I heard from my Master (the Baal Shem Tov), that a person must strengthen himself before prayer, so that he will have the clarity of mind to at least pray without extraneous thoughts, or [ideally] with devekut.⁵ This can be accomplished by first reciting psalms or studying Torah, which will give one clarity of consciousness. There are some people, however, who will lose their consciousness by reciting too many psalms or studying too much Torah before prayers. This is what is written: “One may do a lot and another a little, as long as their intention is for the sake of Heaven”⁶ 110. – that is, [as long as they intend] to attain the proper consciousness for prayer, they are equal . . . When a person seeks ways to arouse himself in prayer, it is called “male” – masculine consciousness.⁷ On the other hand, sometimes they arouse him from Above, such as when he spontaneously begins to cry [in his prayers]. This is called “woman” – feminine consciousness. Then, G-d forbid, “his prayer will be turned into sin” (Psalms 109:7). The solution is to tremble at the realization that he did not arouse himself in the first place, but needed to be awoken from above; he should cry over the first crying. Then the “female waters” will be converted to “male waters,” and become masculine.⁸ Toldos Yaakov Yosef, Tazria, p. 92a

footnotes: ⁵ Spiritual cleaving to G-d. ⁶ Menachos ⁷ Because the worshiper initiates the relationship with the Divine, he consciousness and the corresponding down flow is considered masculine, as explained above ⁸ That is, by adding more emotion and fervor to the prayers than one receives from Above, one again assumes the role of the initiator, which is masculine, and engenders an outflow of kindness.