The Kotzker Rebbe: Prayer Like a Bow and Arrow

Prayer is like a bow and arrow. The closer you draw it to your heart the farther it will go.

Attribution printed on the image: Rebbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk

A reflection on the teaching

A bow gives the saying a memorable image for heartfelt tefillah. Drawing prayer closer to the heart can mean pausing long enough to know what we are asking and whom we are addressing. We do not need dramatic emotion for every word. One sincerely attended phrase can be a meaningful beginning. Before a tefillah you tend to rush, choose a short passage and think about its meaning. The image's language about distance is a metaphor for sincerity, not a promise that a particular request will receive the outcome we want.

Source note: The attribution above is transcribed from the image. The exact source and English wording have not been independently verified.