We are currently at the start of the cycle of the seven special and precious weeks of nechama. This is a period in which Hashem says to us, “Nachamu nachamu ami - Be consoled my dear nation”.
Interestingly, in the parshiyos following Tisha b’Av there appears to be significant focus on tefila. For example, in this week's parsha, there appears the famous passuk, “ul’avdo b’chol levavchem”, commanding us to serve Hashem with our full heart, referring to tefila (Rashi). What connection is there between tefila and the weeks of nechama?
The simplest answer is that following Tisha b’Av and the mourning for the Beis Hamikdash - after understanding what we have lost - we begin increasing our tefilos for the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash. There is, however, more depth to this.
Three special tefilos
We are well aware of the awesome power of tefila. There is nothing that cannot be achieved through tefila - it has limitless power. Chazal reveal that there are certain tefilos that are exceptionally powerful: the tefila of Moshe, the tefila of David, and “tefila l’ani”.
If we were to analyze these three exceptional tefilos we would understand why the tefilos of David and Moshe were powerful. David haMelech compiled the book of tefila - Sefer Tehilim, and he was, moreover, the king and leader of Klal Yisrel; what powerful tefilos he must have uttered!
The same is true of Moshe Rabbenu, the leader of Klal Yisrael who took them out of Mitzrayim, led them through the midbar, brought down the Torah, and who spent forty days and forty nights learning Torah with Hashem; his tefilos would certainly have been extraordinary.
How much would we pay for a tefila from R’ Chaim Kanievski? What about the Chazon Ish, R’ Akiva Eger, Abaye or Rava? Certainly the tefilos of David haMelech and Moshe Rabenu must have been something exquisite.
We would thus have imagined that the tefilos of Moshe and of David were more powerful than those of an ani. However, this is not the case.
A Different Way of Thinking
The passuk asserts (Yeshaya 55:8-9): ‘Ki lo macheshvosai machshevosechem, v’lo darchechem derachai, ne’um Hashem. Ki gavhu shamayim mei’aretz, ken gavhu derachai midarchechem, u’machshevosai mi’machshevosechem”. R’ Shimshon Pinkus explained that with these words Hashem is teaching us something very important. We have a way of thinking, a perception of the world. We have our view of what is nice, what is good and what is fair, and we often assume that this is also Hashem’s perspective. However, this is not so - the passuk says it clearly: “My way of thinking is not your way of thinking and your ways are very different to my ways. As for as Heaven is from earth, is the distance between your way of thinking and mine.”
Returning to tefila. Indeed we would certainly place the tefilos of David haMelech and Moshe Rabbenu before those of a poverty stricken pauper. But Hashem does not see it that way - “ki lo machshevosai machshevosechem”. The most powerful tefila is that of an ani.
What is the basis for this seemingly strange preference? It is because an ani is a nishbar lev - broken hearted, and the passuk states, “karov Hashem l’nishberei lev”. Thus, when he davens the gates of Heaven are opened.
Wrap them up and bring them up!
This is astounding enough, but it even goes a step even further. Of the hundreds of tefilos we daven, many get stopped along the way, never reaching their destination, breaking the gates of Heaven. However, the tefila of the ani goes straight up to the Kisei haKavod. The tefila of the ani is referred to with the words, “tefila l’ani ki ya’atof”. One of the explanations of the word “ya’atof” is that it “wraps”, meaning that the ani’s tefila does not only go straight up to the Kisei haKavod, but on its way, it wraps up all the other tefilos which did not get through and brings them along with it to the Kisei haKavod!
Who is an ani? Simply understood it is a poor person who cannot afford his basic needs. However, as explained above, the true definition of an ani is nishbar lev - one who is broken hearted. Thus, even a wealthy person can daven a tefila l’ani if he is broken-hearted about something (such as being childless or unable to find a shidduch). If he davens to Hashem, his tefila is greater than that of David haMelech and Moshe Rabbenu.
The tefilos which did not make it!
Throughout the year, we recite countless tefilos and brachos for the binyan Beis Hamikdash. However, although we understand that we need the Beis Hamikdash and that it is the essence of our lives, we do not feel the loss in our hearts - we do not feel that we are missing anything. Our tefilos are therefore not uttered with a full heart. In fact, we can daven dozens of tefilos without a great deal of meaning! How many of them actually make it all the way to the Kisei haKavod? These tefilos are certainly not a tefila l’ani.
However, during three weeks of the year, we sit and focus on the loss of the Beis Hamikash, and the devastating effects of the churban. This intensifies during the nine days and eventually in the most intense avelus during Tisha b’Av as we sit on the floor and weep over the loss of the Beis Hamikdash. In these moments we realise what we have lost.
An opportunity not to be lost!
The result of this intense period, is that we become “nishberei lev”. We are broken hearted - we realise what we are missing. Therefore, we take these new, special, and profound feelings, turn to Hashem, and cry bitterly for the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash.
It is thus no surprise that the parshiyos immediately following Tisha b’Av, contain the theme of tefila. For this is the avoda of the time - an opportunity, to daven to Hashem with a broken heart - a tefila l’ani ki ya’atof.
This is an opportunity, not just for our current tefilos - the tefilos of an ani - to rise higher and higher without disturbance until they reach the Kisei haKavod. It is no less an opportunity for those tefilos to “wrap up” all the tefilos that did not make it up to the Kisei haKavod, and bring them along too.
Let us indeed take this opportunity during these special weeks. Let us endeavour not to leave the avoda of Tisha b’Av behind, but rather take it with us, transforming the pain into a tefila l’ani. In so doing, may all our tefilos reach the Kisei haKavod, and, in that zechus, may we merit to see the binyan Beis Hamikdash b’karov.
