The Dubno Magid zt'l told the following mashal:
A wealthy person sent his five sons to study Torah overseas. One of them, Reuven, became very ill. The doctors said that only one cure was available, but it was an extremely costly one. The brothers replied, "Money isn't a problem. We will write a letter to our wealthy father, and he will send us money."
This is the letter the oldest brother wrote: "Dear father, kindly send us a large sum because Shimon's eyeglasses broke, and he needs a new pair. Levi's clothes are old and worn, and Yehudah owes 450 dinars, and he needs money to pay the debt. Also, send money for Reuven because he is dangerously ill, and the treatment costs a fortune."
When their father received the letter, he was disappointed. He said, "How did my foolish son confuse the order of this letter? He should have written about Reuven first because that is the most important matter."
The Dubno Magid said that this is how it appears when people daven for many things, and then, as an afterthought, they daven for Moshiach. Davening for Moshiach should be our first and primary tefillah.
Reb Shalom Keshenmacher's Story
Reb Shalom Keshenmacher (a chassid of Rebbe Asher of Stolin zy'a) had a difficult wife who made his life miserable. He would have divorced her, but his Rebbe was very against divorce. So he held out as long as he could. However, there came a time when he felt that he couldn't cope any longer, and he divorced her. He understood that after having disobeyed his rebbe, he couldn't return to his rebbe.
Sometime later, Reb Shalom couldn't bear watching his children suffer, so he remarried his wife, and then he returned to his rebbe.
Rebbe Asher Stoliner said, "Reb Shalom? What brings you back here?"
"I remarried my wife."
"You did? Why?"
"I couldn't watch my children suffer."
Rebbe Asher exclaimed, "Ribono Shel Olam! Shalom Keshenmacher took back his wife, whom he doesn’t like, because he couldn't bear to watch his children suffer. Woe to the children [the Jewish people] who were banished from their Father's table." It was a tefillah that Hashem should bring us back so that we won't suffer any more in galus.
The Power of Simple Tefillah
The Divrei Yisrael (Shemos ויצעקו י"א ה"ד) writes, "When a person doesn't have a complete daas (intellect), his primary tefillah is like an infant who can't yet speak. He can only shout 'Father! Father!' This is enough to arouse his father's compassion for his son.
Similarly, the primary tefillah is to be like an infant child who can't speak at all. He can only call out and say the simple words 'Father! Father!' This will arouse Hashem's immense compassion for us."
Many people feel that they aren't able to concentrate on their tefillos, so they think their tefillos are worthless. They must know that their shouts to Hashem will be answered. Even if all they can do is shout "Tatte!" that is significant. That will arouse Hashem's compassion.
Desiring the Land and the Beis HaMikdash
Tiferes Shlomo (השני מטה כן י"א ה"ד מסעי) writes, "A person should contemplate how, due to our many sins, the holy land is under Arab control. This breaks a Yid's heart, and he should shout out to Hakadosh Baruch Hu. If Yidden desire the land and the building of the Beis HaMikdash, Hashem will quickly accept their tefillos. The Beis HaMikdash is already built and ready in heaven. We only have to request that it come down. Therefore, the Beis HaMikdash is called ביתך דביר (in the brachah רצה in Shemonah Esrei) from the word דיבור, speech. We have to ask Hashem to build the Beis HaMikdash, and this will bring the redemption quicker."
