Pearls of Tefillah in the Parashah
The Imrei Noam explained: Am Yisrael only merited the rebuilding of the Second Bais Hamikdash after they once again committed themselves to the yoke of Torah in the days of Achashveirosh (Shabbos 88a). This is because Bayis Rishon was destroyed for the sin of bittul Torah, as it says (Yirmiyah 9:12): “Vayomer Hashem al ozvam es Torasi.”
Bayis Shelishi, in contrast, will be built in the merit of strengthening tefillah as it says (Tehillim 102: 17-19): “Ki banah Hashem Tzion nirah bichvodo” in Bayis Shelishi, in the merit of “Panah el tefillas ha’arar velo bazah es tefillasam.” The passuk even continues and stresses that it refers to Bayis Shelishi when it says “Tikasev zos ledor acharon...” (See Vayikra Rabbah 30 3)
This passuk alludes to this: “אלה פקודי המשכן” – is numerically equivalent to פקודי and קול תפלה equivalent to pekidah and geulah, meaning, “now one needs to make the effort primarily in tefillah and through this we will merit the geulah sheleimah may it be speedily in our day amen.”
Regarding the obligation to strengthen tefillah in our generation, and because the Geulah is contingent on this, the Imrei Noam continues with these inspiring words: “And still the satan dances among us because ‘hashmen lev ha’am’ (Yeshayah 6:10) that they should not awaken themselves to daven with kavanah.”
