Hitbodedut – KABBALAH

 

Hitbodedut

The Traditions

It is taught that one who prays must concentrate his heart…

One must concentrate on the words that leave his lips, depicting the Divine Presence right in front of him, as it is written, “I have placed God before me at all times” (Psalms 16:8). He must arouse his concentration, removing all disturbing thoughts so that his mind and concentration in prayer remain pure…

This was the way of the saints and men of deed. They would meditate (hitboded), concentrating on their prayer until they reached a level where they divested themselves of the physical and were overcome by the spiritual. In this manner, they were able to reach a level close to that of prophecy.

Rabbi Jacob Ben Asher (Legal codifier)

One day a week, separate yourself from all people and meditate (Hitboded) opon God. Bind your thoughts to Him, just as if you were speaking to Him on the Day of Judgment. Speak to God softly, like a slave to his master, or a child to his parent.

Rabbi Isaac Luria (Master Kabbalist)

…When a person meditates, he is clothed with holiness…When one meditates, he is also attached to God, even with regard to his regard to his mundane bodily needs.

Rabbi Chaim Yosef David Azzulai (Sephardic leader and Kabbalist)

One should constantly meditate (hitboded) on the Divine Presence. He should have no other thought in his mind other than his love [of God, seeking that the Divine Presence] should attach itself to him. In his mind he should constantly repeat, “When will I be worthy that the Light of the Divine Presence should dwell within me?”

Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov (Founder of Hasidism)

One must include himself in God’s unity, which is the Imperative Existence. A person cannot be worthy of this, however, unless he nullifies his ego, and it is impossible to accomplish this without meditation (hitbodedut). 

When a person meditates and express his thoughts before God, he can be worthy of nullifying all desires and evil traits, so that he becomes worthy of nullifying his entire physical being, thus becoming included in his Root.

Rabbi Nachman of Breslov (Hasidic Master)

Book: Meditation and the Bible

Author: Aryeh Kaplan

Published by: Red Wheel/Weiser.