Question: Sefer Chareidim (ch. 67) cites a Midrash that Eliyahu once testified that a certain kohen who begged G-d for righteous sons merited to see all of them serve as high priests, and none of them died during his lifetime. Where exactly is this Midrash?
Nathan
Answer: We shall discuss this passage in Sefer Chareidim, but, in the meantime, it’s clear that it is intended to teach us the unique power and efficacy of heartfelt prayer.
Sefer Chareidim quotes this Midrash in a discussion of the one’s ability to alter another’s behavior through sincere reflective prayer. One of the earliest prayers on behalf of another in our history – and a very short one at that – is that of Abraham in Parshat Lech Lecha (Genesis 17:18). There we read, “Vayomer Avraham el HaElokim: Lu Yishmael yichyeh lifanecha – And Abraham said to G-d: O that Ishmael may live before you.”
G-d had just assured Abraham that he would be the ancestor of a great nation and have a son – Isaac – who would carry on his destiny after him. Abraham was troubled by this announcement. He already had a son, Ishmael, whom he loved. So he pleaded that Ishmael be righteous before G-d and carry on his destiny. But G-d replied that Isaac, the son of Sarah, would carry on his destiny; from him the promised great nation would descend.
In the next parshah, Vayera, we find another prayer by Abraham on behalf of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, whose inhabitants were so wicked that G-d decreed their destruction. Abraham entreats G-d to rescind His harsh decree (Genesis 18:23-33). However, his efforts are to no avail, and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are ultimately destroyed save for Abraham’s nephew Lot and Lot’s daughters.
In both cases, Abraham prayed for less than worthy people. He knew their weaknesses and shortcomings but prayed for them nevertheless.
It would seem that in both instances, Abraham’s prayers were not answered. However, our sages say otherwise. Abraham could not help the people of Sodom and Gomorrah (who, like the generation of Noah, had no place in this world in G-d’s eyes), but his prayers did indeed help Ishmael. Our sages prove in a lengthy discussion (Bava Batra 16b) that Ishmael wound up repenting during the lifetime of his father.
From this incident we can learn that when one prays to G-d with sincerity, and there is some spark of goodness within the person being prayed for, one can anticipate a good outcome. Testimony to the acceptance of Ishmael’s teshuvah are the many Jewish sages who later bore his name.
Another very famous prayer is that of Chana, the wife of Elkanah (I Samuel ch. 1). She prayed for a son, and was blessed with Samuel, who was one of the greatest individuals ever to live. He was a prophet and judge and anointed two kings of Israel. So great was he that our sages (Midrash Tanchuma, Parshat Korach 6) aver that he was equal to Moses and Aaron, as Psalms 99:6 states: “Moshe v’Aharon b’kohanov u’ Shmuel b’kor’ei Shmo kor’im el Hashem v’Hu ya’aneim – Moses and Aaron were among His priests and Samuel among those who invoke His name; they called upon Hashem and He answered them.”
Chana’s prayer is a very important one since our sages derive many halachot relating to prayer from it (Berachot 31a-b).
(To be continued)