Earlier this week, we discussed the pasuk in Tehilim (34,19) that says,
קרוב ה׳ למשברי לב
God is close to the brokenhearted.
I happened to see a thought in this week’s Parasha, Mishpatim, that also brings this out. The pasuk says,
מְלֵאָתְךָ֥ וְדִמְעֲךָ֖ לֹ֣א תְאַחֵ֑ר
Maletcha V’Dimacha Lo T’Acher
Simply, this means that one should not withhold tithes and terumot. But the Shelah HaKadosh explains in a way of Remez/hint that Melatcha means full, So it can mean: When your heart is full of sorrow and pain, V’Dimacha, and your tears are there as well, when you pray, Lo T’Acher/ those prayers will not be held back because the gates of prayer are not closed.
In Tehilim 6,9 David Hamelech says,
ס֣וּרוּ מִ֭מֶּנִּי כׇּל־פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֥ע יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה ק֣וֹל בִּכְיִֽי
Get away from me, all you wicked-doers
For God has heard my cries.
How does David Hamelech know this?
Rav Chaim Kanievsky says it’s because the Gemara in Berachot 32B says, “The gates of tears aren’t closed.”
David Hamelech know he was answered because he cried. And that's really this pasuk is saying, “Dimacha/When there are tears, the prayer will not be delayed.”
We see something similar in the Ramban in Mishpatim 22,20 where it talks about not starting up with a widow or an orphan. The Ramban says, “Because I see the tears of the oppressed and I save anybody from his oppressor.” Why?
“Because they don't rely on themselves.” Widows and orphans don't rely on themselves. “They rely on Me, and therefore when they cry to Me, I’m going hear them. Since they know there's no one else but Me to cry out to, I have to save them.”
The Hovot Halevavot says this is one of the reasons why our Bitachon may not work. He says, if you are relying on more than one person, each one thinks someone else will take care of it.
Cadre D’Bshutvi is a concept in the Gemara which means a a pot that has many cooks. Too many chefs spoil the broth. Everyone thinks someone else will take care of it. And it’s the same with bitachon. If you are relying on 10 different people, everyone thinks someone else will help you out.
But if you only have one person, they're going to come through. That's how it is with the widow and the orphan. They have nobody else.
Rabbenu Bachye adds to this pasuk of the widow and the orphan, that they're weak. They have no one to help them. Therefore, they rely only Hashem, who's the Ozer U’Mashiach U’Magen, as we say every day in the Amida. He says this pasuk is telling us that they're helped more than anybody else because they have a broken heart.
We also find this in Mishpatim 22, 26, where it talks about someone who takes away a person’s collateral- he doesn't return the borrower’s pajamas at night. Hashem says, “That borrower is going to cry out to me and I'm going to hear him because Hanun Ani/ I am gracious.”
“I'm gracious and I hear the supplications of anybody,” says the Ramban, “Even if he is not befitting, if he cries out to me, I'm there for him.” The Ramban says we should not think this only applies to someone that's righteous. Hashem says, “Hanun Ani,
I hear the cries of anyone that calls out to Me.” Tosafot in Rosh Hashana 17B explains that this concept of Hanun is even if the person is not worthy.
Why?
As we discussed before Yom Kippur, if somebody borrows a hundred dollars and gives his only pair of pajamas as collateral, later that night, the fellow will come back to get his pajamas. And if the lender doesn’t want to give him back the pajamas because he needs a collateral, the borrower will offer his coat, which he doesn’t need at night.
So every day the guy that lends the money has to go back and forth switching the coat for the pajamas. It’s ridiculous. And the lender doesn’t have to do it. But he should bear in mind that the borrower is crying out. Even if he has no claim, it doesn't make a difference, because God says, “If someone cries out to Me , I listen.”
The theme is the same throughout. When a person feels he has no one else to count on but Hashem, that is the most powerful prayer, whether he's worthy or not.
Have a wonderful day and a Shabbat Shalom.