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Rabbi Chaim Sampson - 5 Steps to Getting Your Prayers Answered
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Transcript
Auto-generated transcript. Not time-synced to the video.
so with we have here today five steps
how to get your prayers on sand we spoke
last week about the concept of Prayer in
general and I want to just wrap to in
the first few minutes just bring into
this cheer what we said last time
a variation of carp minutes and just
start off with this is a very famous and
well-known joke that an atheist says to
the rabbi he says rap rabbi I'm an
atheist I don't believe in God and the
rabbi says back to the Atheist I don't
believe in God either so the Atheist is
what but you're a rabbi so how can you
not believe in God I'm an atheist it
makes sense but you don't believe the
gun dealer doesn't make any sense
so great Thank You Carol for 10 letting
me know that you can hear and see me
that's wonderful
anyway so so the rabbi says to the
atheist the gun that you don't believe
in I don't believe in either meaning if
your concept of God of Hashem is that
Hashem is a being that's kind of out to
get you that he's sort of all that he's
a you know father christmas sees in the
sky he's if you whatever that concept is
that's not a Jewish concept and what we
saw is what we stated last week trying
to get across is that the Jewish concept
of God is an infinite being it doesn't
need anything right and it's totally
giving Marty Turner what are you gonna
give to the Almighty there's nothing you
can give to him and therefore our
understanding of the Almighty is that
he's completely and utterly here for us
he's a total giver his giving is
unconditional just like a parent a
parent a father or a mother loves their
children unconditionally that's the love
that Hashem has for us and not only that
it's infinite right there's no end to
his love and to his giving and the
problem we dealt with a little bit last
week is that it's hard for us to
sometimes appreciate that so what we
said is that if we have to learn to
appreciate the things that we have and
that those things come from a sermon and
if we really realize that we have hands
and
eyes and we had ears and not only that
but every single day we wake up and
Hashem is guiding us and giving us
opportunities often it's very easy to
focus on what went wrong you know and
then we blame God for that but the
beautiful that the millions and millions
of things that we have every day every
single Matan minute the fact that we can
breathe you know especially the time
like this when some people are having a
hard time breathing they should have a
refresher Leymah but we should
appreciate that we can grieve every
breath is priceless and what we said
last week is will every human being has
eyes and ears worth more than any money
every human being is a walking
multi-billionaire even if he doesn't
have a penny to his name and we should
realize that those gifts come from the
one above and therefore we should have
realized how how incredible the giving
is how much a Shem has given to us and
realized that when this when we pray we
should realize this is the being that's
here he's here now he's with us is in
the room with us he's present there's a
you out there when we pray to her she'll
burrow I thought you are the source of a
blessing I tell you you're here with me
right and you are the mug the master of
the universe and infinite being and you
have infinite love for us and that's
basically in the in a nutshell what we
spoke about last week now this week
we're going to talk a little bit about
five steps to be successful and
effective in prayer and really it's what
we call a Derrick it's a way it's not
just you know it's one-two-three you
press these buttons and and you get your
coffee out at the other end to be
successful in prayer it's that it's a
it's a whole way of life it's a way of
relating to Hashem that's why to feel a
prayer is called avodat should believe
it's the service of the heart but all
about our relationship with Hashem is
called avodah is service all the
mitzvahs we does its service but the O
voters should believe their service of
the heart
and the camera says the Talmud says that
Hashem wants your heart so this is the
the essence of all of our avodah all of
our service all of our relationship with
Hashem
is prayer right because it's the the
service of the heart it's your ability
to connect with that infinite being to
be real with him and that's how we ended
last week was that when you're real with
a college borough who with a chen he
answers your prayers as we as as we sin
curve Hashem Hashem is closed the whole
Korra earth to all those who call him
Nahal I shake whoohoo there ms2 all of
those who call out to him in truth
Hashem answers those who call out him
and truth what is true in truth me it
means when you're real with Hashem and
you're real with your relationship and
you really mean it yeah and you take
that relationship seriously then that's
when a Shem will answer your prayers
that's what the verse is saying so we're
gonna try to deal with five steps today
of how do you become more real with
Hashem how do we do that
so the first step the first of this is
number one anticipates the good what
does that mean it means you should
expect Hashem to give you good things
now why would that why would you expect
it so let's just ask ourselves you see
if you understand what we just said that
Hashem is an infinite being that loves
you krei and he's got all the resources
he's omnipotent right he's omniscient
right he understands everything remember
last week we for those of you heard it
we said that if you had a friend who was
a multimillionaire
he's a genius and he loves you more than
anyone he wouldn't leave him alone he
could give me some resources give me
some wisdom and he loves you understands
you helped me understand how me but took
a share all the more so is Weiser he's
greater he's more giving more loving so
don't leave him alone right but if you
understand that he has all the resources
and he loves you so imagine if you you
see if you asked your a person ask their
parent for a dime so would you expect
your parents to give you the dime
of course he's gonna give you the dine
of course it's nothing to him
he's gonna go he's gonna give you the
docking it's nothing I love you and I
have the resources so our understanding
of incontinence Baraka / Shan is that he
take to everything you asked it for to
him is like a dime because he owns
everything he's given you a lot more so
whatever you asked for is within his
power right so the first thing is to
expect him now let's just understand a
little bit deeper why should you expect
it now I would just say on the one hand
we do that we do it anyway we expect
that we're gonna wake up tomorrow
morning we expect that we're gonna be
able to see that we expect we're gonna
be able to work why because we
understand Shannon loves us why wouldn't
he give it to us so the first thing that
we have to understand in our
relationship is expect the good and that
and that's a choice right because you
see if you don't expect the good right
and you're walking around saying you
know doomsday and everything's gonna be
bad and if things gonna go but you know
so then that excuse me that means that
you're living with an understanding
there Shen you know it's not gonna give
you good things so that's a freewill
choice and if you walk around with that
attitude that things are not going to be
good then you chose to look at the world
that way and the Shen will say you know
what if you want to live in that world
I'll let you live in that world
cuz you chose it I'll let you live with
your free world choices which is what we
spoke about last week is that a sham
lets you live with your free will
you choose the first thing is to
understand is really appreciate there's
a he's easy that he's your father in
heaven he wants you to have all the
pleasure in the world there's nothing
that you're doing fairly just once you
have a little goodness so expect the
good that's the first thing it's for
everything it's gonna be good is that
for now that may you may have some
questions but you have to wait till we
get through the whole of the five steps
especially the first few to understand
how this works together because there
are a few steps to understand right what
if it doesn't go your way so that's the
first thing the first thing that you
have to do is expect the good now how
does that work now I'm sure that you
people who live in New York have you
know as I have done even though I'm a
a proud Brit in some ways you know happy
to be here but brush em I still have the
accent but I'm sure that maybe times
that you've driven down in in let's say
Manhattan and as you're driving through
the streets you get a green light then
you go another green light then you get
a third green light a four three nine
six green light you know it's at a
certain point you say this is too good
to be true red light meaning what's the
analogy here the analogy is Hashem wants
to give you everything and I try it you
know I've done this time myself that you
drive and you drive me to drive and he
said I can't believe it red light
meaning if you expecting things to be
good and if you expecting that this is
too good to be true right it's the red
light imagine you're going for a very
important appointment and you're you're
driving and you know that's busy there's
no parking spots around there all of a
sudden you come to the parking spot and
and you know to the place where you're
having let's say it's an interview and
you see a car pulls out right in front
of the building that you've got to go
into you go I don't believe it
he pulls right back in so this is an
analogy for how has Shem relates to us
if we're saying I don't believe it can
happen I don't you know it just can't be
then it won't be but if you believe that
you know what the sky's the limit with
the Carlsberg
you can do it with Hashem he can do
anything for you he can help you you can
all your dreams he can fulfill you can
have you know so then that's the
starting point that's the that's a so
that's so now the second thing is that
what if you don't get it right so then
you should be shocked right cuz if
you're not shocked it sort of reveals
that you weren't really expecting it you
should be shocked why should you be
shocked because why wouldn't my Father
in Heaven who loves me so much give me
what I want it's key no he wants to give
me everything good so why wouldn't he
give me this so you just
the point would be is how could that be
be shocked be surprised why should that
be so there's a little story that you
know that goes with this that it's a
little story of a technical we'll call
him Uncle Ben right and he has a nephew
who he loves very dearly and his nephew
Johnny ghost University and Uncle Ben
says tutor to Johnny listen you know I'm
gonna miss you a lot so I want you to
write to me once a month just let me
know how you're doing so a month goes by
and guess what no letter another month
goes by no letter so I call burn writes
to Johnny and says you know one I you
know I I'm sure you're very busy but if
you could let me know how you're doing
it would mean a lot to me side Uncle Ben
no response
and now the goldmans by Uncle Ben writes
another letter another month like so
finally Uncle Ben has an idea he writes
dear Johnny I'm really missing you I
hoping you're having a wonderful time
I'd love to know everything that's going
on with you but in addition know I'd
like to give you a little gift
yeah enclosed in this envelope is a
little gift for your spending his fifty
dollars he closes the envelope and he
doesn't put $50 in lo and behold a week
letter dear Uncle Ben it was so nice to
hear from you
things are going great here's a
description of what everything that I've
been doing PS you know I think you may
have left out the $50 that you said you
were going to give me I really
appreciate some kind of you could send
it again so so what's the point here is
it you see sometimes when we don't get
what we want
right it makes us focus on a shell right
you said we don't know
so therefore the first thing is that you
know be surprised because he should but
sometimes what we're saying is just like
Uncle Ben you know held something back
you held the $50 back to get Ben's
attention and hello I'm here so -
sometimes Hashem hold things back from
us when we're not paying attention that
there's a gem in the world that loves us
that cares about us that's giving us
everything so the first thing is you
know expect the good the second thing is
if he doesn't give it to you why the
world wouldn't you give it to you should
be shocked crank and be aware that maybe
you know it can be because a Shem what
you forgot about a shed okay and
therefore you should refocus now the
third thing which comes after this is
your gonna listen to what Hashem is
teaching you we just told a story when
what he was teaching you is to be aware
of a Shem and that can be you know just
for things that are uncomfortable in
life you know things that didn't quite
go the way that you wanted it could be
every time that happens maybe Hashem is
just getting my attention and I'm
forgetting about that he's there he
loves me is with me so that's it
but sometimes in life right things are
let's we call them problems right we
might have problems in life that's that
a little bit more serious and just
Hashem is is trying to get our attention
so this it takes this is a whole area
that we need to deal with which means
that you know all kinds of people have
all kinds of difficulties in life you
know and we all hope that they get
through them but when we go through
those difficult times it may be more
than just the fact that Shen is trying
to get our attention right husks for
sure and God forbid people can be sick
people can be all kinds of very
complicated and difficult situations so
so really see in that kick situation we
have to ask ourselves what is a shown
teaching us and really the first
question that we ask have to ask
ourselves is is there anything that I
need to improve to to live or right
return
now I want to just bring up here that
often if you know you know people
sometimes uncomfortable with this point
it's you know why because what the
implication of what I'm saying is
there's something going wrong in my life
or difficulty means that I'm doing
something wrong right and that makes
people feel very guilty like you mean
you're trying to say that it's because
I'm a bad person and that's why it's
like a punishment and that's very hard
for people to to emotionally accept and
to deal with so I'd like to just take a
little bit of time to dispel the notions
which you hear first of all yeah in
Judaism we don't believe in guilt now
that might be a funny statement because
you know we're you never heard of a
Santa you ever heard of of Jewish
mothers who lay on the guilt so we say
you know what if you know Jews get into
things big whatever they get into they
come top lawyers top doctors we become
great at guilt too but the reality is
that we don't believe in you now why not
so let's understand it see what is guilt
guilt is the feeling that I'm bad
because I did something wrong could be
for other reasons sometimes people god
forbid might have had difficult life
experience abuse and so forth they can
feel I'm bad because something happened
to me right they can blame themselves
but the essential feeling is that I feel
that I'm bad or I'm I did something
wrong I'm bad right and Judaism doesn't
believe in that because that feeling of
guilt is very debilitating it's
poisonous it it gives people a feeling
of a lethargy of depression it's not
healthy right rather when a person does
something wrong what should they feel
what's what's the appropriate response
regret right you should regret your
mistakes and remember that when the word
for a sin in Judaism is fate fate comes
from the term na hoti at a mat mat
around 1/2 T means it's like a person
who's pulling a bow and arrow and misses
the target the hearty estimate errata
means to miss the target
when
person does a sin a fate they missed the
target it's not that they're a bad is
not the archer is a bad person he may
have been lacking strength or
concentration or focus but he's not bad
when we make a mistake it's not because
we're bad right it's because we when we
do something wrong excuse it's not
because we're bad it's cuz we made a
mistake we missed the target right so
don't say you're back what you should do
is regret your mistakes not yourself
right regret them because really that is
really what what we're supposed to feel
well we're supposed to feel we're good
when the shamans were beautiful new
human beings I mean make mistakes and
it's the same for bringing our children
don't say you children you did such a
ban you're such a bad boy you're such a
bad girl because you did that because if
you tell them that they'll grow up
thinking every time they do something
bad they're bad and then and then
they'll have no self-esteem and they'll
walk around feeling I'm bad and because
I am bad that's my identity then I do
bad things because that's what bad
people do but if you tell them you're
such a good boy you're such a good girl
right because and so how can you done
such a thing
because you're so good then their
self-esteem is intact right and they can
regret the action and feel good and
realize that's not really part of who
they are and that's the same for our own
relationship with ourselves so we don't
say that because we did something wrong
with that mistake
right but more than that right let me
let's take it one step further you see
and my teacher rabbi Weinberg used to
often asked the following question what
would you rather be
you'd rather be good
to be rich let's bring that question out
a lot more would you rather be a
multi-millionaire multi billionaire but
evil or you can be at Sadek at sudeikis
a righteous person right but you just
which would you prefer all that money
and evil oh you are such a good person
you really you really achieved goodness
in your life
righteousness but you're just kidding
guy so I think everybody that I've ever
asked this question has always said yes
you know I wouldn't mind the money as
well if I had to come to a choice I
would rather be good
so imagine so magic a person came up to
you and said you know what and they they
they come over to you and they start god
forbid but they start using profanity
profane language and you say you
blankety blank blank blank and they're
giving you this you can't believe the
word that coming out of this person's
mouth and then in the middle of this
profanity they take a million dollar
cheque they write a cheque to you
yeah here you are Carol here's the
cheque create a million dollar a million
dollars okay and he carried on with the
profanities and he walks away you see
Carol Drucker a million dollars well you
know you put it in your pocket and
before he walks away you pull out your
business card and you say to him you
know what here's here's my business card
right anytime you want to say any
profanities at me here it is come back
and you walk you walk away you do a jig
down the street you'd be a millionaire
right now imagine if person comes to you
and says you start saying you blankety
blank blank blank whatever profanities
and then they can't they give you an
insight into how you can be a better
person they slip in the middle how you
can be a better person and then they
carry on with the profanities so so how
do we feel usually not great but rabbi
why they point it out that all the more
so we should feel because if being good
is greater to us than being rich if
someone gives us a way we can be a
better person
we should equally be doing a jig down
the street we should be wow this is a
now I know I can be better that's worth
more than any money right so we have to
understand that we don't often respond
that way why because we're not focused
on reading what our life is truly about
that we want to be better people we want
to perfect ourselves and if and if we
were serious about that we would
disregard the profanity it doesn't mean
he has to be your best friend
okay yeah and you would focus on how to
be a better person and the proof of the
pudding is that hoo-wee people who are
serious about growing insert in the ways
they want so we'll even pay someone to
give them criticism what's that Olympic
medal a medalist will get a trainer to
tell him or her what am I doing wrong
I'm running this way you should be
running that way don't do this don't do
that and you pay them good money because
when you're serious about the go you
want to know what you're doing wrong
right so when we're serious about life
right and passion wants us to be serious
and about life and he wants us to be
great right so then we should appreciate
if he's picking us at the run as that
the Talmud says when things that go
wrong in your life the first thing you
do is you ask your fresh face for myself
you should look into your actions and
see is there something that I'm doing
wrong don't feel bad about it right you
could maybe this is a you know a clue a
hint how I can be a better person now
there just to clarify that the gamora
says look into your actions to see if
there's something that corresponds to
this usually what that means it means
that there's something that you would
think is appropriate could be that this
is something that Hashem is teaching me
now you know it doesn't have to be that
because sometimes you might not find it
doesn't mean that you're not doing
anything wrong but it might be and this
is the kind of thing it's good to ask
your friends it's good to ask a rabbi do
you think that maybe like this could be
a lesson that i learning from this right
but they're just to clarify to the end
of the Gemara Quran says if you don't
find something that you think is
appropriate then it could be because
you're not the Gomorrah says building
terror that you're not learning enough
meanings not because you did something
wrong but Hashem wants you to you're not
quite doing enough right and then the
camera goes on further to say and if
it's not
not that it could be what they call you
soon shall Arthur it could be that
Hashem is giving you a challenging time
so that you'll grow through it just like
we said last week that Avram Aveeno was
someone who had ten tests not because he
was bad he those challenges brought
having him great true greatness to the
extent that he even became the
progenitor of the whole of the Jewish
people
so those tests having to sacrifice his
son or least thinking it was going to
burying his wife thing with long
difficulty famine in the land was so
that would break out of him greatness
which he would not otherwise have
achieved so it doesn't necessarily mean
for sure that he did something wrong
right but the Talmud says that's the
first place to look and we shouldn't be
shy about it because really the reality
is that we're in good company
why because Moshe Rubino himself right
didn't go into the land why because he
spoke he hit the rock instead of
speaking to the rock so Sharon punished
him right so you know hasha Moshe
Rabbeinu who was the greatest and the
most righteous person who ever lived
right Hashem also reached out to him and
showed him that he made mistakes so we
are in good company it doesn't mean that
we're bad so we have to get out of this
feeling of guilt because even to deal
with this question so I'm just
explaining that really the third step in
getting your prayers answered
is to ask yourself what is a Shem
teaching me what do I need to do to be
Ron how can I be a better person and
learn from what's going on so that's
number three now ya rabbi Weinberg used
to tell the story of a guy that ended up
in his in his in his office and people
who used to be slept in by Rabbi Shuster
and others to his office and he had many
stories about people that would end up
in the office this one of the more
famous ones the guy ended up in his
office and of course rabbi Weinberg
invites him to stay in learning an issue
Torah
and the guide was founds in the
following way he says you know what I
don't need an introduction to God I
don't need a yeshiva because God and me
we're like this with buddies say sir oh
my why was it Wow
what do you mean he said well God does
miracles for me so reminiscent would you
like to elaborate and tell me something
about him the miracles they said yeah he
said you know what I was riding on my
bicycle and an incredible thing happened
there was I was on a cliff the wind came
and blew me over the cliff and I thought
that was it but you know what I went 50
meters down I landed between two rocks
and I just landed there unscathed
I got up and walked out without even a
scratch right nothing right
you see Hashem does miracles for me so
rabbi why I'm at Burger King in the ia
tell me something Hashem saved you but
who pushed you off you know that was
Hashem to because Hashem isn't just like
a Superman the you know what
something happens all sudden he swoops
in and then he saves the day
he's running everything every single
moment of the day so the fact that you
fell off in the first place was Hashem
so let's think about this a little bit
more more deeply as Schenn pushed you
off and he saved you right so he's
obviously trying to get your attention
why do you think he's going to trying to
get your attention maybe he's trying to
get your attention to say you know what
you should learn a little bit more about
me cuz I'm really here right so this was
the story that rabbi way Motel when they
told this story right to to bring out
the point that Hashem is running
everything
he's running everything for a reason
right and and we need to think about
what those reasons are so that's number
three now number four is
yeah there's a bed so so we need to ask
them I said there's another story hood
that we just share at this point and
that's the following
that you know rabbi Weinberg he used to
you know he used to go to school of
course and you grew up in New York and
there was one day when the big fare came
to New York City and you know what all
the boys in the class decided you know
what I'm I'm I'm what they're gonna go
play hooky right leave the school for
the day and but there was just one
condition
what was that condition we're going to
bring a dollar because they're different
things that cost different things they
don't want people like you know don't
even have money and never gonna bother
everybody else so all the kids decided
everybody has to have a dollar
now Robin Weinberg you know he used to
get a dollar how do you used to get a
dollar he used to get dollars from his
father and this is the truth that he by
learning a missioner of pure K are goats
of ethics of the fathers his father
every time he did that his father would
give him a dollar but you know what he
didn't have enough time to learn the
Mishnah and get the dollar so he didn't
have the dollar so he wasn't able to go
so he decided you know what I might as
well be a good boy I'll go to school
right I'll go to school since school was
nine and a half blocks away so and he's
walking to school he says it looks
around and starts thinking is you know
what sometimes you can find you can find
a dollar on the street goes a couple of
blocks he doesn't find it so he says
tersh n you know you know look hmm you
know sometimes there can be dollars on
the street pick up you can find help me
find one he couldn't find it goes
another couple of blocks can't find say
says you know what I share you know what
I'm you know why don't you lend me the
dollar
you know what lend me a dollar I'm
asking for you you know lend me the
dollar I'll learn a mission of
proteomics I'll get it from my father
and I won't take it so you're just doing
your lending it
what's a couple of blocks doesn't get it
the next couple of blocks here then he
says to shine look you know what I'm
never gonna get into an argument with my
sister again I'm gonna be nice to my
parents you know I'm really good so
water doesn't get it then he pulls out
all the stops and he says God if you
give me this dollar I'm never gonna do
anything wrong again in my life
and as soon as he said that he laughed
right because he realized if he would
get it he's gonna go play hooky and not
go to school
so if he so it didn't make sense so this
story is introduction to the next point
which is that we need to ask know what
number four is ask why you're asking for
the things you're asking right no way
you're asking for and mean it think
about it because we have to be sure than
what we're asking is really good for us
now sometimes we think things are very
good for us
I for example we may think that you're
gonna get them you know if I would be a
really wealthy you know then then I you
know I would be able to do so much I'd
give so much so darker and I'd help so
many people
yeah but the reality is that you know
what maybe we wouldn't maybe we would
stop being you know learning so much we
would stop growing so much we would get
comfortable maybe we get a lot arrogance
who knows how that money would change us
everybody knows that a child right you
know who's you know a child or though
you get home a father gives a million
dollars 37 years old or he's in ten
years old that's no that's gonna spoil
the kid that's not gonna be good for the
kid so for us we need to ask ourselves
well what what do I want
and why do I want it right and that's a
crucial part of prayer because in prayer
itself right as we said before Hashem
doesn't need our prayers so what are we
doing in our prayer which we clarifying
the things that we really want in our
lives and the reality is that the shmona
astray
service that we have right it actually
teaches us what we should want which is
an amazing it's like a symphony right
what is the Cremona s ray do it starts
off with a realization and awareness of
Hashem is like we said in the beginning
no the first three blessings know who
has Shem really is really realizing he's
here and all the things that we said
then then we have 13 blessings right
which only quests and the blessings are
divided up into personal requests
both physical and spiritual and then
there's requests for the
community-at-large physical and
spiritual right and therefore the the
the the shamone s rate of the the
standing prayer the Amidah that we say
is teaching us the things that we should
want and we say that three times a day
to get our desires into what are the
right things but when you pray for your
own things that you want which you can
do in the shamone s ray in certain
prayers at certainly at the end of the
Simone s rate and interlock olena in the
blessing of art when you ask for Shen to
answer your prayers so when you ask you
what we need to do is what is it that we
really want and why do we want it we
know the famous you know the famous
story of the presence of the show who
came to his rabbis in and and says rabbi
I'm leaving he says why are you leaving
in the present you're the the pillar of
the whole synagogue he said listen I
mean I'm probably being parapet that's
usually paint they're praying for
something for the last twenty years and
a Shem has not answered my prayers the
rabbi said well what do you be praying
for he said I've been praying for a
mercedes-benz for 20 years and a Shem
didn't answer my prayers the rabbi said
he did answer your prayers the answer
was no right so he has to understand
that you know is sometimes a nice but
the reason I'm telling you this this
joke this story is because we have to
ask is that good for me yes the things
that we want are they good for me what
is it really so in addition to that when
you ask for something sincerely and you
and you know why you
your your your your whole being is more
involved in it sometimes we can ask
things you know please give me this
twine really want it is it really 101
yes it is whatever everyone and then
once you I do confirm it or you realize
that you know what maybe that's not so
good for me but then you keep praying
for it and then you see how sham
responds and then often when you
understand why what you want and why you
want it you'll see those things in life
much more right you'll see if you prayed
for it and you sincere about it and you
ask yourself why yeah then sometimes if
you didn't ask for it in the first place
it might just go right past you you
never notice it's only because you asked
for it and you just prayed for it with
such a look further in such a forbidden
way that you actually even see it there
so that's so that's number four is that
ask yourself are the things that I'm
praying for really good for me or maybe
they're not what and and therefore by
asking the question why right it gives
you a deeper connection and
understanding and thinking is this good
for me and as you take steps and and
life unfolds right you keep asking for
those things do I want it is and so and
so forth so that's the number four right
and the fifth question 5th step excuse
me is that you have to do something
about it right it's not enough yeah to
to just ask but you have to do something
we're all familiar with the famous story
of the person's on the boat and he says
Hashem save skille and the boat is
drowning the barrel of the boat is
sinking and he's about to drown so
Hashem save me save me and Shem sends
along another boat and he says no no no
I don't need you because Hashem will
save me and the chimp sense had sent a
helicopter no no no I don't need you
position will save you me and finally he
drowns because it's not enough just to
ask you have to do something about it I
think we all understand you know it's a
person you know god forbid is in front
of someone who is dying and his
please Hashem please Hashem how help him
help him help him but if you could have
saved his life and you didn't because
you were praying to God that's you we
won't intuitively understand that that's
not enough you've got to do something
about it now why right because when the
extent to which you're prepared to do
and to act it gets your body into it it
gets your whole being into it so when
you decide to do something about it it
means that it shows a Shen that you
really want it because we are a soul and
a body together just asking so to speak
with your soul is not enough we have to
show her Shen that this is what we
really want so when we pray for things
the next thing you need to do is ask
what is it that I can do to make this
come about there's a famous story of the
hobbits kind and that he gives an
analogy and he said that there was a
beggar that was in a certain town and he
was in the middle of the town he was
saying please I need money I can't
support myself like it's so hard so a
businessman of their approaches him and
says okay don't worry come to my to my
office gives him the address two o'clock
tomorrow and I'll give you so two
o'clock comes by guess what he doesn't
turn up okay something must have
happened yeah he goes to the same place
the next night and this Kabir this
businessman sees the same guy please I
need money I really need your help have
rubbed my mercy on me the poor poor
innocent listen I know yes they become
tomorrow to two o'clock and I'll give
you I'll give you a nice check two
o'clock goes by he doesn't show up that
night same thing he goes into the town
he sees the guy please help me sit so he
tells the guy okay come tomorrow two
o'clock comes 1:30 to 2:30 doesn't show
up he sees the same guy at the same
night the same that night doing the same
thing please please please
so the hobbits time explains then when
we pray to assure them and we chase
Canaan who meet her there be no Moscow
say - we asked for understanding please
Hashem give me understanding right and
we say that our chakras in the morning
service and a Shem says fine just you
know go learn a little Torah go to the
base Madras go to the achiever go alone
with your herb Rosen huh Bruce is going
on with the I'm making all these
things available and we don't go and
then minica comes along and we say
please Hashem give me understanding give
me understanding and a chef says listen
I was waiting for you in the basement I
was waiting I sent people to you to give
to him and I was waiting for you but you
didn't you know and then comes Morrow
and my arm comes by him so please give
me understanding instead he said I don't
know what's going on here I'm giving you
the opportunities if you would just do
something about it don't just ask like
the Papa asked to ask and not to do is
not enough you need to ask and to do and
that's a cognitive part of this whole
Derrick let's all approach so that we're
saying excuse me is that you're gonna
call your heart out in your prayer but
at the same time you could ask very
seriously what is it that I can do we
will understand if a person wants to
pray to be a millionaire and he doesn't
do anything about it
okay he's not serious and his prayer
isn't serious he says you know what I'm
gonna pray to be a millionaire and I'm
gonna do something about it I'm gonna
start sweeping the streets and now I
bring in some money he's also not
serious about it because you know as a
street cleaner it's not the right effort
to get the result that you're looking
what about you know if you're you get a
job in an office well depends what kind
of job but if you're really serious
about becoming a millionaire you go for
a job that could potentially get you
there and if you don't take that step
you can't expect a Shem to answer your
prayers if you didn't do the appropriate
action so it takes thinking what is the
right action so we need to do that so
let's just recap right we have to
appreciate that there's an infinite
being who loves us and then when we're
praying he's there he loves us he wants
us to have all the goodness in the world
and therefore step number one is
expected good because if you don't
expect the good you don't
she ate that how that he's really loves
you with an infinite love but he wants
you to have everything good just like a
parent once and we'll give you a dime
the second thing is if you don't get it
right then you should be chucked
surprised how could it be why wouldn't
he give you that's the second step the
third step is there to ask the
all-important question which is what am
I supposed to learn from this and often
we skip this for many reasons like you
said maybe you feel guilty we don't to
deal with it it's too personal we don't
like it threatening whatever it is but
that's the all-important question what
is it that I could learn from this
process what do I think of Chen is
trying to teach me what could I be doing
better pray and that's that's my next
step right and then after that you need
to ask number four you need to what's
your relationship to the thing you're
asking for the first thing what's your
relationship to a Shen the four things
what's the relationship to your thing
that you're asking for is it is it
something that's good for me why do I
want to get more clarity choose it so
that you're really it so the whole
process of Prayer changes you as a
person that you become a person that
really wants to write things in life and
therefore you become a totally different
person the prayer will change you
whether or not you get what you want but
by doing that Hashem is more likely also
to give you what you and the last thing
is that once you finish praying make
sure you take the appropriate action
that you get your body into that you do
it and so therefore this is the
five-step way of helping Hashem and
allowing a Shem to give you the things
that you want that you could for you and
through for you to grow in the ways that
you can growth and to achieve the avodat
of the lane the service of the heart and
become someone who's close to Hashem
through your process of Prarie it's a
derrick it's a it's a way of life that
if we able to pray and go through these
steps that we become spiritually
connected to Hashem and it will change
us and lift us in highways but please
God we should all pray sincerely and be
real right we're the fact that many
people today are going through difficult
times the people that are sick we should
pray and captain there are brothers and
sisters and then the whole world and
there are people now that we I think all
of us know that is pray fervently that
for their a reflection leymah completes
medium coming for them
and for all of Jewish people and the
world please God when she come to an end
of this difficult time we should learn
the lessons we should do the things that
we need to do we should introspect
what is it that we need to learn well
how can we grow on an individual level
everybody's different and I know and as
a community how can we help each other
how can we give to each other how can I
change and grow and pour out your hearts
to a Shem so for the Jewish people and
the world and for things that you want
Hashem should bless you that you get all
the things that you want that be good
for you and please God for the whole
Jewish people will see the coming of
Messiah speedily in our days and bring
us all the things that we prayed for
throughout the generation