What Me Daven?
Saw an ad for a tzedaka organization that promises, "if you donate to us, we will have the gedolim daven for you before Yom Kippur."
Sounds like a great idea right? After all, what can be a better way for us to go into the high holidays than to have a godol like Rav Steinman, who does nothing but learn all day, have us in mind in our tefilos?
Besides, doesn't it make more sense for our gedolim to daven than for us to do it? After all, we are such flawed people. Many of us speak lashon horo, and even a quick skim through Shmiras HaLashon will display many quotes from the Zohar about how are tefilos aren't accepted if they come from a mouth that speaks lashon horo. And many of us sin in other ways, whether it's a shmiras ha'aynayim issue or talking during davening. And there are plenty of sources (Zohar, Kav Hayashar, etc.) for how those acts can screw up the acceptance of our tefillos.
So surely, it would seem that having Rav Elyashiv daven for us would be much, much more effective.
In reality, however, let's not fool ourselves; we've still got our work cut out for us. Why else would we be commanded to daven? And if you're a believer in "b'shvili nivra haolam," it would also make sense that we've gotta help our own cause.
But you've gotta wonder if, between the daas torah revolution and this particular idea, many individuals may develop a more lax attitude when it comes to davening and mitzvos, instead preferring to have the gedolim do the heavy lifting instead.
Sounds like a great idea right? After all, what can be a better way for us to go into the high holidays than to have a godol like Rav Steinman, who does nothing but learn all day, have us in mind in our tefilos?
Besides, doesn't it make more sense for our gedolim to daven than for us to do it? After all, we are such flawed people. Many of us speak lashon horo, and even a quick skim through Shmiras HaLashon will display many quotes from the Zohar about how are tefilos aren't accepted if they come from a mouth that speaks lashon horo. And many of us sin in other ways, whether it's a shmiras ha'aynayim issue or talking during davening. And there are plenty of sources (Zohar, Kav Hayashar, etc.) for how those acts can screw up the acceptance of our tefillos.
So surely, it would seem that having Rav Elyashiv daven for us would be much, much more effective.
In reality, however, let's not fool ourselves; we've still got our work cut out for us. Why else would we be commanded to daven? And if you're a believer in "b'shvili nivra haolam," it would also make sense that we've gotta help our own cause.
But you've gotta wonder if, between the daas torah revolution and this particular idea, many individuals may develop a more lax attitude when it comes to davening and mitzvos, instead preferring to have the gedolim do the heavy lifting instead.
2 Comments:
Let's not be naive - rabbis have to make a living, too, and this is how they do it. They convince you that your prayers are nothing, so you have to send money. It's what I call "selective quotations" - why not mention the gemara in Pesachim (I think that's where it is) that a blessing from a "hedyote" is very valuable and not to be taken lightly? Answer: if they tell you that, it shoots down their business model.
excellent point.
anon--i agree but ure even more cynical than i am!
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