משך חכמה — בחרבי ובקשתי

Q — Why does Onkelos translate "בחרבי ובקשתי" as "בצלותי ובבעותי" (tefillah and bakashah) — and why are these two compared specifically to a sword and a bow?

A — Tefillah = fixed liturgical service, which requires only minimal kavanah (a sword cuts even with the slightest sharp point and the lightest pressure); bakashah = personal supplication added beyond the fixed nusach, which requires intense kavanah (a bow's effectiveness depends entirely on the strength of the archer — "עד שמשים נפשו בכפו").