תכלית הצרה – אמונה ותפילה
The purpose of pain – Faith and Prayer
כ י שָׁמַע ה ' אֶל עָׁנְיֵךְ: (טז:יא)
For Hashem has heard your prayer. (16:11)
In Targum Onkelos, the word "עָנְיֵך" (your suffering) is translated as "צלותיך" (your prayer), which initially seems puzzling. Normally, "suffering" and "prayer" are two distinct ideas; suffering can lead to prayer, but it is not inherently prayer itself.
However, we could say that Hashem's purpose in bringing hardship upon a person is to awaken their faith and hope in Him, prompting them to pray. Since the ultimate goal of the suffering is to inspire prayer, we can consider the suffering as inherently linked to prayer. Thus, the word "עָנְיֵך" can be interpreted as referring to prayer.
The posuk itself supports this, saying, 'כי שמע ה' אל עניך ' - ‘For Hashem has heard your suffering.’ It is curious that it says "heard" rather than'ראה '- ‘seen’ regarding suffering, implying that the suffering’s purpose is to lead to something heard—namely, prayer.
This also answers a well-known question about the view of some poskim that it is a mitzvah to pray in times of distress (see the Ramban on the Rambam in Sefer HaMitzvos and in Be’er Heitev, Orach Chaim 106:1). It might seem that praying in such moments contradicts acceptance of the Creator’s decree, as if one does not trust in Hashem’s decisions for the person’s own good. So why is it considered a mitzvah? According to our explanation, HaKadosh Baruch Hu does not desire for a person to remain in distress. The purpose of hardship is solely to bring a person to prayer, affirming that all depends on the decree of the Supreme King. Therefore, prayer is not contrary to Hashem’s will; rather, it fulfills His will by bringing about the desired outcome—that the suffering be lifted through prayer.
It is possible that the Targum interprets this way specifically regarding Hagar the Egyptian to show that this principle applies not only to the righteous, for whom Chazal have already taught that ‘HaKadosh Baruch Hu desires the prayers of the righteous’ (Yevamos 64a), but also to those who are less righteous. While HaKadosh Baruch Hu especially longs for the prayers of the righteous, as stated, He also has compassion for others and seeks to instill in them the belief that He controls everything, that all depends on His will. Therefore, He orchestrates situations that lead them to distress, prompting them to pray. When they are saved by His decree, they realize their prayers had an effect, and that it was only because of the Creator's will that they emerged from trouble to relief.
Do not be surprised, however, when you see people remain in hardship for prolonged periods, even after fervent prayer, with their salvation delayed. If the purpose of suffering is to draw a person to his Creator, should they not see salvation sooner? We must remember that HaKadosh Baruch Hu, examines the heart and mind, knows whether a person’s prayer truly comes from genuine, clear faith or not. Sometimes, even when a person prays, it is not with full conviction that everything depends on the Creator’s decree, and their hope in HaKadosh Baruch Hu is incomplete; their prayer may feel as if “it can’t hurt” but lacks the depth of faith... With such a prayer, HaKadosh Baruch Hu’s intended goal has not been achieved. G-d knows that, even if granted salvation, the person might later doubt the power of prayer and mistakenly think that their salvation might have come regardless.
Therefore, Heaven delays his salvation, allowing him to exhaust all other efforts. When he sees that these efforts are ineffective and understands that only Hashem Yisbarach can save him, the deep-rooted faith within him will be stirred, placing his hope solely in Hashem Yisbarach. His prayer will then come from the heart, and then, indeed, he will be worthy of deliverance.
As expressed by the holy Rav of Ruzhin, on the posuk (Tehillim 13:2-3), 'עד אנה ה' תשכחני נצח, עד אנה תסתיר את פניך ממני, עד אנה אשית עצות בנפשי' - ‘How long, Hashem, will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long must I lay up counsel within my soul?’ This posuk contains a hint for a person who awaits salvation, which seems delayed. When he laments and asks his Creator, ‘How long, Hashem, will You forget me?’ because his situation appears as if he has been ‘forgotten forever’ and ‘How long will You hide Your face from me?’ – he should respond to himself that this will last ‘as long as I lay up counsel within my soul.’ In other words, it will continue as long as he relies on natural means and solutions, which is proof that he has not placed his full hope in Hashem.
But once he understands that there is no true substance to all his efforts and schemes, that salvation depends only on the Creator’s will, and that a person’s only recourse is to place his hope in Hashem, then, when his prayer arises from clear and complete faith, he will indeed attain his request.
This may be the intention behind the teaching in the Midrash (Devarim Rabbah, Va’eschanan 2): ‘Rebbe Chiya the Great said, it is written (Tehillim 27:14), 'קוה א ל ה' חזק ויאמץ לבך וקוה אל ה'' - ‘Hope to Hashem, be strong and let your heart take courage, and hope to Hashem.’ Pray and pray again, and there will come a time when you will be granted.’ The truth is that prayer indeed has the power to be answered immediately. Therefore, as soon as a hardship arises for a person, he is told, “Hope to Hashem!” If, after praying, one sees he has still not been answered, it is a sign that his hope in Hashem is not yet complete. Thus, the advice is to strengthen one’s faith, and then to try praying again. Hence, the posuk says, ‘Be strong and take courage’—fortify yourself in faith, and afterward, ‘hope to Hashem’ once more. Perhaps now, with strengthened faith, he has merited clear faith. Then, when he is directed to pray again, the instruction is, ‘Pray and pray again’—for if even this prayer does not leave an impression, he should strengthen himself and pray yet again.
For the very act of prayer is an expression of faith; without faith, one would not pray. When one prays repeatedly, he is, in effect, reinforcing his faith. This repetition of faith is a means to cultivate clear and deep-rooted belief, as the holy Rav Moshe of Kobrin taught to interpret the posuk (Tehillim 116:10), 'האמנתי כי אדבר ' - ‘I believed because I spoke’—I merited faith in Hashem Yisbarach because I spoke and repeated words of faith to myself. The repetition of faith instills it within a person’s soul.
Therefore, our Chazal promise, “there will come a time when you will be granted,” for ultimately, you will indeed attain clear faith. Then your prayer will rise before the One who dwells on high, and you will be remembered with salvation and mercy.
