Toldos

The passuk states ויעתר יצחק לה’ לנכח אשתו כי עקרה היא ויעתר לו ה’. Rashi explains the lashon עתר is from the lashon of ועתר ענן קטורת and a cloud of ketores increased; both Yitzchak and Rivkah increased, urged, and appeased Hashem, by davening to Him to have children. The Gemara brings that both Yitzchak and Rivkah were unable to have children naturally. The Maharsha explains that this is derived from the words לנכח אשתו opposite his wife, meaning, they both equally needed extra davening, since they were both barren. The words ויעתר לו means and Hashem accepted his increase, urging, and appeasing, by davening.

Onkelos translates the lashon עתר as davening. The Nefesh HaGer explains this is as the Midrash brings that there are ten leshonos of davening, and עתר is one of them. What does עתר mean, and how does it reflect davening?

The Gemara asks: Why is the davening of tzaddikim compared to an עתר, a pitchfork? The Gemara answers that just as a pitchfork turns over grain in the granary from place to place, so to a tzaddik changes the will of Hashem from the middah of being cruel and angry to the middah of being merciful. The Maharsha explains that the granary is a place where grain is trampled on, softened, and then thrown up into the wind to separate the shaft. The light straw, which is the bad part, is separated by being blown away, and the heavier kernels, which is the good part, fall back down and remain. So too is with the davening of a tzaddik, he changes the middah of Hashem from being cruel and angry, for bad, to the middah of being merciful, for good.

The Maharsha points out that this lesson is specifically reflected by Yitzchak, and not by the other Avos, Avraham or Yaakov. This is because it states by Yitzchak פחד יצחק the fear of Yitzchak, which teaches that Yitzchak had a unique connection to Hashem with middas hadin. Although Yitzchak and Rivkah were both barren, by davening, even Yitzchak was able to change the middah of din to the middah of rachamim.

The Maharal explains that a tzaddik is able to completely change the middah of Hashem from one end to the other, from being cruel and angry to merciful. When an ordinary person davens he will not change the middah of Hashem from one extreme to the other, although Hashem may still answer his request. Tzaddikim completely recognize and are aware that Hashem is in charge of everything and is the cause of all causes. The Gemara brings that Hashem made Avraham and Yitzchak barren because Hashem cherished their davening. The Maharal explains that תפלה is attaching oneself to Hashem. Hashem wanted the Avos to turn to the source of all, connect to Him, and request their needs from Him. The tzaddiikim humble themselves to Hashem and daven to Him, bringing themselves close to the source of everything. With this they are able to reach complete mercy from Hashem.

May Hashem answer each of our tefillos and bring yeshu’os and refu’os to Klal Yisrael!