הַצֶּמַח צֶדֶק צִיוָּה אֶת כָּל הַמְלַמְּדִים שֶׁלָּמְדוּ עִם נְכָדָיו הַקְּטַנִּים, אֲשֶׁר, מִלְּבַד לִמּוּדִים הָרְגִילִים, יִלְּמְדוּ עִמָּהֶם פֵּרוּשׁ הַמִּלּוֹת (פֵּרוּשׁ הַפָּשׁוּט) שֶׁל סֵדֶר הַתְּפִלָּה. וּפַעַם בְּחֹדֶשׁ הָיוּ בָּאִים אֶל הַצֶּמַח צֶדֶק לְהִבָּחֵן בַּזֶּה.

The Tzemach Tzedek instructed all the tutors of his young grandchildren that in addition to the regular studies, they should also teach the plain meaning of the words of the prayers. Once a month, the children would come to the Tzemach Tzedek to be tested.

Probing Beneath the Surface

Chassidus strongly encourages meditation upon spiritual concepts before and during prayer and highlights the arousal of spiritual emotions that such meditation ideally evokes. However, this ideal was obviously never intended to divert attention from the foundation upon which one builds his Divine service when praying — an understanding of the simple meaning of the words.1