Living Torah: The Importance of Prayer

God is waiting for your prayers. If you want something, reach out to Him. He wants that connection.

This week’s Torah portion is Va’era (Exodus 6:2-9:35), and it contains seven of the 10 plagues that God unleashed upon Egypt. I would like to draw your attention to the pattern of the plagues’ arrival, and how they departed.

Regarding the frogs, Moses tell Pharaoh, “Let my people go, or else I will bring a plague.” As we know, Pharaoh pays no attention, and the frogs make their visit. Pharaoh then asks Moses to remove the plague, and Moses complies. The same is true regarding the plagues of wild animals, hail and locusts. Moses threatens, Pharaoh ignores (or promises to let the Jews go and then reneges on his word), the next plague arrives, Pharaoh begs for relief, Moses complies, and so on.

The question is asked: Why was it necessary for the pattern to be that Pharaoh would ask Moses to pray, to which Moses would comply, and only then the plague would cease? Didn’t God see that Pharaoh was asking Moses to remove the plague? Of course God knew that He would remove the plague, just as He did in the previous instances and would continue to do the next time. Why did God require Moses to pray each time?

The answer is an important lesson in life: When we want something, we have to pray for it. God waits for us to reach out to Him. He wants that relationship. He wants the connection. When we recognize that everything in life is dependent on Him, our prayers will intensify…and so will the results!

By: Rabbi Ari Enkin, Rabbinic Director, United with Israel

For more insights on this week’s Torah portion by Rabbi Enkin, click on the links below:

https://unitedwithisrael.org/living-torah-dont-whack-the-frogs/#

https://unitedwithisrael.org/lessons-of-the-plagues/