Then, a fire came out from before G-d and consumed the Burnt-Offering and the fat on the altar, while the people watched. They cried out in praise and fell on their faces. (Vayikra 9:24)

Climax of climaxes. This is what it is all about ... what it all comes down to, or, rather, UP to. Life is about being inspired and inspiring. It is about being spiritually, intellectually, and emotionally stirred up to the point that one wants to shout out praise of G-d. Whether it comes from receiving a unexpected bonus on a paycheck, standing atop the highest mountain and beholding a breath-taking view, or, reaching a sublime quiet moment in the midst of prayer -- it is all the same: bursts of excitement meant to be channeled in the direction of G-d.

Praise comes in many different shapes and sizes. It can simply be a "thank G-d," or, it can be an elaborate set of prose like Dovid HaMelech composed. It can just be the way a person acts, when the person acts in a way that reflects the way of G-d, like Pinchas son of Elazar in the Torah. In fact, very little inspires people more than seeing others perform sincere acts of self-sacrifice, and, when those acts are performed for someone else, then, people who see them think highly of the reason for such self-sacrifice.

Now, of course, G-d does NOT need our praise; He needs NOTHING at all. He is perfect, and has more than enough self-confidence and belief in what He does to be above our praise. Just like sacrifices in general, we do it to rectify ourselves and the world, not G-d.

This is the reason for the following remarkable statement:

The Holy One, Blessed is He, was about to make [King] Chizkiah the Moshiach and Sennecheriv [who attacked Jerusalem], Gog and Magog, when the Attribute of Judgment said before The Holy One, Blessed is He, "Master of the Universe! Dovid, the king of Israel, who recited many songs and praises, You did not make Moshiach. Chizkiah, for whom You have performed great miracles, and for which he did NOT recite song, You want to make Moshiach?" (Sanhedrin 94a)

Of all the things that one might guess could stand in the way of Moshiach's arrival, praise of G-d for miracles would not be one of them. And, besides, just because one man forgot to adequately say "thank you" after a great miracle occurred for him, a whole generation -- and the rest of history for that matter -- had to suffer?

Yes, for two reasons. The first reason is because a leader, especially a Jewish leader, is representative of the entire nation, and just as he is inspired by his people, his people are inspired by him. And that is true of a national leader, a community leader, and even a family leader.

Secondly, nothing, historically, ever happens in a vacuum. If Chizkiah missed the marked as far as praising G-d for the miraculous victory of Sennecheriv, then, there was something lacking from his entire generation, which, the Talmud says, was praiseworthy in so many other ways. In fact, they have gone downhill ever since his time.

Still, why is praise of G-d such an important key to redemption, be it national or personal?

Because, if you think of it, very little reveals our own "hisbatlus" -- self-cancellation -- than our ability to praise others. Usually, when we are self-consumed and focussed inwardly, we have difficulty seeing the praiseworthiness of others, and, feel unable to muster the energy to praise them. It is hard to praise others on the "outside" when we live totally on the "inside."

Thus, praising others, and especially G-d, reveals just how much we are able to get out of ourselves and be objective, the goal of life. It is then, and only then, that we can become fitting conduits for the light of G-d, the true goal of life and success of a person.

Reprinted from www.torah.org;