Hashem commands Avraham to leave his home for an undisclosed land and makes a few promises, berachot, assuring Avraham that the normal setbacks of relocation will not befall him on his journey. One of the Berachot is:
"I will bless those who bless you, and he who curses you I will curse..." There is a peculiarity about the phrasing of this Beracha that the Kli Yakar points out. He asks, if Hashem promises to "bless those who bless" Avraham, you would expect him to "curse those who curse" him. But instead Hashem says that "he who curses you I will curse," switching the order around. Why is the order of the first part different than the second?
In truth it is the first half of the passuk that is difficult. It is understandable why Hashem would only curse someone after they have cursed Avraham, that's why the passuk first says "he who curses you" and then continues "I will curse." But why would Hashem bless someone before they bless Avraham, which is implied by the order of the passuk, "I will bless" and then "those who bless you?"
The Kli Yakar explains: a person arranges his thoughts in his heart and mind before he speaks them out. As the passuk says:
He says that it is known that when we think to do missvot Hashem considers it as if we did them, however if we think to do or say something bad it does not count as if we did or said it. Therefore, since before a person even says anything he establishes in his mind what he is about to say, Hashem considers it as if it was already said. Now we can understand why, even before a person blesses Avraham, Hashem blessed that person. In Hashems view the words need not escape his lips to get credit for his good thought. Hashem will bless him before he says anything.
This is a lesson for us in general when it comes to our tefilot to Bore Olam. When we pray to Hashem He responds to our prayers even before we say them. As the passuk in Yeshayah says:
In truth it is the first half of the passuk that is difficult. It is understandable why Hashem would only curse someone after they have cursed Avraham, that's why the passuk first says "he who curses you" and then continues "I will curse." But why would Hashem bless someone before they bless Avraham, which is implied by the order of the passuk, "I will bless" and then "those who bless you?"
The Kli Yakar explains: a person arranges his thoughts in his heart and mind before he speaks them out. As the passuk says:
(״לאדם מערכי לב״ (משלי טז
He says that it is known that when we think to do missvot Hashem considers it as if we did them, however if we think to do or say something bad it does not count as if we did or said it. Therefore, since before a person even says anything he establishes in his mind what he is about to say, Hashem considers it as if it was already said. Now we can understand why, even before a person blesses Avraham, Hashem blessed that person. In Hashems view the words need not escape his lips to get credit for his good thought. Hashem will bless him before he says anything.
This is a lesson for us in general when it comes to our tefilot to Bore Olam. When we pray to Hashem He responds to our prayers even before we say them. As the passuk in Yeshayah says:
(טרם יקראו ואני אענה... (ישעיה סה:כ
"Before they call out I answer..."This idea raises another question. If our tefilot are answered before we say them why are we commanded to say the tefilot? Shouldn't the thought be enough?
To answer this question the Kli Yakar gives a mashal. Before a child learns to speak he communicates mostly by crying or maybe by pointing to what he wants. Sometimes, even after he learns to say the words he needs in order to communicate, he prefers to cry or point. For example, instead of saying, "water" he will just point to the water. The parents know exactly what the child wants, after all, he is pointing to it, yet the parents will encourage the child to speak out what he wants because they love to hear their son speak.
Just like parents love to hear their child speak so too does Hashem desire, כביכול, for us to speak to Him. As the Gemara says:
(״הקדב״ה מתאוה לתפילתן של צדיקים״ (יבמות סד
"Hashem desires the prayers of the righteous."
And like the passuk says in Shir HaShirim:
And while the Passuk in Yeshaya that we mentioned earlier states that, טרם יקראו ואני אענה, Hashem answers before we call out, it concludes:
The Kli Yakar teaches us two important lessons. One is that when we think good things Hashem blesses us even before articulating those thoughts. Second is that Hashem loves to hear our prayers spoken out.
B'ezrat Hashem we should always take advantage of the power of Tefila and in return may all of our tefilot be answered l'tova.
(״השמעני את קולך כי קולך ערב״ (שיר השירים ב:יד
"Let Me hear your voice because it is sweet"And while the Passuk in Yeshaya that we mentioned earlier states that, טרם יקראו ואני אענה, Hashem answers before we call out, it concludes:
״עוד הם מדברים ואני אשמע״
"While they are speaking I listen," because Hashem views us as His children and loves to hear us speak.The Kli Yakar teaches us two important lessons. One is that when we think good things Hashem blesses us even before articulating those thoughts. Second is that Hashem loves to hear our prayers spoken out.
B'ezrat Hashem we should always take advantage of the power of Tefila and in return may all of our tefilot be answered l'tova.
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