Feeling Hashem’s Presence Constantly

By Rabbi Moshe Krieger, Yeshivas Bircas HaTorah

Parshas Vayigash documents the reunion of Yaakov and Yosef. Of note is that the verse (Bereishis 46:29) describes Yosef setting out to meet his father, embracing him, and falling on his shoulders, crying excessively. However, it says nothing about what Yaakov was doing during this extraordinary event. Rashi, apparently noticing this omission, explains that Yaakov was saying the Shema prayer when they met. Many ask why Yosef wasn’t saying Shema as well, if that was the appropriate time for saying it. If it was not the required time, though, why did Yaakov say it?

The Maharal answers that this was not the standard Shema that is read each morning and evening. Rather, he explains, this is the way of tzaddikim: when they experience an exceptional revelation of Hashem, they channel the lofty feelings that arise from it into a special recitation of Shema. All the years of Yaakov’s mourning over Yosef changed into the realization that his son had become viceroy of Egypt during this time, in fulfillment of his nevuah! Therefore, he said Shema, which expresses yichud Hashem—Hashem’s Hand in all that transpires in the world—and also ahavas Hashem, to bring out his great feelings of love for Hashem and appreciation for what He had done for him.

The Maharal explains that tzaddikim constantly seek out ways to strengthen their deveikus to Hashem. Instead of concentrating on his own emotions as a father reuniting with his long-lost son, Yaakov focused on developing a stronger connection to Hashem.

Another dramatic meeting takes place in this Parsha as well: Yosef finally meets Binyamin (Bereishis 45:14). This time, he is not posing as an Egyptian viceroy. Here their behavior seems more understandable—they cry on each other’s shoulders. Yet Rashi explains that these tears were not an emotional response to their years of separation. Yosef was crying for the two Holy Temples in Binyamin’s portion that would in the future be destroyed, and Binyamin cried for the destruction of the Mishkan Shilo in Yosef’s portion. Despite years of separation, the brothers were not concentrating on their own feelings. Why?

Rav Aharon Yehuda Leib Steinman explains that each brother was focused on the spirituality of the other. They were so involved in this search that each one recognized that the other would merit to have the Shechinah dwell in his territory, but would lose it later. This realization brought them to tears. Each brother cried because the other’s great spiritual level would not endure.

This was how Yaakov and his sons lived. Service of Hashem was foremost on their minds, even in the most emotional of circumstances. Granted, this is not the spiritual level at which we live, but we can still strive for it.

How can we relate? HaRav Yerucham Bordiansky, mashgiach of Yeshivas Kol Torah, suggests that the answer is found at the very beginning of the Shulchan Aruch. The Rema states: “‘I have placed Hashem before me always’ (Tehillim 16:8)—this is a fundamental principle of the Torah.” We should always try to keep in mind that we are standing before Hashem. “Placing Hashem before” us always demands more than believing in Hashem’s existence. Many non-Jews believe in G-d, too. We are required to internalize that we are living in His presence at all times, and bring Him into all of our actions.

The Rema states this rule at the very beginning of the Shulchan Aruch apparently in order to teach us that this is the essence of being a Jew. We cannot claim that we have fulfilled the mitzvah of emunah by merely believing in Hashem. A Jew walks with Hashem and lives constantly with the awareness that He is here.

Rav Bordiansky suggests that the first place to start instilling awareness of Hashem’s presence is when we daven Shemoneh Esrei. Rav Chaim of Brisk, the Beis HaLevi, says that while understanding the meaning of the words is required only for the first berachah of Shemoneh Esrei (although one should try to understand and be aware of more or all of it), the essence of the entire prayer is that we are talking to Hashem. One who is not aware that he is talking to Hashem is simply not davening.

We can try to achieve this by pausing just before Shemoneh Esrei to remind ourselves that we are about to enter the presence of the King of all Kings, HaKadosh Baruch Hu, and that He will listen to everything that we will say to Him. Hopefully, reminding ourselves of Hashem’s presence just before davening will set the focus for the entire davening, and from there throughout the day, until we are aware of Him at all times.

It is told that the Beis HaLevi constantly worked very hard on feeling Hashem’s presence. This brought him to a very high level of yiras Shamayim. Although the Beis HaLevi learned with great diligence, his students recalled that he would often go to a corner of the beis midrash and talk to himself. When asked what he was doing, he explained that he was worried that he had committed some sin in thought or word, and he wanted to say vidui for it immediately. They saw this occurrence as often as fifteen times a day. When Hashem’s presence is right before our eyes, we realize that every single action must be perfectly clean of any trace of sin or stray intention.

May we be zocheh to internalize that we are always in Hashem’s presence!

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Rabbi Krieger’s “Gedolei Yisroel on the Parashah & Yamim Tovim” is now available from the Yeshiva office, Jewish bookstores worldwide and can be ordered online at https://www.feldheim.com/gedolei-yisroel-on-Parashah-yamim-tovim-2.