This week we started The Jewish course of Why, where we will tackle 50 of the most interesting and often asked questions about Judaism.
One of the questions that really resonated with me was.
Why do we pray? Doesn't G‑d know what He is doing? Can we really affect His will?
I mean, if a central part of Jewish belief is that G-d is all knowing and all powerful, and that all He does is for the best. Isn't it then heretical to ask Him to give us something He hasn't, or change something from one outcome to the other? Why not just leave it in His capable hands?
The answer was equally powerful.
Yes, G-d knows what He's doing, and He knows how things should be for the best, but sometimes, G-d decides to give us certain things only if we pray, because He thirsts for our prayers, and He wants us to be the authors of our own destiny.
There is a beautiful story told of the Baal Shem Tov that illustrates this idea.
The Baal Shem Tov and two of his students arrived at a poor man’s house. Moshe, overjoyed at the opportunity to do the Mitzvah of welcoming guests, invited them in, served them drinks, and gave them a place to sleep. The guests asked to stay another night, and then another, and another. Wanting to fulfil the mitzvah, Moshe was eventually forced to sell precious items from his possessions to buy enough food to take care of them.
When the guests finally left, the man’s wife and children began to cry, for they had nothing left. Devastated to see his family in pain, Moshe let out a big, heartfelt sigh and prayed to G-d to have mercy on his family. Not long after, Moshe became very successful. Now a wealth man, Moshe decided to pay a visit to the Baal Shem Tov.
When he arrived, the Baal Shem Tov turned to the two students who had accompanied him on the journey and told them that this was the same man they had visited. The Baal Shem Tov had seen in heaven that G-d wanted to reward Moshe, but that He was waiting for Moshe’s prayer. The Baal Shem Tov drained all of Moshe’s resources so that Moshe would be forced to pray to G-d. As soon as Moshe let out his big, heartfelt sigh and prayer, he drew down G-d’s blessings.
Wishing you that you see the answer to all your prayers