Do you think about H-shem?

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  • #597450
    BSD
    Member

    It says shivisi H-shem Linegdi Tumid Zeh Klal Gadol BaTorah-One should constantly be cognizant of H-shem-on a steady basis-this is a fundamental principal in the Torah- not some middas chassidus. Evidently this is attainable or it would not be expected of us. How does one achieve this? Is it rewarding or burdensome? Is it something we do because we must or could it be liberating?

    #778702
    WolfishMusings
    Participant

    One should constantly be cognizant of H-shem-on a steady basis-this is a fundamental principal in the Torah- not some middas chassidus.

    Fail.

    I do not think about HKBH when I sleep.

    Furthermore, I’d be lying if I said that I thought about Him during every waking moment or even the majority of waking moments.

    An example* of when I do think about Him is when I come to morally ambiguous situations. At those times I do think about Him and His Torah and what (I believe) is expected of me by Him. But for routine things (such as while I’m writing database code at work), I simply don’t. Heck, I’d even be lying if I said that I thought about HKBH 100% of the time I’m involved in limmud Torah.

    Consider it another failing on my part.

    The Wolf

    * No, it’s not the only example.

    #778703
    gefen
    Participant

    wow – this should be interesting. honestly i guess i don’t think about Hashem 24/7. i know that sounds terrible but we get so caught up in our lives. i wish i could be on such a madragah. i mean i think about Him a lot but i don’t know that it’s ALL THE TIME as it should be. but i think now i will make more of an effort.

    can’t wait to hear from the others on the cr.

    #778704
    2qwerty
    Participant

    There is a Rashi that basically says tamid doesn’t mean constantly but on constant basis.

    When you get to schacharis on time and you get a good feeling that Hashem is helping you do the right thing. When you see a nice view and you are thinking this world is so beautiful wow what a miracle it is. Or in the middle of the day you just start asking Hashem for help, in your own words just talking to Hashem.

    I think all 3 examples would qualify because even when you are not thinking of Hashem but of His actions or His creations, I think that is the main point.

    #778705
    wanderingchana
    Participant

    I say B”H every time I get a good parking spot.

    #778706
    mamashtakah
    Member

    BSD, may I ask why you wrote H-shem instead of Hashem?

    #778707
    BSD
    Member

    Wolf-“I’d even be lying if I said that I thought about HKBH 100% of the time I’m involved in limmud Torah.”

    Sadly I have the same issue-not only by learning but ironically even by davening. So what do you propose to rectify this?

    gefen-“but i think now i will make more of an effort.”

    Any suggestion?

    2qwerty- “Or in the middle of the day you just start asking Hashem for help, in your own words just talking to Hashem.”

    That’s a beautiful post-thank you! I am convinced that you are a R’ Avigdor Miller fan (as am I) But this line in particular helps me tremendously (when I remind myself to do it-which is not often enough) R’ AM says that before you do anything-even small daily chores,i.e if you need to go to the grocery store, you should ask Hashem to get you there safely, and when you arrive, thank Hashem for it. Often when I do this I feel overwhelmed with warmth and love for Hashem. I feel connected, watched over, taken care of by the all powerful loving creator. It is amazing, and when I am in the mode of doing it, I can do it all day long(and be mekayim “tumid” to some degree), and I feel great. It is not a burden( to answer my own question) it is liberating. However I don’t do it often enough and it does not always work.

    wanderingchana-“I say B”H every time I get a good parking spot.”

    You must live in BP-in which case I would make a shehecheyanu:)

    mamashtakah- “BSD, may I ask why you wrote H-shem instead of Hashem?”

    IDK-I suppose I must have seen it that way. Also people write G-d though there may be a difference. Either way, I did teshuvah as you can see from this post:)

    #778708
    wanderingchana
    Participant

    LOL… I don’t, but if I did and I got a good parking spot, I’d probably want to say shehechyanu too!

    #778709
    aries2756
    Participant

    It also says “da lifnei mi atah omen”.

    Yes I think about those two psukim very often and I do have that concept on my mind constantly. In addition I wonder how most people don’t. Like when they cheat, lie, steal or even more so molest or hurt other people. Do they honestly believe Hashem doesn’t see?

    #778710
    BSD
    Member

    “Yes I think about those two psukim very often and I do have that concept on my mind constantly.”

    I think you are part of a minority that actually do so-Is it something you have to work on or does it come naturally?

    “In addition I wonder how most people don’t. Like when they cheat, lie, steal or even more so molest or hurt other people. Do they honestly believe Hashem doesn’t see?”

    I wonder about that too, but I think ppl convince themselves that they’re not only not doing an aveirah, they’re doing a mitzvah- it’s lisheim shamayim. The Kotzker once said that the biggest aveirus are done “Lisheim shameim”

    #778711
    ☕️coffee addict
    Participant

    Who? (jk)

    #778712
    ItcheSrulik
    Member

    AFAIK it doesn’t mean to be actively thinking about Hashem every waking and sleeping moment. It means not to be “mesiach daas” like tefillin. You’re concentrating on davening, or learning, or waiting for the mohel to show up, but in the periphery you know you’re wearing tefillin. It’s the same thing with all the 6 mitzvos temidios. In the periphery you know Hashem is the only God, but you’re still free to think about other things. That in itself is a high madrega that takes a lifetime of effort but nowhere near as impossible as the OP’s understanding.

    #778713
    hanib
    Participant

    i try to learn chovos halevavos.

    but, i’d like to be on the level of aries and think about Hashem most of the time and have those pesukim in my mind all of the time.

    #778714

    mamashtaka – also thank hashem when i get a good parking spot.. i also always ask hashem to find a parking spot for me and most of the time b’chasdei hashem i do actually actually find a good one!!

    #778715
    brotherofurs
    Participant

    i really try to.. now i’m working on Rabbbi Avigdor Miller’s 10 steps to greatness-it’s great and really helps!!

    #778716
    aries2756
    Participant

    BSD, I believe it is something that happens through life as you experience different things and you see different things. When you are young and you “think” that this or that is the most important things in life. And then things happen and Hashem truly shows you who is in charge, and you realize that those things were so superficial. These things happen through simchas and through loss. Or as we age and we see tragedy in the world and we also see miracles. The more life we experience we just see “yad Hashem” more and more. The more I work doing “chesed” and helping people, the more I see how Hashem directs me and puts people in my path. The more you experience Hashem’s presence and Hashem’s nissim or his ma’asim you develop a sense of Hashem being with you all the time. If that is the case then you know that you are always standing before Hashem. And when you do, it is also hard to understand how others don’t. Do you understand what I am saying?

    I also believe that women are more in tune than men because of all our private mitzvos. We all understand that there is always temptations. Who doesn’t want an nice cold delicious Ice cream on a hot summer night? But Just as you are about to take it out of the freezer you remember you had fleishigs for supper. Who will know, no one is around, no one sees, no one is watching or are they? What is keeping you from eating the ice cream before the six hours. Well we stand before the King. We know Hashem is watching, we either pass the test or fail. Women have our private mitzvos for taharas mishpacha. Who knows, who watches, no one but the woman. But that is not true because Hashem knows. If we don’t believe that, then the whole premise of taharas mishpacha is really and truly on shaky ground. Because if women were not sensitive to the fact that we stand before the King always, and we KNOW who we stand before, there would be a lot of cheaters.

    #778717
    BSD
    Member

    JOLLY RANCHER- mamashtaka – also thank hashem when i get a good parking spot.. i also always ask hashem to find a parking spot for me and most of the time b’chasdei hashem i do actually actually find a good one!!

    aries-“The more life we experience we just see “yad Hashem” more and more.”

    From R’ Fischel Sachter- a guy kept circling around the block looking for a parking spot. Finally he davened to Hashem to please help him find a spot. Just then some one pulled out of a spot right in front of him. The man turned his eyes to heaven and said never mind Hashem, I already found one.

    I guess you have to want to see it!

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