A Beggar’s Language

Three times a day, we say in our prescribed prayers (the “Modim” prayer), “The Good One, for Your mercy is never-ending, and The Merciful, for Your compassion has not terminated.” Since Hashem is infinitely merciful and compassionate, it’s ridiculous not to seek His help.

When people ask me to help solve their problems, I frequently suggest an hour a day of personal prayer. They often protest, saying that they don’t have the time. Let’s take an objective look at this excuse with the following parable:

The son of the wealthiest man in town was sleeping on a park bench, barefoot, hungry, disheveled, and sick. Some passersby recognized him, and asked, “Aren’t you the rich man’s son?” The young man looked up and nodded in the affirmative. They asked, “Then why don’t you ask your father for some shoes, clean clothes, a meal, a bath, and some medical care? Why are you lying here like a bum on the park bench?” The son answers that he doesn’t have time to talk to his father. After hearing such an inane answer, the passersby walk away in disgust mumbling that the senseless young man deserves what he gets…

In light of the above parable, any person that fails to turn to Hashem for whatever he needs is just as senseless as the son of the rich man on the park bench. Indeed, our beloved Father in Heaven has the unlimited resources to give us whatever we need whenever we need it. In His ultimate mercy, He is more than happy to fulfill all of our needs.

A person who strengthens himself in emuna while internalizing the belief in Hashem’s infinite mercy and developing the confidence that Hashem listens unconditionally to all his prayers sees dramatic improvements in life. This is the type of emuna that we should all strive for.

The Code of Jewish Law stipulates how a person should approach Hashem in prayer (see Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, ch. 18:5): “Like a beggar in the doorway.” In other words, we should appeal to Hashem in the humility remindful of a beggar’s language and not with the arrogance of a rich man who thinks he deserves everything.

One should avoid praying as if the prayer is a tiresome bother, like a heavy backpack that he can’t wait to throw off his shoulders. Indeed, when one contemplates the value of prayer and realizes that this is one of Hashem’s greatest gifts to mankind, one prays with joy and intent, savoring each word.

Our focus in prayer should be exclusively on Hashem, for no angel or celestial influence can fulfill our wishes; only Hashem can.

Rabbi Joseph Caro warns (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 98:5) that we shouldn’t think that we deserve whatever we’re asking for, for such an attitude triggers a full investigation of our debits and credits in the Heavenly Court to see if we really are deserving. Then, things become known that otherwise would have remained unopened files until Yom Kippur when Hashem would forgive us with the rest of the public that prays together. Since we don’t want our files opened, it’s much better to ask for whatever we want as a free gift that we don’t deserve.

Anytime we make a request from Hashem, it’s also a good idea to appeal to His infinite mercy and lovingkindness. When our prayers are built on Hashem’s mercy and our request for a free gift that we don’t deserve, they attain a special charm of humility. It’s hard to refuse a humble beggar’s request on the front doorstep. Not only should our daily prayers be in this tone, but our Psalms, supplementary prayers, and personal prayers should be the same way. We should stand before Hashem like humble beggars and never lose hope and faith until our prayers are ultimately answered.

We should always remind ourselves: Why be ragged derelicts on a park bench when we can be princes and princesses in the palace? As children of The King, all we have to do is to ask our all-powerful and ever-loving Father in Heaven for what we need.

On a spiritual level, the mouth builds the spiritual vessel that is a fitting container for the blessing of Divine abundance. The mouth initiates the flow of Divine abundance and opens the spiritual channels through which both material and spiritual abundance flows. Consequently, a lack of abundance – or deficiency in any particular area – can often be traced to a closed mouth. We should therefore always remember the passage, And when he cries out to Me, I will listen, for I am compassionate (Exodus 22:26). One should certainly not lose heart if his prayers aren’t answered right away. Just like the humble beggar, keep knocking on Hashem’s door until He opens the gate of salvation for us.