Perek 80

[Bentzion Meltzer]

The Baal Shem Tov taught:

The most important thing when praying in exile is faith – to believe
that G•d’s glory fills the earth. By so doing, one elevates and exalts
the Shekhinah (Divine presence.)

One must also believe that as soon as one expresses the words of
prayer from his mouth, his request is answered. And even when one’s
request does not seem to be answered, this is because the answer has
remained hidden from him. For example, his request may have been
answered for the benefit of the world in general, although he had
requested that his personal suffering be removed. However, this itself
is for his benefit, for instance, to atone for his sins. But if the
intention of one’s request is that he personally should be answered,
then one has entered an element of [materiality] into his request.
One’s request should be solely for spiritual benefit, for the sake of
the Shekhinah presence, and not for some earthly benefit, which
creates a veil of separation.1

This, then, is the meaning of, “Jacob lifted his legs”2 – which refers
to the “legs” of the Shekhinah3 – by virtue of his faith and trust, as
the verse says, “Take courage and strengthen your hearts, all those
who trust in G•d.”4 This is the meaning of the oral teaching on the
verse, “Jacob lifted,” which says that his heart lifted his feet after
he was promised [that G•d was with him].5

1 The teaching begins with a statement that G•d’s glory exists equally
throughout the earth, an axiom that itself is an aspect of Oneness.
Acknowledging this is in prayer reveals the Divine presence to the one
praying – it “elevates and exalts the Shekhinah.” But for this to be
revealed to the one praying, for one to experience the Oneness, one
cannot have one’s personal needs in mind, because this creates a
“separation” between oneself and the Oneness. One must rather perceive
oneself as an inseparable part of the totality of the Oneness of
creation, and pray for the benefit of that Oneness, for one
automatically benefits from the benefit of the Oneness. This is the
meaning of “praying for the sake of the Shekhinah,” because G•d’s
presence is revealed on earth, as said, only to the extent that man
perceives the Oneness of creation.
2 Genesis 29:1
3 The “legs” of the Shekhinah are a reference to the lowest spiritual
levels, just as the legs are the lowest part of the body (Degel
Machaneh Ephraim, VaYaytzay). Jacob was able to elevate the people at
these levels because of his faith that G•d can be found within their
worlds as well, in other words, that he, at his exalted spiritual
level, and they, at their lowly levels, are equally part of the
singular body of mankind in general, and the Jewish people in
specific.
4 Psalms 31:25
5 Rashi ad loc. Since Jacob was promised that G•d was with him, by
automatic extension, He is with Jacob’s “feet,” the lowest levels.
This encouraged Jacob to indeed elevate those levels with this very
message.

Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Yehoshua Starrett and reprinted
with the kind permission of the Baal Shem Tov Foundation. Please visit
www.baalshemtov.com

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