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Written Notes:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jwgjc40nitmyo4t/5.%20Vayigash%205779%20-When%20Judah%20Meets%20Joseph%20-Studious%20Prayer.pdf?dl=0
Handout:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wiki0zepsl4ot43/5.%20Handout%20for%20Vayigash%205779.pdf?dl=0
The secret of prayer is not the knowledge of mystical unifications, in as much as it is all about humility. Prayer is about changing the will of G-d, as we say in our prayers, “Yehi Rotzon Milfonecha… May it be Your will…” Simply speaking, anything that happens, happens only because it is the will of G-d for it to happen. So, when we are praying for a person who is sick or when we pray to not experience any lack of funds, in essence we are asking G-d to change His will for our experiences. How does a finite human being change the infinite will of G-d? The answer is that in order to change the already existing will of G-d me must transcend beyond the will of G-d and connect with the Master of the Will. What does the finite human being have to connect with and to arouse the Master of the Will?
Our sages explain the power of prayer is all about the novelty of the egocentric human being nullifying himself and his self-reliance, and instead turning to G-d as his sole Higher Power and source of sustenance, health, etc. The power of this novelty is described as the king who is pleasured by the novelty of a talking parrot. Yes, in comparison to the songs of praise of the angels we are but like a babbling parrot compared to the King’s wise ministers. However, a special delight is aroused from the speaking parrot, who is just repeating what he has heard, without having any knowledge of what spiritual unifications and global shifts happen because of these words of praise, request, and gratitude. The angels, on the other hand, which have superior understanding and emotional experiences before G-d their Creator do not arouse the delight of novelty, for angels do not have an Evil Inclination, and thus, do not experience self-centeredness, ego or narcissi.
Thus, the secret of having our prayers answered is all about praying with humility before G-d. The modern-day issue we are going to explore is how does one experience humble prayers.
This lecture is based on a maamor the Rebbe delivered on this Shabbos in 1965, in which the Rebbe explains the encounter between Judah (Prayer) and Joseph (Torah-study) on a mystical level, and then setting forth its practical implications.
