A short Insight into Joshua, Chapter 16 By Rabbi Nisson Dov Miller

When describing the the borders of the portion of the tribe of Yosef in our chapter, the possuk declares, “And it descended from Yano'ach to Ataros and Na'aras u'faga , it reached, Yericho and went out to the Jordan.” Rashi in this weeks parsha, Vayeitzei, tells us another usage of the root “faga” - to daven. Rabbi Shimshon Pinkas, z”tl, explains (Sh'arim Bitfila p. 69) that this form of prayer is defined by a person being unrelenting in beseeching Hashem for a perceived need. As Rashi explains in Rus (1,16) “faga” is an expression of urging. It's an expression connoting asking and asking, over and over, as if we will not let G-d rest until He fulfills our request.