Prayer as a Request for Divine Intervention

וַיִּגַּ֥שׁ אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַאַ֣ף תִּסְפֶּ֔ה צַדִּ֖יק עִם־רָשָֽׁע׃ אוּלַ֥י יֵ֛שׁ חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים צַדִּיקִ֖ם בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֑יר הַאַ֤ף תִּסְפֶּה֙ וְלֹא־תִשָּׂ֣א לַמָּק֔וֹם לְמַ֛עַן חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים הַצַּדִּיקִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּקִרְבָּֽהּ׃ חָלִ֨לָה לְּךָ֜ מֵעֲשֹׂ֣ת ׀ כַּדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה לְהָמִ֤ית צַדִּיק֙ עִם־רָשָׁ֔ע וְהָיָ֥ה כַצַּדִּ֖יק כָּרָשָׁ֑ע חָלִ֣לָה לָּ֔ךְ הֲשֹׁפֵט֙ כׇּל־הָאָ֔רֶץ לֹ֥א יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

Abraham came forward and said, “Will You sweep away the innocent along with the guilty? What if there should be fifty innocent within the city; will You then wipe out the place and not forgive it for the sake of the innocent fifty who are in it? Far be it from You to do such a thing, to bring death upon the innocent as well as the guilty, so that innocent and guilty fare alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?”

צָ֭עֲקוּ וַיהֹוָ֣ה שָׁמֵ֑עַ וּמִכׇּל־צָ֝רוֹתָ֗ם הִצִּילָֽם׃ קָר֣וֹב יְ֭הֹוָה לְנִשְׁבְּרֵי־לֵ֑ב וְֽאֶת־דַּכְּאֵי־ר֥וּחַ יוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃

צ They cry out, and GOD hears, and saves them from all their troubles. ק GOD is close to the brokenhearted; those crushed in spirit are delivered.

יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהָ֑י שִׁוַּ֥עְתִּי אֵ֝לֶ֗יךָ וַתִּרְפָּאֵֽנִי׃

O my ETERNAL God, I cried out to You, and You healed me.

וַיְחַ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶת־פְּנֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑יו וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לָמָ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ יֶחֱרֶ֤ה אַפְּךָ֙ בְּעַמֶּ֔ךָ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הוֹצֵ֙אתָ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּכֹ֥חַ גָּד֖וֹל וּבְיָ֥ד חֲזָקָֽה׃ לָ֩מָּה֩ יֹאמְר֨וּ מִצְרַ֜יִם לֵאמֹ֗ר בְּרָעָ֤ה הֽוֹצִיאָם֙ לַהֲרֹ֤ג אֹתָם֙ בֶּֽהָרִ֔ים וּ֨לְכַלֹּתָ֔ם מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֑ה שׁ֚וּב מֵחֲר֣וֹן אַפֶּ֔ךָ וְהִנָּחֵ֥ם עַל־הָרָעָ֖ה לְעַמֶּֽךָ׃ וַיִּנָּ֖חֶם יְהֹוָ֑ה עַל־הָ֣רָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּ֖ר לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת לְעַמּֽוֹ׃ {פ}

But Moses implored the ETERNAL his God, saying, “Let not Your anger, O ETERNAL One, blaze forth against Your people, whom You delivered from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand. Let not the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he delivered them, only to kill them off in the mountains and annihilate them from the face of the earth.’ Turn from Your blazing anger, and renounce the plan to punish Your people. And GOD renounced the punishment planned for the people.

עָמַד אֵלִיָּהוּ זָכוּר לַטּוֹב וְהָיָה מִתְפַּלֵּל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְאָמַר לְפָנָיו: ״רִבּוֹן כָּל הָעוֹלָמִים! לֹא דַּי כָּל הָרָעוֹת שֶׁעָבְרוּ עַל רֹאשִׁי, אֶלָּא אַף הָאִשָּׁה הַזֹּאת שֶׁאֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁמִּתּוֹךְ צָרַת בְּנָהּ דִּבְּרָה דָּבָר שֶׁלֹּא נַעֲשָׂה, הֵבִיאָה עָלַי לְעָשְׁקֵנִי. עַכְשָׁו יִלְמְדוּ כָל הַדּוֹרוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ תְּחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים. הָשֵׁב הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַיֶּלֶד הַזֶּה לְקִרְבּוֹ!״.

אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: יִצְחָק אָבִינוּ עָקוּר הָיָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיֶּעְתַּר יִצְחָק לַה׳ לְנֹכַח אִשְׁתּוֹ״. ״עַל אִשְׁתּוֹ״ לֹא נֶאֱמַר, אֶלָּא ״לְנוֹכַח״, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁשְּׁנֵיהֶם עֲקוּרִים הָיוּ. אִי הָכִי: ״וַיֵּעָתֶר לוֹ״ — ״וַיֵּעָתֵר לָהֶם״ מִיבְּעֵי לֵיהּ! לְפִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ דּוֹמֶה תְּפִלַּת צַדִּיק בֶּן צַדִּיק לִתְפִלַּת צַדִּיק בֶּן רָשָׁע. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: מִפְּנֵי מָה הָיוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ עֲקוּרִים — מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתְאַוֶּה לִתְפִלָּתָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: לָמָּה נִמְשְׁלָה תְּפִלָּתָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים כְּעֶתֶר — מָה עֶתֶר זֶה מְהַפֵּךְ הַתְּבוּאָה מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם, כָּךְ תְּפִלָּתָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים מְהַפֶּכֶת מִדּוֹתָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִמִּדַּת רַגְזָנוּת לְמִדַּת רַחֲמָנוּת. אָמַר רַבִּי אַמֵּי: אַבְרָהָם וְשָׂרָה טוּמְטְמִין הָיוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הַבִּיטוּ אֶל צוּר

Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Isaac our father was infertile, as it is stated: “And Isaac entreated the Lord concerning [lenokhaḥ] his wife because she was barren” (Genesis 25:21). It is not stated that he entreated the Lord for [al] his wife, but lenokhaḥ, which can mean opposite, against, or corresponding to; this teaches that they were both infertile. The Gemara asks: If so, why does the verse continue: “And the Lord let Himself be entreated of him”? The verse should say: And the Lord let Himself be entreated of them. The Gemara answers that their prayers were answered due to Isaac, because the prayer of a righteous individual who is the son of a righteous individual is not similar to the prayer of a righteous individual who is the son of a wicked individual, and Rebekah’s father was the wicked Bethuel. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: For what reason were our forefathers initially infertile? Because the Holy One, Blessed be He, desires the prayers of the righteous, and He therefore wanted them to pray for children. Similarly, Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Why are the prayers of the righteous compared to a pitchfork [eter], as in the verse: “And He let Himself be entreated [vaye’ater]”? This indicates that just as this pitchfork turns over produce from one place to another, so the prayer of the righteous turns over the attributes of the Holy One, Blessed be He, from the attribute of rage to the attribute of mercy. Rabbi Ami said: Abraham and Sarah were originally tumtumin, people whose sexual organs are concealed and not functional, as it is stated: “Look to the rock

וְאָמַר רַבִּי אַמֵּי, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״אִם יִשֹּׁךְ הַנָּחָשׁ בְּלוֹא לָחַשׁ וְאֵין יִתְרוֹן לְבַעַל הַלָּשׁוֹן״, אִם רָאִיתָ דּוֹר שֶׁהַשָּׁמַיִם מִשְׁתַּכִּין כִּנְחֹשֶׁת מִלְּהוֹרִיד טַל וּמָטָר — בִּשְׁבִיל לוֹחֲשֵׁי לְחִישׁוֹת שֶׁאֵין בַּדּוֹר. מַאי תַּקָּנָתָן — יֵלְכוּ אֵצֶל מִי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ לִלְחוֹשׁ, דִּכְתִיב: ״יַגִּיד עָלָיו רֵעוֹ״, ״וְאֵין יתְרוֹן לְבַעַל הַלָּשׁוֹן״. וּמִי שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לִלְחוֹשׁ וְאֵינוֹ לוֹחֵשׁ, מָה הֲנָאָה יֵשׁ לוֹ? וְאִם לָחַשׁ וְלֹא נַעֲנָה, מַאי תַּקַּנְתֵּיהּ? יֵלֵךְ אֵצֶל חָסִיד שֶׁבַּדּוֹר, וְיַרְבֶּה עָלָיו בִּתְפִלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיְצַו עָלֶיהָ בְּמַפְגִּיעַ״, וְאֵין פְּגִיעָה אֶלָּא תְּפִילָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְאַתָּה אַל תִּתְפַּלֵּל בְּעַד הָעָם הַזֶּה וְאַל תִּשָּׂא בַעֲדָם רִנָּה וּתְפִלָּה וְאַל תִּפְגַּע בִּי״.

§ The Gemara returns to the topic of rain. And Rabbi Ami said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “If the serpent [naḥash] bites [yishokh] before it is charmed [laḥash], then the charmer has no advantage” (Ecclesiastes 10:11)? If you see a generation for whom the heavens corrode [meshatkhin] like copper [neḥoshet], which prevents them from bringing down dew and rain, this is due to the lack of those who whisper quiet [loḥashei leḥishot] prayers in the generation. What is their remedy? They should go to one who knows how to whisper prayers in the proper manner, as it is written: “Its noise tells concerning it” (Job 36:33). As for the phrase: “Then the charmer has no advantage,” this is referring to one who is able to whisper his prayers correctly and yet does not whisper them correctly. In this case, of what benefit to him is his ability to pray? And if he whispered his prayers and yet was not answered, what is his remedy? He should go to the most pious individual of the generation, and this pious individual will increase his prayers on his behalf, as it is stated one verse earlier: “And He has commanded it due to imploring” (Job 36:32). And “imploring” means nothing other than prayer, as it is stated: “Therefore, do not pray you for this nation, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither implore Me” (Jeremiah 7:16).

הָנְהוּ בִּרְיוֹנֵי דַּהֲווֹ בְּשִׁבָבוּתֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר וַהֲווֹ קָא מְצַעֲרוּ לֵיהּ טוּבָא. הֲוָה קָא בָּעֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר רַחֲמֵי עִלָּוַיְהוּ כִּי הֵיכִי דְּלֵימוּתוּ. אָמְרָה לֵיהּ בְּרוּרְיָא דְּבֵיתְהוּ: מַאי דַּעְתָּךְ — מִשּׁוּם דִּכְתִיב ״יִתַּמּוּ חַטָּאִים״, מִי כְּתִיב ״חוֹטְאִים״? ״חַטָּאִים״ כְּתִיב. בְּעָא רַחֲמֵי עִלָּוַיְהוּ, וַהֲדַרוּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה.

With regard to the statement of Rabbi Yehuda, son of Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi, that David did not say Halleluya until he saw the downfall of the wicked, the Gemara relates: There were these hooligans in Rabbi Meir’s neighborhood who caused him a great deal of anguish. Rabbi Meir prayed for God to have mercy on them, that they should die. Rabbi Meir’s wife, Berurya, said to him: What is your thinking? On what basis do you pray for the death of these hooligans? Do you base yourself on the verse, as it is written: “Let sins cease from the land” (Psalms 104:35), which you interpret to mean that the world would be better if the wicked were destroyed? But is it written, let sinners cease?” Let sins cease, is written. One should pray for an end to their transgressions, not for the demise of the transgressors themselves. Rabbi Meir saw that Berurya was correct and he prayed for God to have mercy on them, and they repented.

אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: גְּדוֹלָה תְּפִלָּה יוֹתֵר מִמַּעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים, שֶׁאֵין לְךָ גָּדוֹל בְּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים יוֹתֵר מִמֹּשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא נַעֲנָה אֶלָּא בִּתְפִלָּה. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אַל תּוֹסֶף דַּבֵּר אֵלַי״ וּסְמִיךְ לֵיהּ: ״עֲלֵה רֹאשׁ הַפִּסְגָּה״. אָמַר רַבִּי חָנִין אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: כׇּל הַמַּאֲרִיךְ בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ, אֵין תְּפִלָּתוֹ חוֹזֶרֶת רֵיקָם. מְנָא לַן — מִמֹּשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וָאֶתְפַּלֵּל אֶל ה׳״, וּכְתִיב בָּתְרֵיהּ: ״וַיִּשְׁמַע ה׳ אֵלַי גַּם בַּפַּעַם הַהִיא״. אָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא: אִם רָאָה אָדָם שֶׁהִתְפַּלֵּל וְלֹא נַעֲנָה — יַחְזוֹר וְיִתְפַּלֵּל. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״קַוֵּה אֶל ה׳ חֲזַק וְיַאֲמֵץ לִבֶּךָ וְקַוֵּה אֶל ה׳״.

Rabbi Elazar said: This story proves that prayer is greater than good deeds without prayer (Tosafot), as there was none greater in the performance of good deeds than Moses our teacher; nevertheless, his request was granted, albeit in a limited manner, in his request to enter Eretz Yisrael, only through prayer, when God permitted him to climb the mountain and look out over the land. As, initially it is stated: “Speak no more to Me,” juxtaposed to which is: “Go up to the summit of the mountain.” The Gemara cites other statements in praise of prayer: Rabbi Ḥanin said that Rabbi Ḥanina said: Anyone who prolongs his prayer is assured that his prayer does not return unanswered; it will surely be accepted. From where do we derive this? From Moses our teacher, as it is stated that Moses said: “So I fell down before the Lord the forty days and forty nights that I fell down; and I prayed to the Lord” (Deuteronomy 9:26–27), and it is written thereafter: “And the Lord heard me that time as well, the Lord would not destroy you” (Deuteronomy 10:10). On a similar note, Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: A person who prayed and saw that he was not answered should pray again, as it is stated: “Hope in the Lord, strengthen yourself, let your heart take courage, and hope in the Lord” (Psalms 27:14). One should turn to God with hope, and if necessary turn to God again with hope.

וּלְפִיכָךְ נָשִׁים וַעֲבָדִים חַיָּבִין בִּתְפִלָּה לְפִי שֶׁהִיא מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁלֹּא הַזְּמַן גְּרָמָא אֶלָּא חִיּוּב מִצְוָה זוֹ כָּךְ הוּא שֶׁיְּהֵא אָדָם מִתְחַנֵּן וּמִתְפַּלֵּל בְּכָל יוֹם וּמַגִּיד שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְאַחַר כָּךְ שׁוֹאֵל צְרָכָיו שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לָהֶם בְּבַקָּשָׁה וּבִתְחִנָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ נוֹתֵן שֶׁבַח וְהוֹדָיָה לַה׳‎ עַל הַטּוֹבָה שֶׁהִשְׁפִּיעַ לוֹ כָּל אֶחָד לְפִי כֹּחוֹ:

Therefore, women and slaves are obligated to pray, since it is not a time-oriented commandment. Rather, this commandment obligates each person to offer supplication and prayer every day and utter praises of the Holy One, blessed be He; then petition for all his needs with requests and supplications; and finally, give praise and thanks to God for the goodness that He has bestowed upon him; each one according to his own ability.

וְעִנְיְנֵי הָעוֹלָם לְתוֹעֲלוֹת הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה יֵחָלְקוּ לִשְׁלֹשָׁה חֲלָקִים.

The matters of this world for the benefit of this world subdivide to three parts:

אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַתְּשׁוּבָה וְהַצְּעָקָה יָפָה לָעוֹלָם. בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים בְּיָחִיד אֲבָל צִבּוּר כָּל זְמַן שֶׁעוֹשִׂים תְּשׁוּבָה וְצוֹעֲקִין בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם הֵם נַעֲנִין שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ד ז) "כַּה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְּכָל קָרְאֵנוּ אֵלָיו":

Even though repentance and calling out [to God] are desirable at all times, during the ten days between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, they are even more desirable and will be accepted immediately as [Isaiah 55:6] states: "Seek God when He is to be found." When does the above apply? However, in regard to a community, whenever they repent and cry out wholeheartedly, they are answered immediately as [Deuteronomy 4:7] states: "[What nation is so great that they have God close to them,] as God, our Lord, is whenever we call Him."

ועתה בשעה שנחו ושב הארון למקום רבבות אלפי ישראל. התפלל משה שישוב רוה״ק בתקפו אל רבבות אלפי ישראל. מכ״מ התפלה מועיל הרבה להיות כרצון הקב״ה גם בלי תפלה.

מבואר שמשה התפלל אע״ג שידע היטב כי הקב״ה יעשה ישועה לישראל מכ״מ נדרש לתפלה לפי דעתו. אע״ג שברור שיהיו המה מנצחים מכ״מ צריך תפלה כמו שהיה במלחמת עמלק שעלה משה בהר ואהרן וחור עמו ותניא במכילתא שגזר תענית ועמד בתפלה וכן במלחמת מדין שאמר ה׳ נקם נקמת וגו׳ מכ״מ אי׳ ברבה פ׳ מטות שהלכו י״ב אלף למלחמה וי״ב אלף לתפלה. מש״ה נדרש לתפלה שתהא השגחה פרטית על כל א׳ בפ״ע לטובה שלא יארע שום נזק .