Is There a Limit to Lengthening in Prayer?

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Parashat Vaetchanan

Is There a Limit to Lengthening in Prayer?

What is Wrong with Praying for a Specific Outcome?

Prayer is central in Judaism. One of the three pillars that the world stands on is service, which today refers to prayer (Pirkei Avot 1:2). The holy matriarchs and patriarchs pleaded with Hashem in heartfelt prayer, and Chana, the Mother of our Prayer, is known for lengthening in prayer for a son until she bore Shemuel. When I first came to Torah it was very difficult for me to pray, as it was something I had never learned to do or been used to. Even when I understood the Hebrew words of the Siddur, my mind would wander, and I lost focus. I asked my Rabbi for advice on this, and he told me to pray that I would be able to pray. That helped a little, but what really helps is having something of vital importance to pray for. Realizing that only Hashem has the power to grant my deepest aspirations, I would pour out my heart in prayer for a child, and I never stopped. Continuous prayer is needed for each stage of conception, pregnancy, birth, and child-rearing, and then for our son to find his other half, and it still doesn’t end here. Now, that thank G-d, Hashem has answered all these prayers, we continue to pray for a suitable home for the young couple. But is there a limit to how much we should pray? Can a person ever pray too much? It depends on what we are praying for. When I realized that praying for a specific outcome might not always be in our best interest, I stopped insisting in my prayer that Hashem grant my son and his bride a home in beautiful Bat Ayin. Although my husband and I are convinced that there is no better place for the young couple to start their married life than this loving, supportive community, our daughter-in-law- to-be feels otherwise. So, they have been looking in Jerusalem. It is quite challenging but realizing that only Hashem knows what’s really good for everyone, I changed my prayer from insisting that the couple find a place in Bat Ayin to praying that they find a home in a place that will be good for them.

Is There a Limit to How Much We Should Pray? Can a Person Ever Pray Too Much?

If a woman prays to marry a specific man, but he is not her predestined soulmate, her prayer can actually be harmful to her. Hashem may fulfill this prayer even if it goes against the master plan. Yet, just as it isn’t good for a child when his parents give in to his persistent cry for ice cream, it is not always in our favor to twist Hashem’s arm to grant us what we think we need. We cannot demand of Hashem what reality needs to be like, because we can never know anything for sure, we can only believe. There comes a place and time when we must accept Hashem’s will even if it may not be what we want. We are not in charge, and we mustn’t manipulate Hashem to fulfill our wishes. This is what Bilam tried to do through his witchcraft. Rather than praying for a specific outcome, Tefilah is to rise to the place where it is possible to receive the highest abundance that Hashem has dedicated specifically to us. The difference between manipulating Hashem and opening ourselves to receive Hashem’s blessing is very subtle. It can be compared to the prohibition to urge a person to give us an item that he doesn’t want to give. Asking is one thing, but to keep nudging is at best impolite and at worst bullying. So, too, in our relationship with Hashem, there comes a time when we must back off prayer. We learn a lesson on the limits of prayer in Parashat Va’etchanan. Moshe wanted so badly to enter the Land of Israel that he prayed for it 515 times, corresponding to the numerical value of the word וָאֶתְחַנַּן/Va’etchanan – “I beseeched,” and to the hours between Erev Rosh Hashana and the crack of dawn on Shemini Atzeret. Yet, Hashem did not even allow him to continue to pray for entering Israel. According to the midrash Hashem asked Moshe Rabbeinu to stop praying because otherwise, Hashem would have had to grant him permission to enter the Land. This teaches us the principle that it is possible to pray too much because it is considered as if the person ‘forces’ Hashem to do his will.

The Subtle Balance Between Asserting our Will and Aligning it with Hashem’s Will

In EmunaHealing we teach the importance of activating our will, as we recite in the Ashrei prayer: “umaspia l’chol chai ratzon” (Tehillim 145:16). This verse can be understood as

“Hashem influences and bestows upon each living being a will.” We all received a will. When someone doesn’t have a will, it is because she doesn’t reveal the will within her. Our will can be compared to gasoline, without which the vehicle will not move. We need a will to accomplish anything in life. Depressed people lose their will, and therefore have difficulty getting up in the morning. We need to actualize and live our will. לחיות את הרצון. The more we can peel off the various exterior layers, the more natural it is to be ourselves. Although we choose, we only choose a vessel, we need patience. We have no power over the results, we can only pray and accept that the rest is up to Hashem. There is a fine balance between activating our will and balancing it to align our will with Hashem’s and make His will our will (Pirkey Avot 2:4).

Will Moshe’s Prayers go Unanswered?

ספר דברים פרק ג פסוק כג וָאֶתְחַנַּן אֶל הָשֵׁם בָּעֵת הַהִוא לֵאמֹר: (כד) אֲדֹנָי הָשֵׁם אַתָּה הַחִלּוֹתָ לְהַרְאוֹת אֶת עַבְדְּךָ אֶת גָּדְלְךָ וְאֶת יָדְךָ הַחֲזָקָה אֲשֶׁר מִי אֵל בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה כְמַעֲשֶׂיך וְכִגְבוּרֹתֶךָ: (כה) אֶעְבְּרָה נָּא וְאֶרְאֶה אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה אֲשֶׁר בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן הָהָר הַטּוֹב הַזֶּה וְהַלְּבָנֹן:

“I implored Hashem at that time, saying, “O Hashem, You who let Your servant see the first works of Your greatness and Your mighty hand, You whose powerful deeds no god in heaven or on earth can equal! Let me, I pray, cross over and see the good land on the other side of the Jordan, that good hill country, and the Levanon” (Devarim 3:23-25).

I always cry over Moshe’s deep desire to enter the Land of Israel. Although his prayer wasn’t fulfilled in his lifetime, I believe that the power of his prayer instilled within the Jewish people the desire to make Aliyah for all generations to come. Moshe yearned to unify Hashem in the land, as “Whoever lives outside of the land is like someone who doesn’t have a G-d” (Babylonian Talmud, Ketuvot 110b). Therefore, Moshe used the term “your G-d” throughout the book of Devarim, to say that since the Israelites are entering into the Land Hashem’s name is called upon them (Siftei Kohen, Devarim 3:25). Rashi explains that the word וָאֶתְחַנַּן/va’etchanan is from the root חִנּוּן/chinun – ‘a free gift.’ Although the righteous may base a request on the merit of their good deeds, they request only a free gift of the Omnipresent. Alternatively, חִנּוּן/chinun is one of ten terms that denote prayer (Sifrei); (Rashi, Devarim 3:23). Moshe’s prayer furthermore teaches us that we must always praise G-d and afterward pray for our needs. The beginning of Moshe’s praise corresponds to the praises we recite in the opening of the silent Amidah prayer, “Your greatness” corresponds to –“The great G-d;” “Your mighty hand” to – You are mighty;” “Who is a god like You in heaven to – “You are Holy” (Chizkuni). Despite the sweetness of Moshe’s prayer, Hashem refused to grant the wishes of his soul.

ספר דברים פרק ג פסוק כו

וַיִּתְעַבֵּר הָשֵׁם בִּי לְמַעַנְכֶם וְלֹא שָׁמַע אֵלָי וַיֹּאמֶר הָשֵׁם אֵלַי רַב לָךְ אַל תּוֹסֶף דַּבֵּר אֵלַי עוֹד בַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה:

“Hashem was angry with me for your sake, and would not hear me, and Hashem said to me, ‘Let it be enough, speak no more to me of this matter’” (Devarim 3:26).

Despite our strong resolve and urgency to continue praying, we need to lower our expectations that Heaven must follow our wishes and dictates and have faith in and acceptance of the unknowable. Moshe accepts the fact that his prayers will go unanswered for now. Or rather, he understands that although Hashem always answers our prayers, sometimes the answer is no or not yet!”

EmunaHealing Exercise for Activating and Balancing our Will with Hashem’s

1. Let yourself relax on your chair or cushion and become aware of your breath. Take several deep breaths and feel your body settle down and relax.

2. Get in touch with your will. Ask yourself, “What do I really want?” Perhaps you can dismiss some of your cravings emanating from your lower will and focus on your deeper inner will – the will of your soul, to evolve toward your higher self and cleave to Hashem. Visualize yourself acting the way you really would want to act, possessing the positive traits you strive for, and thinking positive thoughts.

3. See if you can verbalize this vision in prayerful words such as “Hashem please empower and help me keep x mitzvah in a higher more complete way. You may repeat this prayer several times with greater intensity.

4. One of the reasons Moshe wanted so much to enter the Land was to be able to keep all the mitzvot that only apply in the Land of Israel. Get in touch with your own desire to live in the Holy Land. If you already live here, then tune into how you can better connect and appreciate this special merit for which Moshe cried and prayed numerous heartfelt prayers.

5. Take several deep breaths while you marvel at the wonder of the Promised Land and all its goodness despite whatever problems. Tune into the rose and disregard the thorns.

6. Return to focusing on your will. From where in your body does it emanate? Breathe your will into your head, throat, shoulders, arms, and fingers. Allow your will to enter your heart and penetrate it. Breathe your will into your stomach, liver spleen, and kidneys, and let your will flow down your legs all the way to your feet. Allow yourself to feel grounded in your will.

7. Take a few moments to get in touch with your higher will. Think of the five deepest yearnings in your life, perhaps you can connect each of your desires with one of your body parts. Before praying for them, take a moment to evaluate if your desires are aligned with Hashem’s will for you. You may adjust them to become more aligned. Keep in mind to pray more generally rather than for a specific outcome. Now, cry out to Hashem in heartfelt prayer for each of your desires while focusing on the body part where this desire resides. Then be still and breathe softly.

8. Let yourself hope that your prayers will be fulfilled, yet simultaneously let go of being demanding of Hashem. Accept that Hashem’s will is what ultimately determines the outcome of our prayers. See if you can rise to a place where you will be able to receive Hashem’s abundance for you. Whether or not it is Hashem’s will to grant you your wishes, accept whatever goodness Hashem has in store for you!

Prayer for Divine Assistance for Avoiding Eating Bugs

Parashat Shemini

Prayer for Divine Assistance for Avoiding Eating Bugs
 
It is so tedious and grueling to check properly for bugs.
Hashem, help me spot a suspicious dot in any of my jugs!
 
Please grant me enough patience to endure and cope
with the process of soaking and rinsing out the soap!
 
Ensure that every tiny creepy-crawly spider
will through the soapy water become a slider!
 
Strengthen my eyesight so I will be able to inspect
my grains and greens for a trace of any hidden insect!
 
I want to enjoy my organic plants
without any aphids or straying ants!
 
Please let not any insect ever so small
into my salad or green smoothie fall!
 
May nothing unseemly in my food be found
of the crawling creatures that creep on the ground!
 
Let me not take a bite of a torn bug leg,
a fly wing, or even a tiny insect egg!
 
Neither let me cause my family to eat
anything unkosher, salad, soup, or meat!
 
Please help me to keep every family dish
completely kosher whether meat or fish!
 
 May no powdery moth
fall into our chicken broth!
 
Any four-legged worm that creeps on its belly,
stay far away from my homegrown apple jelly!
 
I ask you Hashem to please help me assure
that no yucky bug will make our food impure.
 
I pray that none of these will contaminate our heart,
so, they won’t cause us to become from Hashem apart.

Based on the Book of Vayikra Chapter 11 verse 23 24, 41 44. 

 

ספר ויקרא פרק יא פסוק כג וְכֹל שֶׁרֶץ הָעוֹף, אֲשֶׁר לוֹ אַרְבַּע רַגְלָיִם שֶׁקֶץ הוּא, לָכֶם:

“But all winged swarming things, which have four feet, are an abomination to you” (Vayikra 11:23). 

ספר ויקרא פרק יא פסוק כד וּלְאֵלֶּה, תִּטַּמָּאוּ...          

“By these, you shall become impure…” (Vayikra 11:24).

 

ספר ויקרא פרק יא פסוק מא וְכָל הַשֶּׁרֶץ, הַשֹּׁרֵץ עַל הָאָרֶץ  שֶׁקֶץ הוּא, לֹא יֵאָכֵל:

“Any creeping creature that creeps on the ground is an abomination; it shall not be eaten” (Vayikra 11:41).

 

ספר ויקרא פרק יא פסוק מב 

כֹּל הוֹלֵךְ עַל גָּחוֹן וְכֹל הוֹלֵךְ עַל אַרְבַּע, עַד כָּל מַרְבֵּה רַגְלַיִם, לְכָל הַשֶּׁרֶץ, הַשֹּׁרֵץ עַל הָאָרֶץ לֹא תֹאכְלוּם, כִּי שֶׁקֶץ הֵם:

“Whatever goes on its belly, and whatever goes upon all fours, or whatever has many legs, among all creeping creatures that creep on the ground, you shall not eat, for they are an abomination” (Vayikra 11:42). 

ספר ויקרא פרק יא פסוק מג אַל תְּשַׁקְּצוּ אֶת נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם בְּכָל הַשֶּׁרֶץ הַשֹּׁרֵץ וְלֹא תִטַּמְּאוּ בָּהֶם וְנִטְמֵתֶם בָּם:

“You shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping creature that creeps, and you shall not defile yourselves with them, that you should become impure through them” (Vayikra 11:43).

 

ספר ויקרא פרק יא פסוק מד  

כִּי אֲנִי הָשֵׁם כ, אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתֶּם וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים, כִּי קָדוֹשׁ אָנִי; וְלֹא תְטַמְּאוּ אֶת נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם, בְּכָל הַשֶּׁרֶץ הָרֹמֵשׂ עַל הָאָרֶץ:

“For I am Hashem your G-d; sanctify yourselves therefore and be holy; for I am Holy, and you shall not defile yourselves through any creeping creature that crawls on the ground” (Vayikra 11:44).

 

תלמוד בבלי מסכת יומא דף לט/א תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל עבירה מטמטמת לבו של אדם שנאמר ולא תטמאו בהם ונטמתם בם אל תקרי ונטמאתם אלא ונטמטם תנו רבנן (אל) [ולא] תטמאו בהם ונטמתם בם אדם מטמא עצמו מעט מטמאין אותו הרבה מלמטה מטמאין אותו מלמעלה בעולם הזה מטמאין אותו לעולם הבא:

In the school of Rabbi Yishmael it was taught, Sin blocks the heart of a person, as it is stated: “Do not impurify yourselves with them, so that you should not be thereby impurified” (Vayikra 11:43). Do not read [that term as]: “And be impurified [venitmetem]”; rather, [read it as]: And your hearts will be blocked [venitamtem] (Babylonian Talmud, Yoma 39a).

 

1. Insects which live in water: Four prohibitions (Vayikra 11:42, 11:43, 11:44).

2. Insects which crawl on the ground: Five prohibitions (Vayikra 11: 41, 11:42, 11:43).

3. Flying insects: Six prohibitions (Vayikra 11:24, 11:41, 11:42, 11:43).

4. An insect is only prohibited if it can be seen with the naked eye, even if it appears as only a tiny dot. This includes insects whose color precludes their discernment against the background of the fruit.

5. The eggs of insects are prohibited, but they are nullified within a mixture of sixty times more. 

6. A whole insect is never nullified in a mixture of even a thousand times more. 

 

How Can War Bring About Peace and Healing?

Parashat Pinchas

What is the Difference Between Shalom and Peace?

As a teenager, in the aftermath of the American counterculture of the sixties, my friends and I used to wear badges saying, “Make Love, not War!” Today, almost half a century later, as an observant Jewess, peace, and love, are still central to my beliefs. We are constantly greeting each other with Peace, aka שָׁלוֹם/Shalom, and wishing everyone we meet true peace and wholeness in life. Being so connected with this concept, I called my youngest son, Netanel Shalom which means, “G-d has given peace.” The word “shalom” is on my lips daily, not only when calling my son, but also, through the words of the prescribed prayers. Every Jewish prayer ends with Shalom: from Grace after Meals to the Silent Amida Prayer. The Blessing of the Kohanim, recited daily in synagogues in Israel, also culminates in שָׁלוֹם/Shalom, to bless us all with peace. My concept of peace, for which I yearn, has changed over the decades. ‘Shalom’ and ‘peace’ are not identical. Whereas the latter is defined as ‘freedom from disturbance’ or ‘absence of war,’ true shalom is a positive term, with its own value, rather than the absence of something undesirable, like disturbance and war. ‘Shalom’ derives from the Hebrew term שָׁלֵם/shalem, which means ‘complete’ or ‘whole.’ It is a state in which the opposing forces ofאֵשׁ /eish – ‘fire,’ represented by the ש/shin and מַיִם/mayim – ‘water’ represented by the מ/mem, coexist in perfect harmony. The greater the divergence and opposition, the greater the opportunity for true shalom. Not, that I want to get involved in a political discussion, but the new government in Israel, which comprises the greatest spectrum ever of parties, from the farthest right to the most extreme left, and includes an Arab party, has the greatest opportunity to engender true shalom. This unexpected unity government is truly from Hashem. Who understands His ways of bringing us our prayer for peace, healing, and redemption?  

Who Doesn’t Want Peace?

Western society emphasizes the competitive mode of self-preservation, encompassed by the seventh of the Ten Sefirot, נֶצַח/netzach – ‘victory.’ Simultaneously, it is inclined to tolerate and even empower adversaries, who are often viewed as victims. In that spirit, Israel is continually being condemned for the crimes of apartheid, and subjugation of so-called ‘refuges.’ This trend is rampant not only in Europe and North America, but even in Israel itself, represented by the Shalom Achshav – ‘Peace Now’ movement. The yearning for peace is definitely a beautiful trait, that harbingers the dawn of the messianic age. However, the leftist Shalom Achshav movement does not have a monopoly on desiring peace. Their most ‘hawkist’ opponents are no less adamant proponents of peace. Who wants to live in a place where rockets rain down daily, and our boys are killed and maimed in war? Who yearns more for true shalom and global healing than the followers of Torah? The difference lays not in the end goal shared by us all, but rather, in the method of attaining true peace. The question is whether giving in to terrorists and relinquishing land will ever afford us the peace that we all seek.
 
King Solomon as the Model of Peace
When we look at Jewish biblical history, we notice that King Solomon’s reign is a model for peace. This is why his name was Solomon, which in Hebrew is שְׁלֹמֹה/Shlomo, from the word שָׁלוֹם/Shalom. This prompts the midrash to describe Shlomo as “the king to whom shalom belongs” (Midrash Shir HaShirim Rabbah 3:19). It is interesting to notice, that the king who engendered the greatest world peace, was known for his military strength. As soon as he ascended the throne, King Solomon got rid of his foes by liquidating his opponents ruthlessly. In addition to infantry, he had at his disposal impressive chariotry and cavalry, through which he carried out successful military operations in Syria (See II Divrei Hayamim, Chapter 8; https://www.britannica.com/biography/Solomon). The neighboring countries were kept under strict control through heavy taxes, and no one dared to lift as much as a rock, against the Kingdom of Israel, under Shlomo’s rule. Without any terrorists or countries threatening warfare, Israel experienced the greatest peace. This is due to the fact that it is against Jewish nature to attack. Our current army is called IDF – ‘Israel Defense Forces’ because its purpose is not to attack but rather to defend. Yet, King Solomon’s reign proves that the greatest peace is achieved through showing a strong hand to potential enemies. 

Make War Not Love!

Parashat Pinchas opens with Hashem’s endorsing and extending the covenant of peace to Pinchas because he stopped the plague, by killing a couple engaged in sexual immorality (Bamidbar 25:7-8). For the Westerner reading about Pinchas’ killing a couple engaged in lovemaking, these verses can be jarring, especially for the proponents, even the ex-proponents of “make love, not war!” Nevertheless, it was explicitly this hawkish act that brought peace and healing to our people:
 

ספר במדבר פרק כה פסוק יא פִּינְחָס בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן הֵשִׁיב אֶת חֲמָתִי מֵעַל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּקַנְאוֹ אֶת קִנְאָתִי בְּתוֹכָם וְלֹא כִלִּיתִי אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּקִנְאָתִי: (יב) לָכֵן אֱמֹר הִנְנִי נֹתֵן לוֹ אֶת בְּרִיתִי שָׁלוֹם:(יג) וְהָיְתָה לּוֹ וּלְזַרְעוֹ אַחֲרָיו בְּרִית כְּהֻנַּת עוֹלָם תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר קִנֵּא לֵאלֹהָיו וַיְכַפֵּר עַל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל: 

“Pinchas the son of Eleazar the son of Aharon the kohen has turned My anger away from the children of Israel by his zealously avenging Me among them, so that I did not destroy the children of Israel because of My zeal. Therefore, say, ‘I hereby give him My covenant of peace. It shall be for him and for his descendants after him [as] an eternal covenant of kehunah, because he was zealous for his G-d and atoned for the children of Israel’” (Bamidbar 25:11). 

Due to falling prey to the Midianite enticement of sexual immorality meshed with idolatry, Hashem had caused a plague upon the Israelites, which killed twenty-four thousand people (ibid. verse 9). The deadly plague ceased as soon as Pinchas took the spear in his hand, driving it through the prince of the tribe of Shimon, as he was engaged in illicit relations with the Midianite woman, the daughter of the national leader of a paternal house in Midian. 

Healing Hod by Distinguishing Friend from Foe

Pinchas, a grandson of Aharon, who is known for pursuing peace (Pirkei Avot 1:12), was awarded the eternal covenant of kehunah (of being a priest), specifically through killing a couple engaged in lovemaking. By the same token, he was granted the covenant of peace, as it is the perpetual role of the Kohanim to bless Israel with peace. The attribute of peace is connected to the eighth of the Ten Sefirot, הוֹד/hod – ‘empathy/recognition.’ Each of the lower sefirot is attributed to one of our seven shepherds, from Avraham to David, and the sefirah of hod is attributed to Aharon. Rabbi Ginsburg, in his book Body, Mind & Soul, connects each of the sefirot with one of the physiological systems. The immune system is associated with הוֹד/hod. He explains that when the sefirot of the left side – including the sefirah of hod – become estranged from the sefirot of the right – including the sefirah of Netzach – disease manifests through malfunction of the immune system. A healthy immune system annihilates destructive, foreign intrusions into the body, whereas an unhealthy immune system turns on the body itself. Hod is related to the Hebrew word תּוֹדָה/todah – ‘thanks and recognition.’ A messed-up immune system results from an inability to recognize and distinguish friend from foe. Not only in our Western culture is it hard to recognize that sometimes making love is detrimental to peace. Therefore, only one person: Pinchas, who had mastered the quality of hod – as bequeathed to him from his grandfather Aharon, was able to recognize the peril to healthy peace and carry out this recognition into action.

 

Healing our Immune System

Balance is always the key to ultimate health. In a Netzach-focused society, we need to reclaim our hod to attain balance and health. I believe that the reason why we struggle today with several diseases connected to the immune system, including a number of auto-immune illnesses, is because we have become so alienated from our true sense of hod. When a person has AIDS (G-d forbid), the virus kills the immune system, instead of the immune system killing the virus. Seasonal allergies are caused when a person’s immune system misconceives healthy pollen seeds for invading enemy cells. 

ספר ישעיה פרק ה פסוק כ

:הוֹי הָאֹמְרִים לָרַע טוֹב וְלַטּוֹב רָע שָׂמִים חֹשֶׁךְ לְאוֹר וְאוֹר לְחֹשֶׁךְ שָׂמִים מַר לְמָתוֹק וּמָתוֹק לְמָר

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that change darkness to light, and light to darkness; that change bitter into sweet, and sweet into bitter!” (Yesha’yahu 5:20).
 
We can heal our immune system by learning to cultivate a sense of thanks to all who are benevolent to us and acknowledge our indebtedness to them, both for their physical and spiritual gifts. Simultaneously, we must recognize the nature of our foes, against whom we must be strong. When we master linking to the ally and fighting off the foe, like Pinchas, we can bring about Hashem’s blessing of peace and ultimate healing for body and soul, both for Israel and the entire world.

Do Prayers for Healing Really Work?

Parashat BeHa’alotcha

Transforming Ourselves and the World Through the Power of Prayer

I’ve been praying for my cousin in Denmark, daily. She was diagnosed with cancer more than 10 years ago, perhaps even fifteen. I haven’t kept track, but time passes so fast these days. After asking for her mother’s name, to pray for her properly, her response was skeptical, since she, like many of my family in Denmark, isn’t yet observant. When I recently told her that I’ve been praying for her all these years, she reiterated, that prayers don’t help! “Well,” I countered, “aren't you are still alive?!” Like my cousin, all of us sometimes succumb to the rational mode, which gives birth to doubts, and we may wonder: How can a prayer – how can mere words – affect what will be? True, we cannot prove that prayers help, because sometimes people do die, despite all the sincere prayers we poured out on their behalf. Yet, we have also experienced amazing miracles for people that we prayed for, who were terminally ill, but somehow kept living productively for many years. Some are still alive today! People, who went through near-death experiences, report that they returned to life through the power of prayer. In the space between this world and the world of souls, it was the light of the tefilot of loved ones – or even of people they never met – that pulled them back down into their body. Within the yearning to turn to Hashem in prayer, we declare our love, empathy, and concern and herald the hope of healing. Just as emunah is required for believing in the existence of G-d, we must believe in the power of our prayer. The more emunah we have, the more effective our prayer. This is a fundamental principle of belief in Judaism. Hashem always answers when we call out to Him, but sometimes the answer is “no!” Although, we won’t necessarily understand “why” at this time, in the future, we will. Just as kids don’t always understand why parents can’t give them everything they ask for, Hashem’s ways are beyond human understanding. All we can do is to keep praying, and thereby imbue a cold and materialistic world with sparks of holiness. I do believe that our words make a difference and that prayer really does work. Through opening our hearts, we can arouse Hashem’s compassion to intervene and bring healing from the very source of healing – from beyond the laws of nature. Prayer can also be life-altering. Through the power of prayer, we can transform ourselves from selfie to a selfless person.
 
Why is Moshe’s Prayer on Behalf of his Sister Miriam so Short?
After Miriam and Aharon confronted their brother, Moshe, regarding his intimate relations, Miriam became stricken with tzara’at. This was even though, Miriam, his older sister, spoke from her heart to help set Moshe straight, without any intention to disparage him (Rashi, Bamidbar 12:1). At the very moment that Moshe saw what happened to his dear sister, he cried out to Hashem with five words of succinct prayer:
 

:ספר במדבר פרק יב פסוק יג וַיִּצְעַק משֶׁה אֶל הָשֵׁם לֵאמֹר אֵל נָא רְפָא נָא לָהּ

“Moshe cried out to Hashem saying, ‘I beseech you, G-d, please heal her’” (Bamidbar 12:13).

 
The same person who suffered from a speech impediment most of his life, was now able to call out with clear, concise, and articulate words of prayer – “El na refa na la – Please G-d, pray heal her now.” Rashi explains that Moshe did not pray at length, so that the Israelites should not say, “His sister is in distress, yet he stands and prolongs his prayer, [instead of taking healing action].” According to another interpretation, it was so that Israel should not say, “For his sister, he prays at length, but for our sake, he does not pray at length” (Rashi, Ibid.). Therefore, Moshe kept it short. Moshe’s prayer begins with an א/alef followed by ten letters. These correspond to the ten sefirot that Moshe unified in the upper light, represented by the א/alef. This letter reflects the heavenly unity emanating from the infinite light of the Creator – the source of all goodness, blessings, life, and healing for every being. These ten letters, concentrated in the alef, rectify all the judgments and transform them into kindness. Moshe’s prayer was effective, and after seven days of sickness, Miriam returned to the camp, restored and renewed (Sha’ar HaTefilah, She’elah v’Teshuvah). I resonate with the lesson of this prayer, that you don’t need to lengthen in prayer. Hashem’s light is beyond time and can be accessed in the blink of an eye. It’s the intensity and the intention that counts (Ibid.). Short prayers can, at times, accomplish more than prolonged prayers that last for hours. Therefore, the relatively short ne’ilah prayer, at the end of Yom Kippur, has always been my favorite.  
 
Five Prayer Principles Gleaned from the Five Words of Moshe’s Prayer
1. Moshe’s prayer for Miriam teaches us the importance of mentioning the name of the mother of the person, for which we pray. We learn this from the words רְפָא נָא/refa na – “heal now,” which has the exact same numerical value (332), as that of מִרְיָם/Miriam together with the name of her mother, יוֹכֶבֶד/Yocheved (Degel Machane Efraim, Parashat Beha’alotcha). Rebbe Nachman adds that sometimes when there are judgments on someone, mentioning the person’s name directly can arouse the accusing forces even more against that person. Therefore, Moshe only alluded to the names of his sister and her mother through the numerical value of his prayer (Likutei Mohoran Kama 174).
 
2. “Moshe cried out” teaches us that his prayer did not remain in his heart alone, but he articulated it out loud. This is in keeping with the Talmudic ruling learned from Chana, that ‘when one prays, s/he must move the lips and enunciate the words of prayer (Babylonian Talmud, Berachot 31a). Even in the silent prayer, we must move our lips. This use of voice, breath, and articulation is highly effective. It empowers us to propel our prayers from below towards the higher divine realms. It is through this type of prayer that Moshe ultimately connects with and implores Hashem to bring healing.
 
3. We need to connect our personal prayer with prayer for all of Israel. We learn this from the repetition of the word נָא/na – “please.” The first נָא/na was for the sake of all the sick people among the Israelites. The concluding נָא לָהּ/na la “please [heal] her” referred specifically to Miriam. The awareness of how we are all linked together and held responsible for one another must always pierce through the expressions of our prayer.
 
4. There are two ways we can bring down abundance from Above: 1. Through rectified actions. 2. Through sincere prayers. One of Hashem’s names most often addressed in prayer is אַדְנִ"י/Adoni. It has a numerical value of 65. This gematria can be divided into י"ד/yad )14) and נָ"א/na (51). The latter refers to the aspect of the Israelites, whose power is through our mouth (Midrash Bamidbar Rabbah 20:4). “There is no נָא/na except petition” (Babylonian Talmud, Berachot 9). יָד/yad – ‘hand’ refers to the aspect of rectified action as in “Hashem’s “great hand” (Shemot 14:31). Moshe prayed that Miriam’s healing take place through the power of נָא/na – “prayer,” rather than through the power of action, as prayer can do greater wonders than actions (Sefer Machase Avraham, Parashat Beha’alotcha).
 
5. According to Rebbe Nachman, the repetition of the word נָא/na indicates that Moshe requested that Hashem Himself pray, as it were, for Miriam’s healing. The phraseאֵל נָא /El na can mean “G-d pray!” Tiferet Shlomo adds that the word לֵאמֹר/le’emor – “saying” is extra. Thus, Moshe prayed to Hashem saying, “Hashem please pray with me to heal her” (Tiferet Shlomo, Parashat Va’etchanan). Whenever we pray, we too can ask Hashem to pray together with us.
 
Praying on Behalf of the Shechina
A well-known principle in chassidut and kabbalah is the importance of praying for the Shechina (Divine Feminine Indwelling Presence). Whenever we experience a lack in our lives, it is a reflection of a deeper lack in the revelation of the Shechina. When we pray for the lack of the Shechina, we pray for the root of all pain, including our own personal pain. By repairing the root Above, the problems below will also be affected (Yismach Moshe, Parashat Beha’alotcha 54a).
Moshe’s prayer was the prayer for the Shechina – to rectify Hashem’s honor. “Please heal her” refers not only to Miriam but also to the Shechina. Like Moshe, we need to pray for the Shechina and not only for our own pain. When everything will be aligned above, then our pain will be healed as well. Every lack below has its root above, as it states, “know what is above you” (Avot 2:1). If you know “what is above,” you will know “you” – your true self (Tiferet Shlomo, Parashat Toldot).
 
Composing our Own Prayers
Rebbe Natan of Breslev was the first person who composed and published his own prayers after the men of the great assembly had established the formal prayers in the siddur. For this initiative, he met with great opposition from all sides. If you do not have ruach hakodesh (the lowest level of prophecy), who are you to make up your own prayers? Today, it has become very common to address Hashem in our own way, employing words that emanate from our heart.
In my emunahealing circles, it has come up that women, especially, struggle with the formal prayers in the siddur, which at times seems to be dry and lifeless for some of us. Yet, we get aroused, when we express ourselves from our heart in various poetic ways. With his prayer for Miriam, Moshe, our teacher, showed us a model of spontaneous prayer from the heart. Chana, the mother of our prayer, likewise flung her own words at Hashem from the depths of her pain. Like Chana, when we go through hardships, and feel powerless, our primal call towards G-d becomes a beacon of hope and faith. My husband and I recite one tehillim a day, together, for our children (Yes just one, short is good!). We complete this ritual with a spontaneous prayer from our heart for their success. Even if we are neither a Moshe nor a Chana, when we keep calling upon Hashem to repair the darkness above by healing and strengthening our loved ones, He certainly will answer our heartfelt plea!