Sincere Tefillah
ואתחנן אל ד'
“And I pleaded with Hashem” (Devorim 3:23)
Chazal teach us that Moshe Rabbeinu offered up five hundred and fifteen tefillos (the numerical equivalent of Va’eschanan) to Hashem, pleading with Him to rescind His decree that Moshe not enter into Eretz Yisroel. Moshe’s tefillos were clearly of a different caliber than anything we might offer. He did all of this because he realized the significance of entering the Land. The Vilna Gaon (Aderes Eliyohu) writes that Moshe did not just say one tefillah 515 times, but rather, each and every tefillah was unique, each one containing a different presentation, a different argument for allowing him to gain entrance into the Land. Every tefillah was accompanied by a different level of emotion, manifesting a different spirit and intensity.
A powerful lesson can be derived from Moshe Rabbeinu’s tefillos, explains Horav Nissim Yagen, zt”l. None of the tefillos which we recite during our lives should be the same. The wording may remain the same, but each tefillah should emanate from a different area in our heart. Each tefillah should have its own specific emotion and intention, and be recited with fresh thoughts in mind. Complacency in tefillah demeans the tefillah. When we succeed in expressing our tefillos with heartfelt sincerity, we penetrate the gates of Heaven, and an abundance of good fortune will be showered upon us. Furthermore, when we daven properly we will be guided by Heaven to continue to daven properly, with the appropriate kavanos, intentions/devotions.
Five hundred and fifteen tefillos also means that when Hashem did not answer Moshe, he tried again – and again – and again. He never gave up. Who knows? Perhaps, had he davened one more time, he would have received a positive response. (Indeed, Chazal say that this is why Hashem told Moshe, Al tosef, “Do not continue to speak to me further about the matter,” Devorim 3:26.) A man once came over to Rav Yagen and asked for advice concerning a specific problem. The Rav asked if the man had davened to Hashem. His reply was: “Of course, many times!” “How many times did you daven?” the Rav asked. “Three times.” He davened all of three times, and he gave up. Apparently, he was unaware of the power of tefillah– and of tefillah again and again – each time with renewed fervor and greater passion.
Moshe davened to enter Eretz Yisroel, because it meant so much to him. What do we daven for? We plead with Hashem: for health, for ourselves and our families; for parnassah, livelihood; we daven that our children grow up to be observant, G-d-fearing, Torah erudite Jews. We daven that each child finds his/her suitable shidduch, marriage partner, in short time, without mishap and aggravation. Moshe did not stop davening when the answer he sought was not forthcoming. Neither should we. (Peninim on the Torah)
Some Krias Shema Riddles
Riddle #1
Parshas Va’eschanan contains the first paragraph of Shema (6:4-9). The three paragraphs of Shema contain 245 words, which when combined with the three words repeated out loud by the chazon, אני ה' אלקיכם, come to 248 words, the number of limbs in a person’s body. A person who recites Shema when davening without a minyan adds the words א-ל מלך נאמן at the beginning to make up for the missing three words of the chazon. In light of the fact that women have 252 limbs, not 248, are they required to say א-ל מלך נאמן when davening without a minyan?
The Minchas Elozar (2:28) cites the Arizal, who explains that the 248 words of Shema are not intended to rectify and complete the 248 limbs of the individual saying Shema, but rather they correspond to the 248 “limbs” of esoteric mystical concepts. As this rationale is gender-neutral, the Minchas Elozar rules that women should also say these three words when davening without a minyan.
Riddle #2
When would a person be obligated to repeat all three paragraphs of Shema at night, even though he said all of them as part of Ma’ariv, did not specifically intend not to fulfill his obligation, and davened after nightfall and without any immodest sight or foul odor in his presence or vicinity?
The Biur Halachah (60 d.h. v’chein halachah) writes that a person who normally makes “early Shabbos” and recites Friday night davening before nightfall expects to repeat Shema again after dark. As such, if one week he happens to make “late Shabbos” and recites Ma’ariv in their proper time, unless he explicitly had clear intention to fulfill his obligation, he must repeat Shema again because his default intention is presumed to be in accordance with his usual custom, which is to fulfill his obligation not when saying Shema as part of Ma’ariv, but during his subsequent repetition of Shema. (R’ Ozer Alport)
A Sharp and Whitty Comment from R’ Shach
והיו הדברים האלה אשר אנכי מצוך היום על לבבך ושננתם לבניך ודברת בם בשבתך בביתך ובלכתך בדרך ובשכבך ובקומך
“Take to heart these instructions with which I charge you this day. Impress them upon your children. Recite them when you stay at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up.” (Devorim 6:6-7)
Rav Yisroel Salanter writes (Ohr Yisroel 27) that the mitzvah of learning Torah is not just a requirement to spend one’s time engaged in Torah study. It also contains a second component: the mitzvah of Yedias HaTorah – knowing the entire Torah.
A group of yeshiva bochurim once approached Rav Shach in the middle of the winter to “speak in learning” with him. They began discussing the sugyos [topics] near the beginning of the masechta their yeshiva was studying at that time. Rav Shach, who was known for his strong opposition to the slow pace of study that has become prevalent in many yeshivos, chided them, “It’s your fault that we are currently in the midst of a severe draught. When Hashem looks down at the earth and sees that the yeshiva bochurim are only up to daf ד, He assumes that the winter zman [semester] has just begun, and the time for rain has not yet arrived. If you would be learning at a faster pace and covering the ground that you are capable of, Hashem would realize how much of the zman has elapsed and how desperately we need the rains to come!” (R’ Ozer Alport)
