Parshat Beshalach

'And G-d said to Moses, why are you crying to me to Me! Speak to the Children of Israel that they should go forward!' (Shemot 14,15)

Why does G-d tell Moses not to cry out to Him? Rashi quotes the Midrash that this was not a time for a long prayer. Rather, a quick prayer and then action were required. (For more on this see Talmud Berachot 32b).

It seems that there are times when overly lengthy prayer is not appropriate (see, it can happen!). Shorter, but just as sincere prayer, with appropriate action is sometime necessary. When Miriam is afflicted with leprosy, Moses’ brief supplication – ‘Please G-d, heal her now’ (Bamidbar 12,13) – is so sincere that it becomes a paradigm of prayer. Prayer and action go hand in hand, and we should never feel reticent about praying for our needs.

Rabbi Shlomo Riskin cites the Talmudic passage in Berachot 3a related by the sage Rabbi Yossi, who whilst travelling, stopped to enter one of the ruins of Jerusalem to pray. As he prepared to leave, he noticed Elijah the prophet standing in the door – a sign of a highly significant story. Elijah asked why the rabbi had left the road to pray in the ruins. Rabbi Yossi answered that he feared that passers-by would disturb him. Elijah demurred, telling Rabbi Yossi that he should have prayed a quicker prayer on the road. Rabbi Yossi drew 3 conclusions. 1. not to enter into ruins 2. to pray on the road 3. to pray a short prayer on the road.

These conclusions all require proper definition. Nonetheless, one message is clear. Sometimes, we are on a journey to something ultimately better, which requires more action than prayer, perhaps even building a State, towards a time when we will also be able to better enjoy and appreciate full prayer.