Word Prompt – CRY – Ana Mandelbaum

When I hear the word "crying," my mind naturally relates it to sadness. We cry when we are sad or hurt, but sometimes we cry when we are happy. Crying is as authentic an emotion as can be. In fact, one of the most difficult skills an actor can master is crying on demand.

There are many times in the Torah when crying is mentioned. One of the most poignant is in Yirmiyahu, "Rachel cries for her children, refusing to be comforted." Raising children is definitely not easy. Our family rav, Rabbi Yechezkial Eichenstein, often says that raising children requires not just being a positive example but also heartfelt tefillah. We shed tears in hopes of receiving siyata dishmaya for our children's success. These tears are not just emotional pleas, but a tool to elevate our tefillot to the highest level.

Crying is a powerful tool. It is an emotion that Hashem gave us to elevate pain, happiness, sadness, tefillos. May we all be zoche to have our tefillos answered.