And Abraham Approached, pt. 2
The Basics of Prayer: Understanding the Knowledge Dynamics
(For the previous installment of "And Abraham Approached," click here.)
Introduction:
Welcome back to "And Abraham Approached," a course on the science and art of prayer. In our last segment, we raised two crucial problems: How does prayer work? And, why, for some, does it seem ineffective? These questions are closely intertwined, as grasping the mechanics of prayer is vital to unlocking its efficacy.
The Midrash’s Tough Question:
In our pursuit of answers, we turned to a thought-provoking midrash that fearlessly raises the question many may hesitate to voice:
Why do the people of Israel pray in this world and not receive an answer? (Midrash Tehillim)
The inquiry’s stark honesty sets the stage for unraveling the mysteries of prayer.
The midrash’s response is equally direct but mysterious:
Because they do not know the explicit Name.
The proper pronunciation of the tetragrammaton, the four-letter name of Hashem,1 is lost from His people for some two thousand years. Without knowledge of His explicit name, their prayers are currently ineffective. In the days to come, the midrash reassures us, Hashem will reveal His name and prayer will be effective once again:
In the future, the Holy, blessed be He, will inform them, as it is said, “Therefore, My people shall know My Name” (Isaiah 52:6). At that time, they will pray and be answered, as it is said, “He will call upon Me and I will answer him” (Psalms 91:15).
This idea seems magical, almost inexplicable: Why is knowledge of the Name a prerequisite for effective prayer?
Understanding the Name:
It is crucial to understand that knowledge of the explicit Name extends beyond pronunciation; it involves comprehending the Name’s meaning and, by extension, knowing Hashem. Knowing Hashem means knowing the true nature of reality, for all of reality is nothing but the ways of Hashem – His character, as it were.
Far from referring to some esoteric and recondite idea, "knowing Hashem" is synonymous with general knowledge of the soundest kind, as the soundest knowledge is a knowledge rooted in the notion called “Hashem” that underpins all existence.
This is a lot to unpack and understand. How does the pronunciation of the Name reflect its meaning? What is its meaning? How does knowing the ways of Hashem grant knowledge of Hashem? Can we attain this sublime knowledge? How? These questions of the greatest generality lie at the very heart of Judaism, which is but the worship of Hashem; for the purposes of our particular study, we must leave aside these fundamental issues and focus on the mechanics of prayer itself and its foundation on true knowledge. For more on the general topic of knowing Hashem and how it is attained, I recommend reading “Exodus, Exile and Redemption,” particularly section 2, “Knowing Hashem.” Additionally, much about knowledge of Hashem will be clarified in the course of this ongoing study.
The Secret of Prayer Unveiled:
Let us return to the subject of prayer. The midrash teaches that effective prayer is grounded in true knowledge. Those who possess Knowledge can pray with impact, as understanding Hashem and His ways empowers individuals to influence those very ways.
The link between knowledge and prayer is made explicit in Chazal’s statement regarding the request for knowledge – the very first request in the Shemoneh Esreh:
Without knowledge, how would there be prayer? (Jerusalem Talmud, Berachos)
Knowledge leads to prayer. In essence, prayer represents humanity’s highest understanding, where individuals stand in the presence of Hashem and express their beliefs about what He should and should not do. These requests to Hashem aren’t typically supplications but rather statements formulated in the imperative tense: “Look upon our affliction,” “Heal us,” “Restore our judges” and so on. It’s a direct communication of how we believe Hashem should act.
In this spirit, the first of the petitionary blessings of the Shemoneh Esreh begins with a statement about Hashem. Before we request anything, we say: “You favor man with knowledge and teach mankind understanding.” We cannot express to Hashem what He should do according to our opinion without first justifying our opinion. Our mortal, limited understanding matters because Hashem has deemed it worthy, bestowing this knowledge upon us.
The core logic of prayer is encapsulated in this introductory statement: Hashem entrusted us with wisdom and intends for us to utilize it, even to express to Him what human wisdom dictates He do.
The knowledge that serves as the basis of all prayer is knowledge of Hashem’s ways. Thus, the abridged version of Shemoneh Esreh begins with this request that corresponds to the first of the petitionary blessings:
Grant us understanding, Hashem our God, to know Your ways. (Talmud, Berachos)
The essence of prayer lies in the knower’s familiarity with Hashem’s ways and his bringing this knowledge to bear on Hashem’s actions. One who knows Hashem can assert what Hashem should do, and somehow, this statement affects the future.
Next Steps:
The key question emerges: Is such knowledge causative, and if so, how? And what does it mean for a person to have knowledge of what Hashem should do, given that Hashem doesn’t always do what people imagine He should? Isn’t such an affirmation of knowledge merely a delusion?
In our next segment, we’ll make some progress on these questions as we delve into the pivotal narrative that inspired the title of this course, in which Abraham courageously encountered the divine and engaged in a discourse with Hashem, questioning what embodies justice for the Supreme Judge of the World.
(For the next installment of "And Abraham Approached," click here.)
The name spelled yod, he, vav, he, which is known as the “explicit name” of God. We never pronounce this name, but only allude to it euphemistically as “Hashem,” which means “The Name.”