Part 3
In the previous two articles we explained the background to
prayer and its great potential power in shaping our personal
destiny. The following articles will deal with the actual
meaning of the word tefilloh, so that we can better
appreciate what we can accomplish through prayer.
The first time prayer is hinted at in the Torah is in
(Bereishis 2:5). The posuk writes: `And every
tree of the field was not yet on the earth and every herb of
the field had not yet sprouted, for Hashem Elokim had
not sent rain to the earth and there was no man to work the
soil.' Rashi adds the following: `For what reason had He not
sent rain? Because there was no man to work the soil, and
there was nobody who would recognize the benefit of rain.
When Odom realized that rain was essential for the world, he
prayed for it and it came down, so that the trees and
vegetation sprouted.'
The first Belzer Rebbe zt"l explained that the Hebrew
word for Man — Odom — is spelled, Alef,
Daled, Mem. These three letters are individually spelled,
Alef Lamed Pei, Daled Lamed Tov, Mem
Mem, respectively. These five highlighted letters
that are included in the expanded spelling of the word
Odom compose the word mispallel — to
pray. This indicates that every human being has a latent
power to pray to Hashem for whatever he requires.
Rainfall and the water cycle are analogous to prayer. Sea
water evaporates and forms clouds that eventually descend
again as rain. This rain water trickles down mountains,
forming streams and rivers whilst providing moisture to the
surrounding land. Large rivers flow into the sea, and the
complete water cycle repeats itself in a perpetual manner.
Similarly, prayers ascend upwards to the heavens from where
Hashem showers us with His blessings in return, a process
that repeats itself continually.
The source of the meaning of the word tefilloh is
found in Bereishis 30. The Torah relates how initially
Leah bore four children to Yaakov, while Rochel was
childless. She gave her maidservant Bilhoh to Yaakov as a
wife, who subsequently bore him Dan and Naftoli. When Naftoli
was born, Rochel declared (Bereishis 30:8),
`Naftulei Elokim niftalti im achosi gam yocholti, vatikro
shemo Naftoli' — `I have twisted with turnings to
Hashem to be like my sister, and I have also prevailed, and
she called his name Naftoli.'
Rashi explains the word Naftulei in three different
ways, each one providing a separate approach to successful
prayer. These different meanings will be individually
elaborated on in greater detail.
Initially, Rashi quotes Menachem ibn Saruk, who traces its
root to that of tzomid possil (Bamidbor 19:15), a
tightly fitting lid on an earthenware vessel that protects
against unclean tumah from defiling the contents
within. Successful prayer not only protects us from evil
influences of the outside world, but also binds us closely
with Our Creator.
Rashi himself explains the word Naftulei as an
expression of `persistently twisting ' until success is
achieved.
A third explanation offered by Rashi for the word
Naftulei is that it has a similar meaning as
nefilloh — falling.
Successful prayer is achieved when we subjugate ourselves
before Hashem in order to plead our case. This incorporates
either prostrating oneself completely on the ground or just
bowing one's head and knees, thereby displaying our total
dependence on Him.
The Targum translates the phrase, Naftulei Elokim
niftalti with the words, be'usei and
bitzlusei meaning with my bow and my sword. This
concurs with the translation given to the phrase
(Bereishis 48:22), `Asher lokachti miyad ho'Emori
becharbi ubekashti' which I have taken from the Amorites
with my sword and my bow.
These represent the two contrasting types of prayer, which
assured the success in the battle to capture the town of
Shechem. The gemora (Bovo Basra 123) defines,
"Charbi" zu tefilloh; "kashti" zu bakossho — the
sword represents prayer, whereas the bow alludes to
supplication.
The Maharsho explains that the Jewish people have two main
national enemies that are embodied in Eisov and Yishmoel. On
the one hand Eisov's livelihood depends on the sword, as
expressed in, Ve'al charbecho tichyeh — by the
sword you shall live (Bereishis 27:40), whereas
Yishmoel's main weapon remains the bow, as expressed in,
`Vayehi roveh kashos' — he became an archer
(Bereishis 21:20). Prayer, is represented as the
combination of the sword and the bow, as it is the tzomid
possil, the tightly fitting lid that protects us from
both our national enemies of Yishmoel and Eisov.
The difference in meaning between the term tefilloh
and bakosho is best explained by an example. A person
wants to buy a property, but needs to borrow money in order
to complete the transaction. A request for a suitable bank
loan, represents his tefilloh, to the bank manager.
The completion of the property purchase is the ultimate aim
of the loan and is the bakosho.
Successful prayer requires a combination of tefilloh
and bakosho in order to accomplish our aim.
Tefilloh contain two different types of prayers. The
first type are the prescribed words that are incorporated in
the Siddur as stipulated by the Anshei Knesses
Hagedoloh. In addition, an individual is allowed to add his
own personal words of prayer, as was originally the case.
A sword is a sharp instrument that can be used effectively by
anybody, in hand-to-hand warfare, whereas a bow's
effectiveness depends on the strength and accuracy of the
archer and is used to shoot onto distant objects. The sharp
sword represents the well defined words of the Siddur,
whereas the bow represents the personally composed
prayers of an individual, whose effectiveness depends on the
strength and accuracy of the composer.
The reason why both of these types of tefilloh are
necessary, is due to the fact that initially, the words of
tefilloh were composed by each individual when
required, as signified by the bow. The fixed text of our
Siddur, as stipulated by the Anshei Knesses Hagedoloh
are represented by the sword, and is to be treated as an
additional part of tefilloh, and not as a replacement
of one's individual requests.
Furthermore successful prayer must contain supplications for
our own personal requirements, and also for the success of
our children, relatives and future generations. Our personal
needs, on a day-to-day basis, are represented by the sword
which is used in hand-to-hand warfare. For our children and
future generations, we need to approach tefilloh as an
archer aims his arrow, accurately and precisely, in order to
reach their target.
This is expressed in Tehillim 128 with the words,
`Kechitzim beyad gibor, kein bnei hane'urim' —
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior, so are the children of
youth.
*
Ovinu Malkeinu — Our Father, our King. These two
words indicate two different approaches that are required for
successful prayer. Tefilloh creates a closeness to
Hashem, by the fact that we have the privilege to speak
directly to Him. There are times when we approach Hashem and
express this unique intimacy that the Jewish People possess
and their resulting obligations as the Chosen People. We
approach our Father — Ovinu — as His
children and as members of the Royal Household and request a
favor.
For example, the Yom Tov Shemoneh Esrei is introduced
with the phrase, `Ato bechartonu mikol ho'amim, Ohavto
osonu . . .' — You have chosen us from all the other
people, You loved us and found favor in us. This intimate
approach to tefilloh is symbolized by the expression
of `charbi' — my sword — whose letters
spell out the words, Bochar bi — You have chosen
me. You are our Father — Ovinu — and we
are Your children, therefore please grant our request.
There are other occasions when we direct our prayers to Our
King — Malkeinu — approaching as His loyal
servants, deplete of any individual merits. We beg Him to
carry out our requests, for His own sake. His Name is
profaned whenever His Chosen People are made to suffer. We
therefore pray to Hashem to spare us from suffering so that
His Name should be glorified in the eyes of the nations.
Every Shemoneh Esrei finishes with the four expressions of,
Asei lemaan Shemecho, asei lemaan Yeminecho, asei lemaan
Torosecho, asei lemaan Kedushosecho — Act for Your
Name's sake, act for the sake of Your right hand, act for the
sake of Your Torah, act for the sake of Your Sanctity. We
plead with Hashem to spare us any hardship, for His own
sake.
The Chasam Sofer points out that the acronym of these four
expressions — Kedushosecho, Shemecho, Torosecho
and Yeminecho, spells out the word `Kashti' — my
bow. Both of these different approaches to prayer are
incorporated in the words of Ovinu Malkeinu, as there
are occasions when we approach Hashem as part of the Royal
Family, and sometimes as Royal Servants, as expressed with
the words, Charbi zu tefilloh, kashti zu bakossho.
