Monday, March 19, 2012

Daven for Me?

Sometimes I am tired and just do not feel like I can muster the energy to daven.  Occasionally it happens in the morning that I don't want to get out of bed when the alarm clock goes off and I have posted previously about this matter (interesting that this same Mishne Brura discusses excuses people make, 'in the summer, that it is too hot and in the winter that it is too cold outside).

Well have I got the solution for you!  Sort of.  I came across today Daven For Me. This site offers a way for petitioners to get their way with Hashem.  Here is their pitch:

Introducing, for the very first time, a beautiful new chesed organization that no doubt you will want to join: it’s called “Daven For Me And I’ll Daven For You.” “Daven For Me and I’ll Daven For You”, was inspired by a poignant song sung by David Gabay on his new CD, titled Omar Dovid. Some of the stirring lyrics read, “Daven for me and I’ll daven for you, Oh, how I know your pain, I feel it too… Let’s storm the gates of Heaven we will break through, “כל המתפלל בעד חברו ” yes it’s true, so Daven for me and I’ll daven for you... What a magnificent concept! How brilliantly simple, logical and profound at once! When we are r”l faced with a specific challenge, we uniquely understand the pain of someone in similar straits and thus, our tefillos for them are most genuine and meaningful, while at the same time assuring us our respective yeshuah too, as per the Talmudic dictum, כל המתפלל בעד חברו והוא צריך לאותו דבר הוא נענה תחילה

The site has testimonials and even an FAQ!  Now you are limited to what situations you can daven for here: illness, childless, Shiduchim (a mate), Haztlacha (success) for children, and parnasa (a livelihood) - no rooting for the Mets to win the world series!  But it seems to me that this organization doesn't just want to get more people to say tehillim.  Rather the baseline premise appears to be that if you say tehillim on someone else's behalf, you are guaranteed to have your own prayers answered.  I am not arguing that the Talmudic concept is wrong - but hiring someone to knowingly daven for your behalf so that you can get your way with God seems to improperly circumvent the system.  Also, it seems to me that some people's davening expectations are being inappropriately raised.  What are your thoughts?

1 comment:

  1. I bristled reading this phrase: "while at the same time assuring us our respective yeshuah." I appreciate Chazal's wisdom. I read it as a principle or concept, not a guarantee.

    Aside from the guarantee or lack thereof, I do think it is an interesting motivation. I wasn't thinking of it in terms of hiring someone to daven on your behalf. I was thinking of it as exchanging names with a fellow sufferer and making it easier for you to daven knowing that you are trying to help someone else.

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