The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 5) rules that when reciting Hashem’s name of Yud Keh Vav Keh one should have Kavannah that Hashem is Master of All, and that He Was, Is, and Will Be. The Shulchan Aruch also rules (ibid.) that when reciting the name “Elokim” one should have Kavannah that Hashem is Strong, Powerful, and Omnipotent (i.e., Creator of all and the Force that causes all to continue to exist). It may be difficult to have this level of Kavannah in the hundreds of times a day that we recite Hashem’s names in Brachos (with at least two Shaimos per Bracha!). The Aishel Avrohom provides a Nusach which we provide by the following link --http://tinyurl.com/d4vlc9 - for a person to recite every morning before Shacharis, in which you indicate that your Kavannah, every time that you recite the nameof Yud Keh Vav Keh and Elokim, is as required by the Shulchan Aruch. The Sefer Afikei Yom (brought in the Sefer Piskei Teshuvos to Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim1:5) provides a similar Nusach. HaRav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, Z’tl, (Halichos Shlomo Tefillah 1:3) rules that one can rely on this Nusach (provided that when reciting Hashem’s Name one’s Kavannah still is that Hashem is the Master of the Universe in general). The Nusach however, will not work for the first Pasuk of Shema and the first Bracha of Shemone Esrei, where the specific Kavana is required. While by no means a cure-all, this would appear to be a good place to start to show your desire and intent to express Hashem’s Names with the proper meaning and respect. There is also a wonderful Siddur, available in Nusach Ashkenaz and Sefard, entitled Siddur Kavanas Hashem, in which each name of Hashem throughout the davening has the appropriate, easy to read Kavannah (as set forth above) next to Hashem’s name for you to glance at while reciting the Name. If it is time for a new Siddur to re-energize your Tefillos, perhaps ask to see this one at your local seforim store.
There is a related issue with respect to the Kavannah in answering Amen, where, in addition to expressing your belief that Hashem is the Trustworthy King and that you believe what you heard, specific Kavannah to the particular Bracha you are responding to is also required (and, in the case of a Bracha relating to a request in the middle of Shemone Esrei, or when answering Amen within Kaddish, also having in mind, as well, a prayer that Hashem grant that specific request). See Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 124:6 and Mishne Berurah there. On the very same link we provided above, at the bottom of the page, we provide an excerpt from the Sefer Shevet Mussar relating to one’s Amen response that one can recite daily before Shacharis. Once again, this is not a panacea. However, it is certainly a starting point for one to recognize at the outset of each day that he must focus a bit more on the Holy and Powerful Amen Response. If the actual recitation of the short Nusach itself also accomplishes something in the Heavens above towards one’s Amen’s Response, one has benefited supernally in this way as well!
Special Note: Rabbi Zelig Pliskin, Shlita, provides the following essential insight into daily life: “What you talk about and how you speak to others reflects on your entire personality. If you cause pain to others with your words, you are less of a person because of that. By transgressing the laws of Ona’as Devorim, you are lowering your own spiritual level. On the other hand, when you utilize your power of speech to help other people and to raise them up, you are raising your own spiritual level. Simply stated, you become more elevated by elevating others with your power of speech. Anyone who internalizes this concept will concomitantly avoid Ona’as Devorim, and elevate himself to a higher spiritual plane not previously attainable.” See The Power of Words by Rabbi Pliskin, page 286.
Today, let us feel the spiritual elevation not only by what we don’t say, but by what we do say!
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Important Numbers
