Welcome to the SIMHA Wellness Minute.. We've been talking about the Torah’s advice on how to deal with anxiety, and we quoted a pasuk in Mishleh, where Shlomo Hamelech says,
דְּאָגָ֣ה בְלֶב־אִ֣ישׁ יַשְׁחֶ֑נָּה
Da’agah b’Lev Ish Yashchenah,
If someone has a worry in his heart, ( literal meaning) Yashchenah- we we discussed yesterday. But the Gemara says Yasichena which could mean to share with others.
Simply, this means sit down and talk to somebody about it. Share it. But the great Rebbe Alexander quotes a pasuk about Yitzhak Avinu,
V’Yetzeh Yitzhak L’Suach B’Sadeh/ Yitzhak went out to field to to pour out his heart and prayer, which is the source for Tefilat Minha.
Furthermore, David Hamelech says, Lifneh Hashem’s Yishpoch Siho, which means In front of Hashem, spill your prayer. Based on this, he says that when someone has a worry, he should pray. But it doesn’t say, Da’agah b’Lev Ish, Yitpalel- When someone has a worry in his heart, pray (using the more conventional term for prayer). Why does it use this term of Yesichenah/pouring out your heart?
The Chazon Ish once noted how remarkable the gift of prayer is, because it allows us to express all our worries and concerns to the Creator of the world, like a person talking over his problem with his friend.
That's what Shlomo Hamelech meant when he said, Da’agah bLev Ish Yesichenah. When a person has worries in his heart, he should speak about them, and then he'll feel better. Often, we're too ashamed to speak about our personal problems with other people, but even then, we have the opportunity to speak about our problems with Hashem, to pour our hearts out to Him, knowing that He is always listening. This alone should bring us comfort during life's difficult moments.
So, this is a deeper understanding- When you're praying, you should be imagining that you're talking to a therapist, pouring out your heart. Sometimes the therapist just listens, and Hashem is listening.
It’s interesting that this term, Siach is used about Yitzhak Avinu. Yitzhak Avinu was the one that created Minha. Minha is different than Shaharit. We know the three Avot correspond to different Middot in the three prayers. Abraham is Shaharit, in the morning, which is Middat HaHessed/the trait of kindness. The sun comes up in the morning and everything looks good. But in the afternoon, as the sun is beginning to set, anxiety is setting in what is going to be the future? It's going to get get dark. How will I deal with night in the forest? At that time of worry, Yitzhak Avinu comes along with a new creation, Da’agah b’Lev Ish, You have a worry? Yesichenah- Speak out your worry and pour your heart out to Hashem
This is a hiddush. Besides prayer working (which it does), even before it works, there is a therapeutic tool in prayer, because you're pouring out your heart. You know Hashem is listening. Sometimes, just pouring your heart out to someone that's listening alleviates some of the pain and some of the worry.
That's the hiddush of Shlomo HaMelech. Da’agah b’Lev Ish, Yesichenah- Pour out your heart to Hashem, and that way your worry will be relieved.
In our tefilah, we say, Mish’an U’Mivtach/ L’Sadikim. Hashem is a staff (He holds you up), and a Reliance.
The Gaon of Vilna says that there are two levels when a person's going through suffering: One level is the level of Mish’an where you're leaning on God, you're walking and He’s like a cane for you. You haven't yet gotten the salvation, but Hashem is still alleviating some of the pain. Mivtach (which has the same root as Bitachon) is when you actually get the salvation.
This may be what we are discussing with this pasuk.
Prayer has these two aspects.
One is the bitachon aspect, of relying on Hashem to come through fully.
The other is what we will call the therapeutic aspect of prayer. You don't yet have your prayers answered, but the fact that you know Hashem is listening makes it easier.
You’ve poured your heart out to a listening, caring and compassionate Being, which is Hashem, and that is a way to alleviate anxiety. Have a wonderful day.