Description: Kriah 09
She’arim BiTefillah
Kriah 09
When we daven to Hashem in the aspect of Elokim, Who Created and Runs the world, those requests are channeled through the whole of creation. We want something? It has to fit into the whole master plan of Hashem, with all the infinite amount of cheshbonos and weighing of zchuyos versus avairos and everything that can possibly go into the aspect of Hashem as Elokim.
But davening to Hashem as our doctor is very different. When a person goes to a doctor, the doctor doesn’t start giving his opinion about your job, your religion, your way of life and so on. You approached him simply for his expertise as a doctor, and that’s the service you want from him. You will beg him to treat you and take you on as a patient, but that is the extent of the discussion. However, it can be very difficult to be taken as a patient. Doctors have commitments, they have a family, a life, and may not have time for you. They also demand payment, which can be exorbitant, depending on the level of treatment and expertise you need.
When we approach Hashem as our doctor, we are asking Hashem to simply relate to us as our doctor, as Hashem himself has defined Himself, Ani Hashem Rofechah. Please don’t take everything into account, just treat us as our doctor! But when approaching Hashem this way, we need to get Hashem’s attention and convince Him to take us on as a patient. When is Hashem available? Karov Hashem li’chol korav, lichol asher yikra’ahu be’emes. Hashem answers His phone, He is available, provided that we call out to Him, ‘Be’emes,’ in truth. We have to have this belief with clarity and truth and honesty. Then He answers the phone and we have an appointment!
The Gemarah in Brachos describes Hashem as a Rofei Chinam, a free healer. When talking about the fact that Hashem provides children, food, clothing, we don’t mention that it is free. What would we pay with anyways? Mi hikdimani va’ashalaim, says the Navi. What do we have that Hashem doesn’t have? What can we give Him that He needs? But when approaching Hashem as Elokim, as the God and Creator of everything, of course there’s no concept of payment. Hashem creates and provides for all as their Creator, lihachayos nefesh kol chay. But when we are reaching out to Hashem as our doctor, as a typical hishtadlus to get the best doctor, just as all good Jews do, that kind of service generally requires payment! Hashem doesn’t require payment.
The Gemarah says that if you find a doctor willing to work for nothing, he is worth nothing. Meaning, a doctor won’t dedicate himself to his patient without payment. He won’t really be there, in mind and spirit. He will just try to get him off his hands. But Hashem treats for free, and He is our doctor and our doctor alone! Rofei Cholei Amo Yisrael.
For this reason, we see that it is universally accepted, when a sick person is in critical condition, we would stop a roomful of people learning, a whole Beis Medrash of bochrim, and start saying Tehillim. Why? If we start calculating zechusim, perhaps it is a greater zchus for the choleh that they should all continue learning on his behalf! But the answer is, we are approaching this kind of tefillah differently. It is hishtadlus. Just as when someone collapses, you don’t start figuring out zechusim for them. You call an ambulance, and start saying Tehillim, because it’s the time to do hishtadlus. Davening can be a form of hishtadlus, and has its place before seeking zechusim. It’s simply picking up the phone and contacting the best doctor in the world.
This tefillah isn’t guaranteed more than any other form of tefillah. That’s why we employ all forms of tefillah. Both as a form of hishtadlus, and we also daven to Hashem as Elokim, the creator of everything, to have mercy on the choleh, and to find him a refuah.
She’arim BiTefillah
Kriah 09
When we daven to Hashem in the aspect of Elokim, Who Created and Runs the world, those requests are channeled through the whole of creation. We want something? It has to fit into the whole master plan of Hashem, with all the infinite amount of cheshbonos and weighing of zchuyos versus avairos and everything that can possibly go into the aspect of Hashem as Elokim.
But davening to Hashem as our doctor is very different. When a person goes to a doctor, the doctor doesn’t start giving his opinion about your job, your religion, your way of life and so on. You approached him simply for his expertise as a doctor, and that’s the service you want from him. You will beg him to treat you and take you on as a patient, but that is the extent of the discussion. However, it can be very difficult to be taken as a patient. Doctors have commitments, they have a family, a life, and may not have time for you. They also demand payment, which can be exorbitant, depending on the level of treatment and expertise you need.
When we approach Hashem as our doctor, we are asking Hashem to simply relate to us as our doctor, as Hashem himself has defined Himself, Ani Hashem Rofechah. Please don’t take everything into account, just treat us as our doctor! But when approaching Hashem this way, we need to get Hashem’s attention and convince Him to take us on as a patient. When is Hashem available? Karov Hashem li’chol korav, lichol asher yikra’ahu be’emes. Hashem answers His phone, He is available, provided that we call out to Him, ‘Be’emes,’ in truth. We have to have this belief with clarity and truth and honesty. Then He answers the phone and we have an appointment!
The Gemarah in Brachos describes Hashem as a Rofei Chinam, a free healer. When talking about the fact that Hashem provides children, food, clothing, we don’t mention that it is free. What would we pay with anyways? Mi hikdimani va’ashalaim, says the Navi. What do we have that Hashem doesn’t have? What can we give Him that He needs? But when approaching Hashem as Elokim, as the God and Creator of everything, of course there’s no concept of payment. Hashem creates and provides for all as their Creator, lihachayos nefesh kol chay. But when we are reaching out to Hashem as our doctor, as a typical hishtadlus to get the best doctor, just as all good Jews do, that kind of service generally requires payment! Hashem doesn’t require payment.
The Gemarah says that if you find a doctor willing to work for nothing, he is worth nothing. Meaning, a doctor won’t dedicate himself to his patient without payment. He won’t really be there, in mind and spirit. He will just try to get him off his hands. But Hashem treats for free, and He is our doctor and our doctor alone! Rofei Cholei Amo Yisrael.
For this reason, we see that it is universally accepted, when a sick person is in critical condition, we would stop a roomful of people learning, a whole Beis Medrash of bochrim, and start saying Tehillim. Why? If we start calculating zechusim, perhaps it is a greater zchus for the choleh that they should all continue learning on his behalf! But the answer is, we are approaching this kind of tefillah differently. It is hishtadlus. Just as when someone collapses, you don’t start figuring out zechusim for them. You call an ambulance, and start saying Tehillim, because it’s the time to do hishtadlus. Davening can be a form of hishtadlus, and has its place before seeking zechusim. It’s simply picking up the phone and contacting the best doctor in the world.
This tefillah isn’t guaranteed more than any other form of tefillah. That’s why we employ all forms of tefillah. Both as a form of hishtadlus, and we also daven to Hashem as Elokim, the creator of everything, to have mercy on the choleh, and to find him a refuah.