21 Mar HINGED

This Shabbos, we begin Sefer Vayikra, the
third of the Chamisha Chumshei Torah.
Vayikra is also known as Toras Kohanim,
for it includes the laws of korbonos, the
offerings brought by Bnei Yisroel, and
various laws pertaining to the sacred duties
of the kohanim.
The word korbon shares a common root
with the word karov – to be close. The
offering of sacrifices – whether obligatory
or voluntary – brought people closer to
HaShem.
Today, we no longer have a Bais
HaMikdash, and we are unable to bring
sacrifices. But we do have our tefillos, our
prayers. “U’nishalmah parim s’foseinu, let
our lips substitute for our offerings”
(Hosheah 14:3)
We are given the gift of prayer. To be able
to talk to HaShem in real time. It’s never
too early, never too late. We can always

connect to HaShem.
Karov, to be close. HaShem didn’t need
man’s korbonos, rather it brought man
closer to Him. So too, with our tefillos.
Prayer is for us. To bring us karov.
I think of Dovid HaMelech, who endured
so much pain and anguish during his
lifetime. Yet, he turned to HaShem and
composed Tehillim. It was Dovid who said
“V’ani tefillah, I am a prayer.” (Tehillim
109:4). To live a life of tefillah, a life of
reaching out to HaShem.
We are beings that long to pray, to feel a
connection and speak to HaShem. To offer
words of praise, words of gratitude, and in
times of need, heartfelt words of request.
I am taken back in time to when my dear
father, HaRav Meshulem ben HaRav Asher
Anshil HaLevi zt”l, was undergoing a

serious surgery. It was early morning, pre-
dawn hours. Our family was all there. Each

one of us holding our Tehillim. The words
of Dovid HaMelech were with us. Each of
us alone with our thoughts and prayers, yet

all of us together, finding solace with the
words of Tehillim.
At one point, I looked up from my Tehillim
and shot a glance around the family
waiting room. There was a man doing a
crossword puzzle, a family playing cards.
(It was pre ‘smartphone’ days.) How
fortunate we were to be “karov”, to be able
to cry out to HaShem. To have a siddur, a
Tehillim. To be able to say our own
personal words of tefillah. To know that our
tefillos for our father, were with our Father
Above.
Rashi (Bereishis 30:8 and Bamidbar 19:15)
explains that the word tefillah means to
connect, from the word pasil, a hinge, a
connector. Through tefillah, we become
“hinged” to HaShem.
My mother a”h was, and still is my
inspiration when it comes to tefillah. Her
siddur and Tehillim accompanied her
wherever she went. If there was “extra
time” in her day – and her days were very
busy days – she would open her siddur and
daven some more. When each of my
daughters went into labor, I would call
my mother. “Chaya Sarale”, she would
say, “I’m pulling out my Tehillim right
now. Iy”h, everything will be good.”
A mother’s, a bubby’s tefillos. How
powerful, how comforting. How
fortunate we are to be able to pray to the
One Above.
Before each and every lecture and class,
my mother would turn to HaShem for
guidance and inspiration in finding the
right words. Ima would whisper a silent
prayer, “HaShem sefasai tiftach, u’fi
yagid tehilasecha, HaShem, please open
my lips, so that I may find the right words
to praise You.” (Tehillim 51:17)

I was in high school when my great-
grandfather, HaRav Tzvi Hirsh HaKohein

zt”l, was niftar. When he was very sick
and weak, my parents took us children to
see him and receive a final bracha. Zeide
had very little strength, hardly able to
speak. He motioned to my father and
grandfather, pointing to his beloved
seforim. He wanted to say goodbye to his
siddur, his chumash, his gemorrah. My
father and grandfather lifted Zeide and
carried him to the bookcase, where he
lovingly kissed every sefer. After Zeide’s
passing, we would go visit our Bubba.
No matter the day of the week, Bubba

always had a white tablecloth on the table,
and placed in front of Zeide’s seat was his
siddur and chumash.
The siddur became my mother’s to treasure.
A siddur that was soaked with the tears of
so many tefillos. With time, the pages
became yellowed, worn and thin. The
binding fell apart. My mother kept it in a
plastic bag, and whenever any family
member had a hospital stay, the siddur with
the tefillos of Zeide accompanied them.
Karov HaShem l’chol kor’av…, HaShem
is close to all who call out to him…
(Tehillim 145:18)
The opening word of the parsha, Vayikra, is
written with a small aleph. While there are
many explanations as to why, one
understanding is that HaShem accepted all
offerings, no matter the size, even small
ones. So it is with our prayers. HaShem is
waiting to hear from us. Even a small
prayer, every prayer reaches HaShem.
Cheryl Minikes, who studied with my
mother for many years, recalls the
Rebbetzin often challenging her students,
saying “Don’t you realize HaShem wants
to hear from you? When are you going to
talk to Him.”
Rav Nachman of Breslov advised to “pray,
pray for whatever you need. Praying is the
best way to get it. How very good it is when
you can awaken your heart and plead to
HaShem until tears stream from your eyes,
and you stand like a child crying before a
parent. Even if all you can say to HaShem
is ‘help’, it is still very good. Repeat this
over and over again, until HaShem opens
your lips and the words begin to flow from
your heart. And even when no words come,
do not despair Just wanting to speak to
HaShem is a very good thing. Learn to
pray, and you will come to know and be
attached to the Holy One.” (The Empty
Chair, Wisdom of Rav Nachman)
May we all become karov, closer to
HaShem.