Shacharis > Pesukei D’zimra > Hallelukah Ki Tov Zamra
Based on Aish Ha’avodah
Everything in the world, every event, every experience, is nothing more than a physical and experiential manifestation of Hashem’s Will. The more we internalize this truth, the deeper our gratitude and connection to Hashem will be, and the more strength we’ll have to navigate life’s challenges.
The idea that “what you see is what you get” is entirely false in the spiritual reality of our world. In fact, the opposite is true: what we perceive with our senses is merely the outermost layer of a much deeper, Divine reality.
What we see is nothing more than an array of intricate and cleverly designed “costumes” concealing what is truly present—the light of Hashem. Beneath every experience lies a deeper dimension, a physical representation of Hashem’s Will.
In this Hallelukah, we gain a glimpse into how this ‘system’ operates: Hashole’ach imraso aretz ad meheira yarutz devaro —“Who sends His word to the Earth, how swiftly His word runs!” Every physical reality originates as a machshavah, a Divine desire. The existence of our world is driven solely by this Divine will—the will that there be a physical world. This machshavah begins at the highest spiritual realms and then descends through the lower spiritual worlds, developing and taking on increasingly defined forms until it ultimately manifests as the physical reality we experience. This transformation is not a process bound by time; rather, it is an ongoing “spiritual unfolding.” At every moment, everything in the world is both a tangible reality and nothing more than a Divine expression.
Our universe itself reflects this concept beautifully. If we were to zoom out millions of light-years, all of the galaxies would appear as mere floating dust. As we zoom in, more details emerge, revealing increasingly intricate structures, down to the microscopic realities hidden within.
If this Divine expression were to cease—if Hashem withdrew His will for the world’s existence—it would not crumble or explode; it would simply vanish. It would cease to be.
The next passuk gives us a deeper understanding of this reality. “Hanosein sheleg katzomer, k’for k’eifer yifazeir. Mashlich karcho k’fitim, lifnei koraso mi ya’amod? Yishlach devaro v’yamseim, yasheiv rucho yizlu mayim.”
“He gives snow like fleece, He scatters frost like ashes. He hurls ice like crumbs, before His cold, who can stand? He issues His command and it melts them; He sends His wind, and the waters flow.”
This passage vividly illustrates the transformation of water through different states, freezing into snow and ice, then melting back into liquid—which serves as the perfect analogy for the true nature of our reality.
Rain begins as something almost intangible—moist air circulating above the Earth. As it condenses, tiny particles merge into water droplets, which eventually fall as rain. When exposed to cold winds, the droplets freeze into snow or ice. Yet, when we see snow, we don’t say, “Look, frozen water droplets are falling!” Instead, we simply say, “It’s snowing.” Snow and ice appear to be completely different entities from water, yet in essence, they are still water—merely in a different form.
If you removed the water from ice, the ice would cease to exist. If you’d put the ice in a warm environment, its true nature would be revealed, and it would return to water.
The same is true of our world. Beneath the external forms we perceive, everything remains an expression of the Divine Will.
Moment of Mindfulness
Look at this beautiful newsletter and take a moment to trace its journey to its Source. Envision the paper dissolving into tiny particles, spiraling upward toward the Heavens, becoming lighter and less physical. As it ascends into higher spiritual realms, it spreads out, enveloped in and unified with the Oneness of the vast, infinite spiritual realities. Higher still, it becomes more abstract, until it is clear that its very existence was always just the will of Hashem. Now, follow that Divine word back down – Hashole’ach imraso aretz ad meheira yarutz devaro. Watch as it gathers, forming substance and structure, descending through the spiritual realms until it finally solidifies into the tangible newsletter you now hold in your hands.
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 32.