Realy good video on the meaning of Prayer

[Ganzo]

So I know that a lot of people here are not religious, so this video is probably not something that would interest you. For those who want to look at this though, it is an amazing video lecture on what a prayer is. It is presented from the Chasidic Judaism prospective but really does not pertain to any specific religion. Check it out

http://www.torahcafe.com/rabbi-shmuel-b ... e9e0d.html

Please don't turn this into a discussion about how religion is stupid

[Menelvir]

Watching it, I can't help but feel like I'm being spoken down to, possibly because I'm too stupid or ignorant to reach certain conclusions on my own merits.

It doesn't help that the lecture is sprinkled with phrases in Hebrew, and numerous references to Judaic tradition and/or history, which enhances my feeling of stupidity, because I have no reference point for them. At that point, I literally have no idea what he's talking about.

But it seems to me this is standard operating procedure for religions institutions -- stupid masses need to receive the godspell (literally, "good story") through the teachings of a learned few who have access to it in a way that commonfolk do not.

It is a one-sided event -- even when the speaker asks questions (e.g. "which is closer to me, the man or the phone", which struck me as a rather blatantly obvious semantic trick) it isn't really a conversation -- he's only interested in hearing the trivial answer ("the phone") so that he can then rebut that common sense answer. This privileges his revelatory exposition and brings the audience closer to an understanding of Truth.

I prefer genuine dialogue or the dialectic.

I did rather like his references to "I am prayer", "state of prayer", which reminded me a little of Zazen.

But on the whole it was a little too metaphorical, the manner of speech a bit too preachy, for me to watch it in its entirety. Thanks for sharing, though.

[Ganzo]

I can see what you are saying, he is using a ton of terminology that is internal. Quick reference:

Torah = Five books of Moses from Old Testament.
Tanakh = Old Testament
Zohar = Kaballah (commentary on Tanakh)
Rebbe = The last Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson (1902-1992)
Alter Rebe = Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812), the founder of Chabad (Lubavitcher) Chassidism
Baal Shem Tov = Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer (1698-1760) the founder of Chassidic Judaism
Tanya = Alter Rebe's book of Torah and Kaballah's psychology, philosophy and theology is simple terms for everyone.
Hashem = (The Name) = God
Daven/Davening/Tefila = Prayer/Praying
Brocha = Blessing

Other than than, it is a lecture not a dialogue so the questions are not meant to be answered by the audience, but are means to provide examples. I don't feel spoken down to, so not sure where you see it. Overall though most Chassidic lectures will be full of metaphors and anecdotes, so I see what you mean.

[Menelvir]

Well thanks for trying to explain and clarify. It probably won't ever have a connection for me personally that it does for people already in that faith -- that sense of awareness alluded to in the sermon is about as close as I get -- but if it provides a bit of understanding, then that is one of the few things that I hold to be a greater good.

As useful and as important as language is, it can sometimes be an awfully crude tool to try to convey an understanding from one mind to another.