Trust transcends hope, as the sky above transcends the earth below.
A thread of hope is an anchor to the ground, a narrow path you’ve set for destiny to lead you.
The thread snaps and your eyes look up to see nothing more than the open sky. Hope is gone. All you can do now is trust the One who has no bounds.
That is Trust: When you stop suggesting to your Maker how He could rescue you. When you are prepared to be surprised by wonders and open to miracles.
The implication of this significant idea is that because of what should be a great trust in G-d, we don't actually need to recite any prayers that contain suggestions and requests (nor demands). Prayers of thanks and attributes to His greatness are still applicable, of course. However we should find that any of the prayers for a particular action on G-d's part are not only unnecessary but indicate that we have a lack of trust in Him since He is aware of all our needs and difficulties. Can this really be the true situation? Reply
No, it cannot. We have a mitzvah to ask G-d for our needs. In our prayers, again and again, we ask G-d to change how things are.
On this enigma of Jewish faith, see If G-d Knows Best, What's the Point of Prayer?
and Is Prayer Normal?
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From my thinking and understanding there are 6 different forms of prayer. These are Praise, Blessing, Requests, Thanks, Repentance and Acknowledgement. (Do you know of any others?)
This discussion has claimed that to pray is to fulfill a mitzvah (commandment or obligation), and clearly all of these forms except that of Requests, are kindly relationships directed to our Holy Father and fall within the types of recitations that He would surely enjoy.
But is it also a mitzvah to ask him for something that He already knows about? It is this form of prayer where my doubts are raised. I have examined the references to which your kind previous comment refers and there is not a satisfactory answer there, only a reference to what Maimonides claimed is the right thing.
Surely it is a chutzpah to remind G-d about the need for doing something about which He is already aware? Does the call for prayer cover more than the other 5 kinds?
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Here is how Maimonides defines this mitzvah.
“... this commandment obligates each person to offer supplication and prayer every day and utter praises of the Holy One, blessed be He; then petition for all his needs with requests and supplications; and finally, give praise and thanks to God for the goodness that He has bestowed upon him; each one according to his own ability.”
As you see, it is a mitzvah to make our requests. Look in the traditional Siddur and you will see that is what we do.
You have a question: Surely G‑d knows what we need. Why are we asking Him?
That is the question addressed in the links I sent previously. It’s obvious He doesn’t need us to make our requests. But He asks us to do so. And He awaits our request before responding.
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Rabbi Tzvi Feeeman, thanks for your answers. Can you kindly be more specific and provide the reference to the commandment for us to make requests in prayer, as mentioned in the above reply. Which commandment is Maimonides writing about? The rest of this discussion is not in doubt, but where are we told to ask for something of which G-d's awareness already is present? Reply
This is the opening to the Laws of Prayer and the Priestly Blessing.
If you click on the word "Here" in my response, it will take you directly to that page.
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Having followed your kind direction I find that by prayer is meant
1. Supplications, which are included in all 5 kinds that are not requests, and which are listed in my previous comment.
2. The intermediate [blessings] contain REQUESTS for all those things that serve as general categories for the desires of each and every person and the needs of the whole community. (Ezra).
These latter are much like the Requests that I claimed are unnecessary, but unlike their being specific to the needs of the worshiper "for each and every person" means general requests like the common "send us rain" rather than the personal "cause me to become pregnant" to give different kinds of these two examples.
It is the latter that I claim to be incorrect. In other words, prayer should not include requests for future happenings about which G-d already knows of its particular need.
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Thank you! This provided clarification and order.
May your life be filled with the great Joy of abundant life.
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Thank you! This provided clarification and order.
May your life be filled with the great Joy of abundant life.
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Amen!! So true!! Amazing! Reply
Trust Over Hope Great advice Rabbi Freeman. It has come at the proper time, proving the miracle. B"H Reply
feel I feel his arms around all me.Thank you for this kind bless lesson. Reply
This is a wonderful message! So healing! Thank you! Reply
Thank you. This one really helped Reply
Perfect timing Thank you so much for this advice. It is perfect timing. Reply
Toulouse
The tragedy of Toulouse will put our faith in Hashem to the test.
When bad things happen to innocent people we are forced to sit down and think and rethink seriously.
As i write this, the murderer's head has met up with a sniper's bullet.
Our prayers and hearts are with the victims and their families.
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thank you very much for this message. So apt in my life right now! i really like reading all your articles.
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you've done it again! Thank you! Reply
trust over hope this reminded me of the often told story of the person who complains about not winning the lottery but never buys a ticket. the meaning of trust, as i read here, was realizing that every day HaShem renews for me, i have already won. no ticket needed. Reply
Living with god They're not mutually exclusive. Hope without trust means not living with god. Reply
Trust is more than Hope
You need a lot of Trust in HaShem, when you stop explaining to Him, what He has to do, what you wish for others and for yourself.
But on the other side, He answers our prayers and lets miracles happen. The difference between trust and hope seems to me, is a child in his fathers arms or a child, that is playing somewhere outside, hoping the father will not go away.
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Trust
I loved reading today's Daily Dose.. Last night I was asking myself and G_d what brings about serenity in my life. I have been feeling much peace for awhile and wanted to identify my part in it.
I recognized it as a gift from G_d but knew I must be doing something "right" as well. The answer was faith-trust in G_d.
I noted to myself that I have been looking at my life as a book already written. Instead of trying to control what happens, I can look at each day with excitement and wonder at what this chapter in my book will bring.
Faith is the answer to how I can do this without fear and the need to control that goes along with fear.
While I am sure many people related to today's Daily Dose, I couldn't help feeling that is was an affirming message just for me.
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Trust over hope What a beautiful analogy! Amen! Reply
Trust that G_d has prepared a plan for your destiny.
Your specific path depends on your unique nature, the combination of qualities He has gifted you.
You use these qualities on their raw form now as you perceive yourself separated from others.
The miracle is for you to change this egoistic mindset until you perceive the true reality. Then you will see how everything exists as an interconnected, interdependent, harmonious system.
Imagine this world!
Feel as if you already live in it!
Then trust His help to open this wonderful world for you!
That is the miraculous wonder, to behold heaven, the spiritual world view that is the true reality.
To hope for Him to create a world that you want to fulfill your egoistic desires is not an option.
Trust that He has arranged a wonderful world for all! "Trust over hope!"