Vaetchanan תרל”א 1

במדרש עשרה לשונות כו’.
The Midrash talks about the 10 different types of prayer
הם הדרכים ועצות לבוא לתפילה.
The Sfas Emes explains that these 10 types are different methods to get to the actual תפילה
כי תפילה עצמו אינו בכלל הלשונות

For in the list of different types the most obvious one called tefila is not mentioned.
ע”ש תכין לבם כו’ זה סימן לתפלה.
The above-mentioned Medrash continues: when one sees that he had correct intentions during his prayer, this is a sign of tefila
וקשה כי זה עיקר התפילה ומה לשון סימן.
However this seems difficult. If one has correct intentions in his prayer surely this is actual tefila not just a sign of tefila?
אך כי ההכנה אמיתית הוא ג”כ מהש”י וכתי’ תכין כו’
However the truth is that true preparation for tefila also comes as a gift from HaShem. As it says “prepare your heart”, literally “you prepare their hearts”. (So in truth actual tefila is also a gift and one can only know if he has reached this state with certain signs as will be explained)
וזה הסימן אם הרגיש שהגיע לכוון לבו להיות נשפך לבו נוכח פני ה’.
The sign for.one to know if he has reached this level of true tefila is, if one feels that he has been able to concentrate to a level of pouring out his heart to HaShem
זה עיקר התפלה באמת.
This is true tefila
וההכנות לתפלה הם הלשונות שכפי שאדם מכין עצמו להגיע לתפלה זו ע”י צעקה או מרירות זה ביצור כו’.
The preparations are the languages (or streams) that one prepares for tefila, whether it is through shouting, bitterness or bitzur etc.
וז”ש רש”י ובמד’ כי אע”פ שיש לצדיקים לתלות במעש”ט כו’.
We can see this concept hinted to in Rashi. Quoting the Medrash he says that even though tzadikim have merit in their own right for their prayers to be accepted. Nevertheless they only want it to be accepted only as a free gift.
ושמעתי בשם הרב מקאצק ז”ל שהקשה ומי הקדימני ואשלם.
And I heard in the name of the Kotzker Rebbe that asked from the verse “Who preceded Me (HaShem), that I am indebted to him”. Meaning that no one is owed anything by HaShem. So why would the tzadikim request a gift if they aren’t owed anything?
ובאמת תמוה מאחר שצריך לבקש בוודאי אין מגיע לו ע”פ הדין.
However the question is strange why does the Kotzker assume that the tzadik is requesting something that is owed to him, for surely if he is making a request it is something that the tzadik is not deserving (for if he would be deserving it, he would get it without any requests?).
[והוא ז”ל תי’ לתלות במעש”ט שיעשה אח”כ ודפח”ח] [The Kotzker answered they are not owed it now but they will do more good deeds in the future and this is the basis for their request] ולהנ”ל א”ש כי עכ”פ לבוא למקום תפלה וודאי הם דבקין שם.
Now according to the way we explained above, the question is answered, for all of the expressions of tefila are ways to get to the final stage of tefila, and the tzadikim are surely righteous enough to get to the stage that the preparation brings one to.
וז”ש לתלות כו’ אעפ”כ מבקשין בתורת תחנונים לומר שאינן ראוין לגשת מצד מעש”ט רק ע”י תחנונים כנ”ל.
Therefore we can explain the Rashi and Medrash as follows: The tzadikim really want to get to the stage of tefila with all their preparations, however they don’t want that to be because of their good deeds but rather they want HaShem to gift them that ability to reach the level of tefila
וז”ש ואתחנן כו’ לאמור שהוא ההכנה לתפלה כנ”ל.
This can be understood also in the verse that Moshe says about himself “…and I beseeched HaShem …saying” the word “saying” לאמר expresses that something comes after that stage. So the first stage was the expression of תחנון to get to a stage of tefila.
לאדם מערכי לב כו’.
A man arranges his thoughts… but what he says depends on HaShem. (Tehillim 16). In this pasuk we see clearly that all one can do for tefila is the preparation, however the actual tefila is dependent on HaShem.
ובאמת מי שזוכה לבא לבחי’ התפלה לשפוך שיח נוכח פני ה’.
The truth is that one who merits to reach this level of tefila to really pour out one’s heart to HaShem
אין תפלתו בוודאי רק לש”ש ואף הבקשה שצריך לו אינו זוכר כלל.
His tefila is truly only for the sake of heaven (and not for his own needs), he reaches a stage where he doesn’t even remember what the original request was
רק הש”י מזמין בפיו לבקש הצריך לו וז”ש ומה’ מענה לשון.
Rather he will say exactly what HaShem decides he will say, which is what he (actually really) needs.
וזהו ואתחנן אל ה’. פי’ ואתחנן לשון נפעל שנעשה מתחנן כנ”ל אל ה’ כנ”ל:
This is also hinted to in the word Va’etchanan, which is an expression that Moshe became a person who could reach that level of tefila through the gift of HaShem.

The Midrash discusses ten different types of prayer, which are various methods or preparations to reach the actual state of prayer (tefila). The Sfas Emes explains that these methods serve as ways to approach genuine tefila. Surprisingly, the most obvious type of prayer, called tefila, is not mentioned among the ten.

To clarify this, the Medrash goes on to explain that when someone recognizes that they had correct intentions during their prayer, it signifies genuine tefila. However, this seems puzzling because having genuine intentions would imply that one is already engaged in actual tefila, not just a sign of it.

The Sfas Emes further elucidates that true preparation for tefila is also a gift from HaShem. Just as the verse says, “prepare your heart,” it also means that “He prepares their hearts.” Therefore, even the act of genuine tefila itself is a gift from HaShem, and certain signs can indicate when one has reached this state.

The preparations for tefila are like different streams or languages through which one can approach tefila, such as shouting, bitterness, or other expressions.

In connection with this, Rashi points out that even though the righteous have merit for their prayers to be accepted, they still request their prayers to be granted as a free gift. The Kotzker Rebbe questions this, as it seems strange for the righteous to request something they are not owed.

The answer lies in understanding that the tzadikim (righteous individuals) desire to reach the stage of genuine tefila through their preparations. However, they do not want it to be solely based on their good deeds; they want it to be a gift from HaShem.

Therefore, when Moshe beseeched HaShem, it was a step towards tefila, but the actual tefila is ultimately dependent on HaShem.

Those who achieve genuine tefila pour out their hearts to HaShem and their prayers become solely for the sake of heaven, not focused on personal needs. In this state, they may not even recall their original requests because they trust that HaShem will guide their words to express what they truly need.

The term “Va’etchanan” hints at Moshe’s ability to attain this level of tefila as a gift from HaShem.