Tefillah is Hishtadlus

Tefillah is Hishtadlus

One of the wonders of tefillah is that it can be considered as hishtadlus b'derech hatevah (hishtadlus within natural means) because Hashem put into the rules of nature that tefillah helps.

Rashi (32:9) writes, התקין עצמו לשלשה דברים לדורון לתפלה ולמלחמה, "Yaakov prepared himself [for meeting Eisav] in three ways: with a gift, with tefillah, and with war tactics." Gifts and warfare are hishtadlus within the rules of nature. Tefillah is mentioned among them to tell us that prayer is also hishtadlus within the laws of nature.

The Midrash says that one can't be idle and trust that he will have parnassah. He must do hishtadlus, as it states (Devarim 15:18) וברכך... בכל אשר תעשה, "Hashem will bless you... with everything you do," The Midrash emphasizes that one must do, and then he can receive Hashem's bounty. Nevertheless, Rebbe Yitzchak of Neshchiz zt'l said that tefillah is also considered doing, as Chazal say, "the movement of the lips is an action." So, although we must make hishtadlus, tefillah itself can be a hishtadlus for parnassah.

Saying the Words

Davening with kavanah is difficult for most people, and this causes many to disregard and disrespect their tefillos. They think, "What value can my tefillos have? They were mumbled without kavanah!" But every tefillah is exceptional, including those said without kavanah.

The Torah (32:9) tells us, ויחץ את העם אשר אתו... לשני מחנות, ויאמר אם יבוא עשו אל המחנה האחת והכהו והיה המחנה הנשאר לפליטה "He divided the people who were with him...into two camps. He said, 'If Eisav comes to one camp and strikes it down, then the remaining camp shall survive.'"

The Chozeh of Lublin zt'l explains that Eisav is the yetzer hara, and the two camps are the heart and speech. The pasuk is saying that if the yetzer hara smites the heart, and one cannot daven with kavanah, at least salvage the other camp, which is your speech. Say the words of the tefillah, even without kavanah, because those tefillos will also be answered.

The same is said regarding Tehillim. Tzaddikim have said that one should say Tehillim, even without kavanah, because just by saying the words, one brings about salvation and blessings.

Reb Chaim Brim zt'l brought a beautiful source that tefillos, even without kavanah, are effective:

If someone says ותן טל ומטר in the summer, he must repeat the Shemonah Esrei because, in Eretz Yisrael, rain is a curse during the summer. This halachah applies even if he said ותן טל ומטר without kavanah.

How much influence can his words have? He probably has no idea what he said! Yet, it is considered a curse, and he must daven again. We see that all tefillos, including those said without kavanah, accomplish so much!

Obviously, if he can daven with kavanah, the tefillos will be far greater, but let us be aware that every good deed, even tefillah without kavanah, is cherished and accomplishes a lot.