Summary

The Jewish people enjoys a special closeness to G'd through our prayers. Whenever we pray we connect with G'd and remind ourselves of our total dependency on Him. Righteous people ask for G'd's mercy for "free" as if they have no merits. Moses prayed 515 times till G'd told him to stop. Every prayer makes a difference and no prayer goes unanswered. In His infinite wisdom, our Loving Father in Heaven sometimes answers that now is not the time, or this is not the place, to give us what we ask for. We must never give up hope and stop praying for our needs and other requests.

Special closeness of Jewish people

A few weeks ago we spoke about how we can change difficult situations through prayer (see Torah Attitude Parashas Balak, July 5, 2012). In this week's parasha, the Torah spells out that although every person has the ability to pray, the Jewish people enjoys a special closeness to G'd through our prayers. As it says (Devarim 4:7): "For which is a great nation, that G'd is close to it, as HASHEM our G'd whenever we call upon Him."

Purpose of prayer

An obvious question arises from this verse. We all know of situations where people prayed and did not achieve what they wanted. However, if we analyze the above verse, it does not say that whenever we pray to G'd He will grant our request. Rather, it says that G'd is close to us when we call upon Him. As we say three times a day in "Ashrei" (Tehillim 145:18): "G'd is close to all who call upon Him." The purpose of prayer is not that we inform G'd of our needs. G'd knows better than we what is good for us, and only He sees the complete picture and decides accordingly. As we mentioned last week, G'd wants to establish a relationship with us, and in order for this to happen, we must remember that He is the ultimate source of all we need. This is the purpose of prayer. Whenever we pray we connect with G'd and remind ourselves of our total dependency on Him. The Hebrew word for prayer, "tefillah", is in fact connected to the Hebrew word for joined and intertwined, "pesil" (see Rashi Bereishis 30:8).

Connect with G'd

This gives us a completely new insight into what prayer is all about. In general, we think that we pray to achieve what we need, and we therefore get frustrated when G'd does not grant what we pray for. In addition, we assume that when our prayers are not answered it is a proof that G'd finds us unworthy. But the Torah teaches us that we pray in order to connect with G'd. This is in itself a great accomplishment, irrelevant of whether our prayers are answered or not. Like any effort we make in life, its success depends on G'd, not on us. The greatest sages have prayed over the years and not been granted what they asked for. Obviously, this does not mean that they were not worthy. Rather, G'd had reasons not to give them what they asked for.

"Free" prayer

In the beginning of this week's parasha, Moses tells the Jewish people how he kept praying to G'd that he be permitted to enter the Holy Land. Moses used the unusual word "Va'Eschanan" to describe his prayers. Our sages explain that this teaches us two lessons. First of all, the word "Va'Eschanan" is connected with the word "chinam" that means "free". This, says Rashi in the name of the Midrash Tanchuma (3), teaches us that righteous people do not ask G'd to grant their request in their many merits. Rather, they ask for G'd's mercy for "free", as if they have no merits.

515 times

Secondly, our sages point out in the Midrash that the numerical value of "Va'Eschanan" is 515, to teach us that Moses prayed 515 times till G'd told him to stop. Since prayer is not to inform G'd of our need but to connect with G'd, there is no such thing as "I have prayed enough".

Every prayer makes a difference

In addition to this, the commentaries explain that no prayer is in vain. Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky, better known as the Steipler Gaon, writes that sometimes a great scholar emerges from a home, where he did not get an education that prepared him for such greatness. This, says the Steipler, came about because his grandmother poured out her heart that she should merit to have a child who is a Torah scholar. Even if her prayer did not have the desired effect on her son, it brought about that her grandson, or later descendant, developed into what she had asked for. Every prayer makes a difference and no prayer goes unanswered.

Not the time or place

Praying is not just an obligation, for which we will be rewarded, it is a privilege. G'd is available 24/7 every single day of the year, and He listens to all of our prayers, even when He has a reason not to grant our request. Someone once complained to Rabbi Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman, the Ponevezher Rav, that he was praying for something, but G'd answered him not. Said the Ponevezher Rav: "My friend, you are mistaken. It is not that G'd answers you not. He answers you 'Not'." Even when G'd does not grant our request, we still connect with Him through our prayer. But in His infinite wisdom, our Loving Father in Heaven answers that now is not the time, or this is not the place, to give us what we ask for.

Never give up hope

We must never give up hope and stop praying for our needs and other requests. Just a few days ago, Jews worldwide observed Tisha B'Av, mourning the destruction of the Temple. Ever since that fateful day, for almost two thousand years, the Jewish people pray at least three times a day for the rebuilding of the Temple. Just like we do not stop praying for our national needs, so every individual should continue to ask for his personal needs.

May G'd be ready

Just as we have complete trust that as soon as G'd finds that the time is ready for the rebuilding of the Temple, it will happen. So too may G'd answer our prayers and grant us our personal requests.

These words were based on a talk given by Rabbi Avraham Kahn, the Rosh Yeshiva and Founder of Yeshivas Keser Torah in Toronto.

These words were based on a talk given by Rabbi Avraham Kahn, the Rosh Yeshiva and Founder of Yeshivas Keser Torah in Toronto.

Shalom. Michael Deverett