When Prayers Are Not Answered, or How to Reach the Heavens

When Prayers Are Not Answered, or How to Reach the Heavens

Throughout the long nights of Jewish history, we have clearly felt that we are separated from Hashem. When you pray for a long time and plead, but there is still no answer, and it seems to you that G-d has turned away from you (chas v'shalom), remember Esther HaMalkah. The Tanakh contains no heroes who simply played their part and then faded into the shadows of history once their mission was complete. In the Tanakh, every individual is a conduit for Hashem's Light—a channel through which, throughout our history, we receive spiritual nourishment and a model for how to conduct ourselves at a particular time. One of the heroines of the Tanakh is Esther. Alone in the den of her enemies—neither distinguished by youth nor beauty, and not having appeared before the king for more than 30 days—cast aside, she continues to pray to Hashem in despair. It is written in Megillat Esther (8:3): “And Esther spoke to the king again, and fell at his feet, and wept, and pleaded with him...” Rabbi Mordechai Dov of Hornostopol (zechuto yagen aleinu) explains that the word “Esther” here means concealment. The Talmud, in Tractate Chullin 139, asks: “Where is Esther alluded to in the Torah?” And it answers: “In the verse: ‘I will surely conceal (haster astir) My Face.’” (Devarim 31) Therefore, it says here: “And Esther spoke again”—if, G-d forbid, concealment is very great, the Gates of Heaven are closed, and we see that our prayers are not being accepted, we must conduct ourselves as it is written about Esther: “And Esther spoke to the King again.” When one pleads and entreats the King of the universe—“and wept, and pleaded with Him”—one must weep profusely and plead earnestly. Then these tears will break through every barrier, and our prayers will be accepted with mercy and favor. Esther's prayer is the prayer of a time when Hashem is concealed. Et Ratzon Esther's prayer teaches us not only how to pray, but also when to pray—it points to the time for prayer, Et Ratzon, a time of favor and of the Almighty's special benevolence. Esther prays with the words of Tehillim 22: — “Lamenatzeach al Ayelet HaShachar... Eli, Eli, lamah azavtani...” — (For the conductor, upon the morning dawn. Why have You forsaken me... You are far from my salvation... from the words of my prayer... I call to You by day, but You do not answer; by night, and I am not silent.) Ayelet HaShachar—the morning dawn—is a time of the Almighty's favor. And then Esther understands that there is a hidden salvation, “nes nistar”—she recites: “Ve'atah, Kadosh, yoshev tehillot Yisrael”—(but You, the Holy One, are enthroned upon the praises of Israel). Kadosh means hidden, set apart from others. When Hashem governs the world through nature, He is Kadosh—concealed. When Hashem is hidden and a person is unable to discern what He has intended, His plan, He is called Kadosh. The praises of Israel—their hymns of praise—are the book of Tehillim. By choosing both the right words—the words of praise—and the right time for prayer—Ayelet HaShachar—Esther reached the Heavens and saved her people. (Rabbi Yaakov Doktor, “At the Holiday Table,” the “Shirat Dvora” website)