Two Minute Torah Podcast

Toldot 5770 by Rabbi Barry Dov Katz

Shalom, my name is Barry Dov Katz rabbi of the Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale in the Bronx, New York City. Welcome to KOACH's Two-Minute Torah; a project of the College Department of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.

In Parshat Toldot, Isaac and his wife Rebecca are in pain. They know that God has promised that Abraham's descendents will be as numerous as the stars in the sky. But Rebecca, it seems, cannot conceive. In response to this pain, Isaac prays. The Torah says: Isaac pleaded with God on behalf of his wife...

Vayetar Yitchak la-A-donai l'nochach ishto

Isaac seems to be an expert in what it means to meditate and pray-something that I wonder about as well.

The word for Isaac's prayer here is an unusual one Vayetar. One Hassidic rabbi, the Slonimer Rebbe, says that the word essentially means to dig, break through something that was thought to be closed and impenetrable. I like the idea of prayer as digging. Going deep into myself in an attempt at some essential communication with Eternity.

The Slonimer Rebbe, used this image in an extended "how to" for pray-ers, people who want to pray:

You should act in prayer as if you were a farmer:
First you plow,
then you seed,
afterward you water,
and finally things begin to grow.

In prayer,
first you have to dig deeply to open your heart,
then you place the words of prayer in your heart,
then you allow your heart to cry.
That's how salvation grows.

Sounds so simple when he says it. But for many it's not so easy. We have questions about faith and about the possibility of communication with God. We wonder about the efficacy of prayer in terms of its effect on the world or God. These are important questions. The Slonimer is not focused on these. His meditation is focused on the experience of the person praying. It's not where will our prayers end up or what will they do. It's where do they begin. They begin with us.

So consider what is on your mind. Dig past the hassles of the work week and the work you have left undone. Set that aside and go deeper. What is really on your mind today? Is it your gratitude for something good in your life? Is it a disappointment- something that is just not working the way you want it to? Is it a yearning- something you want but are scared of what you will happen if you get it? A relationship? A missed opportunity? A missing of the mark?

When I dig, I find these thoughts strewn like clumps of earth in the garden. My inclination is to avoid them- but prayer requires that I examine them- try to find what is at their core.

The Slonimer has more advice about the words of prayer, about the need for honest emotion when reacting to the words of the siddur or the experience of prayer. But the first thing we need to do is to dig deep- to find out what we have to pray about.

The encouraging part of the Slonimer's imagery is that, we, as human beings, have within us the primary tools needed for tefillah: the capacity for openness, engagement, and honesty.

In describing how God responds to Isaac's prayer, the Torah notes:

Vayayater Lo A-donai vatahar Rivka ishto

God responded to the plea. What interesting is that that same root is used. Somehow God breaks through from God's place to respond to Isaac.

Digging is not only something that humans do. God tries to do it as well.

Isaac did not act alone. And neither do we.

We dig deeply into our souls,

We place the words of prayer in our hearts,

We allow ourselves to cry, to feel, to think with clarity.

That's how we help salvation grow.

Not necessarily because we get what we want.

But because we know that we are not alone.

I wish you a Shabbat Shalom.