Description: Kriah 06
She’arim BiTefillah
Kriah 06
The next important step in understanding the power of tefillah, and this particular type of tefillah – kriah, is to now appreciate our obligation to daven for other people. The nekudah, the point we are trying to make about kriah is that it comes from a clarity that Hashem is standing right near us, and we can address Him by His name, and He will hear us, no matter what. If we do understand that, it becomes abundantly clear, how much of an obligation we have to help others through tefillah.
It’s something which comes naturally to every normal person, if you should see someone collapse, lo alainu, in middle of the street, we would immediately rush to that person’s aid. We would try to help them up, see what’s wrong, call for help – whatever we can possibly do! If we see someone suffering from financial strain, different calamities have conspired to make him collapse financially, if we had the money and ability, without question – we would step up to the plate and help them. If we can’t help them, but we have a close friend who is very wealthy, and we have the ability to approach that friend about helping others, we would certainly make the effort to get that person the help they need. How can we stand by and watch them suffer, when there is a way we can assist? That’s the normal reaction of any compassionate person.
The same applies when we see people around us struggling spiritually. If we can help them with their question or their tests, we would do what we can to ease their pain. We would get people who are able to help them involved, as much as the situation allows! We wouldn’t stand by and let them fall.
If so, doesn’t every one of us have a ‘friend’, and better yet, a father, who is more capable than any human can ever be? Don’t we have the ability to call out to Him and ask Him to step in and help? Chazal say this very sharply, כל שאפשר לו לבקש רחמים על חבירו ואינו מבקש נקרא חוטא שנאמר גם אנכי חלילה לי מחטא לה' מחדל להתפלל בעדכם, whoever has the ability to ask for mercy – to daven – for a friend and doesn’t ask, is called a sinner, as it says, this is a pasuk by Shmuel Hanavi, after he chastises Klal Yisrael and Hashem displays His displeasure with them, they are frightened that they will be punished, and Shmuel assures them, Chalilah, Heaven forbid, that I should sin to Hashem, and hold back from davening on your behalf!
If someone doesn’t daven for a friend – what would be the reason for that? Either he has a serious lack of compassion, and although he has the ability to help, he nonetheless turns his back on his friend. Or he doesn’t believe in the power of Hashem – he has a lack of emunah in Hashem, and doesn’t think his tefillos will accomplish anything – that is a sin as well.
Regarding those kill by accident, bi’shogaig, it says that they have to run to an Ir Miklat, and stay there their whole lives, unless the Kohen Gadol passes away. The Mishnah says that the mothers of the Kohanim Gedolim would see to it that these killers would get food and clothes and have their needs taken care of, so that they don’t pray and daven that the Kohen Gadol dies! Why would the Kohen Gadol have to suffer, just because this fellow killed someone by accident? Chazal say because we hold it against the Kohen Gadol! He should have davened for the people of his generation! If he would have davened hard enough these things wouldn’t happen to them!
She’arim BiTefillah
Kriah 06
The next important step in understanding the power of tefillah, and this particular type of tefillah – kriah, is to now appreciate our obligation to daven for other people. The nekudah, the point we are trying to make about kriah is that it comes from a clarity that Hashem is standing right near us, and we can address Him by His name, and He will hear us, no matter what. If we do understand that, it becomes abundantly clear, how much of an obligation we have to help others through tefillah.
It’s something which comes naturally to every normal person, if you should see someone collapse, lo alainu, in middle of the street, we would immediately rush to that person’s aid. We would try to help them up, see what’s wrong, call for help – whatever we can possibly do! If we see someone suffering from financial strain, different calamities have conspired to make him collapse financially, if we had the money and ability, without question – we would step up to the plate and help them. If we can’t help them, but we have a close friend who is very wealthy, and we have the ability to approach that friend about helping others, we would certainly make the effort to get that person the help they need. How can we stand by and watch them suffer, when there is a way we can assist? That’s the normal reaction of any compassionate person.
The same applies when we see people around us struggling spiritually. If we can help them with their question or their tests, we would do what we can to ease their pain. We would get people who are able to help them involved, as much as the situation allows! We wouldn’t stand by and let them fall.
If so, doesn’t every one of us have a ‘friend’, and better yet, a father, who is more capable than any human can ever be? Don’t we have the ability to call out to Him and ask Him to step in and help? Chazal say this very sharply, כל שאפשר לו לבקש רחמים על חבירו ואינו מבקש נקרא חוטא שנאמר גם אנכי חלילה לי מחטא לה' מחדל להתפלל בעדכם, whoever has the ability to ask for mercy – to daven – for a friend and doesn’t ask, is called a sinner, as it says, this is a pasuk by Shmuel Hanavi, after he chastises Klal Yisrael and Hashem displays His displeasure with them, they are frightened that they will be punished, and Shmuel assures them, Chalilah, Heaven forbid, that I should sin to Hashem, and hold back from davening on your behalf!
If someone doesn’t daven for a friend – what would be the reason for that? Either he has a serious lack of compassion, and although he has the ability to help, he nonetheless turns his back on his friend. Or he doesn’t believe in the power of Hashem – he has a lack of emunah in Hashem, and doesn’t think his tefillos will accomplish anything – that is a sin as well.
Regarding those kill by accident, bi’shogaig, it says that they have to run to an Ir Miklat, and stay there their whole lives, unless the Kohen Gadol passes away. The Mishnah says that the mothers of the Kohanim Gedolim would see to it that these killers would get food and clothes and have their needs taken care of, so that they don’t pray and daven that the Kohen Gadol dies! Why would the Kohen Gadol have to suffer, just because this fellow killed someone by accident? Chazal say because we hold it against the Kohen Gadol! He should have davened for the people of his generation! If he would have davened hard enough these things wouldn’t happen to them!