Description: Shavah 02
She’arim BiTefillah
Sha’vah 02
If we daven to Hashem and recognize how important this bakashah is, how urgent it is, that itself is a reason we will get answered. Number one, this demonstrates a deep trust and belief in Hashem, the purpose of tefillah. It demonstrates the belief that Hashem listens to tefillah and runs the world according to our trust in Him. But also, the simple fact that we are asking so urgently and desperately is always a reason that we will be listened to, just as it works on this world – when we really, really need something and beg for it – we are more likely to be answered and given what we request.
This is how Dovid Hamelech made all his requests, as we find in Tehillim, אפפוני חבלי מות ומצרי שאול מצאוני צרה ויגון אמצא ובשם ה' אקרא, Dovid didn’t merely request that his needs be filled, rather he felt that his whole life depended on it – he was surrounded by binding of death, and the worst catastrophe’s of gehennom found him, that’s how he cried out to Hashem. אנא ה' מלטה נפשי, please Hashem, save me! After that it says, שובי נפשי למנוחיכי כי ה' גמל עליכי, by asking properly, Dovid was answered by Hashem.
The Gemarah in Maseches Temurah talks about Yaavetz, who was one of the Shoftim and the son-in-law of Kaleiv ben Yefunah, how he davened, (these are pesukim in Shoftim.) He was a person so connected to Torah (even in those generations!) that Kaleiv’s daughter complained to him that her husband has only Torah – where will they get supported from? The pesukim recount how Kaleiv answered her, it is fascinating. Needless to say, he was a great man in those generations. He asked of Hashem:
ויקרא יעבץ לאלוקי ישראל אם ברך תברכני והרבית את גבולי והיתה ידך עמי ועשית מרעה לבלתי עצבי, ויבא ה' אשר שאל.
The Gemarah explains, if you will bless me with Torah, and extend my boundaries with talmidim, and Your hand will be with me so I don’t forget my Torah, and I will have pasture, meaning friends I can learn with, and I won’t be saddened by the Yetzer Horah overpowering me, that will be good, but if not I will die in sadness! Immediately, Hashem answered him and gave him his requests. We see, that since these requests were made in the fashion of life and death, if You don’t answer me, I will fall into the depth of despair and death, הריני הולך בנסיסי שאול, that’s why, immediately Hashem answered him! How can a father who sees his son so desperate, not answer him!
The Gemarah explains these requests differently as well, that they don’t only refer to ruchniyos but also to gashmiyos, that he should have parnassah and health. Those are essential for Avodas Hashem no less – without them one can’t learn and serve Hashem. The Gemarah says in one place, that an amorah apologized for not being able to explain something well the night before, saying, I wasn’t strong enough because I hadn’t had meat to eat that day! Lack of strength and food and health, leads to lack of clarity and mistakes in Torah and halachah!
She’arim BiTefillah
Sha’vah 02
If we daven to Hashem and recognize how important this bakashah is, how urgent it is, that itself is a reason we will get answered. Number one, this demonstrates a deep trust and belief in Hashem, the purpose of tefillah. It demonstrates the belief that Hashem listens to tefillah and runs the world according to our trust in Him. But also, the simple fact that we are asking so urgently and desperately is always a reason that we will be listened to, just as it works on this world – when we really, really need something and beg for it – we are more likely to be answered and given what we request.
This is how Dovid Hamelech made all his requests, as we find in Tehillim, אפפוני חבלי מות ומצרי שאול מצאוני צרה ויגון אמצא ובשם ה' אקרא, Dovid didn’t merely request that his needs be filled, rather he felt that his whole life depended on it – he was surrounded by binding of death, and the worst catastrophe’s of gehennom found him, that’s how he cried out to Hashem. אנא ה' מלטה נפשי, please Hashem, save me! After that it says, שובי נפשי למנוחיכי כי ה' גמל עליכי, by asking properly, Dovid was answered by Hashem.
The Gemarah in Maseches Temurah talks about Yaavetz, who was one of the Shoftim and the son-in-law of Kaleiv ben Yefunah, how he davened, (these are pesukim in Shoftim.) He was a person so connected to Torah (even in those generations!) that Kaleiv’s daughter complained to him that her husband has only Torah – where will they get supported from? The pesukim recount how Kaleiv answered her, it is fascinating. Needless to say, he was a great man in those generations. He asked of Hashem:
ויקרא יעבץ לאלוקי ישראל אם ברך תברכני והרבית את גבולי והיתה ידך עמי ועשית מרעה לבלתי עצבי, ויבא ה' אשר שאל.
The Gemarah explains, if you will bless me with Torah, and extend my boundaries with talmidim, and Your hand will be with me so I don’t forget my Torah, and I will have pasture, meaning friends I can learn with, and I won’t be saddened by the Yetzer Horah overpowering me, that will be good, but if not I will die in sadness! Immediately, Hashem answered him and gave him his requests. We see, that since these requests were made in the fashion of life and death, if You don’t answer me, I will fall into the depth of despair and death, הריני הולך בנסיסי שאול, that’s why, immediately Hashem answered him! How can a father who sees his son so desperate, not answer him!
The Gemarah explains these requests differently as well, that they don’t only refer to ruchniyos but also to gashmiyos, that he should have parnassah and health. Those are essential for Avodas Hashem no less – without them one can’t learn and serve Hashem. The Gemarah says in one place, that an amorah apologized for not being able to explain something well the night before, saying, I wasn’t strong enough because I hadn’t had meat to eat that day! Lack of strength and food and health, leads to lack of clarity and mistakes in Torah and halachah!