Prayer begins and ends with words. In the middle there are all kinds of things, but at it's root prayer is about words. The Maor Eynayim explains on parashath Beshalach that the goal of man is to perfect our seven middoth. (
hesed-giving,
gevurah-withholding,
tifferet-beautifying,
netzah-overcoming,
hod-thanking,
yesod-connecting,
malchut-speaking) He quotes the Baal Shem Tov saying the goal of prayer (which I would say is the height of man) is putting these middoth into the words of our prayer. The essence of prayer is putting everything we have into it. Complete expression of all our yearning for God.
This all goes back to my post about
arks and houses and prayer and learning. As long as our prayers are not yet completed vessels that bear all of our essence we still have a ways to go.
However, the Baal Shem Tov explains, that even if we don't have the ability to intend all of the appropriate intentions and
kavanoth still by pouring our essence, all of our effort, into our prayers, the unifications happen of themselves in the upper worlds and God opens the doors for us anyways, to receive all of our blessings directly from him.
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