Beis El: Prayer Solely for Heaven's Honor
From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Bereishis 28:10-11
וַיֵּצֵא יַעֲקֹב מִבְּאֵר שָׁבַע וַיֵּלֶךְ חָרָנָה וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם וַיָּלֶן שָׁם כִּי־בָא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וַיִּקַּח מֵאַבְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם וַיָּשֶׂם מְרַאֲשֹׁתָיו וַיִּשְׁכַּב בַּמָּקוֹם הַהוּא
Yaakov left Be'er Sheva and went toward Charan. He encountered the place and spent the night there, because the sun had set. He took some of the stones of the place and put them at his head, and lay down in that place.
Chazal read vayifga, “he encountered,” as an expression of prayer, teaching that Yaakov instituted the evening prayer; the verse avoids saying “he prayed” to teach that the land contracted for him. Further on, Rashi brings the Gemara (Chullin 91b) that Yaakov passed the place where his fathers had prayed, reached Charan, and then turned back.
1a“Yaakov left Be'er Sheva and went toward Charan. He encountered the place.”1 Rashi explains: “‘He encountered the place’: our Rabbis explained that vayifga is a word for prayer, as in ve'al tifga bi, ‘do not entreat Me,’ and we learn that he instituted the evening prayer.”2 Rashi adds: “The verse changed its wording and did not write ‘and he prayed,’ to teach you that the land contracted for him …”3
וַיֵּצֵא יַעֲקֹב מִבְּאֵר שָׁבַע וַיֵּלֶךְ חָרָנָה. וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם (כח, י-יא). פֵּירֵשׁ רש״י ז״ל, וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם, רַבּוֹתֵינוּ פֵּירְשׁוּ (ברכות כו, ב) לְשׁוֹן תְּפִלָּה, כְּמוֹ וְאַל תִּפְגַּע בִּי (ירמיהו ז, טז), וְלָמַדְנוּ שֶׁתִּיקֵּן תְּפִלַּת עַרְבִית. עוֹד כָּתַב רש״י ז״ל, וְשִׁינָּה הַכָּתוּב וְלֹא כָּתַב ׳וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל׳ לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁקָּפְצָה לוֹ הָאָרֶץ וְכוּ׳.
1bFurther on, Rashi explains the word vayifga this way: the Beis HaMikdash came out to meet Yaakov as far as Beis El, and that is “he encountered the place.”4 Rashi continues: “And if you ask: when Yaakov passed by the Beis HaMikdash, why did Heaven not stop him there? He himself did not set his heart to pray in the place where his fathers had prayed, so should Heaven stop him? He went on as far as Charan, as the verse proves: ‘and he went toward Charan.’5 When he reached Charan, he said, ‘Is it possible that I passed the place where my fathers prayed and did not pray there?’ He set his mind to return, went back as far as Beis El, and the land contracted for him …” In his commentary on the Gemara, Rashi names the place: “It is Mount Moriah, where Avraham prayed, and it is the field where Yitzchak prayed.”6 The Gemara says the same: “‘Come, let us go up …’ Not like Avraham, who called it ‘mountain,’ and not like Yitzchak, who called it ‘field,’ but like Yaakov, who called it ‘Beis El,’ the house of God.”7 That is the gist of Rashi's words.
וּלְהַלָּן (פסוק טז) כָּתַב רש״י לְיַישֵּׁב לָשׁוֹן ׳וַיִּפְגַּע׳, שֶׁבָּא בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ לִקְרָאתוֹ עַד בֵּית אֵל, וְזֶהוּ ׳וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם׳, וְאִם תֹּאמַר כְּשֶׁעָבַר יַעֲקֹב עַל בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ מַדּוּעַ לֹא עִכְּבוֹ שָׁם, אִיהוּ לָא יָהֵיב לִבֵּיהּ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁהִתְפַּלְּלוּ אֲבוֹתָיו וּמִן הַשָּׁמַיִם יְעַכְּבוּהוּ, אִיהוּ עַד חָרָן אֲזַל, וּקְרָא מוֹכִיחַ ׳וַיֵּלֶךְ חָרָנָה׳ (לעיל פסוק י), כִּי מְטָא לְחָרָן אָמַר, אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁעָבַרְתִּי עַל מָקוֹם שֶׁהִתְפַּלְּלוּ אֲבוֹתַי וְלֹא הִתְפַּלַּלְתִּי בּוֹ, יְהַב דַּעְתֵּיהּ לְמֶהְדַּר, וְחָזַר עַד בֵּית אֵל וְקָפְצָה לוֹ הָאָרֶץ וְכוּ׳, וְהוּא הַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה שֶׁהִתְפַּלֵּל בּוֹ אַבְרָהָם, וְהוּא הַשָּׂדֶה שֶׁהִתְפַּלֵּל בּוֹ יִצְחָק (רש״י חולין צא, ב ד״ה שהתפללו), וְכֵן אָמְרוּ בַּגְּמָרָא (פסחים פח, א) לְכוּ נַעֲלֶה וְגוֹ׳ (ישעיהו ב, ג), לֹא כְּאַבְרָהָם שֶׁקְּרָאוֹ הַר, וְלֹא כְּיִצְחָק שֶׁקְּרָאוֹ שָׂדֶה, אֶלָּא כְּיַעֲקֹב שֶׁקְּרָאוֹ בֵּית אֵל, עכ״ד.
1cBut why did Yaakov Avinu not pray at once in the place where his fathers had prayed, remembering only afterward and “setting his mind to return”? We must also ask what Chazal meant when they said that Avraham called it “mountain”: what is the difference between Avraham and Yitzchak, who called it “mountain” and “field,” and Yaakov, who called it “Beis El”?
וּבֶאֱמֶת יֵשׁ לְהָבִין, לָמָּה יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ ע״ה לֹא הִתְפַּלֵּל מִיָּד עַל מָקוֹם שֶׁהִתְפַּלְּלוּ אֲבוֹתָיו, וְרַק לְאַחַר מִכֵּן נִזְכַּר וְיָהֵיב דַּעְתֵּיהּ לְמֶהְדַּר. גַּם יֵשׁ לְהָבִין, מַה הַכַּוָּונָה בְּאָמְרָם ז״ל אַבְרָהָם קְרָאוֹ הַר וְכוּ׳, וּמַה הַחִילּוּק בֵּין אַבְרָהָם וְיִצְחָק שֶׁקְּרָאוּהוּ הַר וְשָׂדֶה, לְבֵין יַעֲקֹב שֶׁקְּרָאוֹ בֵּית אֵל.
In shortWhy did Yaakov pass his fathers' place of prayer before turning back, and how does his “Beis El” differ from Avraham's “mountain” and Yitzchak's “field”?
2We can explain this as follows. There are, as is well known, two kinds of prayer. The first is plain prayer, mostly for material needs, and of this the holy Zohar says: “They cry out like dogs, ‘Give! Give!’”8 But the great level, and the true goal, is prayer solely for the honor of Heaven. My holy father and teacher, zt"l, explained the verse “I pleaded to Hashem at that time” in this light.9 Prayer, he said, must be “to Hashem,” that is, for the honor of Heaven. This is especially so in the generations before the days of Moshiach, when the main task is to repair the prayers of Israel. That is the meaning of “at that time”: the time before the redemption. Those are his holy words.
וְיֵשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ בְּדֶרֶךְ זֶה, דְּהִנֵּה נוֹדַע שֶׁיֶּשְׁנָם שְׁנֵי מִינֵי תְּפִילּוֹת, הָא׳ הִיא תְּפִילָּה פְּשׁוּטָה עַל עִנְיְינֵי גַּשְׁמִיּוֹת בְּעִיקַּר, וְעַל זֶה אִיתָא בַּזּוֹהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ (תיקוני זוהר כב, א) צוֹוְחִין כְּכַלְבֵי הַב הַב. אַךְ הַמַּדְרֵגָה הַגְּדוֹלָה הַנִּרְצֵית הִיא שֶׁהַתְּפִלָּה תִּהְיֶה רַק עַל כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁפֵּירֵשׁ כ״ק אאמו״ר זצללה״ה מַאֲמַר הַכָּתוּב (דברים ג, כג) ״וָאֶתְחַנַּן אֶל ה׳ בָּעֵת הַהִיא״, כִּי הַתְּפִילָּה צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת בִּבְחִינַת ׳אֶל ה׳׳, הַיְינוּ עַל כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, וּבִפְרָט בַּדּוֹרוֹת שֶׁקּוֹדֶם יְמוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ, שֶׁהָעִיקָּר לְתַקֵּן תְּפִילּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְזֶהוּ ׳בָּעֵת הַהִיא׳ הַכַּוָּונָה לְהָעֵת שֶׁקּוֹדֶם הַגְּאוּלָּה, עכד״ק.
In shortHigher than the material “Give! Give!” is prayer solely for Heaven's honor, which the Rebbe's father found in “I pleaded to Hashem at that time.”
3With this we can explain a remarkable Midrash about bikkurim, the first fruits that were brought to the Beis HaMikdash: “Moshe foresaw through divine inspiration that the Beis HaMikdash would one day be destroyed and the bikkurim would cease. He arose and instituted for Israel that they should pray three times every day.”10 This is puzzling, since we know that the prayers were instituted by the Avos, not by Moshe.11 And what do bikkurim have to do with prayer? Why did Moshe Rabbeinu see fit to set prayer in the place of bikkurim?
וּבָזֶה אֶפְשָׁר לְפָרֵשׁ מִדְרָשׁ מוּפְלָא בְּעִנְיַן בִּיכּוּרִים (תנחומא כי תבא א), צָפָה מֹשֶׁה בְּרוּחַ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ, וְרָאָה שֶׁבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ עָתִיד לֵיחָרֵב וְהַבִּיכּוּרִים עֲתִידִין לִיפָּסֵק, עָמַד וְהִתְקִין לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מִתְפַּלְּלִין שְׁלֹשָׁה פְּעָמִים בְּכָל יוֹם. וְקָשֶׁה, הֲרֵי נוֹדַע שֶׁהַתְּפִילּוֹת אָבוֹת תִּיקְּנוּם (ברכות כו, ב), וְלֹא מֹשֶׁה. גַּם יֵשׁ לְהָבִין, מַה שַׁיָּיכוּת יֵשׁ בֵּין בִּיכּוּרִים לִתְפִילָּה, שֶׁרָאָה מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה לְהַעֲמִיד אֶת עִנְיַן הַתְּפִילָּה בִּמְקוֹם בִּיכּוּרִים.
In shortIf the Avos instituted prayer, how did Moshe institute it, and why should prayer take the place of bikkurim?
4We can explain it this way. The purpose of the mitzvah of bikkurim is to increase the honor of Heaven. As the Mishnah teaches, “A person goes down into his field and sees a fig that has ripened first; he ties a reed around it.”12 The idea is that he should set his heart on the honor of Heaven. Even after all his work and toil in his field, he must still hand over the first of it to Heaven and give it to the Kohen. This is hinted in the words “he ties a reed around it,” for the letters of gemi, reed (גמ״י), stand for Gedolim Ma'asei Hashem, “Great are the works of Hashem.” The Otzar HaChaim [of Komarna] says the same.13
אָכֵן אֶפְשָׁר לְפָרֵשׁ, דְּהִנֵּה עִנְיַן מִצְוַת בִּיכּוּרִים הוּא עַל מְנָת לְהַרְבּוֹת כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, כִּדְאִיתָא (ביכורים ג, א, רש״י דברים כו, ב) אָדָם יוֹרֵד לְתוֹךְ שָׂדֵהוּ וְרוֹאֶה תְּאֵנָה שֶׁבִּיכְּרָה כּוֹרֵךְ עָלֶיהָ גֶּמִי. דְּהָעִנְיָן בָּזֶה הוּא, שֶׁיִּתֵּן לִבּוֹ עַל כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, דְּאַף אַחַר שֶׁעָבַד וְיָגַע בְּשָׂדֵהוּ, מִכָּל מָקוֹם אֶת הָרָאשִׁית צָרִיךְ לִמְסוֹר לַשָּׁמַיִם וְלִיתֵּן לַכֹּהֵן. וְזֶה מְרוּמָּז בְּמַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ ׳כּוֹרֵךְ עָלֶיהָ גֶּמִי׳, גְּ׳מִ׳י׳ נוֹטָרִיקוֹן גְּדוֹלִים מַעֲשֵׂי ה׳ (תהלים קיא, ב. וכן הוא באוצר החיים [קאמרנא] משפטים).
- Bikkurim 3:1; Rashi on Devarim 26:2. The reed marks the fig as bikkurim. ↩
- Tehillim 111:2; Otzar HaChaim, Mishpatim. ↩
In shortBikkurim teach a person to give the first of his toil to Heaven; the reed, gemi, hints at “Great are the works of Hashem.”
5But now that the Beis HaMikdash has been destroyed, what can teach us to care for the honor of Heaven? That is why Moshe Rabbeinu, who foresaw all this through divine inspiration, “arose and instituted for Israel that they should pray …” Moshe saw in bikkurim that the Holy One, blessed be He, asks us to set our hearts on the honor of Heaven. From this he learned that the heart of prayer, too, must be the honor of Heaven, as we saw from “I pleaded to Hashem.” When the Midrash says “he arose and instituted for Israel that they should pray three times every day,” it does not mean that Moshe Rabbeinu came to establish prayer for the first time, for the Avos had instituted the prayers. Rather, he repaired the prayers that existed before him, showing what the service of prayer must be in its completeness: prayer solely and only for the honor of Heaven.
וְהִנֵּה עַתָּה לְאַחַר שֶׁחָרַב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, אִם כֵּן מִמַּה נוּכַל לִלְמוֹד עִנְיַן כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, עַל כֵּן מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה אֲשֶׁר צָפָה בְּרוּחַ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ וְרָאָה בְּדַעְתּוֹ אֶת כָּל זֹאת, עָמַד וְהִתְקִין לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מִתְפַּלְּלִין וְכוּ׳. וְהַיְינוּ שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה רָאָה וְלָמַד מֵעִנְיַן הַבִּיכּוּרִים, שהקב״ה דּוֹרֵשׁ מֵאִתָּנוּ שֶׁנִּיתֵּן לִבֵּנוּ עַל כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם. וְלָמַד מִכָּךְ לְעִנְיַן הַתְּפִילָּה, שֶׁעִיקָּרָהּ צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת עַל כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, כַּנִּזְכָּר. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ ׳עָמַד וְהִתְקִין לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מִתְפַּלְּלִין שְׁלֹשָׁה פְּעָמִים בְּכָל יוֹם׳ הַיְיינוּ לֹא שֶׁבָּא מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה לְיַיסֵּד הַתְּפִילּוֹת לָרִאשׁוֹנָה, שֶׁכֵּן תְּפִילּוֹת אָבוֹת תִּיקְּנוּם, אֶלָּא הוּא תִּיקֵּן אֶת הַתְּפִילּוֹת הַקְּדוּמוֹת מִכְּבָר, וְהוֹרָה אֶת הַדֶּרֶךְ הֵיאַךְ צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת עֲבוֹדַת הַתְּפִילָּה בִּשְׁלֵימוּתָהּ, וְהוּא לְהִתְפַּלֵּל אַךְ וְרַק עַל כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם.
In shortMoshe did not create prayer; learning from bikkurim, he repaired the Avos' prayers so that they would be solely for the honor of Heaven.
6With this we can understand Chazal's words: “Not like Avraham, who called it ‘mountain,’ and not like Yitzchak, who called it ‘field’ …” Mount Moriah was the place where Avraham and Yitzchak prayed, and they called it “mountain” and “field” in keeping with their kind of prayer. Avraham and Yitzchak were so great in holiness and stature that they could pray about material things and still direct their hearts to pray only for the honor of Heaven. When they prayed for material things, their intent was the honor of Heaven contained in those things. Yet this is a great level, which, as we know, only the early tzaddikim reached.
וּבָזֶה יוּבָן מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ ז״ל, לֹא כְּאַבְרָהָם שֶׁקְּרָאוֹ הַר וְלֹא כְּיִצְחָק שֶׁקְּרָאוֹ שָׂדֶה וְכוּ׳, פֵּירוּשׁ, שֶׁאַבְרָהָם וְיִצְחָק קְרָאוֹ לְהַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה שֶׁהוּא הָיָה לָהֶם מְקוֹם תְּפִילָּה, בְּחִינַת ׳הַר׳ ו׳שָׂדֶה׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁאַבְרָהָם וְיִצְחָק בְּגוֹדֶל קְדוּשָּׁתָם וּמַדְרֵגָתָם, יָכְלוּ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל עַל דְּבָרִים גַּשְׁמִיִּים, וּבְכָל זֹאת לְכַוֵּון אֶת לִבָּם לְהִתְפַּלֵּל רַק עַל כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, דְּהַיְינוּ שֶׁבְּעֵת שֶׁהִתְפַּלְּלוּ עַל הַדְּבָרִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים כִּיוְּונוּ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל עֲבוּר כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶם. וְאוּלָם דָּבָר זֶה הוּא מַדְרֵגָה גְּדוֹלָה, אֲשֶׁר רַק צַדִּיקִים קַדְמוֹנִים הִתְהַלְּכוּ בָּהּ כַּיָּדוּעַ.
In shortAvraham's “mountain” and Yitzchak's “field” are prayers about material things aimed wholly at Heaven's honor, a level only the early tzaddikim reached.
7But Yaakov Avinu, the chosen one of the Avos, foresaw through his holy spirit that as the generations declined, the hearts of Israel would grow weaker. There would be generations unable to reach this level of praying about material things while aiming them at the honor of Heaven. He therefore arose and instituted prayer in the spirit of “Beis El,” the house of God: prayer solely about the honor of Heaven, with no prayer about material things mixed in. This is the meaning of Rashi's words “He himself did not set his heart to pray in the place where his fathers had prayed”: Yaakov did not want to institute yet another prayer about material needs. That is why at first he passed the place where his fathers had prayed and did not pray there. But afterward he thought in his heart, “Is it possible that I passed the place where my fathers prayed and did not pray there?” He realized that it was worthwhile to pray there and institute a special prayer. Through it he could lift the prayers of Israel in every generation, so that even when material thoughts are mixed in, those who pray would still be able to aim at the honor of Heaven.
אָכֵן יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ ע״ה בְּחִיר שֶׁבָּאָבוֹת, צָפָה בְּרוּחַ קָדְשׁוֹ שֶׁבִּירִידַת הַדּוֹרוֹת יִתְמַעֲטוּ לְבָבוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְיִהְיוּ דּוֹרוֹת שֶׁלֹּא יוּכְלוּ לְהַשִּׂיג אֶת הַמַּדְרֵגָה הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת, לְהִתְפַּלֵּל עַל דְּבָרִים גַּשְׁמִיִּים וּלְכַוֵּון בָּהֶם לִכְבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, וְעַל כֵּן עָמַד וְתִיקֵּן שֶׁהַתְּפִילּוֹת יִהְיוּ בִּבְחִינַת ׳בֵּית אֵל׳, דְּהַיְינוּ שֶׁיִּתְפַּלְּלוּ אַךְ וְרַק עַל עִנְיְינֵי כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, וְשֶׁלֹּא לְעָרֵב וּלְהִתְפַּלֵּל עַל דְּבָרִים גַּשְׁמִיִּים. וְזֶהוּ ׳אִיהוּ לָא יָהֵיב לִבֵּיהּ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁהִתְפַּלְּלוּ אֲבוֹתָיו׳, כִּי לֹא רָצָה לְתַקֵּן עוֹד תְּפִלָּה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל עַל עִנְיְינֵי גַּשְׁמִיּוֹת. וְזֶהוּ הָעִנְיָן שֶׁבַּתְּחִילָּה עָבַר עַל מָקוֹם שֶׁהִתְפַּלְּלוּ אֲבוֹתָיו וְלֹא הִתְפַּלֵּל, אֲבָל לְאַחַר מִכֵּן חָשַׁב בְּלִבּוֹ, ׳אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁעָבַרְתִּי עַל מָקוֹם שֶׁהִתְפַּלְּלוּ אֲבוֹתַי וְלֹא הִתְפַּלַּלְתִּי בּוֹ׳, דְּהַיְינוּ שֶׁנִּתְעוֹרֵר שֶׁכְּדַאי לְהִתְפַּלֵּל וּלְתַקֵּן תְּפִלָּה מְיוּחֶדֶת, אֲשֶׁר בָּזֶה יוּכַל לְהַעֲלוֹת אֶת תְּפִילָּתָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל הַדּוֹרוֹת, אֲפִילּוּ כְּשֶׁיְּעָרְבוּ מַחֲשָׁבוֹת גַּשְׁמִיּוֹת, שֶׁיּוּכְלוּ לְכַוֵּון עַל כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם.
In shortYaakov made prayer a “Beis El,” for Heaven's honor alone, then turned back to lift even later prayers mixed with material thoughts.
8This is what Rashi meant by “we learn that he instituted the evening prayer.” It rests on Chazal's teaching “The evening prayer is reshus, optional.”14 The word reshus alludes to divrei hareshus, ordinary permitted matters, and so to material things. Yaakov Avinu “instituted” the evening prayer, and the word tikken also means “repaired.” Through his service he repaired, for all generations, even prayers like the evening prayer, the “optional” kind: prayers said amid thoughts about material matters. Yaakov Avinu set these prayers right, so that they would rise and be favorably received before the Master of all. Chazal learned that Yaakov instituted the evening prayer from the words vayifga bamakom, “he encountered the place,” because Makom, “the Place,” is a name for Hashem, the Place of the world.15 In other words, Yaakov Avinu prayed for the honor of HaMakom, the Omnipresent, blessed be He. This is the prayer he instituted for all generations, in the spirit of “I pleaded to Hashem”: to pray solely and only for His honor.
וְזֶה שֶׁכָּתַב רש״י ז״ל ׳לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁתִּיקֵּן תְּפִלַּת עַרְבִית׳, הַיְינוּ עַל פִּי מַאֲמַר חז״ל (ברכות כז, ב) תְּפִילַּת עַרְבִית רְשׁוּת, ׳רְשׁוּת׳ רוֹמֵז לְדִבְרֵי הָרְשׁוּת וּדְבָרִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים, וְיַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ ע״ה תִּיקֵּן תְּפִילַּת עַרְבִית, הַיְינוּ שֶׁבַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ תִּיקֵּן וּפָעַל לְדוֹרוֹת, לְתַקֵּן גַּם בְּחִינַת תְּפִילַּת עַרְבִית שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת ׳רְשׁוּת׳, דְּהַיְינוּ תְּפִילּוֹת כְּאֵלּוּ הַנֶּאֱמָרוֹת מִתּוֹךְ מַחֲשָׁבוֹת בְּעִנְיְנֵי גַּשְׁמִיּוֹת, אֶת אֵלּוּ הַתְּפִילּוֹת תִּיקֵּן יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ ע״ה, לְהַעֲלוֹתָם לְרָצוֹן לִפְנֵי אֲדוֹן כֹּל. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאֶת זֹאת שֶׁתִּיקֵּן יַעֲקֹב תְּפִילַּת עַרְבִית דָּרְשׁוּ חז״ל מֵהַכָּתוּב ׳וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם׳, דְּ׳מָקוֹם׳ הַיְינוּ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, מְקוֹמוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם (בראשית רבה סח, ט), וְהַיְינוּ שֶׁתְּפִילַּת יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ ע״ה הָיְתָה עֲבוּר כְּבוֹד הַמָּקוֹם בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְאֶת זֹאת הַתְּפִילָּה תִּיקֵּן לְדוֹרוֹת, בְּחִינַת וָאֶתְחַנַּן אֶל ה׳, לְהִתְפַּלֵּל אַךְ וְרַק עַל כְּבוֹדוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ.
In shortBy repairing the “optional” evening prayer, Yaakov lifted for all generations the prayers said amid everyday thoughts, toward the honor of the Place, Hashem.
9May Hashem help us focus our minds and pray for the honor of Heaven. This is needed above all in these times, when the honor of Heaven is desecrated and we stand truly close to the days of Moshiach, when the main task is to repair prayer so that it will be for the honor of Heaven. As we saw in my holy father's teaching, the verse “I pleaded to Hashem at that time” refers to the days of Moshiach. The Midrash says: “‘And Yaakov was left alone.’ Just as of the Holy One, blessed be He, it is written, ‘And Hashem alone will be exalted on that day,’ so too of Yaakov: ‘And Yaakov was left alone.’”16 That is, Yaakov, who is Klal Yisrael, will stand “alone,” serving “Hashem alone”17 with no other intentions mixed in, only the honor of Heaven. Through this, “Hashem alone will be exalted” will be fulfilled in the days of Moshiach, and this will bring the final redemption near. Amen.
ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ יַעַזְרֵנוּ, שֶׁנּוּכַל לְכַוֵּון דַּעְתֵּנוּ וּלְהִתְפַּלֵּל עַל כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, וּבְיִחוּד בִּזְמַנִּים הַלָּלוּ שֶׁכְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם מִתְחַלֵּל, וְכַאֲשֶׁר אָנוּ עוֹמְדִים קָרוֹב מַמָּשׁ לִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ, שֶׁהָעִיקָּר לְתַקֵּן עִנְיַן הַתְּפִילָּה שֶׁתִּהְיֶה עַל כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁהוּבָא לְעֵיל עַל פָּסוּק ״וָאֶתְחַנַּן אֶל ה׳ בָּעֵת הַהִיא״, דְּקָאֵי עַל יְמוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (בראשית רבה עז, א) ״וַיִּוָּתֵר יַעֲקֹב לְבַדּוֹ״ (לב, כה) מַה הקב״ה כָּתוּב בּוֹ (ישעיה ב, יז) ״וְנִשְׂגַּב ה׳ לְבַדּוֹ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא״ אַף יַעֲקֹב ״וַיִּוָּתֵר יַעֲקֹב לְבַדּוֹ״, הַיְינוּ שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה שֶׁיַּעֲקֹב שֶׁהֵם כְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, יִהְיֶה בִּבְחִינַת ׳לְבַדּוֹ׳, דְּהַיְינוּ שֶׁיִּתְנַהֲגוּ בַּעֲבוֹדָתָם בִּלְתִּי לָה׳ לְבַדּוֹ, וְלֹא יְעָרְבוּ שָׁם כַּוָּונוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת כִּי אִם אַךְ וְרַק עֲבוּר כְּבוֹד שָׁמַיִם, מִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ יְקוּיַּם ״וְנִשְׂגַּב ה׳ לְבַדּוֹ״ בִּימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ, וְזֶה יְקָרֵב הַקֵּץ אָמֵן:
In shortMay Hashem help us pray for Heaven's honor alone; when Klal Yisrael serves Hashem alone, “Hashem alone will be exalted” and the redemption draws near.
Takeaway
Many of us pray mainly for our own needs, and few can, like Avraham and Yitzchak, ask for material things while aiming wholly at the honor of Heaven. Yaakov foresaw this and made prayer a “Beis El,” directed to Hashem alone, and he turned back to repair even the prayers we say with minds full of everyday thoughts. So close to the days of Moshiach, let us try to pray for the honor of Heaven, so that “Hashem alone will be exalted.”
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz. His yahrzeit and life ›
More on Parshas Vayetzei
See all ›Yismach Yisroel · Rav Yerachmiel Yisrael Yitzchok DancygerYaakov's Dream, Shabbos, and His Hidden GreatnessA Jew who feels unrefined and far from holiness must never despair: Yaakov's greatness was hidden from him so that we would learn that holy place and, above all, holy time can…Yismach Yisroel · Rav Yerachmiel Yisrael Yitzchok DancygerTruth Sustains Israel Through the Final ExileEven when the final exile seems endless and beyond our understanding, what sustains us is truth, for “truth endures.” Honestly admitting how low our state is arouses Hashem's…Yismach Yisroel · Rav Yerachmiel Yisrael Yitzchok DancygerBe'er Sheva: Praying Through Darkness by Torah's LightEven when your mind is clouded and you feel far from Hashem, you can still pray. Set the Torah before your eyes, recognize that you stand before the King only through His…
English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.