Teβillos on Shabbos
Another time that is an eis ratzon for tefillah is on Shabbos kodesh. The Rashba (Teshuvos 5;1) writes, "Shabbos [is an eis ratzon for tefillah] more than other days, for two reasons."
One reason is that Shabbos is הימים חמדת, Hashem's beloved day. Therefore, tefillos said on this day are answered. It also states השביעי ביום אלקים ויכל, which can be translated to mean that Hashem desires Shabbos (ויכל means desire, as in the pasuk דוד ותכל, and the Targum Yerushalmi writes that it means desire.) The Rashhba concludes, "This is why there is bracha on Shabbos, as it states, את 'ה ברך כן על השבת יום, "Therefore, Hashem blessed the Shabbos."
The second reason that Shabbos is an eis ratzon for tefillah, says the Rashba, is because people involved in eating and drinking often neglect their avodas Hashem. When one remembers Hashem on Shabbos, he is doing something others lose sight of, and he deserves that his tefillos be answered.
We quote the Rashba:
"We add to this that Shabbos is a day of rest from all work and even from cooking food. A day of rest often becomes a day of doing nothing, and people will be drinking cups of wine, speaking idly, and singing over cups of beer. At a time when everyone else is speaking foolishness, and one sanctifies himself to be before Hashem, to daven, and to perform mitzvos, such a person is befitting that his tefillos be answered! There are several sources to this idea from the Midrash. Dovid said about this (Tehillim 69:13-14) שותי ונגינות שער יושבי בי ישיחו רצון עת 'ה לך תפילתי ואני שכר, 'They talk about me, those who sit in the gate, and [they make] melodies for those who imbibe strong drink. But, as for me, may my prayer to You, O Lord, be it an eis ratzon...'"
The Rashba writes, תפילתו שתקבל ראוי, "It is befitting this his tefillos be answered!" because he is choosing good when so many others aren't. This turns his tefillah into an eis ratzon.
This can also explain the eis ratzon of Minchah that we discussed above. Minchah is said at a time when everyone is busy with their businesses. When one ignores Olam HaZeh for a few moments and turns his eyes and heart to daven to Hashem, this creates an eis ratzon in heaven.
So, according to the Rashba, Shabbos is an eis ratzon because (a) it is Hashem's beloved day. (b) When others are relaxing, eating and drinking, he remembers Hashem and davens to Him.
The Zohar (Tikunei Zohar 21) writes, "[The tefillos on Shabbos] are Imma Iloya [a kabbalistic term for a high world where there are no kelipos, and therefore] a person's tefillos are accepted before Hashem. It is [like the] tefillos of Aseres Yemei Teshuvah..."
The Aseres Yemei Teshuvah are certainly an eis ratzon for tefillah. The Rambam (Hilchos Teshuvah 2:6) writes, "Although teshuvah and prayers are always good, during the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, it is even better. One’s tefillos and his teshuvah are immediately accepted." Tefillos on Shabbos are the same because the Zohar compares the tefillos on Shabbos to those of Aseres Yemei Teshuvah.
It states (Tehillim 130:2) תהיינה בקולי שמעה 'ה תחנוני לקול קשובות אזניך, "Hashem, hearken to my voice; may Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications."
The Megaleh Amukos (Emor 27) writes that תהיינה בקולי שמעה is roshei teivos ת"שב, implying that on Shabbos, Hakadosh Baruch Hu listens attentively to our tefillos.
The Mishnah (Brachos 34:) tells us that Reb Chanina ben Dosa knew at the time of his davening whether his tefillos were answered or not. When he would daven for the ill, he would say, "This person will live... This person will die." People asked him how he knew. He replied, שהוא אני יודע בפי תפלתי שגורה אם מטורף שהוא אני יודע לאו ואם מקובל, "If the tefillah flows easily in my mouth [without errors, and my supplications flow from my heart to my mouth, everything that I want to express lengthily in my tefillos – Rashi], I know that my tefillah was answered. Otherwise, I know it is ripped up [and the tefillah wasn't answered]."
בפי תפילתי שגורה, is roshei teivos שבת. The Minchas Elazar zt'l (במדבר 'פר שבת מאמר ,מאמרות חמשה) quoting the Baal Shem Tov's students says that this hints that Shabbos is a good time for tefillah. Because when it is בפי תפילתי שגורה, "I know that my tefillah was answered."
It states תעלומות יודע צעקתנו ושמע קבל שועתנו, "Accept our shouts and listen to our calls, the One who knows the secrets." The Minchas Elazar says from kabbalah sefarim that these words allude to Shabbos, and we understand from this that Shabbos is a time for our tefillos to be answered.
It states ההיא בעת 'ה אל ואתחנן, and the Beis Avraham zt'l explains, "We should daven all week long, ההיא בעת, that when it is the special time of Shabbos, לאמר, our mouths should be opened wide to speak holy words."
The Beis Avraham adds אתחנן-ו, that at least on ו"וא, on Friday [the sixth day of the week], we should daven that we merit to daven on Shabbos.
The Chasam Sofer zt"l traveled with a student to a city that needed a Rav, and he advised them to accept his student for the position. However, the townspeople didn't accept the Chasam Sofer's recommendation and chose someone else to be their Rav.
The Chasam Sofer told his student, "I cannot compete with his tears." The Chasam Sofer understood that the other candidate davened and pleaded with tears to Hashem to be hired for this position, and his request was granted in heaven.
On a Shabbos afternoon, someone came to a beis medresh and found a Yid saying Tehillim fervently, with all his heart and soul. He was so inspired that he also began saying Tehillim in this emotional manner. When he saw that the man finished saying Tehillim, he went over to him and said, "From the way you said Tehillim, it seems you are going through a hard time. Maybe you want to speak about it?"
He replied, "I have an exceptional daughter, full of good qualities, but I cannot find her a shidduch because I don’t have money for her dowry. During the week, I hardly see her; I am out of the house, earning a living. But on Shabbos, I am home, witness her pain, and feel so sorry for her. Therefore, every Shabbos immediately after the seudah, I go to beis medresh and pour my heart out to Hashem. I pray that she finds her bashert very soon."
"I also have an older child at home," said the other. "He is a talmid chacham, has good middos and yiras shamayim, but I also can't find a shidduch for him since I also don't have money. Perhaps we should be meshadech together? You have a good daughter, and I have a good son. We are both poor. Let the children marry without a dowry." And the shidduch happened!
The Chofetz Chaim repeated this episode to his family one shalash seudos and concluded, "From this couple, four great gedolim were born. One was the Ktzos HaChoshen, another was the Baal Kuntras HaSfeikos, zy"a. From this story we learn the power of tefillah davened with all one’s heart and soul. A person who davens like that, his tefillos will be answered."
