Illustration credit: Rivka Tsinman
Prayer in the Parashah תְּפִלָּה
We read in Va’era that Moshe was 80 years old when he spoke to Pharaoh (Shemot 7:7). A midrash understands that, for his whole life until then, Moshe had been praying for Benei Yisrael’s freedom.
Midrash Ha-Gadol
There are prayers that are answered after 80 years. We learn this from Moshe: “And Moshe was 80 years [when he spoke to Pharaoh]” (Shemot 7:7).
מדרש הגדול שמות (פרשת וארא) ז:ז
יֵשׁ תְּפִלָּה שֶׁהִיא נַעֲנֵית לִשְׁמוֹנִים שָׁנָה, מִמֹּשֶׁה, "וּמֹשֶׁה בֶּן שְׁמֹנִים שָׁנָה" (שמות ז:ז).
This midrash lists other examples of prayers that took decades to be answered, including Avraham’s prayers for a child (which took 100 years) and Sarah’s prayers for a child (90 years).
But Moshe appears again in the midrash because one prayer he makes is answered right away.
There are prayers that are answered immediately [as when Moshe prayed]: “God, please heal her now” (Bemidbar 12:13).
יֵשׁ תְּפִלָּה שֶׁהִיא נַעֲנֵית בְּרֶגַע, "אֵ-ל נָא רְפָא נָא לָהּ" (במדבר יב:יג).
Moshe says this prayer when Miriam is struck with צָרַעַת (tzara’at, a kind of spiritual skin disease). Thanks to Moshe’s prayer, Miriam is healed right away.
- Why do you think some prayers are answered right away and others take years?
- Moshe prayed to enter the Land of Israel, but that prayer of his was never answered. What is valuable to pray for, even if you know you might never be answered?
- What prayer do you hope is answered right now? Is there a prayer for which you’re willing to have patience waiting for an answer, even if it takes years?
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