In this week’s parashah, Rivka Emanu senses something unusual about her twin pregnancy and goes to seek the answer from G-d.
Asking G-d for help. That is the way we roll — always have and always will.
Looking back over time we’ve had plenty of sources to shed light on our problems or give us direction. In our early days, there were prophets and the Urim v’Tumim. Later on, the Sages, gedolim, Rebbes, and tzadikkim answered our questions and guided us. But no matter who we asked the answer always came from Above.
True, there are still tzadikkim in the world today but they’re not easily accessible.
So, what do we do when we’re in doubt or confused?
Ask G-d directly in personal prayer or in the 4th blessing of the Amidah — the one where we ask for knowledge.
Halacha allows us to insert our personal requests in the middle thirteen blessings, preferably right before we say “Baruch ata Hashem…” These personal requests can make our fixed tefillah more personal, involving and effective.
The brother of the Hazon Ish wrote that the Hazon Ish was not particularly gifted as a child but that he worked hard requesting knowledge in the 4th blessing of the Amidah. Imagine that! The Hazon Ish went from regular to extraordinary because of his great desire and labor in requesting knowledge.
In Rav Arush’s book, Ohr Hadash he explains how to make use of personal requests in all of the middle thirteen blessings of the Amidah.
Here are some sample requests for knowledge similar to those in Ohr Hadash that can be used in the fourth blessing right before you say, “Bauch at Hashem“:
- Give me the knowledge that You love me.
- Give me the knowledge that You lovingly guide the world.
- Give me the knowledge that there is only good and no bad.
- Give me the knowledge on how to control my anger.
- Give me the knowledge that today is good and tomorrow will be better.
- Give me the knowledge on how to effectively pray for _____
- Give me the knowledge that everything is for the best.
And the list goes on per your desire to know.
I hope this makes your tefillah more meaningful, effective, and illuminating.
Yitzhak Sasson 