"A ladder was standing on the ground.1" Prayer is the ladder that connects souls and G-dhood. And although it stands "...on the ground," the start of davening being no more than acknowledgement, yet "its top2 reaches the Heavens"3 - a state of total bitul, self-nullification. But one reaches this level through the prior attainment of comprehension and understanding4 inherent in p'sukei d'zimra,5 in the b'rachot of sh'ma and in sh'ma proper.