248 - Believe It!

We've been discussing how one of the most basic expressions of emunah and bitachon, our ultimate purpose and focus in this world, is simply talking to Hashem. If I believe Hashem exists, can hear me, and can help me, a basic equation is that I will talk to Him about anything and everything. And the more I believe, and even if I don't yet, but the more I'm aspiring to believe, the more I will make an effort to talk more and more with Hashem as much as possible.

Talking to Hashem is available to every single one of us regardless of our level. And yes, at times it can be difficult to talk to Hashem because we have to practice our emunah, our belief that He is listening. It's much easier to talk to another person where you can see their response and you don't feel like what you're doing is futile, whereas when it comes to talking to Hashem, it is completely an exercise of emunah, of belief, because I don't see Hashem, I don't hear Hashem responding to me, and I nevertheless am called on to make my maximum effort to have a relationship with Hashem, which again, is our test in this world, to grow in our emunah.

The Midrash Rabbah, to Toldos, section 63, part 5, states that our ancestress Rivka was barren, and when her husband Yitzhak Avinu learned of this, how did he respond? Of course, it was with personal prayer to Hashem. The Midrash teaches that he prayed extensively for his wife Rivka. We need to internalize that talking to Hashem in our own words was, is, and always will be an ABC of serving Hashem. The reason that we sometimes might forget to talk to Hashem is that we don't fully believe that He is listening. But we need to constantly contemplate on the fact that Hashem is listening to every single word that we say. Hashem is constantly waiting to hear from us and treats our prayers with highest priority.

In Bereishit chapter 32, verse 12, in the episode when Eisav and his men advanced against Yaakov Avinu, Yaakov knew what to do. He might have been much weaker physically than his brother Eisav, and he might have had much fewer warriors, but that did not matter. He had one resource that is greater and stronger than anything else – tefillah. Let's remind ourselves that just like Yaakov Avinu, our forefather, prayed to Hashem in his times of trouble, so too, every single one of us has the constant opportunity to do so. Just like Yaakov Avinu spoke to Hashem in his own words, so does every single one of us have the constant opportunity to reach out to Hashem at any moment about anything and everything. 

The Midrash Rabbah to parashas Lech Lecha section 41 states that when our ancestress Sara Imeinu was abducted by king Avimelech, it was obviously an extremely stressful and traumatic event. Instead of panicking through her predicament however, which would have been futile, she used her time wisely. Throughout the entire night, she was immersed in personal prayer to Hashem, beseeching Him to send her salvation. Let us take to heart and learn from the example of our holy ancestors, who were much more connected to Hashem than we are today. Through any and every situation, they were always speaking to Hashem. 

And along similar lines, in Bereishit chapter 30, verse 22, the verse states that our ancestress Rachel Imeinu also practiced communion with Hashem in personal prayer. When she realized that she was barren, she prayed to Hashem in her own sincere words, asking Him for salvation. And the verse in Yirmiyahu chapter 31, verse 14 states further that even after the death of Rachel Imeinu, she continues to pray for her children, for every single one of us. Let us not forget that every single one of us has the same opportunity that was given to our holy matriarch, Rachel Imeinu. Besides for the prescribed daily tefillos, Shacharis, Mincha and Maariv, that we all have the tremendous opportunity to connect to, we also all have the constant opportunity to talk with Hashem in our very own words, every single day.