הבעל שם טוב ע"ה אמר על מה שאמרו בזוהר (ויחי דרל"ד ע"א, פקודי דרמ"ה ע"ב) שדנין את האדם בכל היכל והיכל ומגרשין אותו מההיכל, פירוש, כי הדיבורים נקרא היכלות שהשכל שורה בהם והאדם המתפלל הוא הולך מאות לאות ומתבה לתבה וכשהוא אינו כדאי מגרשין אותו דהיינו שזורקין לו מחשבה זרה וממילא הוא בחוץ: (לק"א ד"ז ע"ב)
The Baal Shem Tov explained the Zohar’s statement that a person is judged in each palace, and is expelled [if he is unworthy].89Zohar I:234a Words are called “palaces,” for the intellect dwells within them. When a person prays, he goes from letter to letter and from word to word. But if he is unfit, they expel him by hurling distracting thoughts at him, and automatically, he is outside.89R. Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk writes that extraneous thoughts can only enter the mind of a person who is unhappy with his level of worship. He compares this to a peasant who tries to enter the palace of the king. Since he does not belong there, the guards push him out. So too, a person who tries to pray and serve G-d on a higher level than is appropriate for him will be pushed away by foreign thoughts. However, a person who is happy with his level, even if it is not very high, will be able to pray with clarity. Since he is in his place, nothing can push him out. Ibid. p. 7b
הבעל שם טוב ע"ה אמר על מה שאמרו בזוהר (ויחי דרל"ד ע"א, פקודי דרמ"ה ע"ב) שדנין את האדם בכל היכל והיכל ומגרשין אותו מההיכל, פירוש, כי הדיבורים נקרא היכלות שהשכל שורה בהם והאדם המתפלל הוא הולך מאות לאות ומתבה לתבה וכשהוא אינו כדאי מגרשין אותו דהיינו שזורקין לו מחשבה זרה וממילא הוא בחוץ:
(לק"א ד"ז ע"ב)
The Baal Shem Tov explained the Zohar’s statement that a person is judged in each palace, and is expelled [if he is unworthy].89Zohar I:234a Words are called “palaces,” for the intellect dwells within them. When a person prays, he goes from letter to letter and from word to word. But if he is unfit, they expel him by hurling distracting thoughts at him, and automatically, he is outside.89R. Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk writes that extraneous thoughts can only enter the mind of a person who is unhappy with his level of worship. He compares this to a peasant who tries to enter the palace of the king. Since he does not belong there, the guards push him out. So too, a person who tries to pray and serve G-d on a higher level than is appropriate for him will be pushed away by foreign thoughts. However, a person who is happy with his level, even if it is not very high, will be able to pray with clarity. Since he is in his place, nothing can push him out.
Ibid. p. 7b