As we read in the Mishnah, the early group of "Hasidim" (pious observers) would pause for a full hour before davening in order to obtain koved rosh, meaning concentration or the appropriate frame of mind.
What helps you obtain koved rosh? What is an impediment to having koved rosh?
Think of the various locations our class has had tefillah this year (outside, the playground, the gym, the office, etc.) Were you able to "connect" in one place but not another? Which location was the most conducive to having full koved rosh? Which was the least?
I connected outside. I was not able to connect in any other place besides there. I had no connection in the building. The most conducive place to have a full koved rosh was Outside and the least was the gym because it did not seem like a good place to pray because we have physical education there.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it was better to pray outside. I also had no connection in the building. I liked praying outside the most also.
DeleteI agree with your point of view and attitude. Because I think that you're right that being outside makes you closer to God than other places.
DeleteI agree, too. I think it is more fun to pray outside. It is also easier to connect to G-d. There is fresh air and we are surrounded by G-d's creations. It is also more open, so we can spread out a lot. We won't be distracted by each other.
DeleteI had the most Kavod Rosh outside, I connected because I felt the nature helped me get into the mood to pray. It was so peaceful. It was different from inside because we were spread out and it was easier to concentrate. I could not concentrat in the gym. I did not because I felt that the gym was a place to play not a place to pray.
ReplyDeleteI agree. It really is peaceful outside!!!
DeleteQuietness helps me obtain koved rosh. Talking impediments my obtaining koved rosh. I was able to connect in one place but not in another. Outside and the office were the most conducive because it was quiet. The gym was the least because it felt like were supposed to do something else there.
ReplyDeleteYou said that you had Koved Rosh in the office, But there was noise there, the same as outside. it was not completly quit.
DeleteAs long as you are focused it is fine to pray there.
DeleteI conected best outside rather than in the office or the gym. The whole time i was in the gym i was thinking of the goose poop on the floor and thinking of gym class, and I could not concentrate. When I was in the office i felt enclosed, trapped, and clostrafobic. It was not right for me. I do not like being in the bait medrash because i feel feel like it's a class and i should worry about praying "right" or something and getting a good grade. I loved being outside because i felt free, i could breath. The way i felt when i was outside was like G-d was truly there, I felt connected to him. I liked it a lot better.
ReplyDeleteI would also worry that there was goose poop on the ground.I liked praying outside because i felt free and closer to god.
DeleteI agree. The gym is so distracting, and the office is small and filled with busy people. The Bait Midrash does feel like a classroom because we always pray there and we are always being lectured about praying "right". If we don't pray "right", then we won't get a good grade. What is "right" for some people may not be "right" for others. We should always pray outside unless it is raining or it is too cold because we will be able to connect better and we won't be able to distract each other easily.
DeleteI agree with everything you are saying! But where else could we pray if for example it was raining outside? Would we have to come back inside and pray? That would stink!
DeleteI was able to connect outside because the wind feels good and so does the air. I feel like i can really connect to God that way.
ReplyDeletei think my whole class should pray outside everyday because it's a great place to be.
I didn't like the gym because we play sports there.
Being with friends helps me obtain koved rosh. I am very happy when I am with my friends, and I connect better with G-d when I am really happy. I like being able to sit with my friends during Tefillah. An impediment to having koved rosh is noise. I cannot concentrate on praying when there is noise. I cannot connect with G-d when I hear people talking around me, or if I hear other noises. I am distracted the most during the Amida. It is so quiet like it is supposed to be, but because it's quiet it's easier to notice all of the background noise. People start talking when they are done the Amida, even though other people are still praying. It can be annoying. I connected the most outside because with all the nature around, it's easy for me to connect to G-d. It's also really quiet because it's so open and background noise is not very noticeable. I concentrated the least in the gym because every little sound echoed. It was so distracting! I hope we get to pray more outside because it's so nice out there.
ReplyDeleteI had a connection when we prayed outside because we were surronded by the things that we were saying thanks for. I didn't like praying in the office because it was noisy and hard to concentrate...it was the place that we shouldn't have prayed in . Being surronded by friends helps me obtain Koved Rosh. An impediment to have koved rosh is being by yourself, or being surronded by people that aren't doing the same as you..
ReplyDeleteI feel kovad roshe when we are out side and seperated and closer to g-d
ReplyDeleteI feel the closest outside in the nature. The nature makes you feel realxed. Every other place is to crowded and loud outside its quiet and not crowded. Outside is the best.
ReplyDeleteI feel connected out side. So I agree with what you wrote.
DeleteQuiet helps me gain koved rosh. The sound of loud speech erases the koved rosh which I gained.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I have the most koved rosh outside. I am able to pray and I pray nice outside. I feel like I have the least koved rosh in the gym. It's just not right to pray in a gym. It's not a place of holiness, it's a place of play.
I think being in a peaceful and quiet environment helps me obtain koved rosh. My impediment to having koved rosh is being in a noisy environment.
ReplyDeleteI was able to connect in one place, but not another. When I prayed outside I think I connected the most with no doubt. I think the place I connected the least was the gym. In the gym there is just too much going on.
That's exactly what I think!!
DeleteMany things help me obtain koved rosh. Including my friends and family and knowing that i'm safe. I just relax and pray. An impediment to having koved rosh would be if were about to be harmed or one of your loved ones was seriously injured or is dieing. I was able to connect to G-d outside and in the gym. I was sort of able to connect to G-d in the gym because in the gym we play basketball, and i love playing basketball. Outside was my favorite place to pray becasuse the cool breeze just brushed against your face. It felt like i was in a whole new world. I felt so relaxed and not bothered. I think we should pray out there as much as possible. The place i felt least connected was in Rabbi Liben's office. I wasn't really concentrated. I couldn't focuse. But i tried and thats what matters.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the type of prayer that we did at TEVA was the right kind for me. We didn't do every single word of every single prayer; we came up with our own translations and prayers. When I pray silently in a quiet room, I can obtain Koved Rosh. But when I'm surrouded with talking people, I can't concentrate or "connect". The one place that I cannot obtain Koved Rosh at all is in the Samost Chapel during the 1st- through- 5th Grade prayers. When a room is too crowded, my mind just wanders.
ReplyDelete