30 Days of Liberation: Day 27 – Praise the Lord!

Reciting Hallel, a collection of psalms praising God, is one of the Seder’s last acts. Such liturgy begs the question: why does God need our praise? We extol God not for God, but for us. Many of us habitually concentrate on negatives; we complain and criticize much more than we praise. This outlook can lead to self-absorption, miserliness, depression, illness. Praise liturgy invites us to reframe our focus, from seeing the muck of our reality to seeing its miraculous. Through praise we can be happier, healthier, kinder, and more selfless.