Behaalosecha: From The Heart
Rav Dovid Trenk, zt’l, legendary educator, mentor, and talmid chacham, was a gadol in chinuch and a passionate eved Hashem. As the founding rosh yeshivah of Moreshes Yehoshua in Lakewood, Rav Trenk took responsibility for the financial wellbeing of the program. Upon moving into the community and opening the new yeshiva, he launched the initiative to dedicate a Sefer Torah as a fundraiser for the new yeshivah.
A few days into the campaign, Rav Trenk called a devoted talmid and friend who was heavily involved in this fundraising initiative. The fellow was in the middle of his workday, unable to answer the phone at the moment, and made a mental note to call his Rebbe back as soon as he could. A short while later, Rav Trenk arrived at his home, urgently knocking on his door. “I’m sorry to barge in unannounced; I know you are in the middle of work, but this is an emergency, it can’t wait…”
“What is it Rebbi, is everything alright?” he replied, startled, “What can I do?”
Rav Trenk handed his talmid an envelope from the Sefer Torah campaign that had arrived that morning. The donor sent a check dedicating the pasuk of Moshe’s prayer for the refuah on behalf of his sister Miriam: “I beseech you Hashem, please heal her!”
Having just moved to the neighborhood, Rav Trenk did not yet recognize some of the names and addresses of the local residents who had donated. “Clearly, whoever purchased this specific pasuk needs a refuah. It probably means they purchased it as a segulah for themselves, or a family member or friend. There is no doubt that they need support and chizuk! Please help me find out who this person is, so I can visit them… I need to know who it is so I can daven!”
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Moshe cried out to Hashem, saying, “Kel na refa na la—Hashem please heal her” (12:13).
The Chozeh of Lublin, zt’l, tells us the “crying out” of Moshe Rabbeinu, expressed his uncertainty of how to approach Hashem in prayer. He knew his sister was in need, afflicted with tzara’as, and he was crying out for the right way and the right words to help her.
Our sages (Berachos, 34a) relate two parallel incidents involving students of Rebbi Eliezer. In the first instance, the shaliach tzibbur leading the congregation in prayer was “excessive in prolonging the davening.” The chevreh were getting frustrated and complained about how the tefillah was being shlepped. Rabbi Eliezer pushed back at them, saying: “There is no limit to the duration of a prayer. Is he prolonging his davening any more than Moshe Rabbeinu did when he beseeched Hashem for forty days and nights (after the Cheit haEgel, sin of Golden Calf)?”
In the second anecdote, another student of Rebbi Eliezer was leading the tefillah and was “shortening the davening excessively.” His fellow students criticized him for being too brief. Rebbi Eliezer again countered them, saying: “No one abbreviated their prayer more than Moshe Rabbeinu, who said, “Kel na refa na la—Hashem please heal her.”
Rav Avraham Yitzchak haKohen Kook, zt’l, in Ein Eyah, explains that tefillah verbalizes and reflects what is within the soul. There are certain expressions or movements of tefillah that require sustained effort over time to accomplish the intended goal and outcome. Following the embarrassing and tragic episode of the Eigel,forty days and nights of Selichos prayers were necessary to achieve forgiveness for the nation. The communal betrayal and lack of responsibility taken for the sin demanded prolonged inner work and prayer to awaken Am Yisrael to teshuvah.
On the other hand, there are times where a concise tefillah is sufficient, and even preferred. In the case of the tzaddekes Miriam, who had recognized and admitted her mistake, the process of restoring her physical and spiritual health required but a short, simple prayer. As our sages say, “There is no difference between one who does more and one who does less, as long as one’s heart is directed to Heaven” (Mishnah, Menachos,13:11). There are times to be long-winded and there are other times when less is more.
Perhaps a lesson to be drawn from our sidrah is the impact that a direct and natural, urgent prayer from the heart can have. May we spare no effort in calling out to Hashem on behalf of our sisters and brothers, and whether we daven long or short, may our prayers be answered for the good!
Excerpted from Baderech: Along the Path of the Torah, forthcoming (Mosaica Press, Elul 5786).
Rabbi Judah Mischel is Executive Director of Camp HASC, and Mashpiah of OU-NCSY. He is a member of Mizrachi’s Speakers Bureau (Mizrachi.org/speakers).
