Parshat Toldot
In this week's parsha we are told of the barrenness of Rivka and
Yitzchak, and their praying to HaShem to conceive.
The passuk says, "Yitzchak entreated HaShem opposite his wife." Rashi
explains that Yitzchak and Rivka would stand in opposite corners of
the room and pray. Yitzchak would pray on her behalf and she would
pray for herself as well. Directly after this, in the same passuk, the
Torah tells us, "And HaShem allowed Himself to be entreated by
Yitzchak, and his wife Rivka conceived." Their prayers were answered.
When reading the passuk, it seems that HaShem answered them very
swiftly; from the very fact the Torah puts both the prayer and its
answer in one passuk, we can see the direct and immediate correlation
between the two. We see clearly from here that prayer was the key to
salvation.
The Gemara in Yevamot (64a) asks a very famous and hard-hitting
question: This was not the first time or the last time one of our
matriarchs was stricken with barrenness. Why did HaShem allow our
patriarchs and matriarchs to have children only after many years of
heartfelt teffilot? The Gemara gives its answer which has become
famous to many: "For HaShem desires the prayers of Tzaddikim."
This answer is deep and contains within it many concepts which many
have expounded upon. However when we look at the original source, the
Medrash Tanchuma, we are faced with a tremendous peculiarity. The
Medrash asks the same question as the Gemara but adds a new dimension
to the answer. Speaking from Hashem's perspective, it tells us that
HaShem made a reckoning saying, "They [the Avot and Imahot] have
money, they are beautiful, they are respected, if I give them children
they will never pray to me for anything" and the Medrash concludes,
"We see from here that HaShem desires the prayers of Tzaddikim."
This Medrash is startling, to say the least. We are talking about the
Avot whose lives were completely focused on the enhancement of G-d's
glory in this world, the very people who created the concept of daily
prayer. Can it be that they would not pray to HaShem? How can we
understand that HaShem could entertain the possibility that the Avot
would not pray to Him?
From here we can truly gain a deeper understanding of teffilah.
Teffilah is not only a compilation of praise to HaShem, it is a time
for us to connect and recognize The Power which runs our universe and
nourishes our souls. However, that recognition and connection can only
come from a place of total self-abnegation. Only when we realize that
we are so dependent upon His grace for everything we have in life can
we really connect to Him. But how can one truly feel this way if he
lacks absolutely nothing? When we lack something tremendously
important and we recognize that only HaShem can give it to us, we are
more able to pray with a realization of our reliance upon Him and to
forge a real bond with Him. This is the prayer which HaShem desires.
Of course the Avot would have prayed to HaShem even if they had
children, but perhaps their prayer would have been lacking this deeper
awareness – the awareness of the minuteness of man before G-d and his
dependence on HaShem for his every need. It would not have been a
teffilah which one casts all of his burdens, hopes, and dreams onto
HaShem, and allows His providence to control his life. Teffilah L'Ani
– the teffillah of a pauper, of one who is lacking, is not the same as
the teffilah as one who has everything. Because HaShem loves the Avot
so much, He desires that they pray this deeper teffillah, for He
desires the ultimate relationship that it will create.
The lack of something essential in our lives should not be a source of
distress and self-pity. Rather, our feelings of lack can be properly
channeled and utilized as an opportunity to REALLY pray and forge a
true connection with Hashem. Perhaps we can even gain comfort in that
our hardest challenges are a sign of Hashem's love for us and His
desire to provide us with a way of connection with Him. It is as
though He considers us to be tzaddikim, of whom He desires prayer.
May we merit to see and feel the Hand of G-d in our lives and to
constantly connect to Hashem in the deepest way.
Shabbat Shalom
Naftali Kassorla
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Naftali Kassorla
