EE & R, 3_16: Between the Torah and the Prophets: Prayers of Ministers and of Slaves
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3. Between the Torah & the Prophets – Can Man Truly Know Hashem?
A story is told about Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa, who went to study Torah before Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai. Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai’s son fell ill, and he said to him, “Chanina… plead for mercy on his behalf so that he will live.” Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa placed his head between his knees and pleaded for mercy on his behalf, and he lived. Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai said, “Had ben Zakkai stuck his head between his knees all day long, they would have not paid him any attention.” His wife said to him, “Is Chanina greater than you?” He said to her, “No, but he is like a servant before the King, whereas I am like a minister before the King.”1
In this story, the Sages explicate the link between servanthood and prayer, a connection we have previously discerned in the Torah’s allusions. The prayers of a servant of Hashem are sometimes more efficacious than those of His ministers – despite their higher status.
To understand why, consider the respective roles of a minister and a servant within a kingdom, and how this bears on the dynamics of their conversations with their king. A minister is tasked with advising the king. The king entrusts critical thinking to his counselors, freeing himself to focus on the essence of his kingship: the assertion of his sovereign will and vision for the kingdom. In this capacity, the minister must take care to recommend to the king only that which truly aligns with the kingdom’s interests. To do otherwise would betray the king’s trust, burden him with deliberations he sought to delegate, and weaken the foundation of the kingdom.
The servant, on the other hand, is tasked simply with serving the king, not with thinking on his behalf. The lowly servant does not concern himself with the broader interests of the kingdom but focuses solely on fulfilling his limited role. He may make requests of the king when he requires aid for his own needs, but these arise purely from a sense of dependence on the king, not from offering counsel or strategic advice, and thus needn’t align with the overarching interests of the kingdom. The king, in turn, grants the servant what he requests so as to keep him content and capable of fulfilling his servile duties.
These two kinds of relationships inform the different ways tsaddikim relate to the King of Kings and their divergent approaches to prayer. The greater tsaddik is akin to a minister. Knowing the mind of Hashem and His vision for the universe, he must think on Hashem’s behalf. He wouldn’t dare ask the divine King for something he is not confident aligns with His broad vision. Not so the lesser tsaddik, who, in his ignorance of Hashem’s ways, has a simpler, more childlike relationship with Him. This tsaddik asks Hashem for what he desires, simply, sincerely and directly, without regard for whether his request aligns with the grand design – and Hashem, in His gentle care, bestows upon him the very thing he asks for, like a king who ensures that his servant always remains satisfied and at ease so that he may continue to faithfully serve him.
Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai was like a minister of Hashem. Embodying the minister’s role, he approached Hashem with reverence for the divine plan. His prayer was cautious, shaped by his deep understanding of Hashem’s will. He couldn’t ask Hashem that his son be healed unless he was confident that this was in line with the divine order. This tsaddik spoke to Hashem only words that gave expression to Hashem’s very will. He couldn’t simply stick his head between his knees and beg for mercy. No – he had to be sure that he was offering the King good advice, and since he was not sure of that, he was forced to refrain from betraying the King’s trust with insincere counsel. Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa, on the other hand, related to Hashem as a trusting servant, in submission and humility, his requests reflecting not calculation but an unfiltered reliance on Hashem’s mercy.
This distinction extends to Moshe and the nation of Israel. As Hashem’s minister, Moshe stands apart from the people, who serve as His humble servants. The nation, in its servitude, can trust that their collective prayers will be answered with compassion, ensuring their needs are met. Moshe, however, is not afforded this certainty. His relationship with the divine King is of a different nature – one of partnership rather than dependence. As a minister advancing the kingdom’s interests, his prayers are not granted automatically; they must align perfectly with the divine will and the broader purpose of creation. The greatest prophet’s petitions are judged by whether they serve Hashem’s grand design: If they do not, they cannot be given audience.
“That is enough,” Moshe heard Hashem say. “Do not add further words to Me regarding this matter.… you are not going to cross this Jordan…” (Deuteronomy 3:26-27). He could no longer pray for that which he didn’t believe is best for the King.2
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For more on prayer, see the series “And Abraham Approached.”
But Rabbi Yochanan Ben Zakkai doesn't say he can't pray for his son's recovery or that he doesn't know if it's in accordance with the Divine plan. He just says that his prayers would have been ineffectual.