Bring Us Back!

A spiritual rule of thumb says simply that the more something is difficult to attain or accomplish, the more we must pray for it. That’s quite understandable, for everything has a spiritual price tag. A pair of socks costs much less than a holiday suit.

Here’s an example: suppose a woman understands just how important modest dress is, but she’s embarrassed to change her wardrobe because of social pressure, fear of ridicule, and the like. She should appeal to Hashem in the following manner: “Master of the World, I understand how important modest dress is and I want to do Your will but it’s really difficult for me. Please grant me the inner strength to do what’s right. Give me the backbone to stand firm, so that neither social pressure nor ridicule will make me waiver from the path that I know is right. Only You can help me, Hashem. Have mercy, and be by my side…”

Such prayers move mountains.

At this opportunity, we shall now expose one of the biggest lies of the century that fools people right and left: Before a person returns to Hashem with all his heart, he struts around the world with an outstretched chest like an arrogant peacock and declares that he’s riding the four winds in complete freedom and that no one can tell him what to do. As soon as he wants to return to Hashem and do teshuva , his arrogance and self-confidence fly out the nearest window. All of a sudden his knees are knocking. He shudders at what people might say if he puts a kippa on his head. He sees donning tzitzit as something more ominous than a commando mission in Gaza. Where did the bravado of the free spirit and easy rider go? In retrospect, the pre-teshuva  “self-confidence and savvy” weren’t the real deal; they were only illusions of the Evil inclination.

One of the questions that the Heavenly Court asks a person when his cadence in this world terminates is, “Why were you embarrassed to do teshuva  and you weren’t embarrassed to transgress the Torah? Why did you say that you didn’t have the strength to change your lifestyle but you had plenty of strength to commit transgressions?” Will we have answers to these questions?

Let’s assume that we really don’t have the strength to do what we’re supposed to do. Or, assume that we’ve been looking for a soul mate, hoping for children, or yearning for a better and more fulfilling job for years but we’ve only become more frustrated and drained in the process. When we lack strength, it’s the perfect time to appeal to Hashem and to plug in to His unlimited mercy and strength. We might be having trouble in finding a soul mate or a better job, but Hashem can do whatever He wants whenever He wants. Hashem can help us rid ourselves of a bad habit or something so difficult to overcome as substance abuse. No request is too big or small for Hashem. All we have to do is open our mouths in prayer. If teshuva is difficult, all we have to say is, “Hashem, bring us back to You.” We have Hashem’s eternal promise, And when he cries out to Me, I will listen, for I am compassionate. Who could ask for more?

No matter what how difficult your life is at the present, remind yourself that Hashem is merciful and compassionate. Don’t let the evil inclination weaken your resolve, for Hashem answers our prayers whether we are deserving or not.

Even Moses, the greatest prophet of all times, appealed to Hashem as a beggar looking for a free gift. If Moses appealed to Hashem’s mercy rather than relying on his own credit, then our prayers should certainly appeal to Hashem’s mercy.

To be continued.