Tefilla Le'ani

תְּפִלָּה לְעָנִי כִי-יַעֲטֹף, וְלִפְנֵי ה' יִשְׁפֹּךְ שִׂיחוֹ. ה' שִׁמְעָה תְפִלָּתִי, וְשַׁוְעָתִי אֵלֶיךָ תָבוֹא. אַל תַּסְתֵּר פָּנֶיךָ מִמֶּנִּי בְּיוֹם צַר לִי

Tefillah le'ani ki-ya'atof, ve'lifnei Hashem yishpoch sicho. Hashem, shema se'fillasi, ve'shav'asi ei'lecha savo. Al tas'teir panecha mi'meni be'yom tzar li.

"A prayer of the afflicted man when he faints, and in front of Hashem he pours forth his supplications. Hashem, hear my prayer, and my cry -to You let it reach! Do not hide Your face from me on the day of my distress." (Tehillim 102:1-3)

The Rambam writes, "It is a Mitzvah from the Torah to cry out to Hashem for help...whenever trouble strikes the community." When we daven during troubled times, we aren't just performing the Mitzvah Deoriisa of praying to Hashem, but we are confirming our belief that only Hashem can help us. the Sefer Ha'Ikrim comments that somone who doesn't pray in his hour of need must either be lacking faith that Hashem is watching, or lacking faith that Hashem is all-powerful, and that both of these are utter heresy. The Sefer HaChinuch adds: "And someone who is in difficult circumstances and does not call out to Hashem to save him has violated this mitzvah of prayer...for it is as if he has removed himself from the overseeing of Hashem."
Sometimes people don't daven, not because of lack of belief in Hashem, but rather because of lack of belief in themselves; doubting if they are worthy of their prayers being accepted. Truthfully though, Hashem is available to every person, whether he is worthy or not. As the Sefer Ha'Ikrim explains, Everything we get from Hashem everyday isn't a result of man's righteousness but rather it is an expression of Hashem's benevolence and compassion. As it says in Daniel 9:18- "Turn Your ear, Hashem, and listen...For not because of our righteousness do we pour out our supplications before You, but because of Your great compassion."
To be worthy of Hashem accepting our prayers we don't need to be perfect, or even close to it. We simply need to reach for the lifeline He is extending to us, and to grasp it gratefully, confident that at the other end is the One Power Who can save us. (From Praying With Fire by R' Heshy Kleinman)

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(Top picture courtesy of Lazer_Beams-From the movie Ushpizin)
(Click here to buy Praying With Fire- I Highly recommend it!)