Prayer as Israel's Inherited Power
במדרש מה תצעק.
In the Midrash: “Why do you cry out?”
The Sefat Emet opens by citing the Midrash that questions why Moses was told not to cry out, setting the stage for an exploration of the power of prayer.
ב' ירושות הנחיל יצחק.
Isaac bequeathed two inheritances.
The two spiritual legacies of Isaac form the foundation of Esau’s and Jacob’s distinct powers.
עשו מתגאה בירושתו הידים ידי עשו.
Esau prides himself on his inheritance: “The hands are the hands of Esau.”
Esau’s strength and confidence emerge from his physical, force‑based legacy.
ויעקב מתגאה הקול קול יעקב כו'.
And Jacob prides himself on “The voice is the voice of Jacob.”
Jacob’s strength lies in spiritual expression, especially prayer.
בוודאי גיאות עשו הרשע על שניתן לו החרב לעשות בו כרצונו כמאמר על חרבך תחי'.
Indeed, the pride of wicked Esau is that he was given the sword to use as he wishes, as stated: “By your sword you shall live.”
Esau’s empowerment is tied to violence and force, a divinely allotted domain.
ובנ"י מתגאין בירושתן שיש להם זה הכח של תפילה שיכולין להתקרב להש"י בעת צרתם.
But Israel prides itself on its inheritance—the power of prayer, through which they can draw close to God in times of distress.
Prayer is the Jewish counterpart to Esau’s sword, a spiritual weapon enabling closeness to God.
ואיתא במד' בעשרה לשונות של תפילה.
And the Midrash teaches: there are ten expressions of prayer.
Each form reflects a different mode of approaching God.
ביצור הוא א' מהן דכ' בצר לי אקרא כו'.
“Bitzor” is one of them, as it is written: “In my distress I call…”
This type of prayer emerges specifically from suffering.
והפי' כי בנ"י בעת צרה פונים להש"י בטבעם.
The meaning is that Israel, in times of trouble, naturally turn to God.
Even without conscious intention, distress pushes the heart toward God.
ולכן אף בצרה גדולה שא"י לצעוק ג"כ.
Therefore, even in great suffering when they cannot cry out at all…
Sometimes the pain is too overwhelming for words or sound.
הצרה בעצמה הוא לשון של תפילה.
The distress itself becomes a form of prayer.
Suffering transforms into supplication because Israel is innately oriented toward God.
כי מוכנים הם לתפילה לעולם כנ"ל.
For they are always prepared for prayer, as stated above.
The disposition toward prayer is constant, regardless of circumstance.
יאיתא ויצעקו כו' תפסו אומנות אבותם.
Thus it is written: “And they cried out…”—they took hold of the craft of their ancestors.
Prayer is the ancestral inheritance of Israel, passed from patriarch to patriarch.
פי' מו"ז ז"ל כי לא הי' להם הכנה לתפילה מרוב צרה רק שתפסו מנהג אבותיהם בידיהם כו'.
My grandfather explained that they had no preparation for prayer because of the great suffering, but they grasped the practice of their fathers.
They relied not on conscious intention but on inherited spiritual instinct.
ובזה עצמו מתגאין בנ"י מה שלא נמסר להם הכח.
And in this itself Israel takes pride—that power was not given to them directly.
Their strength is not self‑generated but dependent on a higher Source.
רק שיקבלו כל צרכיהם מהש"י ע"י תפילה וקול תורה ועבודה זו תפילה והוא גיאות של אמת שנכלל בגיאות הקב"ה.
Rather, they receive all their needs from God through prayer, Torah‑voice, and service; this pride is true pride, included within God’s own greatness.
Israel’s sense of strength is not arrogance but alignment with divine exaltedness.
כמאמר אל יתהלל חכם כו' הגבור כו' כ"א בזאת כו' השכל וידוע אותי.
As it is said: “Let not the wise glory… nor the mighty… but in this: to understand and know Me.”
The only legitimate pride is God‑knowledge.
וזה פי' כי גאה גאה.
And this is the meaning of “For He is exalted above the exalted.”
God’s greatness elevates any true greatness found in His servants.
פי' הגיאות שבא ע"י גיאות הקב"ה הוא קיים לעד וכל גיאות שאין בו דבר לשמים אין לו קיום.
Meaning: the pride that comes from God’s greatness endures forever, while any pride not directed toward heaven has no permanence.
Only divinely rooted elevation is lasting; all other forms dissipate.
Summary: The Sefat Emet contrasts Esau’s physical pride with Israel’s spiritual pride, teaching that true exaltation comes from prayer, dependence on God, and alignment with divine greatness—especially in moments of distress.