לדוד מזמור מלמד ששרתה עליו שכינה ואחר כך אמר שירה מזמור לדוד מלמד שאמר שירה ואחר כך שרתה עליו שכינה
If a psalm begins: Of David a psalm, this teaches that the Divine Presence rested upon him first and afterward he recited the song. However, if a psalm opens with: A psalm of David, this teaches that he first recited the song, and afterward the Divine Presence rested upon him.
What do you think this source teaches us about spirituality?
What do you think this teaches us about music, singing, and proactive actions in relation to religious experience?
Do you think there is a connection between spirituality and music?
(ג) אֲנִ֤י לְדוֹדִי֙ וְדוֹדִ֣י לִ֔י...
(3) I am my beloved’s And my beloved is mine...
Do you feel beloved by G-d? Introspection, not necessarily discussion- Think: why or why not? Do you want to strive to develop your relationship with G-d?
אֲנִי לְדוֹדִי וְגוֹ' רוֹמֵז לִתְפִלָּה, שֶׁהִיא רִנַּת דּוֹדִים.
"I am my Beloved's etc." alludes to prayer, for prayer is the song of love. "
A quick note by Rabbi Weil from YUTorah on Tefilah as a vital component of spirituality:
Tefilah is derived from the reflexive form of [the] shoresh [lehitpallel] so it literally means to judge oneself. This seems to imply that tefillah is really for us. Self-evaluation and begging are very different enterprises with the former being a much more arduous, intellectual and constructive activity. Authentic Jewish prayer requires one to take a long, hard and honest look at himself in the shadow of God’s Presence where nothing can be hidden or denied. Have I been living up to my potential? Have I used the gifts that God has given me properly? Are there things that should be more important to me or less important to me?
What are your thoughts on Rabbi Weil's idea?
Does this change your perspective on Tefillah?
Why do I sing? I sing to open up. I sing to share. I sing to discover who I am. I sing to discover who I want to be. I sing to transcend my body. I sing to expand out the boundaries of my emotions, to feel more, to be more. To grow. To fly. I sing to tell the story of what I've learned, and to ask others to share their stories with me. I sing to feel. I sing to love.
Understanding the voice and the psychology of singing is fascinating... But in the stillness, when my voice and I share a moment, it's the joy, rather than the knowledge, that leads me on. It's the mystery of this wild, wonderful gift—the "why" of it all—that brings tears to my eyes, and makes me remember what the journey, of singing and of living, is all about.
Do you think this concept applies to Tefilla?
How does this connect to your relationship with Hashem?
(ז) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל אַל־תַּבֵּ֧ט אֶל־מַרְאֵ֛הוּ וְאֶל־גְּבֹ֥הַּ קוֹמָת֖וֹ... כִּ֣י ׀ לֹ֗א אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִרְאֶה֙ הָאָדָ֔ם כִּ֤י הָֽאָדָם֙ יִרְאֶ֣ה לַעֵינַ֔יִם וַיהוָ֖ה יִרְאֶ֥ה לַלֵּבָֽב׃
(7) But the LORD said to Samuel, “Pay no attention to his appearance or his stature... For not as man sees [does the LORD see]; man sees only what is visible, but the LORD sees into the heart.”
What do you think this implies about one’s relationship with people compared to the relationship between man and G-d?
What do you think this means in terms of your spiritual position in life?
(15) Now then, get me a musician.” As the musician played, the hand of the LORD came upon him...
The Gemara adds: Incidentally, this serves to teach you that the Divine Presence rests upon an individual neither from an atmosphere of sadness, nor from an atmosphere of laziness, nor from an atmosphere of laughter, nor from an atmosphere of frivolity, nor from an atmosphere of idle conversation, nor from an atmosphere of idle chatter, but rather from an atmosphere imbued with the joy of a mitzvah. As it is stated with regard to Elisha, after he became angry at the king of Israel, his prophetic spirit left him until he requested: “But now bring me a musician; and it came to pass when the musician played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him” (II Kings 3:15).
This source teaches us that Elisha needed music to cheer him up in order to receive prophecy.
What do you think this implies about the nature of spiritual growth?
Discuss other catalysts for improving one's relationship with G-d.
כי הא דרבה מקמי דפתח להו לרבנן אמר מילתא דבדיחותא ובדחו רבנן ולבסוף יתיב באימתא ופתח בשמעתא
The Gemara adds: That explanation is like that practice of Rabba’s. Before he began teaching halakha to the Sages, he would say some humorous comment, and the Sages would be cheered. Ultimately, he sat in trepidation and began teaching the halakha.
(ו) וּמָ֨ל יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ אֶת־לְבָבְךָ֖ וְאֶת־לְבַ֣ב זַרְעֶ֑ךָ לְאַהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֥ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ לְמַ֥עַן חַיֶּֽיךָ׃