The Tracks of Our Tears | Rabbi Stewart Weiss | Beit Midrash

Torah Portion and Tanach
Toldot

קטגוריה משנית

347

The pattern of infertility that we saw with Sara Imenu continues with Rivka. The Gemara says "G-d "desires the prayers & dialogue of the righteous," & distress - as in this case, when Rivka, like Sara, struggles to get pregnant - is what usually motivates a person to reach out to G-d. The pasuk says Yitzchak "entreated for Rivka" ("Vayey’ater Yitzchak") & Hashem, in turn, "allowed Himself to be entreated;" i.e. He responded positively.

A number of questions come to mind: Rashi says that although Rivka also prayed to have a child, Yitzchak’s prayers were more effective than hers because "the prayer of a tzadik the son of a tzadik is more powerful than a tzadik who is the child of a rasha."

But didn’t Rashi earlier bring a Medrash (21:17) telling us that the prayer of a sick person himself is more effective than the prayer of someone else praying in that person’s behalf! Isn’t this why G-d earlier heard the voice of Yishmael & not Hagar, even though both prayed for help?

Finally, does the Torah’s use of the unusual word "vayey’ater" instead of the more common word "hitpalel," hint that there are different types of Tefila?

I would like to answer these questions by asking yet another question! Immediately after we’re told that Rivka is pregnant, we read that she was troubled by what was happening inside her. The famous Medrash says that she would feel a kick when passing a Bet Midrash, & another kick when she passed a place of idolatry. Troubled, she consults Shem, who tells her she is carrying twins, both of whom will lead great nations.

But why is only Rivka, & not Yitzchak, made privy to this revelation? Yitzchak is not only the twins’ father, but also a great prophet in his own right!

I want to suggest that there are different "tracks" to the prayers offered to G-d. When Yitzchak prays for Rivka to become pregnant he is in effect praying for himself to have an heir so that his lineage will continue on to the next generation. But Rivka has a much broader vision; she wants to know what kind of child she will have. Will he be worthy of his place in the royal family? Will he bring honor or dishonor to his nation & the world? And that is why she alone is informed of Yakov & Esav’s future.

Similarly, when Hashem answers the prayer of Hagar, He does not say, "the boy will live;" He says, "I will make a great nation of him." That, apparently, is what Hagar - who was herself a princess of Egypt, the greatest nation of that time - was praying for when she cried out to G-d. Life, you see, is vital; but it is what we do with our life that may be even more vital.