It is the concept of Tzimtzum, so to speak,
the idea that G-d can limit Himself. Even though the Master-of-the-Universe
transcends the universe and precedes the universe, when He does something, He
limits Himself, so to speak, to that act. When G-d speaks with Avraham, He is
not doing anything else at that moment (obviously, all this is from our
perspective). A human being has to limit himself in what he does. This is in
stark contrast to conventional “wisdom”, which praises the person who does a
thousand things at once, like the butterfly that flits from flower to flower
every second.
Such
is the new fashion of the past five hundred years, which comes as a response to
Christian pressure and terrible coercion. We can understand the response, but
one needn’t exaggerate. A person has to decide for himself what to do, but
whatever it is, he should do it well. Obviously, one is allowed to change his
mind, but not as a habit or an ideal.
Therefore,
one has to understand the major importance of concentration. You don’t have to
dance at every wedding to know all there is to know, or to work in every
profession. Focus on whatever you do. Concentrate and do it well. If you are a
physician, be an excellent physician. If you learn Torah, be an excellent Torah
learner.
There’s
the story of the person who invited a friend to a meal.
“How
is Uncle Eliyahu?” the host asked.
“He
died,” the guest responded.
“So
Aunt Sarah is alone?” the host continued.
“She
died too,” was the reply.
“What?
She died too? Heaven help us!” said the host, and he could eat no more.
Afterwards
he asked, “What do you do for a living?” and the guest replied, “I work in your
Uncle Eliyahu’s carpentry shop.”
“But
you said he died!” cried the host.
“When
I am eating, the whole world is dead,” said the guest. “Let a person eat in
peace.”
One
has to eat, so let him eat the way he must. Not like the wife who
simultaneously eats, nurses, cooks, does laundry, chases down a child, gives
another child a bath and calls her mother-in-law and gives her advice.
One
must understand there is nothing ideal about doing a lot of things at once.
Whatever
you do, do it well.
The
Talmud in Arachin 11b illustrates this point. It teaches that in the Temple,
some of the Levi’im served as Temple choir members while others served as gate
keepers, and it rules that a Levite who served as a choir member was forbidden
to fill in for a gate keeper. In fact, if he did so, he incurred the death
penalty.
The
Down-to-Earth Approach: Accustoming Ourselves
If
you don’t succeed in concentrating during prayers, accustom yourself to it
gradually. Start by concentrating on one blessing of the Eighteen Benedictions.
Every week, gradually add something. In the Army this is called using an
“exertion scale”. A soldier is not told on the first day to take forty kilograms
on his back and to run forty kilometers. On the first day he takes a single
kilogram and runs one kilometer, and so forth.
Is
it hard for you to concentrate when you study? Take it slow. It isn’t working
for you? Take a water break and then try again, or study something different.
Bit by bit, get used to concentrating. There are a lot of people with attention
deficits who have still become Torah scholars.
Is
it hard for you to concentrate in life? The same applies. Every step must be
gradual.
Going
bit by bit, you can overcome all of your problems.
This
goes for everything in life. When you marry a woman, no other woman exists
after that. As Adam said after he married Eve, “All the other women are
monkeys.” “But,” you’ll say, “I’ve still got a girl friend from my youth
movement.” She’s not a girl friend! She doesn’t exist! She’s a monkey. That’s
what is called the down-to-earth approach. Accustom yourself.
Obviously,
in order for one to be motivated to accustom himself, he must have
understanding. He needs a lofty atmosphere. That’s important.
Summary:
Whatever you do, do it well, increasing your effort gradually. Then, you will
surely succeed!
