“Rachmana liba ba'i” — a segula for focusing in prayer
For a prayer to be accepted, special kavanah—a focused frame of mind—is needed. The most important thing in prayer is to feel the Creator during the prayer—to sense that He is right before us. Rabbi Israel Salanter (may his merit protect us) taught the following segula: to focus during prayer, a person should find a pasuk from the Torah that expresses and conveys his own feelings in his relationship with the Creator, and concentrate on it. One needs a pasuk—“she-medaber alecha” (that speaks to you). For example. There are words from the Torah that move you, touch you, and stir your emotions, while other words may be lofty yet leave you unmoved. There is an expression in Aramaic from the Zohar HaKadosh: — “Rachmana liba ba'i”: “Rachmana”(“G-d” in Aramaic), “liba”(the heart), “ba'i”(desires) — (G-d desires the heart). He does not expect kilometer-long, superficial prayers from us. G-d wants us to turn to Him with all our hearts, with all our feelings. G-d wants our heart. Tehillim 90:17 — “Vihi noam A-donai Eloheinu aleinu, uma'aseh yadeinu konenehu, uma'aseh yadeinu konenehu” — (May the favor of the L-rd our G-d rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands) The Zohar HaKadosh says about this pasuk: “Everything depends on desire. An action performed in the lower world rises upward and brings about the rectification of the worlds. The Holy One, blessed be He, expects a Jew to serve Him with all his heart. King David prayed for the desire of the heart, which is the essence of everything: “Vihi noam A-donai Eloheinu aleinu, uma'aseh yadeinu konenehu, uma'aseh yadeinu konenehu”.Not everyone knows how to express the desire of the heart, bring about the rectification of creation, and fulfill a mitzvah; therefore, King David instituted this prayer.
