Prayers From The Heart: The Power Of A Free Gift

In Parashat Va’etchanan, Moshe Rabbeinu turns to Hashem with a heartfelt plea: “Va’etchanan el Hashem…” Rashi tells us the word va’etchanan stems from chinun, a request for a matnas chinam—a free gift. Even the greatest prophet, whose entire life was devoted to leading Klal Yisrael, didn’t ask to enter Eretz Yisrael because he deserved to, but because he hoped Hashem would grant it as an act of pure mercy.

This is a profound lesson in tefillah. Even the most righteous don’t rely on their deeds. They beseech G-d not because they are worthy, but because He is kind.

The Sifri teaches that the 515 prayers Moshe offered were not ignored, but rather stored for a future time. We, too, must remember that no sincere prayer is ever lost. Every whisper, every cry, every silent plea—Hashem hears them all.

This idea resonates deeply with Jews across generations and continents. In Tashkent, during the dark years of Soviet repression, Jews who risked everything to preserve Shabbat and kashrut would whisper Tefilat HaDerech before traveling to underground mikva’ot or Torah classes. They weren’t expecting miracles—but they believed. And so they prayed. Not as tzaddikim, not even necessarily as learned Jews—but as Hashem’s children, asking for a free gift.

That enduring spirit of prayer is captured beautifully in a story from more recent years. A Chabad chasid was once seated next to a secular Israeli on a flight. After some brief conversation, the Chabadnik took out his T’hilim and began to daven. The Israeli watched with curiosity and then said, “You know, I envy you.”

“Why?” asked the Chasid.

“Because you have Someone to ask. Someone to talk to. When things get tough… you have where to turn. I don’t.”

The Chasid nodded and gently said, “It’s never too late. You can start now.”

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Rabbi Yitzchok Zilber, zt”l, was the founder of LaMaalot Foundation. He dedicated his life to teaching Torah, and his impactful writings continue to inspire Jews worldwide.
Copyright 2023 by The LaMaalot Foundation. Conversations on the Torah, by Rabbi Yitzchak Zilber is catalogued at The Library of Congress. All rights reserved. www.LaMaalot.org.