When Does an Answer to Prayer Come?

When Does an Answer to Prayer Come?

Tehillim 69:14: “But as for me—may my prayer to You, O L-rd, be at a time of favor. O G-d, in Your great kindness, answer me with Your true salvation!” The Sages say that with this verse, David asked the Almighty that every time he stood before Him in prayer would be a time of favor, so that Ha-Shem would answer him. Since King David prayed alone, he asked that the time of his prayer be a time of favor; but prayer together with the community is never in vain. (“Devarim Rabbah” 2:12) Rabbi Chiya explained what was written by King David: “Hope in the L-rd; be strong and let your heart be courageous, and hope in the L-rd!” (Tehillim 27:14)—pray to the Almighty, and if you do not receive an answer, pray again, for the time will come when your request will be granted.   40 Days The Midrash (“Devarim Rabbah,” 2:17) says that there is a prayer to which Heaven responds after 40 days. This was the case with Moshe Rabbeinu, concerning whom the Torah says: “And I prostrated myself before the L-rd as before, for forty days and forty nights.” (Devarim 9:18) 21 Days There is a prayer whose answer comes after 21 days. We learn this from the example of Daniel, who prayed to the Almighty while fasting, as it is written in the Book of Daniel: “I ate no pleasant bread, neither did meat nor wine enter my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, until three full weeks had passed.” (Daniel 10:3) After this, an angel said to Daniel: “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and to fast before your G-d, your words were heard.” (Daniel 10:12) 3 Days There is a prayer whose answer comes after three days, like the prayer of the prophet Yonah. On the Same Day There is a prayer to which Heaven responds on the very same day, like the prayer of the prophet Eliyahu on Mount Carmel. At an Et Ratzon There is a prayer whose answer comes at a time of favor, as King David said: “May my prayer to You, O L-rd, be at a time of favor.” (Tehillim 69:14) Before the Prayer Sometimes a person has not yet had time to ask the Almighty in prayer, and an answer has already come to him from Heaven, as it is written by the prophet: “And it shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer.” (Yeshayahu 65:24) 515 Prayers of Moshe Rabbeinu 515 Prayers of Moses Rabbeinu and “Nishmat Kol Chai”   (Based on the book The Candle of David by Rav Moshe Abramovich)