Torah/תורה: September 2006 Archives

THE PILLAR OF PRAYER The Baal Shem Tov's Teachings on Prayer Section 30 If a person reads the Torah and sees the lights of its letters, though he does not properly understand the cantillation marks and fails to pronounce the words properly, G•d is not judgmental, since he reads with great love and passion. This is like a child who asks for something from his father, who loves him greatly. Even though he stutters and doesn’t say the words correctly, his father doesn’t insist that he say them properly. This is like what our Sages said: “‘His banner over me is love’ (Song of Songs 2:4). Don’t read the word as ‘His banner over me is love’ (diglo alai ahava); rather, read it as ‘over the mistakes I make, there is love’ (laglago alai ahava).” Likutim Yikarim, p. 1 Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Dr. Menachem Kallus