 One of our biggest struggles in gaining an appreciation for our davening, is the thought that Hashem doesn’t care about our isolated Tefilos.
We sometimes believe that we are simply “too bad” and that Hashem has forsaken us Chas V’shalom. We fail to realize the power of every Tefiloh.
I once quoted these beautiful words of Rav Shlomo Ibn Gavriel, who composed a beautiful statement to reach out to Hashem from a place of despair. We would do well to always remember and to repeat these special words, so that we may derive chizuk from them. I also previously wrote about the incredible lesson (heard from Rav Pincus) which we learn from Menashe Ben Chizkiyahu Melech Yehudah, whose story serves as a reminder that Hashem will never forsake us.
However, today I thought of a new Chiddush.
I once heard from Rav Yaakov Meir Shechter Shlitah, who expressed that we should daven to Hashem not to forsake us and not to “throw us away”. In this vein, I was thinking, we know that Hashem is both our Father and Mother. Hashem breathed life into us and sustains us (As we say in Baruch She’amar, “Boruch Gozer, Umekayeim – G-d creates and sustains.). Hashem gave us a piece of himself, kaviyachol. This divine spark – this “chelek alokai mima’al, is alluded to by Chazzal when it says “Ma’an dinafak, m’dilei nafak – G-d breathed a piece of himself into us”. Indeed, every Jew has the ability to tap into the divine and as a result of our genetic makeup!
We can easily understand that when we lose a physical parent, we become orphaned as a result of a divine decree. However, our true Father and the Father of all of creation, is our Father in heaven. Once we fully understand and appreciate that we are children of Hashem, we realize that we are never truly orphaned, since Hashem always was and always will be.
Furthermore, for us to become “orphaned” from Hashem Yisborach, means that Hashem must choose to turn himself away from us! Indeed, this is our frequent and subconscious fear – which causes us to lack in our appreciation for each one of our Prayers. We are afraid that we have become orphaned from Hashem! This is reflected in Rav Shechters’ suggestion that we plead to Hashem to not “throw us away” – to not turn himself away from us, Chas V’shalom.
However, I was thinking that we read in davening every day that Hashem is the ultimate protector of Yesomim and Almanos (orphans and widows). As we say in Pesukei Dizimrah, “Yasom V’almana Ye’odeid”. This is G-ds’ promise to never turn himself away from an orphan and to always shield and protect orphans. Perhaps this teaches us a chiddush in Tefiloh. That is, our ability to reach out to Hashem and to say to him; “Look, only You can make me an orphan, both in this world and in the next. However, you also promise to shield and protect your orphans. Therefore, I beg you to heed my prayers and to please not turn yourself away from me in the first place!
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