Tzedaka and Prayer

ב״ה״נ״ו״א

“The Ba’alei HaTosfos say  the commonality between Noach and Yosef is that both sustained the world.  Someone who sustains the world earns the title Tzadik.”[1]

Tefillah – Act of Sustaining the world

It seems to me that the one who davens and pours his or her heart out to Hashem, and davens for others, whether it is for parnassa, for health, for emotional well-being and all the different things a person needs,  is an act of “sustaining the world” and at that moment  earn the title of “Tzadik” according to the definition offered by the Ba’alei Tosfos.  It would also make sense to me that the degree of thought that goes into understanding what to daven for impacts the power of his tefillah as well.

Death to the Kohen- When he failed to daven for Klal Yisroel

In fact the Kohen Gadol was subject to death when he failed to daven for Klal Yisroel.  And we know “Tzedaka Tatzil Mimaves”.   The Kohen Gadol’s Tefilla is about sustenance to the world an act of Tzedaka.[2]

Tefilla as an act of Tzedaka- sustaining others (Breslov)

When one sincerely davens in such a way , with a generous heart to others one can be an act of truly giving Tzedaka in the highest of forms.  This idea is spoken about by The Breslov Rebbie, based on the words of Eicha, 2:19 ““Pour out your heart like water before the countenance of God”.

Maaser= Abundance

One is prohibited to test Hashem in any way, except in the matter of Maaser .  Hashem promises a person abundance, ad beli dai[3].

Q: What if we were to approach out prayers as one who separates maaser ?

Q: What if we were to prepare our Tefillos by setting aside 10% of our time we devote to Tefillah to prepare and really think about what others need, and what to daven for therefore ?  Would that not be considered “maaser”?

Q: Or what if one would be meticulous to allocate 10% to each tefilla to think of others, to find new ways to daven for another?

Q: Would such a Tefillah be under the rubric of “we are allowed to test Hashem” to provide?

Q: Would such a Tefillah be considered the acts of good, attributed to Tzadikim, and become eternal trees of life?

Q: Would such a Tefillah open ones Neshama to Torah therefore, in ways he could not before[4]?

Q: When one davens this way would he or she not receive the promise of “only good”  as is the principal for a Tzadik?

Q: Would such a davener  be protected from Aveiros and death?[5]

 Tefilla as an act of Tzedaka

our Tefillos are planted eternally,

they protect us from death and aveiros

 guaranteed to bestow good without limitations

 the become trees of life that sustain the world

The Process:

פּוֹתֵ֥חַ אֶת־יָדֶ֑ךָ וּמַשְׂבִּ֖יעַ לְכׇל־חַ֣י רָצֽוֹן

Open Your Hands
feeding every creature to its desire. 

I would suggest that perhaps Hashem’s already has prepared in His act of Tzedaka, and waits[6] for the Chai Ratzon[7], the one who desires life ie, the  Tzadik,  who is committed to infuse life and sustain the world.  Just as Hashem blew life into the primal human being after Adam recognized the benefit for rain in the world and davened for it.  Rain represents sustenance[8]. This was met with a response of Tzedaka by Hashem Hatzadik, “sustenance” to Adam by blowing a neshama of life into him, “ He blew into his nostrils the breath of life, וַיִּפַּ֥ח בְּאַפָּ֖יו נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים” (Genesis 2:7)

When one davens this way, using his Tefillah as an act of Tzedaka, he can then tell Hashem Kavyochal to open His arms- פּוֹתֵ֥חַ אֶת־יָדֶ֑ךָ וּמַשְׂבִּ֖יעַ לְכׇל־חַ֣י רָצֽוֹן

and activate the tzedakah process,  as did Adam do when he asked for rain on the world.  Hashem then responds as The ultimate Sustainer and shares His  נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים with such a person, and to then grants eternal life of placement in Gan Eden. א֭וֹר זָרֻ֣עַ לַצַּדִּ֑יק , light is sown for the Tzadik[9].  “Light” is considered “tov”,  the promise of good bestowed from Hashem Who is Tzadik to the Tzadik.

צַדִּ֣יק ה׳ בְּכׇל־דְּרָכָ֑יו וְ֝חָסִ֗יד בְּכׇל־מַעֲשָֽׂיו

This person, now considered “Tzadik”, by emulating Hashem Who is Tzadik, this opens up this expression of Hashem, of  Hashem as Tzadik in all His ways,  and his tefillah is sustained with and abundance and power . These are some of the things such a Tefillah is capable of therefore.

• The reward of the fruit of the Tzadik’s deeds is a tree of life for the world. (Mishlei 11:30)

• “It is known that The Creator does not bring good except through the tzadikim (righteous), and it is rare that He brings a loss through them, as Chazal say “merit occurs through the meritorious and guilt through the guilty” (Bava Basra 119b)

• “No wrong shall be caused for the righteous” (Mishlei 12:21 – Rashi “No sin will chance before him inadvertently”). (Chovot Halivavot, Fourth Treatise)

• Rabeinu Bachya, Devarim, 33:1-3 The fruit which are the result of the acquisition of wisdom are the good deeds man performs, as a result of which he qualifies for eternal life in the celestial spheres.
• Shlomo Hamelech referred to the Torah being the entrance card to the tree of life, i.e. eternal life. The Torah already stated concerning the tree of life that if Adam were to eat from it “he would live forever” (Genesis 3,22).

 

 

[1] Rav Frand (Torah.org)

[2] Numbers, 35:25

[3] Malachi, 3:10

[4] The fruit of a righteous man The reward of the fruit of the righteous man’s deeds is a tree of life for the world.  (Mishlei 11:30)

Shlomo Hamelech referred to the Torah being the entrance card to the tree of life, i.e. eternal life. The Torah already stated concerning the tree of life that if Adam were to eat from it “he would live forever” (Rabeinu Bachya)

[5] “No wrong shall be caused for the righteous” (Mishlei 12:21 – Rashi “No sin will chance before him inadvertently”). (Chovot Halivavot, Fourth Treatise)

[6] Wherever טרם occurs in the Scriptures it means “not yet” and does not mean “before”.

[7] וְכֹ֣ל ׀ שִׂ֣יחַ הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה טֶ֚רֶם יִֽהְיֶ֣ה בָאָ֔רֶץ וְכׇל־עֵ֥שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה טֶ֣רֶם יִצְמָ֑ח כִּי֩ לֹ֨א הִמְטִ֜יר ה׳ אֱלֹקים֙ עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְאָדָ֣ם אַ֔יִן לַֽעֲבֹ֖ד אֶת־הָֽאֲדָמָֽה(Genesis, 2:5)

[8] Rashi (Genesis, 2:5) When Adam came (was created), however, and he realised that it was necessary for the world, he prayed for it and it fell, so that trees and verdure sprang forth.

[9] Tehillim, 97:11