Praise The Lord and Pass The Adoration
Thoughts and Prayers from Jerusalem
Shalom from Jerusalem!
One must always set up praises of God and only afterwards pray.
Brachot 32
What constitutes prayer? Traditionally, anything that falls into the categories of Praise, Request, or Thanks. If so, wouldn't "praising before praying" be somewhat redundant?
This aphorism underscores the importance of praising God. We might think that praise is the least important prayer component—after all, any fraction of the infinite is still nearly zero, so what value is there to laying on the praise?
The answer lies in the perspective of the praise. We praise God not to flatter Him, but to recognize our own size and position. The more we recognize God's greatness, the more our humility comes into focus. Furthermore, our self esteem rises, as we have the merit of being associated with One so great!
Today, add a single psalm of praise to your regular prayer regimen.
Today's Prayer: Holiness of God
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