Hashgochah Pratis in Sifrei Kodesh
Hashgachahh Pratis in the Sefarim Hakedoshim
Excerpts from the popular shiur by Harav Hatzaddik R’ Beirish Shneebalg shlit”a
Like a Son Asking of His Father
Tefillah is the key to parnassah, always, every day. We need to daven regularly, again and again, in order to bring down the bounty of parnassah and to become receptacles for it. There is good reason that the Shulchan Aruch (1:5) states that it’s commendable to say Parshas Hamann every day.
Tefillah is not only asking for there to be good parnassah decreed upon us. Even if good parnassah has already been decreed, a lack of regularity in davening can hold up the arrival of the bounty. As we learn in the sefer Me’or Einayim (Parshas Va’es’chanan), a person’s parnassah stems from the Upper Worlds and comes down to this world through several other worlds, in each of which it is liable to be held up because of the prosecutors, as he is re-judged to determine whether he deserves shefa. Specifically through tefillah, we bring down upon us the bounty that is meant for this world.
In Parshas Beha’aloscha we learn about the sin of Am Yisrael asking for meat to eat. The passuk emphasizes their crying: “For you cried in Hashem’s Ears, saying, “Who will feed us meat?” We need to understand: What is so bad about crying? This is an outpouring before Hashem, and if a person cries when he davens and asks for his needs, what is his sin?
The Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh teaches us that crying in this way shows a lack of bitachon. Bnei Yisrael should have approached Hashem like a son who asks his father for whatever his heart desires. He explains that their crying was a demonstration of their absolute certainty that they could not get what they wanted. The fact that they cried shows that it was certain in their eyes that Hashem did not have the power, chas v’shalom, to provide their needs.
These words show us the way in tefillah: Tefillah needs to be from a place of bitachon, and one should ask Hashem like a son asks his father, trusting that his father will fulfill all his desires.
May Hashem help us, and may the gates of parnassah open with much breadth and great shefa; amen.
