Praying Like a Tzaddik Ben Tzaddik

By Rabbi Moshe Krieger, Yeshivas Bircas HaTorah (www.bircas.org)

In Parashas Toldos, we learn that Yitzchak and Rivkah, like Avraham and Sarah, were childless. After twenty years of marriage, they were finally blessed with children. The Torah implies that though Yitzchak and Rivkah both davened for children, only Yitzchak’s prayer was answered. Rashi explains: “The prayer of a tzaddik ben tzaddik (righteous person, son of a righteous person) is superior to the prayer of a tzaddik ben rasha (righteous person, son of a wicked person).” Yitzchak was both a tzaddik and the son of a tzaddik, whereas Rivkah, although righteous as well, was the daughter of Besuel, a very wicked individual. Yitzchak’s more elevated status added power to his prayer that Rivkah’s lacked.

This principle is not as simple as it looks. Several verses earlier, Rashi implies that Rivkah’s wicked upbringing shows her greatness that she managed to be righteous despite the family and corrupt society in which she grew up. We would think that courageously choosing a life of Torah and mitzvos even though it is foreign is surely more praiseworthy than simply imitating the way one grew up. When one grows up in a society that is immoral, to choose to create a relationship with Hashem is truly remarkable. Yitzchak was raised in a bastion of spirituality, so why did Hashem accept his prayers more willingly?

To explain this, we must first explore the fundamentals of prayer. The Ramchal (Derech Hashem 4:5) explains that though it seems that tefillah’s primary purpose is to request our needs, tefillah is really a vehicle to achieve closeness with Hashem. The Gemara (Yevamos 64a) states that Hashem even kept the wives of the forefathers barren because he desired their prayer. The purpose of their sterility was to draw heartfelt prayer out of them, and in turn bring them closer to Hashem.

With this premise, we can now understand why a tzaddik ben tzaddik’s prayer is so powerful. His prayer is not based only on his own relationship with Hashem. Rather, it is a continuation of his father’s relationship as well. The son is actually an extension of his father. A tzaddik ben tzaddik’s advantage is that he is deepening a preexisting relationship of closeness with Hashem. This enhanced level of closeness is what causes his prayers to be heard more readily.

We too have the ability to gain closeness with Hashem through our prayer. Prayer is an opportunity to pour out our hearts before our Creator, Whom we address directly (referring to Him in the second person “You”). By declaring our utter reliance on Hashem, our relationship with Him is strengthened further. Even if our requests are not

answered immediately, we must not lose sight of tefillah’s true purpose and most important benefit—the closeness with Hashem it brings us.

Rav Simcha Zissel tells us another reason why a tzaddik ben tzaddik’s prayer is superior to that of a tzaddik ben rasha’s. One who was raised in an observant home can end up taking the blessings of Torah life for granted. The familiarity bred by growing up in such an environment almost inevitably dulls one’s excitement for Torah living. Being a ben tzaddik is not enough;  a person must inspire himself and set his own aspirations in his service of Hashem.

This was Yitzchak’s hidden greatness. He did not simply follow in his father’s footsteps. Rather, he forged his own path, blazing a unique trail in his personal relationship with Hashem. For his tefillos to contain their own distinctive passion and inspiration was a spiritual victory in the truest sense.

Remaining inspired and avoiding becoming desensitized in our service of Hashem is a battle for all of us. Even when we do discover new sources of inspiration in Torah and mitzvos, we can easily be drawn back into the complacency of habit. Each of us is capable of relating to each of our tefillos as if it was the first time we ever davened. If we do, our tefillos can reach the level of a tzaddik ben tzaddik’s.

The Kotzker Rebbe once made a comment that startled his chassidim. “You know I’m constantly doing mitzvos,” he said, “but Hashem keeps paying me back!”

The chassidim were astonished. What reward could the Kotzker Rebbe be receiving in this world that could be so great?

The Kotzker Rebbe answered, “I’ll tell you how Hashem pays me back for all my mitzvos. He gifts me with one Shemoneh Esrei with intense kavanah!”

For the Kotzker Rebbe, yesterday’s inspiration was not enough. He was constantly seeking new inspiration and kavanah. He also considered his kavanah a gift directly from Hashem. This, in turn, led to his relationship with Hashem constantly being strengthened.

May we be zocheh to gain closeness to Hashem through inspired prayers!

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