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| Ezekiel’s Vision (detail & colorized), Bernard Picart, 1693 – 1783. Rijksmuseum |
"And their feet were straight feet;" Ezekiel 1.7
This post is about posture, prayer and an interesting connection with the prophet Ezekiel's vision.
The prophet Ezekiel had astonishing and complex visions, most notably his vision of the throne of God in the first chapter of the Book of Ezekiel. Interestingly, that vision is an inspiration for how ancient Jewish high priests and rabbis have stood during worship for thousands of years.
I have always been quietly impressed by rabbis who stand for hours before the congregation as they lead worship. The High Holiday services are an endurance test, especially for the chief rabbi of an orthodox temple.
Personally, I don't do well in services. You wouldn't think that just sitting and standing was tiresome. You might be surprised.
Jewish practice dictates that a rabbi stands with their feet together during certain prayers to emulate the heavenly angels. This traditional posture is based on several symbolic reasons:
- Imitating the angels -- In the prophet Ezekiel's vision, it describes angels as having "one straight foot". By pressing their feet together so they appear as one, Jews imitate the posture of these purely spiritual beings during prayer.
- Angelic focus -- The pose helps worshippers shed worldly concerns and focus exclusively on God during prayer, just as angels are constantly and completely focused on their divine mission.
- A symbol of powerlessness -- Standing with feet together restricts the body's movement and symbolizes an individual's inability to run or flee from danger. This represents the worshipper's total dependence on God for safety and all other needs.
- Paralyzed locomotion -- This posture makes a person feel vulnerable and humble, reinforcing the idea that one's ability to move and act comes only through divine assistance.
If a worshipper's posture can help them gain a greater dependence on God and a higher spiritual connection, that is a wonderful thing. By the same token, what works for a rabbi doesn't work for everyone. What works for you?
The visions, which Ezekiel received as a prophet in Babylonian exile, served to affirm God's powerful presence and authority, even during a time of national crisis. That is why Ezekiel's message is so relevant today.
The problem is that the visions are challenging to understand, especially for anyone who is not extremely knowledgeable of scriptures, including myself. Fortunately, their are excellent resources and teachers to help one. One example is a book by Amir Tsarfati.
Ezekiel 37:13 (NKJV) -- "Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves".
"God spoke those words to both challenge and encourage Israel at a dark time. Yet as He did so, He gave a strong message of hope for all believers." Amir Tsarfati
