Toldot
Rabbi
Bernard Fox
“And Yitzchak prayed for his wife because she was
barren and Hashem answered him and Rivka his wife conceived.” (Beresheit 25:21)
This
passage is the first instance in which the Torah explicitly makes reference to
prayer. Rivka was childless and
Yitzchak prayed to Hashem and asked that they be given children. This incident clearly illustrates the
efficacy of prayer. However, in
everyday life the effectiveness of prayer is far less evident. So many prayers seem to go unanswered! Must one be a tzaddik like Yitzcahk in order
to merit Hashem’s attention? Can more
common people realistically hope that their prayers will be heard?
In
order to respond to this difficult issue we must begin by analyzing and
correcting two fundamental misunderstandings regarding prayer.
Many
people wonder why Hashem does not answer all of our prayers. After all, Hashem is merciful and He is
omnipotent. He has the power to grant
all of our requests. Since this is the
case, why does He not simply grant any petition that is sincerely
expressed? Remember Tevyah – the poor
dairyman in The Fiddler on the Roof? Tevyah
struggles in his poverty and asks this simple question. Would it interfere with some grand scheme of
the Almighty, if he were a wealthy man?
Tevyah wonders what difference it would make to Hashem if he were
relieved from the burden of his poverty.
Certainly, there is no reason of cosmic importance that dictates that he
should suffer! Why does Hashem not just
grant him wealth? Let us consider
whether Tevyah is asking a valid question.
How
does Tevyah see the world? He sees the
events of this world as an infinite collection of unrelated choices made by the
Almighty. The Almighty made him poor
and the Almighty can make him wealthy.
Certainly, to the Almighty it makes little difference whether Tevyah is
rich or poor. So, Tevyah asks, “Why
does Hashem not make me wealthy?” But
is this world view correct?
Nachmanides
explains that one of the foundations of the Torah is that Hashem performs subtle,
invisible miracles. When we think of
miracles, we often recall the wonders described in the Torah – the splitting of
the Reed Sea, the manna in the desert.
However, Nachmanides explains that these overt wonders represent only a
portion of the miracles that Hashem performs.
Far more common are the less visible subtle miracles that He performs. In
fact, these subtle miracles are fundamental to the Torah. The Torah tells us that we will be blessed
for righteousness and punished for evil.
This assurance is predicated on the assumption that the Almighty
performs these subtle miracles. What is
a blessing? A blessing is some material
benefit that is accrued as a reward for acting righteously. Inherit in this concept is that this material
benefit was not destined to occur. A
blessing is a benefit that is not destined to occur but results from acting
righteously. Nachmanides applies the
same reasoning to punishments. The
Torah describes material punishments that we will experience if we violate Hashem’s
will. These punishments are not
destined to occur. Instead, the
Almighty interferes with destiny in order to punish evil.
Now,
let us analyze Nachmanides comments a little more carefully. Nachmanides asserts that there is a concept
of destiny that normally guides events in this world. Hashem sometimes interferes with this destiny in order to bless
or punish us. But what is this
destiny? Apparently, Nachmanides maintains
that the material world is guided by physical laws. In general, these laws determine events in this world. When Hashem blesses or punishes us, He interferes
with these laws. Nachmanides contention
is that a miracle is a breach in the natural order. If this is so, then every time Hashem bestows a blessing or
punishes us, He is performing a miracle.
We may not be able to see this subtle miracle, but nonetheless it is
there.
It is
notable that Nachmanides maintains that the very concept of a miracle implies
that there is a normal, natural order. There
could not be a concept of miracle, without the complementary concept of natural
law. If there is not natural law, then
what is a miracle? This is because the very
definition of a miracle is a breach in the natural order.
“For when I contemplate Your heavens, the work of
your fingers, the moon, and the stars that you set in place – then what is the
human being that You should have him in mind or mortal man that You should take
note of him.”
(Tehilim 8:4-5)
When Hashem
formed the universe, He created a system of natural laws to guide its activities
and processes. It is His will that
these laws determine events in this world.
He only interferes with these laws in order to bestow a blessing or
carry out a punishment. This means that
Tevyah is quite wrong! Hashem created
the physical laws that have conspired to condemn Tevyah to poverty. Tevyah assumes that the only issue at stake
in his petition is whether he should be rich or poor. This is not the case.
There is something much more profound at stake. Should the laws that Hashem created and
wills to guide events in this world be abrogated? In other words, should Hashem “compromise” His will on behalf of Tevyah? When the question is phrased this way, it is
not as obvious that Hashem should make Tevyah wealthy.
Let us
now relate this to prayer. When we pray
to Hashem, we are asking Him to perform one of His subtle miracles. Someone is sick. We pray for the person’s recovery. We assume that without Hashem’s help this recovery may not
occur. We are asking Hashem to
interfere in the laws He created and wishes to govern the world. Like Tevyah, we are asking for Hashem to “compromise”
His will!
This
raises a question. If every prayer is a
request for a miracle and every miracle represents some “compromise” of Hashem’s
will, then how can we expect any prayer to be answered? In truth, this is the real wonder of
prayer! Although the more common
question is why do prayers seem to go unanswered, the more reasonable question
is why does Hashem ever respond to our petitions? Why should He “compromise” His will for us?
This
idea is expressed by King David in the passage above. Hashem is the creator and master of the entire universe. Yet, Hashem cares for and provides for
humanity. He even suspends the natural
order that He created in order to benefit humanity! How different David’s attitude is from ours. We ask why Hashem
does not answer all of our prayers.
David asks why Hashem should have any concern with our needs!
This
brings us to the second popular misunderstanding regarding prayer. What is a prayer? It is generally assumed that a prayer is a sincere petition and
that the more sincere the supplication, the more likely Hashem will
respond. Based on this understanding of
prayer, it follows that everyone can pray effectively. Anyone can sincerely appeal to Hashem to
satisfy one’s needs. But let us seek a
definition of prayer from the Torah.
A study
of the Torah’s treatment of Avraham provides no instances in which Avraham
overtly prayed to Hashem. However, the
Sages maintain that Avraham did pray and that at least two of his prays are explicitly
recorded in the Torah. In the first
instance Hashem, promises Avraham that He will reward him for his
righteousness. Avraham protests. He has no children. What is the value of the reward Hashem will
bestow upon him, if he does not have offspring? In response, Hashem promises Avraham that he will have children
and his descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the heavens.[1] Our Sages describe this conversation between
Avraham and Hashem as an instance of Avraham praying.[2] But this conversation does not seem to be a
prayer. Instead, it seems that Avraham
is debating with Hashem. Rather than presenting
himself as a supplicant, Avraham seems to challenge Hashem.
There
is another conversation between Hashem and Avraham that our Sages identified as
prayer.[3]
Hashem tells Avraham that He will destroy Sedom. Avraham protests. He
argues that there may be innocents among the people of Sedom. How can the
Hashem destroy the innocent with the wicked?
This is not justice![4] Again, this does not seem to be a
prayer. Instead, Avraham seems to be engaged
in a debate. He argues with Hashem and
urges Him to do justice. Why did our
Sages regard these two instances as examples of prayer?
Clearly,
the Sages did not define prayer as the act of a supplicant petitioning
Hashem. Apparently, prayer need not
even involve supplication. A different
definition of prayer emerges from these examples. In each, Avraham is stating request accompanied by an argument
for granting the request. Apparently,
prayer need not involve supplication but it must include an argument favoring
the granting of the request. Also, in
both instances Avraham offers similar arguments. He contends that Hashem's will will be fulfilled on a higher
level if his request is fulfilled. If Hashem
grants him children, then His promises of reward will far more meaningful. If Hashem spares the innocent in destroying
Sedom, then humanity will recognize Hashem's justice. In other words, we do not emphasize our needs as much as we
express the desire to see Hashem’s will fulfilled in the most complete manner. We petition Hashem by demonstrating our
devotion to Him!
Let us
consider another example of prayer in the Torah. Bnai Yisrael created and worshiped the Egel – the golden
calf. Moshe prayed to Hashem to spare Bnai
Yisrael. What was Moshe’s prayer?
Again, we find that it included an argument. What will the Egyptians say?
They will say that Hashem took Bnai Yisrael out of Egypt just to destroy
them in the wilderness. Moshe argues
that the will of Hashem will be fulfilled on a higher level through sparing
Bnai Yisrael.
Our own
prayers follow this same pattern. Let
us consider the Amidah – the central prayer of the service. We ask Hashem for health, redemption,
forgiveness and so many other blessings.
But in each instance we make an argument. Forgive us because it is Your nature to forgive and forbear. Redeem us because You are a mighty
redeemer. Heal us because You are a
trustworthy healer and merciful. In
each case, we appeal to Hashem to reveal Himself. We do not emphasize ourselves, we emphasize Hashem. In asking Hashem for His help, we are
expressing our devotion to Him.
If we
accept our Sages understanding of prayer, it emerges that it is not as easy as
is imagined to offer sincere prayer.
Yes, it is easy to be sincere in asking for one’s personal needs to be
fulfilled. But it is not as easy to
frame one’s request as an act of devotion to Hashem.
Through
this understanding of prayer we can begin to answer David’s question. We cannot
completely understand Hashem’s concern with humanity. However, a partial explanation emerges. We do not ask Hashem to compromise His will in our behalf. How can we expect Hashem to alter His
universe for us? Instead, we ask Hashem
to act towards fulfilling a higher objective.
We ask Him to interfere with the natural order in order to reveal
Himself.