03 Sep 18 Ways to More Effective Prayer (Part 6)

Once again, we continue our crash course on skillful prayer.

Effective Way Number Seven:

One’s prayers are always heard by Hashem when one davens in a minyan. On the other hand, when one davens in the privacy of one’s home, he is not assured to get an audition from Hashem. This is based on a derivation from two contradictory pasukim. One verse says, “Mi kaHashem Elokeinu? B’chol kareinu eilav – Who is like Hashem our G-d? Whenever we call Him, He is available to us.” Yet another verse says, “Dirshu Hashem bhi’matza’oh – Seek out Hashem when He can be found,” wherein the Gemora teaches us that He is only for certain available during the Aseres Yomei Tshuva, the Ten Days of Repentance. The Gemora explains that the second verse is talking about when someone davens alone. Then, he is only guaranteed an audience during the Ten Days of Repentance. The first verse is talking about when one davens with a minyan. With a minyan, he is assured that Hashem is definitely listening to him, at any time during the year.

When Yakov Avinu had the famous dream of the ladder, it says, “Vayikatz Yaakov mishnaso, vayomer achein yeish Hashem bamakom hazeh v’anochi lo yadati – And Yaakov woke up from his sleep and said, Behold Hashem is present in this place and I did not know.” One of the Rishonim, the Panei’ach Raza, reveals that the last letters of the words vayikatz Yaakov mishnaso vayomer are tzadik, beis, vav, reish, which spell the word tzibor, a congregation of ten. Thus, the posuk is revealing that there is always the special Presence of Hashem amongst ten men.

Effective Way Number Eight:

When it is not possible to daven with a quorum, it is still helpful to daven in shul rather than davening at home. As the Gemora says, “B’makom rina sham t’hei tefilah – In the place of song, there should be one’s prayer.”

Effective Way Number Nine:

One should always try to pray in the same place. Of course, in shul one should have a makom k’vuah, a fixed place to pray, but one should designate a specific place to pray even in one’s home. This is true for women as well. There are multiple reasons for this. First, the Gemora in Berachos teaches us that we learn it out from Avraham Avinu for by him it says, “Vayashkeim Avram el hamakom asher hu omeid sham – When Avram got up to the place where he had stood before.” Second, our tefilos are substitutes for the karbonos, the sacrifices which were offered on the mizbei’ach, the altar, which had a fixed position in the Temple. Therefore, now too we should have a fixed position for our prayers. Third, the mefarshim explain that if we keep on davening in different places, we are not used to the surroundings and they will distract us. But, if we always daven in the same place where we are used to our surroundings, they won’t provide a distraction to our concentration.

In the merit of sharpening our prayers, may Hashem listen to our supplications and bless us with long life, good health, and everything wonderful.