And Abraham Approached, pt. 4

Interceding with the Divine: How to Pray like Abraham

Dec 25, 2023

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The Role of Prayer in Moral Discernment:

By this point in our study, I am confident that your understanding of prayer has deepened significantly. We have learned (here) that prayer is not merely a ritual; it’s an articulation of our deepest beliefs about right and wrong. When we stand before Hashem and express how we think He should act and what He should do, we are committing, in advance, to the perceived rightness or wrongness of potential future events. To pray is to declare: “This outcome is the one I deem good; the other one is beyond my comprehension.” If the prayed-for outcome indeed occurs, that will reinforce the perception of Hashem’s good ways, for the petitioner, having affirmed the event’s rightness beforehand, will align more closely with the Way of Hashem and gain familiarity with divine goodness.

In contrast, without prayer, the same event might not resonate as deeply, its meaning unnoticed and unperceived. Lacking prayer is lacking premeditated reflection on potential outcomes. Without this contemplation and articulation of what is considered good, an individual may lack the moral clarity to fully comprehend and appreciate life events. Forethought guides our understanding and shapes our judgment: Those who ponder life’s complexities in advance perceive them differently than those who don’t.1

The key distinction between those who pray and those who do not lies in whether they contemplate God’s actions in advance with detachment or whether they experience them as they unfold in confusion. Expressing our desires before they transpire casts events in a specific light, making prayer a key to truly knowing Hashem and walking His good path. (It is important to note that unanswered prayers also fulfill a similar, perhaps equally important function, a topic we shall discuss in a later segment.)

It becomes evident that prayer is a causative force in a fundamental sense: It shapes the petitioner’s future perspective. Prayer influences the human mind, one of the most significant aspects of existence. Moreover, if the universe is indeed structured around human morality, the righteous’ prayers might even influence the external world.

Abraham’s Intercession: A Case Study in Divine Justice:

Let us now turn our attention to the dramatic narrative of Abraham’s intercession on behalf of Sodom. Contemplating this passionate argument with Hashem about what constitutes justice will help us learn how we also might pray as Abraham did and will deepen our understanding of prayer’s significance and impact.

Abraham was chosen to be privy to Hashem’s plans, so that he could “keep the way of Hashem to do righteousness and justice” (Genesis 18:19). After hearing that Hashem intended to destroy the wicked city of Sodom completely, Abraham approached Hashem and challenged Him about what is right and just:

“Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous people within the city; will You really sweep it away and not spare it for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from You to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do justice?” (ibid, 23-25)

Hashem acquiesced, telling Abraham that He wouldn't destroy Sodom if He would find in it fifty righteous people.

Abraham then, humbly acknowledging his human limitations, continued to negotiate:

“Behold now, I have ventured to speak unto the Lord; I, who am dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous should be lacking – will You destroy the whole city for lack of five?” (ibid, 27-28)

Again, Hashem consented, stating:

“I will not destroy if I find forty-five there.” (ibid)

Abraham persisted, methodically lowering the number of requisite righteous people until reaching a minimum of ten:

"Let my Lord not be angry, and I will speak one more time. Suppose ten are found there?” He answered, “I will not destroy it on account of ten.” (ibid, 32)

In this dramatic dialogue, Abraham acted as an arbiter of God’s justice. He judged the true Judge. But how are we to understand this – can a mortal question the justness of Hashem?

The answer lies in the notion expanded upon in the previous segment: Prayer is not about Hashem’s ways taken in and of themselves. Indeed, no mortal can judge Hashem. However, we can judge His ways as they present themselves to us, and in fact, we must do so to have any understanding of His goodness. We comprehend His goodness through concepts like kindness, justice, and righteousness, and grasping these qualities – and thus His goodness – requires prior contemplation.

Therefore, Abraham deeply contemplated, with unflinching clarity and gravity, his perception of what would constitute justice and righteousness. There is no true understanding without prior consideration, and no genuine consideration without the contemplation of what is just and the reasons behind it.

Abraham’s conclusion was that on the human scale, it isn’t right for ten good men to die, and by Hashem accepting his prayer, the paths of the Divine and mortal man merged. Hashem would only act in the way that “dust and ashes” can understand, thus allowing for a point of contact between the transcendent, unfathomable goodness and mortal man’s limited understanding thereof.

Thus, indeed “Abraham approached”: to join God and walk together with Him on His good path, keeping the way of Hashem.

This approach of man to Hashem is the secret of prayer.

Practical Exercise: Emulating Abraham's Approach:

Now that we’ve advanced in our understanding of prayer, it’s time to apply our insights. This exercise is designed to help you engage in prayer, much like Abraham did, and to deepen your understanding of its impact on moral discernment.

Select an Event: Focus on a future event, personal or global, where the outcome is uncertain.
Contemplate Righteousness: Reflect deeply on what you believe would be the most just and righteous outcome for this event. Delve into why you believe this to be true. Think critically and take the time necessary to reach moral clarity.
Formulate Your Prayer: In your own words, articulate a prayer for this outcome. This doesn't have to be very formal or structured; it should be a sincere expression of your hope for what is right.
Reflect on Your Feelings: Post-prayer, spend a few moments reflecting on how this exercise made you feel. Did it bring clarity, concern, hope, or a deeper understanding of the issue?

There. You just prayed like Abraham did.

This exercise is about understanding and aligning ourselves with what we perceive as divine justice and righteousness. Through this form of prayer, we seek not only the potential for change in the world around us but also a deeper change within ourselves – a closer alignment with the wisdom and path of Hashem. By contemplating and articulating our hopes for righteousness and justice, we engage in a meaningful dialogue with the divine, echoing Abraham’s approach to prayer and deepening our own spiritual journey.

Unapologetics

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