How Do You Feel the Presence of God?

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  • #617163
    newbee
    Member

    In your life, how do you feel the presence of God? How do you experience the shechina? If so, what does it feel like?

    Is it a concrete experience you can put your finger on? Are there ways you sense that Hashem intervenes and effects your life in a direct or semi-direct way? Do you have a relationship with Hashem somehow like you do with a person?

    I know this is a very personal question and appreciate any answers.

    #1136408
    Joseph
    Participant

    One way that works for many to feel Hashem’s presence is to regularly talk to Him in your everyday language to ask him for whatever you need or clarification on outstanding issues.

    #1136409
    newbee
    Member

    Additionally, what triggers this sense of shechina?

    Is it:

    Davening the Shomeneh Esrei?

    Saying Tehillim?

    Laining and Learning Chumash?

    Studying Gemara?

    Doing Chessed?

    etc.

    #1136410
    newbee
    Member

    Joseph, and what does this presence feel like when you talk to Hashem? Can you describe it? I of course know what it feels like for me but am very interested to hear other people.

    #1136411
    Joseph
    Participant

    It feels good. 🙂

    #1136412

    Remove yourself from this physical world and dig yourself into the spiritual world (ruchnius )

    There are so many levels to feel it from Ruach Hakodesh to nevius to demons etc… open up Sefer Derech Hashem to get the full picture

    Talking to Hashem in your own personal language is called “hisbodedus “

    You can’t be in the world of technology and physical pleasures etc…. and at the same time be in Hashems holy Shchina (presence) once you start removing yourself from this physical world step by step you will start feeling closer to Hashem and on a much higher level

    Hatzlacha

    #1136413
    The Queen
    Participant

    MA: I am very much in this physical world all day, and talk to Hashem constantly, asking for help in finding things around the house, getting the kids ready for school, getting to appointments on time. And even for more cheshek for davening.

    We were meant to live in this physical world and connect to Hashem wherever we are. removing oneself from this physical world is for the monks, not a Jewish concept.

    #1136414

    Queen

    If you would remove yourself from this physical world. You would see what i am talking about and also feel the major difference between fully ruchnius or like you-and almost everyone – physical and adding some ruchnius to their lives throughout the day/year

    May you one day be fortunate to reach this high level and feel the kedusha of Hashem within you. Cause you have been fortunate to remove yourself from physical pleasures and therefore ready to be on this high level

    #1136415
    newbee
    Member

    The Queen: Sam Klein/Mashiach Agent is trolling as usual, please dont take him seriously.

    #1136416
    newbee
    Member

    Given all the talk on this site about literally everything about Judaism, the most important thing, our relationship with Hashem, is rarely discussed in detail. At least I find this to be true- and ironic.

    Still, no one had been able to describe this relationship in any way. Well besides Joseph that is (which I do appreciate), and he only said “good”.

    #1136417
    👑RebYidd23
    Participant

    We were not placed in this world to remove ourselves from it.

    #1136418
    newbee
    Member

    I think it would be best if people addressed my (the OP) question and ignored Mashiach Agent completely.

    #1136419

    Rebyidd.

    if it was revealed to us what it feels like to be in Hashems Holy shchina in Shomayim. then everyone would be begging Hashem to remove them from this physical world. THIS IS WHY IT CANNOT BE REVEALED TO ANYONE.

    Only Moshe Rabbeinu-on his high level- spoke to Hashem FACE TO FACE, all other neviim spoke & saw Hashem only in a vision but not face to face. & there will never be a human person as humble & as righteous as Moshe was. as we say in Davening in Yigdal every day.Malachim (angels) are not physical humans & are 100% spiritual just waiting Humbly to serve Hashem in Heaven whatever Hashem tells them so they can see Hashem & HIS kedusha, they also do not have the gift of bechira/free-will

    every person has a mission in this world, which upon completion is removed & brought to the TRUE world above. this physical world we are in now is called the olam HASHEKER-the false world- & we all know this is true & not just someone talking.

    most of us here today in this temporary world are gilgulim but that is a different topic not to be discussed on this page.

    #1136420
    Avi K
    Participant

    Feeling His hashgacha.

    #1136421
    newbee
    Member

    Given all the talk on this site about literally everything about Judaism, the most important thing- our relationship with Hashem, is rarely discussed in detail. At least I find this to be true- and ironic.

    #1136422
    Little Froggie
    Participant

    How to develop a feeling for His presence? By doing His Mitzvohs when in private with as least as much fervor and enthusiasm as in public. Also to keep the halachos of tznius when in the innermost privacy of one’s home, bearing in mind that you’re always in the presence of HaShem. ??? ???? ??? ????????, actions bring a person to change, to feel, to experience. Which is the reason explicitly stated in the Torah, ???? ???? ?? ? or ???? ???? ???? ?’ ????, doing His Mitzvohs bring a person closer to his awareness of HaShem.

    Big Tzadikim, after years of Avodah, develop a more sublime sense of Ruach Hakodesh, they can actually feel His Presence. As enumerated in the last Mishnah in Sotah, it’s a process, a long, hard process until Ruach Hakodesh – BUT IT IS ATTAINABLE.

    #1136423
    Health
    Participant

    LF -“How to develop a feeling for His presence? By doing His Mitzvohs when in private with as least as much fervor and enthusiasm as in public”

    This I agree with! This is why people in our generation have started with Chumros. Forget all the Chumros and concentrate on the Ikkar.

    #1136424
    GanEden
    Member

    The feeling of Hashem in all life, all living and organic. The awe of creation in every fallen, wind blown leaf carried throughout the community. In the decisions I make and the world I accept. In feeling connected through mitzvot and charity, in standing on my morals for every reason I have to be and feel alive, That is my Hashem, the light in my GanEden.

    #1136425
    newbee
    Member

    So not one person can actually describe what it feels like to come into contact with God and what a personal relationship feels like?

    Instead lets have another 5 thousand conversations about cholov yisroel, talking in shule and shidduchim.

    #1136426
    fathousewife
    Participant

    drive to your nearest hospital maternity ward. look at the healthy babies in the nursery. and Newbee you will feel the presence of hashem

    #1136427
    balanceisthekey
    Participant

    A lot of amazing approaches here (and more than anything, the question I feel was most beautiful) and I think there’s room for all of them to be true:

    It would seem to be clear that overall–the way to feel Hashem’s Presence is by fulfilling the Mitzvah of ‘????? ??’–being connected to Him. What’s not clear is what this ‘Dveykus’ means exactly? Chazal explain it though: ‘by connecting to His ?????–Modes of Behaviors’. Still a bit unclear–what exactly are Hashem’s ‘Derachim’? Again, Chazal explain: Hashem has three primary traits, as we say ‘Gadol–Great, Gibor–Mighty & Norah–Awesome’, also known as ‘Chesed–free-flowing loving-kindness, Gevurah–restrictive, reclusive restraint & Tiferes–the beautiful blend of balancing the primary pair of Chesed and Gevurah together.

    Being that our Neshamos are be’Tzelem Elokim, we naturally possess these G-dly traits within us, the Divine Energies are already buried inside our hearts. We just need to actualize them in real life and then we will experience them directly, with all their G-dly Goodness.

    Thus, any act of free-flowing kindness/love/joy/positive expansive energy will bring out a real manifestation of Kedusha and Dveykus–i.e. that sweet, special feeling you have in any of the above actions is in fact a connection with G-dliness, in Chesed-form.

    But in the other direction as well, any act of mighty restraint to transcend the external levels of life and reach towards the Higher Source will also bring about a manifestation of Kedusha and Dveykus, in Gevurah-form–that pure, righteous feeling of rising above lower trappings and coming closer to the Source of life. And even further–balancing these two opposing forces together brings out an even greater degree of G-dliness to delight in.

    That’s all just from connecting to Hashem’s MODES OF BEHAVIOR. On top of that, its obviously possible as well to behold Hashem’s Presence from STUDYING the AREAS WHERE He is present: the outer realms of His creation, the inner realms, and the Master-Map of all of creation–the Torah.

    #1136428
    GanEden
    Member

    It seems as if you “newbee” want something that belongs to someone else. I posted what I feel in the Entire GanEden of HaShem. A lot have posted about feeling close to HaShem, being centered and balanced with HaShem. Perhaps what you seek is a 5002 explanation, if so, read Kabbalah, it has more answers for your question than Just 5002. HaShem is felt by each in a way defined by each as well as we can express but the true example of trust is How we approach life with HaShem in our heart. Shalom, GanEden

    #1136430
    Hashemisreading
    Participant

    Newbee: it is difficult to find a physical manifestation of something so spiritual.

    #1136431
    ☕️coffee addict
    Participant

    Newbee,

    When I feel hashem’s presence it is usually a chill down my body when I daven,

    However when I see Hashem’s hashgocho is when I’m cognizant of it

    Take for example my work started cutting down workers hours so I was off on Sunday, so Hashem made me take my son to the doctor this past Sunday so he can go to school

    Hashem is in your lives as much as you want him to be

    #1136432
    Zev7
    Member

    I am in the process of building a real relationship with God. At times I most definitely do feel his presence and it is the most marvelous feeling in the world.

    #1136433
    Little Froggie
    Participant

    newbee: I’d suppose you read and comprehen the English language. Much of our devoted staff (posters) have responded pretty well and prolifically. There is no ONE way, as HaShem is not mortal, physical, and no one really “bumps in to Him”. Read what they wrote, there is something to learn and glean from each one, each one delivered and expounded on a fine point.

    And sorry to disappoint you, eating cholov akum, talking in shul is not a way to come close to HaShem. Neither is doing any of the aveiros He said a Jew mustn’t do, if you are a Jew. Yes, ever since Kabalas Hatorah a Jew comes closer to HaShem by doing those pithy, minor details and deeds known as Mitzvohs. That’s what Maamad Har Sinai was all about.

    #1136434
    newbee
    Member

    I do appreciate the answers that were given sorry if I was not clear. I am not asking others for advise on how to experience this. I am asking them to describe their own experiences.

    “it is the most marvelous feeling in the world.”

    “When I feel hashem’s presence it is usually a chill down my body when I daven”

    “it feels good :)”

    “so Hashem made me take my son to the doctor this past Sunday so he can go to school”

    These are the answers I am looking for. What is the feeling you get when you are in the presence of the shechina? How does Hashem influence your life?

    For me, something happens to my eyes, almost as if they are uplifted, and my entire body feels uplifted and holy. I can sense that something else is with me and I am not alone. Do other people experience something similar? The face of Moshe would become radiant when he spoke, so we see that the shechina’s effects can be described in physical terms.

    #1136435

    I feel like the happiest person around and can’t stop thanking Hashem for every tiny thing Hashem gives me. My gratitude to Hashem is endless and unlimited.

    From big amazing planes to tiny crumbs of salt/sugar each thing more amazing and fascinating then the next. Stop taking everything for granted and see the beauty of it instead. Your thanks to Hashem will be endless

    #1136436
    newbee
    Member

    Also, do some people feel nothing at all and only relate to mitzvos out of a sense of intellect or obligation?

    #1136437

    to feel this high level of closeness to Hashem it takes many years of work. to give you a few examples to help you understand:

    1)Becoming a Baal Betuchen & Emuna (Faith & trust) is no simple matter. A person can’t just say, let me have faith in hashem, it is a long & Difficult journey. Becoming a person of Betuchen & Emuna in Hashem is an average of a 30 year journey minimum. (not from when your born, but from when the journey starts) Do you know what these 30 years are? Only the first 10 percent of the journey is learning every mussar sefer in the world, the other 90 percent of the journey is passing every single Nisayon (test) with Ahava (love) etc… , from accidents to robberies to deaths Chas V’Shalom etc… A true person of Faith knows the mishna in pirkei Avos that says the good & bad is all for the good every minute of the day , 24-7. Every Nisayon that a person gets from Hashem & passes, brings him closer & closer to Hashem & every test that a person experiences gets harder & harder, but a person can never ask Hashem why something bad is happening, because we all know that if a person was not able to pass a test then Hashem would never give it to him. Nothing in the world will effect a person of Bitachon, no matter what happens, cause he knows that everything Hashem does is for the good. Do you know what the reward for being a person of Faith & trust is? The reward is worth more then all the money in the world, the reward is the gift of Happiness, you get to be the happiest person in the world cause nothing in the world will effect you. Now can you tell me a better reward then that?.

    2)FASTING: it takes many years to fast with truth & feeling: what’s the reason for fasting what do all fasts have in common? ????? & ?????? (mourning) look at us today we all look at our clocks 5 hours left 4 hours etc… the last 20 minutes we all stand at the clock with our cup of water . Just like it says in the beginning of ????? ????? Hashem said to him, all of your days set aside for fasting are FRAUDS i don’t want anything to do with them. Its TRUE its all FRAUD we don’t mean it or feel it when we fast. we fast because we were told to fast. Whats the use in fasting if you’re not going to feel it? 10% of the reason is because the ????? said to fast the other 90% is why they said to fast, we do the 10 % if you don’t feel it, not that its no use in fasting its already an embarrassment to the fast (itself) if you’d/we’d really want Hashem to forgive you/us for your/our sins you/we would not look at the clock on ??? ????? for that 25 minute break -between Musaf & Mincha-to come up & if you had it you would say some ????? .If you/we really felt bad for the ??? ????? you/we would not look at the clock on ???? ??? when ???? is so you/we can go back to sitting on a couch.

    BOTTOM LINE: on any midah a person needs to fix. some of them take 5 years to fix & remove from a person others are much harder & can take even 30 years

    Hatzlacha

    #1136438
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    newbee,

    So not one person can actually describe what it feels like to come into contact with God and what a personal relationship feels like?

    Perhaps it’s not an issue of ability, but rather willingness, since you are asking a rather personal question.

    Instead lets have another 5 thousand conversations about cholov yisroel, talking in shule and shidduchim.

    Note that the CR is not full of threads discussing people’s feelings and experiences regarding their relationships with their spouses either. It’s too personal.

    #1136439
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    newbee,

    Also, do some people feel nothing at all and only relate to mitzvos out of a sense of intellect or obligation?

    Sometimes. I tend to have varying degrees of experience in my relationship with Hashem.

    Once on Yom Kippur during Mussaf, when the kohanim began their bracha, I sensed an intense energy radiating from their hands, somewhat like the feeling of direct sunlight on my face when my eyes are closed. Although there were no physical sensations, I would have feared to look directly at the kohanim had I tried to. Emotionally I felt very protected. Other times I do not feel anything special during bircas kohanim.

    Once I was davening very intently for the success of something I was trying to accomplish, and if I was successful, it would have helped me Jewishly, so I thought Hashem would surely help me. Instead, events seemed to conspire to thwart me at every turn, and I was ultimately unsuccessful. I felt dejected and rejected. Several months later, however, a new opportunity came up that was far better than what I was previously trying to accomplish. Had I been successful previously, the new opportunity would never have come up. I once again felt very protected. Other times I have a more difficult time seeing the good in disappointments or frustrations.

    Sometimes when I am learning Torah I get a sense of awe that what I am dealing with is not of human origin, but is in fact Divine. Other times, while intellectually aware of that fact, I don’t attain the sense of awe.

    I have been slowly learning that kavannah is important, not just in davening, but in everything that I do.

    #1136440
    newbee
    Member

    Avram in MD: Thanks your second post was very interesting to read.

    “When I am learning Torah I get a sense of awe that what I am dealing with is not of human origin, but is in fact Divine.”

    I can certainly second this 100%. This always happens when I learn Torah, it is obvious to me I am learning something holy originating from God especially when I delve in to it.

    Though I never feel anything during birchas kohanim. Not once.

    Regarding the too personal point you made: the posters are anonymous and there are many many threads here about relationships with family members.

    I think a lack of dialog regarding the actual relationship with Hashem is strange and troublesome. How can we love Hashem with all of our heart, soul and might and never talk about this relationship. If it is purely a traditional, rational or habitual approach, how can you be mekayem that mitzvah?

    #1136442

    I think a lack of dialog regarding the actual relationship with Hashem is strange and troublesome.

    You are confusing lack of dialog in the CR forum with lack of dialog between people. You may also be underestimating how your tone affects people’s willingness to share such personal information. This is definitely a great topic and I would not be quick to assume it isn’t discussed between people in real life.

    #1136443
    newbee
    Member

    YW Moderator-29: Thats an interesting point about people discussing it in real-life. I dont generally see this and it is usually a subtle thing known but not discussed. But its very possible others do discuss it. If you look at my OP, its very non-intimidating and any such tone you mentioned is completely unintentional.

    As I said in the OP, “I know this is a very personal question and appreciate any answers.”

    #1136444

    I’m sorry if I implied intimidating, I felt it was somewhat academic. But either way, as Avram pointed out well, you seemed frustrated with the lack of response and almost annoyed. I do think it is an excellent question and topic and I think it will trigger responses in people whether they choose to post them or not. Thank you for bringing it up.

    #1136445
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    newbee,

    I dont generally see this and it is usually a subtle thing known but not discussed. But its very possible others do discuss it.

    For me personally, I discuss how I feel Hashem’s presence extensively with my wife, rarely with my Rav, and pretty much never with anyone else (except my post above, and even there I described things vaguely and briefly).

    #1136446
    newbee
    Member

    I was very frustrated by the lack of responses you are right. How something that is this meaningful to me and fundamental is rarely spoken about and hard to get others to speak about.

    “I think it will trigger responses in people whether they choose to post them or not.”

    I hope so, thanks. A the end of the day I think it is a personal relationship with Hashem that keeps people frum and brings in bale teshuva. Not intellectual arguments, academic learning or habitual practice. Those are necessary of course, to have a rational foundation, but its not the ikar.

    #1136447

    So true and so well expressed. If people felt the presence of Gd they would feel loved and protected and would rather be there than anywhere. I wish I could bottle it and pass it out for free.

    To throw my two cents in I will tell you an experience I had. I was davening hard for some difficult situations to be improved. I wasn’t sure what to do or if my efforts were causing more harm than good. The next morning one of my married children stopped by and made a comment about himself that gave me direct insight into some questions I was asking the day before. It didn’t solve any of the problems, but it let me know that things may not be as they seem. This brought me tremendous relief and I felt like Hashem was physically putting an arm around me and telling me that He’s with me on this.

    #1136448
    Little Froggie
    Participant

    Mods have feelings?!?!? Whew!!! (and the mod assoc let that through!!)

    WOW!! That we have lived to this day to actually see that!!!!

    (next thing I know, one will slip and comment something to the effect he/she eats, drinks, has a life, family….)

    #1136449
    BarryLS1
    Participant

    newbee: Touching the Kotel for the first time, you certainly feel Hashem’s presence. I felt it even stronger when we went on the tunnel tour at the Kotel. This overwhelming feeling comes over you. The tour guide then told us that we were at the closest place to the Kodesh Kedoshim possible.

    #1136450
    balanceisthekey
    Participant

    Yasher koach again newbee for leading this amazingly beautiful and truthful thread. I think your sentiment about this topic being most fundamental to Judaism/life and yet most ignored is pretty much hitting on the Ramchal’s laments in the intro to Mesillas Yesharim, ayin sham. Its definitely not a new problem, and it didnt start from him either–probably since the very beginning of religion!

    #1136451
    newbee
    Member

    Thanks for sharing these experiences, I can certainly relate to them. I used to keep a journal whenever these sorts of things happened. And months later when going through hard times I would read them to remind myself. Because thats what the yetzer does, it tries to make you forget.

    I find its much easier to experience the shechina over shabbos. Everything is more powerful and multiplied on shabbos as if there is a closer connection. That said, have a great shabbos.

    #1136452
    dnetsk
    Member

    Think about him at length.

    #1136453
    147
    Participant

    How Do You Feel the Presence of God? By eradicating every single cell phone from every Shul in the universe, just as Bloomberg works on eradicating every single gun from the USA, and just as de Blasio now wishes to eradicate every crane from NYC.

    #1136454
    yourfriend
    Participant

    thank you newbee for the raising the discussion. you have said very clearly that you are interested in hearing our feelings when connecting with Hashem. however i feel that it is important to bring to your attention the following point. we are not supposed to trust our feelings entirely. although they can be excellent for motivation and other tools, we are to make our decision on logic. this point is brought up in numerous sefarim.

    and personally when i connect to Hashem, i sometimes feel absolutely nothing. ans sometimes i feel on top of the world. and sometimes in between. i hope this post helps you somewhat

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