Our Gemara on amud aleph discusses the requirement that there be no barriers between the priests and the Temple floor, or their hands with the holy utensils. They must perform the service barefooted, and have direct contact. What is the psychological significance of this requirement?
Rav Hirsch (Shemos 3:5) comments on this in relation to Moshe being told to remove his shoes at the burning bush:
“Understand the high destiny of the ground on which you already find yourself and surrender yourself completely to it. Removing your shoes expresses complete devotion to the significance of a place, allowing one's personality to gain a foothold and position entirely and directly on it and within it.
The priests were only allowed to walk barefoot in the house of rest, and there was no space between the ground and their feet, just as there was no separation between the feet and their hands when handling implements, or between the priestly garments and their bodies.
Everything holy is not a man-made, outward-looking display. Everything has a direct effect on the individual, and the individual must unite directly with the holy and be sanctified by it, if it wishes to serve God.”
Rav Hirsch speaks of shedding constructs and barriers; a mindfulness and surrender to the experience, allowing the spiritual to penetrate. Many people think of kavannah in prayer as paying attention to the words or focus. Surely this is valuable. However, the kavannah that Rav Hirsch is speaking about is allowing the experience of the divine process and location to penetrate, by letting go of the outer or internal man-made distractions.
Often there is correspondence between spiritual truths and emotional truths. When interacting with your family members and your spouse, let go of your barriers, your defenses, and your beliefs that your need to control with man-made constructs. Instead, look at the person and see the person as they are, from the inside out. Do not let your own stuff get in the way.
Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation
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Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, LCSW-R, LMFT, DHL is a psychotherapist who works with high conflict couples and families. He can be reached via email at simchafeuerman@gmail.com