Rosh Chodesh
In the Musaf of rosh chodesh, we say, תולדותם לכל כפרה זמן נתת לעמך חדשים ראשי, "You gave Rosh chodesh to Your nation, a forgiveness for all their תולדותם." The Beis Yosef (Tur 423) writes that תולדותם means deeds. Rosh Chodesh atones for all the bad deeds we might commit throughout the coming month. שונא מיד נפשם תשועת, "to save their souls from the enemy." The enemy is the yetzer hara. In the merit of Rosh Chodesh, Hashem saves us from our enemy, the yetzer hara.
Hashem promised Avraham that (Bereishis 15:15) טובה בשיבה תקבר, that he will be buried at an old age. Reb Shamshon Ostropoli zt'l (in his commentary on sefer Karnayim 6:1) says that the first letters of ובהט שיבהב קברת spell ת"טב. Hashem was hinting to Avraham Avinu that he will be niftar on Rosh Chodesh Teves. There are three great merits and kedushos on this day. It is Chanukah, it is Rosh Chodesh, and it carries the merits of Avraham Avinu, too, because it is his yahrtzeit.
We say Hallel on Rosh Chodesh. In addition to praising Hashem, Hallel is also a time for prayers and requests. In Hallel, we say (116:4) נפשי מלטה 'ה אנה, "Please, Hashem, save my soul," and we say (116:16) אני כי 'ה אנה עבדך, "Please, Hashem, for I am your servant," and we say (118:25) נא הושיעה 'ה אנא, "Please, Hashem, save now." Tzaddikim say that when one says 'ה אנא in the middle of Hallel, it is mesugal for yeshuos.
These are examples of tefillos said in Hallel. When we pray while praising Hashem, the tefillos are very powerful; therefore, all prayers in Hallel are very powerful.
Avraham davened for Sedom, but the cities were overturned. Lot davened for Tzoar, and it was saved. We can explain, b'derech tzachus, that this is because Lot began his tefillos by praising Hashem. He said in his tefillah (Bereishis 19:19) מצא נא הנה את להחיות עמדי עשית אשר חסדך ותגדל בעיניך חן עבדך נפשי, "See now, Your servant has found favor in Your eyes, and Your kindness was great which You did with me to save my life..." After this praise, Lot prayed that Hashem save Tzoar, and Hashem accepted his tefillos. This is because a tefillah said amidst praise is a very powerful tefillah.
Let’s use this auspicious time of Chanukah when we praise Hashem to also ask Him for our bakashos.
