11. The Or HaChaim adds, "Who knew better than Moshe when it is an eis ratzon!"
Teβillah
The Parashah begins with the words, ההיא בעת 'ה אל ואתחנן, "I davened to Hashem at that time..." Moshe Rabbeinu davened to be able to enter into Eretz Yisrael. The Or HaChaim HaKadosh says that Moshe davened ההיא בעת, at "that time," which means, "at a time of eis ratzon."
There are times when the heavens are open, and at these times, our tefillos are accepted with love and desire. Moshe knew when it was an auspicious time for tefillah, and he davened specifically then to be granted permission to enter Eretz Yisrael.
Dovid HaMelech also sought to daven at a time of eis ratzon. He pleaded (Tehillim 69:14) רצון עת 'ה לך תפילתי ואני, "...May my prayer to You, Hashem, be in an acceptable time (eis ratzon)."
Now is an excellent time to discuss this subject because, as we wrote above, Shabbos Nachamu is the beginning of good times. Shabbos Nachamu is certainly an eis ratzon. Soon after Shabbos Nachamu comes the 15th of Av, which is also a joyous day, an eis ratzon. The Mishnah (Taanis 26:) states, היו לא באב עשר כחמשה לישראל טובים ימים, "The Jewish nation never had such good yomim tovim as the fifteenth of Av."
Tzaddikim have said that באב עשר חמשה has the same gematriya as טובה וחתימה כתיבה. Some tzaddikim began blessing their chasidim with a טובה וחתימה כתיבה from the 15th of Av onwards. It is the beginning of good times and the upcoming, blessed year.
So, as we are approaching days of eis ratzon (Elul, Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, and Succos), let us remember that these days are ideal for tefillah.
Minchah
Just like there are days mesugal to be an eis ratzon during the year, there are times of eis ratzon each day. For example, it is an eis ratzon when we daven Minchah.
On Shabbos afternoon, before Minchah, we say the pasuk רצון עת 'ה לך תפילתי ואני and the Rashba (Teshuvos vol.5:1) explains that this is because Minchah time is an eis ratzon. We quote, "Know that the time of Minchah (every day) is an eis ratzon for tefillah, just as there are auspicious times in the year, such as the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The Gemara (Brachos 6) states, "One should always be cautious with tefillas Minchah because Eliyahu was answered through tefillas Minchah."
The Trisker Magid (Magen Avraham, Balak) writes, "My father zt'l (Rebbe Mordechai of Chernobyl) said in the name of the Baal Shem Tov zt'l that a person who is busy with his business all day long and is running around in the streets and the marketplace, almost forgetting that there is a Creator of the world, and when it comes time to daven Minchah, he remembers that it is time to daven, and he moans in his heart when he reflects on how the entire day passed being occupied with the foolishness of this world, and he runs to a side road, and davens minchah, although he doesn't know at all what he said, nevertheless, this is also extremely precious in Hashem's eyes, and his moan pierces the heavens."
At the machlokes of Korach, 250 people prepared ketores to prove that they, too, could be the kohen gadol. Moshe prayed (Bamidbar 16:15) מנחתם אל תפן אל, that Hashem shouldn't accept their korban.
Reb Yonoson Eibshitz says that אל תפן אל מנחתם means that Hashem shouldn't listen to their tefillas Minchah. Moshe feared Hashem might accept their tefillos because Minchah time is an eis ratzon, and Hashem especially answers the tefillos of those who turn to him at that time.
It states (Bereishis 24:63) בשדה לשוח יצחק ויצא ערב לפנות, "Yitzchak went forth to pray in the field towards evening." The Kli Yakar writes, "Chazal learn from this pasuk that Yitzchak established the prayer of Minchah... And from this source, Chazal (Brachos 6:) says, 'A person should always be cautious with Minchah because Eliyahu was answered through Tefillas Minchah."
The Kli Yakar explains that the segulah associated with Minchah is that one is answered immediately. He writes, "Avraham established Shacharis and Yaakov established Maariv, but we don't find that they were answered immediately. However, when Yitzchak established tefillas Minchah, he was answered immediately. Yitzchak was probably davening for a shidduch because Eliezer was on the way [to find him a shidduch]. Chazal say Brachos 8.) 'A person should always daven for a wife,' which is why Yitzchak went to the field to daven. Immediately, after he davened, it states וישא,באים גמלים והנה וירא עיניו, "Yitzchak raised his eyes and behold camels were approaching." He davened with his eyes downward, and immediately when he finished his tefillah, he raised his eyes and saw that his tefillos were already answered."
The Gemara (Brachos 6:) states, "One should always be cautious with Minchah, because Eliyahu was answered with tefillas Minchah, as it states (Malachim 1, 18:36) ויגש המנחה בעלות ויהי ענני 'ה ענני 'וגו ויאמר הנביא אליהו, 'And it was at Minchah time, that Eliyahu HaNavi came near and said... 'Answer me, Hashem, answer me." Chazal explain that he requested twice ענני, "Answer me," because he was davening for two things. He said, אש שתרד ענני הם כשפים מעשה יאמרו שלא וענני השמים מן, "Answer me that fire should come down from heaven and answer me that they shouldn't say that I was performing witchcraft."
Chazal say that one shouldn't daven for two things in one tefillah. Yet here Eliyahu davened for two things. The Ben Yohoyada explains that at Minchah time, one can daven for two things together, and his tefillos will be answered.
