For the Hasidic masters of the Jewish revival movement beginning in the late eighteenth century, the inner life of prayer was of supreme importance. Editors Arthur Green and Barry W. Holtz, in their excellent introduction to this collection, salute these spiritual teachers for their emphasis upon "the rediscovery of God's presence in all of human life." Their quest was for unification with God, and their perception was that there is "no higher sacred act than of helping another to discover the presence of God within his or her own soul." Hasidic piety burned with great ardor, and these sages saw everything as an opening to deeper devotion.
A good example: "Through everything you see, / become aware of the divine. / If you encounter love, remember the love of God. / If you experience fear, think of the fear of God. / And even in the bathroom, / you should think — / 'here I am separating bad from good, / and the good will remain for His service!' "
While many Hasidic sages advocated battle with distracting thoughts during prayer, the Ba'al Shem Tov suggested that the faithful use them as pathways to a new level of devotion. The editors sum up this approach: "Thus a person who is distracted by sexual desire during worship should not seek to drive that desire from the mind, but rather should come to know that such desire itself is but a fallen spark from the World of Love, which seeks to be uplifted in the ascent of prayer. The thought needs to be 'purified in its root,' so that the energy animating it can be redeemed and brought back to God."
This handy volume contains an impressive array of devotional ideas and rituals that can spice up your prayer life no matter what your religious persuasion. Hats off to the Ba'al Shem Tov, the Maggid Dov Baer of Miedzyrzec, and their disciples for these timeless practices.