The Secret of the Fixed Place: Nullifying the Destructive Forces and Meriting Closeness to Hashem
Class No. 3 | Class 1 - (Continuation from Tape No. 2) Motzaei Shabbos Kodesh, Parashas Kedoshim, 30 Nissan, First Day of Rosh Chodesh Iyar 5755
Rabbi Berland shlit"a explains the depth hidden in the halacha (Jewish law) of having a "fixed place" for prayer, the spiritual battle against the destructive forces trying to move a person from his place, and the importance of both external and internal preparation for standing before the Creator.
Every Person is an Aspect of an Offering
Every person must have a fixed place for his prayer, exactly as there was a fixed place for the slaughtering of offerings in the Beis HaMikdash (Holy Temple), as it is stated: "Its slaughtering is in the north, and the receiving of its blood in a ministering vessel is in the north."
Every person is an aspect of an offering to Hashem. When he stands in prayer, he exerts himself and sweats—this is the aspect of the sprinkling of blood between the staves of the Ark, and this is the aspect of the sprinkling of blood upon the Paroches (the curtain in the Temple). Everyone has his own corner and his own unique spiritual work. Therefore, a person must accustom himself to stand in one place and strive to always stand there, because through this, he becomes like an offering to Hashem, may He be blessed.
Burning the Destructive Forces
Why is it so difficult for a person to stand in one place? It is brought in the name of Rabbi Bunim of Peshischa zt"l that even to study Torah, a person needs to be in the same place and on the same chair. The reason a person constantly wants to move and go to another place is because there are "demons" and "destructive forces" that were created in his place, and they push him and tell him, "Get out of here."
However, when a person insists and stands in one place, he burns all those destructive forces that were created there. This is the secret of the teaching, "Whoever establishes a fixed place for his prayer—the God of Avraham comes to his aid." "Under him"—meaning that he subdues the destructive forces that rise up and want to move him. When a person stubbornly stands in one place, he burns everything and nullifies all the disturbances.
Indeed, we find regarding Rabbi Akiva that he would pray, and they would leave him in one corner and later find him in another corner. However, that involved extremely high levels of bowing and prostrating out of immense deveikus (attachment to Hashem). But as a general rule, and certainly during the Amidah prayer, there must be a fixed place just like the offering. It is also proper to stand as close to the wall as possible, in the aspect of "And Chizkiyahu turned his face to the wall," so that nothing intervenes between him and the wall.
Priestly Garments – Prayer Garments
Part of the preparation for prayer is one's clothing. It is fitting for a person to have special garments for prayer, since we are standing before the King. Just as the Kohanim (priests) in the Beis HaMikdash would change from weekday clothes to holy garments, so too everyone should strive to change their clothes in honor of prayer, or at the very least, ensure they have clean and respectable clothing.
There must not be any stain on the garment, no blemish, Heaven forbid. In the past, clothes were very expensive; everything was handmade, and a garment was considered a highly valuable item, as we see with Yosef HaTzaddik. Today, Baruch Hashem (thank God), everything is made cheaply and nice clothes can be easily obtained. Therefore, how wonderful it is for a person to have special, prepared garments for prayer, for the sake of cleanliness and the honor of Heaven.
The Main Thing is Humility
But above all, the most essential thing is what happens after the prayer. Human nature is such that after a person prays, especially if he prayed with deep intention, he becomes filled with pride and thinks, "I prayed well." This is the severe sin of "calculating one's prayer" (expecting a reward for praying well), which causes a person's sins to be remembered On High.
On the contrary, after praying, a person must remain in a state of humility and know: "I haven't prayed at all; I haven't even begun to pray." He must feel that he is unworthy, that he is the smallest and worst of all, and that it is only through the lovingkindness of Hashem that he merited to stand before Him.
As it is brought in the book Kochavei Or regarding Rabbi Avraham ben Rabbi Nachman, Hashem takes specifically the smallest point, the person who feels he is nothing, and from that, He brings about the greatest rectifications in the world. Hashem chooses the one who says in his heart, "Who am I? Light and despised," and specifically from there, salvation blossoms.
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