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I once saw a post which said that when you pray, Hashem has three answers:
Cuteness aside, there’s some truth to this. Tefilah is a very exalted thing as the sages in the Talmud state in Massechet Brachot. Rebbe Nachman teaches in Likutey Moharan and Likutey Etzot, among other things, that Tefilah can accomplish virtually anything.
Tefilah is above nature and part and parcel of the art of miracle-making. In fact, he adds that all miracles accomplished by Elisha HaNavi were done through prayer.
The problem is, of course, we don’t see things happening. One could stand screaming in Tefilah for hours on end and not a speck of dust would seem to move in the world. Seldom anyone can say they “got their wishes granted” through Tefilah (prayer), and this exalted part of avodat Hashem is the one who suffers the most.
Yet, the Sages (Taanit 2A) impart the wisdom that Tefilah constitutes an offering of the heart. The Hebrew verb for prayer, “Mitpalel,” is reflexive in nature, signifying an act performed upon oneself. Tefilah is a Mitzvah in the most simple sense.
Regrettably, in contemporary times, many individuals have reduced the profound concept of Tefilah to a mere routine of performing the three daily prayers—Shacharit, Mincha, and Arvit—considering this as fulfilling their daily obligation.
While this may be technically accurate according to Halacha, it raises vital questions about the true nature and deeper significance of prayer.
What does genuine Tefilah entail, and what mysteries does it hold?
Authentic and impactful prayer extends far beyond a catalog of personal requests. It stands as the most potent instrument for effecting transformative change in reality. For women, in particular, it offers an exceptionally direct conduit to connect with Hashem (for men, this avenue is mainly found in Torah study).
Historical accounts suggest that certain Rishonim (early Torah scholars from the 10th to 12th centuries) engaged in Tefillat HaDerech (the prayer for the journey) during their prayers. Why? Because during Tefilah, they achieved a state of mental transcendence, temporarily transcending the physical realm to reach higher spiritual planes.
Descending from such exalted heights was considered pretty dangerous, so they prayed not to suffer from the shock.
In the writings of Rabbi Chaim Vital, the primary disciple of the revered Arizal, he elucidates the overarching purpose of Tefilah as the retrieval of holy sparks that descended from the “breaking of the vessels” prior to the creation of our familiar physical world.
Through Tefilah, as well as all other mitzvot (commandments), we engage in the profound endeavor of identifying these spiritual shards within ourselves and elevating them to their divine source, thereby ushering blessings into both higher and lower realms of existence.
As I previously wrote (in this article), Hashem, in His profound wisdom, structured numerous “spiritual worlds” to act as filters for His boundless Light. Like a silversmith refining his materials, Hashem chose to differentiate the holy from the unholy by “breaking” many of these spiritual realms.
The remnants of these shattered worlds manifest themselves as various “deficiencies” that we encounter in our lives—ranging from health issues and livelihood challenges to concerns about children and relationship difficulties.
We spoke in a few different articles how the purpose of Mitzvot is to rectify the spiritual worlds and their Partzufim. In fact, all lack stems from the fact that these spiritual systems are in a “broken” status (of Tohu) and not in a status of Tikkun (“rectification”).
Hashem obviously wants us to have everything, but part of the “service” is bringing the light to the Partzufim, rectifying them, and causing the desired blessing to come down. As everything must first happen above before it happens below, this is what it truly means to be a “partner of God”. In the worlds of the Ba’al Shem Tov in Tzava’at HaRivash, “one must be pained by the fact that the Shekhina (Malkhut of Atzilut) is suffering.
Meaning, just like one lacks health, wealth or children, so too there’s an aspect of the Shekhina which is lacking. When we bring this Tikkun above, it automatically comes down.
Hashem sends us problems to fix them through Tefilah. In doing so, we turn to Him which essentially is a rectification of that particular aspect of the sin of Adam HaRishon which caused this problem in the first case.
Of course, not everything one asks is good. The Gemara (Moed Kattan 18B) brings a classic case when a certain guy wanted to marry a woman he desired. Ravah told the man to cease praying, because it was not a good Tefilah. His argument was that if the woman was meant for him, he’d get her and if not, he should just ask for the one destined for him.
As the man’s prayers remained unanswered and he succumbed to despair, Rava, once again, heard his supplication. This time, the man implored either for himself or the woman to meet their end before her marriage to another. Rava sternly rebuked the man, reiterating his earlier advice: “I cautioned you against such prayers.”
Commentaries provide varying interpretations of Rava’s objections. According to Rashi, Rava’s concern lay in the possibility of the woman’s demise, emphasizing that there are circumstances beyond human influence when it comes to altering one’s designated partner.
In contrast, one of the Tosafot, a disciple of Rabbi Yechiel of Paris, in his work Nimukei Yosef, posits that prayer can indeed influence the course of one’s destined partnership. However, he suggests that such intervention may ultimately lead to a less favorable outcome, as it is in service of facilitating the emergence of the true and intended match.
On a different note, Ritva asserts that prayer and exceptional acts of devotion can, in fact, bring about a change in one’s designated partner without any adverse consequences. Rava’s discouragement, in this view, stemmed from his insight that the proposed match would not be harmonious.
In sum, this Talmudic passage underscores the intricate debate surrounding the influence of prayer on the concept of “zivug” (destined partnership), with diverse perspectives on the potential outcomes of such petitions.
In these and many other cases, what we ask is not for our ultimate good. A car may be used to kill the person who buys it and so it may be for his own benefit that he doesn’t drive.
I think life insurance deserves a mention of honor since so many people praise getting a policy.
Well, here’s the thing, maybe the guy who wants to buy life insurance deserves to die. But Hashem relents it since he’s the family’s main breadwinner and the wife and kids would be left destitute.
Comes life insurance and all problems are solved!
The guy can die and his family will get the money they need. Sure, Hashem could kill a person and still sustain his family without him or life insurance.
But sometimes the blessings we think we get are another form of increasing dinim (judgments). Hashem’s way of acting is primarily centered on minimizing His exposure, and doing things in a “natural way”. So sometimes people are decreed to die in a certain way, or to receive a certain blessing a certain way. Sometimes when a person get a certain benefit, he ends up having to pay it back in another form.
Sometimes all of this has to happen so “the straw breaks the camel’s back”.
Sometimes not getting what you want is the greatest blessing since everything is for the best.
I wrote another article where I explain some of the secrets of prayer. And Tefilah can also include Tehilim, by the way.
Rebbe Nachman of Breslov elucidated the existence of ten distinct categories of songs, originating from his renowned Tikkun HaKlali, which comprises Psalms 16, 32, 41, 42, 59, 77, 90, 105, 137, and 150. These categories are: ashrei, Beracha (blessing), Maskil (the enlightened), Nitzuach, Shir, Niggun, Mizmor, Tefilla, Hoda’ah (thanksgiving), and Halleluyah. These ten psalms hold the power to address and rectify sins of a sexual nature, as expounded upon by several esteemed Kabbalists, including Rabbi Eliezer Papo, the author of Pele Yoetz, and Rabbi Chaim Palagi, the author of Kaf HaChaim.
A valuable resource known as Shimush Tehilim (the utilization of Tehilim), often attributed to the eminent Rishon, HaRav Hai ben Sherira Gaon, delineates numerous potent applications for this cherished book. You can access this resource via the following link: (https://halakhah.com/rst/tehillim.pdf).
While reciting Tehilim indeed carries significance, it is imperative to bear in mind that all salvation and healing ultimately derive from Hashem. It is Hashem whom we should turn to in repentance (Teshuva) unfailingly. The Rambam, in his Laws of Avodah Zarah (Chapter 12), explicitly prohibits the use of Torah verses as incantations, condemning those who “turn the words of the Torah into a cure for the body when they are really a cure for the soul.”
However, he does permit the reading of Torah verses or chapters from Sefer Tehillim by a healthy individual, with the intention that the merit of such reading may protect and safeguard them from difficulties and harm.
When engaging in Tefilah, it’s not sufficient to merely focus on “what I lack”; we must also inquire into “why I lack it.” Delving deep within ourselves and genuinely embracing the service of the heart can yield profound insights into these questions and guide us into what needs to be done.
Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, drawing from timeless wisdom, eloquently posited that prayer and Torah study are interconnected facets of spiritual growth. Through Tefilah, one has the potential to expand their consciousness, ascending to higher realms of love, compassion, and wisdom. This should not be underestimated.
In the perspective of Rebbe Nachman, existence itself is imbued with the essence of prayer, and conversely, prayer becomes the essence of living. He imparts the teaching that Tefilah embodies an aspect of Emunah (true faith), as it serves as the conduit to connecting with the Creator.
Within the Breslov tradition, the emphasis on the practice of Hitbodedut (self-seclusion) for a minimum of one hour daily is well-known, for it leads one toward the state of complete surrender before Hashem. Whoever can taste this pleasure properly (and it takes time), will probably want to do it every day.
Rabbi Chaim Vital offers an insightful perspective, highlighting that just as no two days are identical, no two prayers are alike throughout the continuum from the dawn of Creation to the end of time. This uniqueness arises from the fact that with each prayer, we elevate a spiritual spark, accomplishing our designated task.
Therefore, even if it appears that recurring challenges persist, it is possible that either a different spark necessitates elevation or that we have yet to execute the elevation correctly.
From these teachings, a significant lesson emerges: prayer primarily serves as a means for self-reflection, the implementation of necessary personal corrections, and the cultivation of worthiness for the very blessings we seek.
May all your prayers be fulfilled speedily for the best!
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