DEUT498 "The Torah says:' Love Adonai your God and serve God with all your heart' [this verse]. How does one serve God with one's heart? You must say, by prayer" (Taan. 2a). To thus serve God, you don't always need to be in a special place: "When you pray, pray in the synagogue in your city; if you cannot pray in the synagogue in your city, pray in an open field; if you cannot pray in an open field, pray in your house; if you cannot pray in your house, pray in your bed; if you cannot pray aloud in your bed, commune with your heart" (Mid. Pss. 4:9). The outdoors often inspires us. Francie [co-author Frances Weinman Schwartz] recalls focusing on a redwood tree in the Santa Cruz mountains while praying the daily morning service, and feeling an almost palpable sense of God's presence. We have even heard about worship--Minhah, afternoon service--that takes place when the Baltimore Orioles play day games in their home stadium! It is easy to achieve this important ideal: wherever, whenever an urge to pray occurs, act on it. "The congregation of Israel says, 'We are poor; we have no sacrifices to bring as a sin offering.' God replies, 'I need only words,' as Scripture says, 'Take with you words' [Hos. 14:3].