Thanks Before Supplication
The Tefillos of Our Bubbes Cannot Be Minimized
We have previously discussed the important teaching of the Kadmonim that the real essence of tefillah isn’t at all to attain our needs through supplication. It has a completely different purpose. Tefillah is designed to bring us closer to the Ribbono shel Olam and to help us learn to accept everything that He does for and with us.
One may ask, what about the beautiful, heartfelt, and earnest tefillos of our grandmothers?
We’ve all been raised on the sincere and earnest supplications of our matriarchs who hadn’t learned about all the deep and complex teachings regarding tefillah. They spoke to Hashem directly from the heart... pleading with Him for everything they needed. They probably were unaware of the Mabit (which we have mentioned here) or the Chovos HaLevavos—but their prayers were exalted and pure.
Sincere, Old-Fashioned Davening
Surely, there have always been Yidden who studied the deep teachings about tefillah and avodas Hashem, and they understood what we have been learning here. But was Klal Yisrael built through these deep and thoughtful people?! Who, then, taught us how to daven if not for our grandmothers, with their sincerity and direct channel to Hashem?
When they lacked something, they turned to Hashem with earnestness and truthfulness... no gimmicks or tricks. What rational person would minimize such a tefillah or suggest that it was anything less than perfect?
So, when these exalted women who may not have known the words of the Rishonim stood up to daven with simplicity and directness, “Ribbono shel Olam! Help me! I need a yeshuah... the situation is difficult...,” of course, this is the most incredible tefillah.
Thanking for Hashem’s Chessed Prior to Davening
We must study the words of Chazal regarding tefillah. The Gemara tells us (Berachos 4b) that one must מסמיך גאולה לתפילה, adjoin the verses about redemption to our tefillah of Shemoneh Esrei. For, in this way, we acknowledge and give thanks for the kindness of redemption, and only then do we approach Hashem in supplication.
Prior to Prayer
In his derashos, the Chasam Sofer explains that the imperative of adjoining גאולה and תפילה doesn’t apply only to the official davening of Shemoneh Esrei—rather, every time a Yid comes to ask for anything from Hashem, he must first express overflowing thanks and gratitude.
“Prior to every tefillah, a Yid must give thanks for all the good that Hashem has done for him until this day, and he must rejoice in the way Hashem supervised and orchestrated his life—and only then should he supplicate for the future. This is the essence of the obligation of סמיכת גאולה לתפילה,” says the Chasam Sofer.
The Rambam (Hilchos Tefillah 1:2) had already cited this yesod, saying that although the precise nusach of tefillah is Mid’Rabbanan, the imperative to begin every prayer with thanks and to conclude as well with praise is d’Oraisa. Every tefillah we send up to Hashem, even in our own language, must entail the three components of praise, supplication, and thanks—for when a Yid comes before Hashem and he wants something, he must first acknowledge the mercy and the kindness that He has already done for us. This is the design of tefillah.
Thanking Hashem Brings Us Closer to Him
Knocking on the Door of the King
Why, indeed, is it so important to adjoin גאולה לתפילה? Why is it necessary before every tefillah? Rashi (Berachos 4b) cites the Yerushalmi that explains this with a parable about a person who was beloved to the king, a friend of the king, who knocks on the king’s door. When the door is opened, he may ask for his request, but if he leaves the door before it is opened, the king cannot find him and therefore cannot grant his request.
The same applies when a Yid rises to sing praises of Hashem. This is akin to knocking at the door, and once he’s at the door, he is permitted to ask for his needs.
Opening the Door
Rashi is teaching us that praise for the King for everything that He has given us draws us in and brings us closer to Him. And when we’re close, that is the appropriate time to ask for our needs. It’s simply a shame to pass up the opportunity. If you’re here already, and the door is open, grab the opportunity!
This idea is presented in Sefer HaChinuch regarding the mitzvah of Bikkurim, during where we give praise to Hashem, and we conclude with the supplication of השקיפה ממעון קדשך, look down from Your holy abode. For once we have become close through our abundant praises, we must utilize the opportunity to ask for what we need.
By praising the chasdei Hashem, we draw down the light of Hashem, as Rashi says, “We draw Hashem close to us, as it were, and while we’re close is a good time to ask for our needs.” But when a person supplicates straightaway, without thanking first for the past, the light of Hashem isn’t here yet, and this results in a much weaker tefillah.
The Path to Closeness
We must understand this a bit deeper, for in truth, there’s no such thing as Hashem being nearer or farther—for the whole world is filled with His glory. When we speak about closeness, we’re speaking in relation to ourselves. When we have a greater understanding and appreciation of Hashem, this brings us to a closeness to Hashem.
Knowledge and understanding of Hashem doesn’t mean that we know that Hashem is here—rather it means that we appreciate how much the Ribbono shel Olam does for us at every moment. So long as we don’t adequately appreciate this, we’re distant—for the light of Hashem is concealed from us, and we’re liable to stumble with aveiros, R”l. But when we properly appreciate the kindness of Hashem, it brings us closer to Him, into His light. When we daven subsequently, it’s another tefillah completely.
Smiling All Day
The Gemara (Berachos 9b) tells us that Rabbi Ila’a attested that the Amora Rav Bruna is a great man who rejoices in mitzvos. Why was this? Because, once, when he adjoined גאולה לתפילה, a smile did not leave his lips all day. His joy was so great for that one time of being מסמיך גאולה לתפילה that he didn’t stop smiling all day.
The Tosafos ask: Why was it so great that he did this one time? Doesn’t every Yid do this every day?! The simple answer to this question is that while we all do this every day, there are various levels of internalizing and absorbing the concept of סמיכת גאולה לתפילה. The more we invest in placing our praises before our supplications—that is, to appreciate the good that we have already been granted before we ask for more—it is a greater level of סמיכת גאולה לתפילה.
This elevates our subsequent supplications to another level, for it enables us to approach with much more humility and bashfulness. This Yid feels, “How can I even ask for more, when I owe the Ribbono shel Olam so much... we can never finish praising and thanking Him for everything we have.”
Reliance Brings Rejoicing
The above Gemara also tells us the outcome of internalizing this idea: joy! The Gemara doesn’t say that abundant rain came down to the world on that day, or that Rav Bruna authored many chiddushei Torah on that day. It says that he didn’t stop smiling all day. He was joyful all day due to this recognition.
Because this is how it works. When we daven with the proper approach, we become greater ba’alei bitachon, and the ba’al bitachon is, by definition, a happy, fortunate, and blissful person who walks around all day with great joy.
Rav Bruna merited a very deep appreciation of Hashem’s kindness on that day. He so deeply internalized the kindnesses of Hashem on that day that it brought about a wonderful light, which left a joyful impression upon him all day.
When a Yid absorbs the recognition of the mercy of Hashem, he will always be joyful—regardless of the surrounding situation. This is what it means to “smile all day.” Many things happen to us and around us all day—but none of them can dampen the joy of our reliance. Rav Bruna experienced this on the highest level, but every Yid can attain this awareness and appreciation according to his level.
