These are prayerful days while we find ourselves in Israel in a more intensified war than the last two and a half  plus years. In one of the local synagogues, we are davening in our lower-level synagogue rather than the new upstairs sanctuary for the sake of safety. Just the same, I’ve been reflecting on a detail of the new synagogue, while anticipating the day when it will be safe to hold the davening there regularly.

In building a synagogue there are many decisions to be made. Among them are the design. Committees and/or individuals involved hire a designer because they want an aesthetically pleasing result. Hopefully the people deciding have vetted the designer and s/he has a proven track record so that likely the results will be satisfying.

There are elements of the design that cross into the spiritual, such as a choice of what quotations that will appear as part of the synagogue’s art work, such as the curtain covering the Ark in which the Torah scrolls are kept.  Many people would agree the choice of the words is important because they affect the religious tone of the sanctuary.

In the building of a synagogue in the community in which my family lives, of which we are members, I participated by trying to offer my ideas regarding design decisions including this one. I think it is important for the phrase to be meaningful. I also think it needs to be easily understood. In the instance of the choice in this particular synagogue, I was concerned about the phrase chosen because I felt that as much as the words are familiar to most people, I believe that their meaning is not.

It turned out that there was little negotiation possible because the people deciding liked the overall design of the curtain, and this phrase was an integral part of it. I thought the choice of the phrase was of greater importance than the design. Further, the phrase chosen was a fragment of a verse from Psalms. From my understanding of the fragment, I was not satisfied that it was adequately meaningful. The Rabbi had no issue with it, so I figured it has his stamp of approval, and it must be good. Meanwhile I was searching for a respected source in writing that explained the words in such a way as to align with the decision to use them.

The words:  “ואני תפילתי לך ה׳”  are part of Psalm 69:14.  What do they mean?

When one might be looking at the lovely designed curtain covering the ark absorbed in thought, it might be transformed into a meaningful moment that could help return one’s focus back to purposeful intention which is the goal of prayer — meaningful communication resulting in connecting to G-d.

I was challenging others regarding the use of those words, not because all words of Torah are not beautiful and meaningful but because I felt the meaning was most likely obscure to many if not most people.

After more than a year of research, I found an understanding that resonates with me. Here’s how Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, ZT”L, translates it, “As for me, may my prayer come to You, L-rd”*.

My husband adds to that translation, suggesting, “may my prayer REACH You, L-rd.”  I find that combining the two: “As for me, may my prayer reach You, L-rd,” results in a satisfying interpretation.

I hope my effort helps others to connect to their purpose as they reflect on the phrase: “ואני תפילתי לך ה׳,” as you may glance at those words in a synagogue where those words happen to appear, or even as you say them as you enter the synagogue to pray or during davening.

In this case, the design of those words is in the image of a flame which as we all know naturally draws up, so may our intentions reach up to HaShem as we turn to Him in prayer.

*The Koren Siddur, page 20, Koren Publishers Jerusalem, 2017

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