“… Why do you cry out to Me? Speak to the children of Israel and let them travel.” (Shemos 14:15)
We learn in the Mechilta d’R’ Yishmael that when the Jewish people stood at the edge of the Yam Suf, with the Egyptian army in hot pursuit behind them, they formed four different factions in response. One group advocated jumping into the sea and perishing; one group wanted to submit to the Egyptians and return to Egypt; a third group recommended fighting the Egyptians; and the fourth group proposed that they cry out and pray. Three quarters had despaired; only one quarter of the people did not give up.
R’ Eliyahu Lopian comments that the Jewish people were not only faced with the physical hurdles of the sea and the Egyptian army, but they were concurrently being judged in Heaven. They were being prosecuted in Heaven because of their argument (14:11), “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you took us to die in the desert?” They expressed a lack of faith in Hashem and they needed to do teshuvah, to repent. Therefore, Hashem said (ibid.), “Let them travel.” By walking into the waters of the sea, they would demonstrate their trust and belief in Hashem, and the prosecution would be silenced.
Rashi comments on the pasuk that Moshe Rabbeinu was standing and praying, and Hashem said, “When the Jewish people are in distress this is not the time to prolong your prayers.”
This seems contrary to our teachings, as the Rambam writes (Hilchos Taaniyos 1:2) that when times are difficult for the Jewish people they should cry out to Hashem. We also learn (Tehillim 107:19), “And they cried out to Hashem in their distress and Hashem saved them.”
The Be’er Moshe explains that we understand from this how powerful is tefillah. Even a few words from the depths of one’s heart could result in the ten miracles that occurred at the Yam Suf. There was no need for lengthy tefillos so that the Egyptians should perish in the sea. Each Egyptian would be punished as he deserved.
One who finds it difficult to daven all the tefillos in the morning – from the berachos through Aleinu – if he can manage to recite the Shema that would be sufficient. If he cannot say all of the Shema, even the recitation of the first paragraph would be good, or at least the first two lines of the Shema could still be powerful. It is possible that, in despair, a person feels he will not be successful, that he has no chance. That person should know that even his short tefillah of a few words could bring his salvation.
The message here is very clear: One, tefillah is very effective, even a small prayer. Two, one should never despair in the face of his challenges. Our hope is always with Hashem, as it says (Tehillim 27:14), “Hope to Hashem, strengthen yourself and He will give you courage, and hope to Hashem.” After one has already awaited salvation and prayed, if it has not arrived, go back and hope again, pray again.
The Chofetz Chaim said that one should take a specific mitzvah and make it his, for the zechus of that mitzvah will stand for him at a time of great challenge. He cited the pasuk (Mishlei 3:18), “It is a tree of life for those who grasp it.” He illustrated this by describing a boat being rapidly swept toward the rapids. The passenger realizes he needs to save himself or he will die. He notices a tree hanging over the water. Although he cannot grasp the entire tree, he can grab one of the branches which enables him to save himself.
On a hot afternoon, a car drew up in front of the home of Baba Sali, R’ Yisrael Abuchatzeira, a leading Sephardic kabbalist renowned for his ability to work miracles through his prayers (1889-1984). A group of unshaven men, dressed in dark suits, emerged.
They told Baba Sali that they had been contacted by army personnel that their son/brother had been captured in an ambush and there was little hope that he was still alive. They could not be consoled and had come to Baba Sali for words of comfort.
Baba Sali listened closely as they spoke and then asked, “v’nakeh lo yenakeh – shall he who cleans not be cleaned?” They thought that perhaps Baba Sali, who was already an older man, had not understood them, or they were missing something in translation as he often peppered his Hebrew with some Arabic. But Baba Sali merely kept repeating his words. They left soon, and returned to Yerushalayim.
About a week later, the family returned to Baba Sali, dressed in less somber clothes, carrying boxes of cake, candies, and various delicacies. They were accompanied by a young soldier in uniform. The soldier bent down before Baba Sali, who placed his hand on the soldier’s head and gave him a blessing.
Then Baba Sali asked the soldier: Tell me, is there a specific mitzvah that you do that others perhaps don’t?
The soldier answered simply: I’m a soldier like everyone else.
Baba Sali repeated his question: Is there something that you do that no one else does? I command you to tell me what you do.
The soldier hesitated, then said quietly: On the base there is a small beis medrash for us. Everyone is always in a rush, and often the chairs are left in disarray, the sefarim are left lying around, and the floor becomes dusty. Once a week, I come in for the express purpose of sweeping the floor, and putting the chairs and sefarim back in place.
Baba Sali smiled widely and, looking directly at the entire family, he repeated the words, “Shall he who cleans not be cleaned?”