In Parshat Beshalach, the Jewish people ask, "Hayesh Hashem birkbeinu im ayin?" (Is Hashem among us or not?) They had just experienced unbelievable miracles in Egypt and at the Red Sea. They witnessed miracles daily in the desert. How did they now doubt Hashem's presence? Why did Amalek come immediately after this incident to attack the Jews? What was the significance of Moshe's hand being held up high during the battle?

Amalek's attack was a reflection of a certain coldness that had set in among the Jews. They didn't feel a connection to Hashem. Surprisingly, it is possible to live a life filled with Torah and mitzvot devoid of consciousness. This is true in the realms of thoughtandofaction. We must stop and ask ourselves, "Are we serving Hashem with feeling? Do we sense Him accompanying us or are we walking alone?"

The Mishna says that during the battle with Amalek, when the Jewish people looked upwards and subjugated their hearts to Hashem, they were victorious. Reaching a level of closeness and oneness with Hashem means serving Him with the mind and the heart. Only then can we win the battle with our evil inclination.

The Netivot Shalom points out that the Jewish people encountered Amalek precisely before they reached Sinai. When we commit to begin growing, Amalek rears his head and says, "Who do you think you are? How can you handle this?" That's the "Hayesh Hashem b'kirbeinu," the doubtful enemy. We have to fight that inner voice.

The Rebbe of Vizhnitz taught, "V'haser satan milfnanei ume'achareinu." When we are inspired to reach for greatness, the Satan begins to question, "You? Look what you just did, look what you are about to do!" We must not let that doubt overtake us.

Rav Wolbe explains that when the people asked, "Hayesh Hashem," they weren't questioning Hashem's existence. They questioned his method of interacting with them. Is it on a level of yesh, somewhat comprehending Hashem, or on a level of ayin, not understanding Him at all?

Rabbi Tatz notes that the hands are the limbs of action and the head is the limb of understanding. When the hands are held higher than the head, we affirm that practice comes before understanding. The Jews said, "Naaseh v'nishma," we will do what is true and right regardless of our inclinations. In contrast, Amalek put his ego first. Moshe dramatically demonstrated with his hands held high above his head that what matters most is action.

Singing to Hashem means living a life dedicated to Him, putting the hands over the head. We must walk with Hashem, and dedicate our mindset to beautifying the mitzvot, feeling connected to Him, and elevating our spiritual, mental, and emotional state to serve Him.

According to Jewish law one cannot buy a davar shelo ba l'olam (something that doesn't exist or is intangible) because there is no gemirat daat (final comittment). If there's no gemirat daat, one cannot make a kinyan (acquisition).

You can't sell something that doesn't exist yet because the buyer doesn't know what he will get.

For example, if a deal is made on next year's crops, the buyer can renege on it. However, once the supplier provides the crops, the transaction is valid because then there is gemirat daat and the kinyan has been finalized. If you buy a field together with the crops of the coming year, the sale is valid because you are acquiring the land that will produce next year's crop.

Similarly, the poskim discuss a case of a cow and its unborn calf. The seller sold the cow along with the calf. By the time it was born, prices had changed and the seller realized he had sold it too cheaply. If there was a kinyan while the calf was in his mother, he can't ask for more money. The price originally agreed upon is binding. However, if there wasn't a kinyan, since it was a davar shelo ba l'olam, the seller can ask for a higher price.

Selling items that are still in a supplier's warehouse is a problem in halacha because the seller doesn't own it yet. There is no gemirat daat. Therefore, the deal is invalid and both sides can demand a different price later on. If the seller personally obligated himself to supply the items, he must do so when they comes into his possession.

Halacha dictates that custom can create gemirat daat. The buyer trusts the seller, even though he can't supply the item right away. Since deals involving future commodities are made all the time, there is gemirat daat and the kinyan is binding.

According to halacha, if you buy a piece of land, the property belongs to you including its airspace above until the heavens. For example, if you bought a courtyard and someone on the third floor above your property wants to build, you may stop him. However, Jewish law teaches that where one person stands to gain and the other one doesn't lose, "Kofin al middot sedom," beit din can force him to allow the person to build. Where there is even a small loss, this principle does not apply and the person who wants to build has to pay for the building rights.

Although the Shulchan Aruch rules that copyrights and trademarks are intangible, the majority of poskim today maintain that you can own a copyright. In certain cases, a person who steals a copyright or trademark is considered a thief. Since trademarks and copyrights are commonly bought and sold, any deal involving these things is valid.

When you know what the assets are but you don't know how much there are, the transaction is valid. If it turns out that there was much less than the buyer anticipated, he can make a claim that he was overcharged. If it turns out to be much more, the seller can claim he undercharged.

The halacha may seem that one who receives a mistaken gift from an inheritance can keep it, because you can only acquire what you know is there. However, with regards to an inheritance, you don't need to make a kinyan. The moment the father dies, there's an automatic transfer of ownership to the sons. Therefore, if a son gives someone a gift from an inheritance, not knowing its true valuable, it must be returned.

The Gemara says that the deeds of Yael and Devora were greater than the women of the tent, the Imahot. Every woman wants a husband who will provide, so she can build with what he gives. Avraham had everything Sarah wanted on a spiritual level. Yitzchak was far more than Rivka ever dreamed of. Yaakov was an ish tam (a perfect person). He was so far removed from everything Lavan represented, that Rachel and Leah wanted nothing more than to take what he provided and build the Jewish people. Although the lives of the Imahot weren't easy, they were only called upon to work within their natures.

Devora and Yael had to contend with far more. Barak demanded that Devora provide him with merit and leadership, something every woman wants from her husband. Yael desired to be a nurturer but ended up having to be a killer. They had to act against their natures as wives and mothers and they did so l'shem shamayim because they saw a picture that was bigger than their individual selves. Sometimes the role a woman thought she would have is not the role Hashem provides her, because he is giving her something greater, not necessarily more comfortable or easier, but more elevated.

All the songs in Tanach are holy. One of the most exalted among them is Shirat Devora. A melody can be sung with harmony. This aspect of song reflects the confluence of life events. All the pieces fit together, which in turn evokes song.

Devora sang, "When vengeance is afflicted upon Israel they dedicate themselves to Hashem." Precisely when circumstances are at the worst, the Jewish people give themselves up to G-d. In times of great suffering, a person's true nobility can shine forth. This is true for the Jewish people throughout history.

When Hashem gave the Torah, all nature stopped in its tracks. Matan Torah showed us that the outer and inner realities of all physical things have one master, Hashem. He had to stop nature in its tracks so we could see that it was a mode of Hashem's expression, not something with inherent power of its own. Hashem's miraculous interventions throughout history all have one beginning point, Matan Torah.

Devora affirms that without the merit of Torah they could not have succeeded in battle. Often, Torah scholars are viewed as lazy, taking the easy way out. On the surface it seems correct but it is not true. Hashem puts us in the world to fight evil. The source of wickedness is in the human heart. The only way to be victorious is to develop a people who have such inherent capacity to be a living example of goodness that they draw down Hashem's protection.

If military success is dependent on Hashem's help, what was the role of the soldiers? The merit of their mesirut nefesh (self-sacrifice) drew blessing from heaven. And the people learning Torah brought merit too. Whatever one's purpose is in being moser nefesh for Klal Yisrael, even if one is not a soldier or Torah scholar, one must do it with all his strength.

Devora ends her shira with, "V'ohavei Hashem kzait hashemesh b'gevurato." (Those who love Hashem are as powerful as the sun in its full strength.) This refers to the farmers in Israel who keep shemitta. Letting go of earning a living for two years requires tremendous faith.

It also refers to a person who is insulted and does not respond. There are people who are above insults. They think, "If this person is right, I'll fix it. If not, it doesn't matter. " But most people are not at that level. When someone says something negative about us, it cuts to the core, it diminishes our Divine image. When a person accepts such complete humiliation with equanimity, he is saying, "Hashem, I'll serve you with my heart, soul, and all my possessions. And if I'm imperfect like this person thinks I am, I'll serve you even more from my place of imperfection with love and perfect faith."

Question:

How can I increase my kavana in tefilah? Can you provide some practical solutions?

Answer:

Create a mental image that speaks to you and use it to guide you through tefillah. I'll suggest one but you can use your own.

Close your eyes and picture yourself as a young child, way before you realized that your parents didn't have much control over events. Imagine your father or mother telling you, "It'll be ok." Take that moment of absolute trust and transfer that feeling to Hashem. Ultimately, He cares for you more than anyone, and only He can give you what you need. Take this image along with you when you start davening.

It's difficult to move from an outside action oriented world to an internal world. Try to concentrate on the meaning of the words. When you say Pisukei D'zimra, draw Hashem's infinity into your heart. When you get to Shemone Esrei, think about Hashem's omnipotence and recognize that only His life force and essence can give you what you need.