What Should You Picture While Praying?

You can’t picture G-d — so picture the needs of Israel instead, as concretely as you can.

Q. What is one supposed to picture when praying since we may not picture Hashem and since He has no image?

Shalom. When davening, one should concentrate on and picture the needs of Israel, and think of, and even better, to word in any language you want, practical current examples. These could and should be either personal, or even better, national needs or reasons to thank and praise G-d, and to add to the appropriate blessing in the Shmoneh Esreh as you say them. For example: for the freedom of hostages or wounded, for peace in Israel, for the success of the Israeli government and economy, success in learning Torah and decision-making, health for a sick relative, etc. Thanking Him for the State and our relative security, for a good marriage or correct decision, our children, etc.

Even though obviously G-d knows how to run the world, we are supposed to ask Him and thank Him for those things which we think we should want, and what we think He’d like us to want. In addition to strengthening our closeness to G-d, it’s also good for us to make these thoughts as concrete as possible, by first putting them into words, and then, even better, trying to actualizing them as much as we can. Thus, together with G-d, we’ll make the world a better place!   With Love of Israel, Rav Ari Shvat