Question: We often think about how to come to a state of prayer. On the other hand, a convention is such a joyful act…

Answer: A prayer should not be sad. A prayer is an expectation of correction. Should I cry, kneel and beat my head against a wall? There is nothing like this.

A prayer is a feeling in the heart. I want my heart to be corrected. I prepare it so that it goes through changes, stops being egoistic, stops thinking about itself.

Once the heart stops thinking about itself, I immediately begin to feel the upper world. This is what I want! This is called a prayer! Nothing else.

Question: But we are saying that we need to come to a state of despair, powerlessness, some very difficult feeling, but a convention symbolizes a state of joy, unity. How can I put this into one?

Answer: It is also very simple.

Despair must be joyful. That is, I despaired of my own abilities—look, what I have accomplished! I no longer have hope for myself.

Baal HaSulam writes that there is no more joyous moment in a person’s life when he feels that in no way he can help himself, and nothing will help him but only a miracle from Above, this is when it happens. There is no happier moment than the feeling that only this will save him. What could be better?
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From a Virtual Lesson 11/25/12

Related Material:
The Joyful Tears Of Prayer
A Person Is Born In Joy
Joy In The Desert

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