Toras Chesed: Reflections on the Daf: Brachos Daf 12b Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb

(PLEASE LEARN THIS FOR THE REFUA SHELAMA OF RAV CHAIM KANIEVSKY-Rav Shmaryahu Yosef Chaim ben Pesha Miriam,Rav Shteinman - Aaron Yehuda Leib ben Gitel Feiga, Rav Weiss - Yitzchak Tuvia ben Rikal, Rav Yosef - Yaakov Chai ben Margalit Harav Shlomo Leib Ben Miriam - HaRav Shlomo Brevda Harav Yeshaya Yaakov Ben Raizel - HaRav Yeshaya Yaakov Portugal Harav Meshulem Fish Ben Tziril - The Toshe Rebbe Rav Yerachmiel Shlomo Hakohen ben Raizel. -Rav Yerachmiel Shlomo Rothenberg, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva of Mountaindale Rav Shaul ben Pasha-Gavaad Zurich, Switzerland and rav of Beis Medrash Agudas Achim for a refuah shleima b’soch kol cholei am Yisrael.)(AND L"N RAV YOSEF SHALOM BEN RAV AVRAHAM(RAV ELYASHIV ZT"L)

We recently studied the following passage (Brachos12b): "And Rabba bar Hinnana Sava said in the name of Rav: Anyone who can ask (kol she'efshar) for mercy on the behalf of another and does not ask is called a sinner..." I have studied this passage many times over the years, but this year, for the first time, I was struck by the language "Anyone who can ask…" I found myself asking, "Is there anyone who cannot ask for mercy on behalf of another?" Can't we all ask the Almighty for anything at any time in any language, using any choice of words? Do we not believe that we can all call upon the Almighty and that He is present to us whenever we call upon Him? One of my mentors was Rav Yitzchok Sternhell, zt"l, the Rabbi of the shtiebel I would frequent in my early days in Baltimore. He taught us that if we asked a question and could not find that question in an earlier source, it probably was not a good question. "There is nothing new under the sun," he would say, and he did not permit us to convince ourselves that we were erudite enough to ask original questions. After a brief search, I discovered that the question has indeed been asked before. I refer you to the commentary Iyun Yaakov on Ein Yaakov for one approach. Another approach is offered by HaRav Avraham Yitzchok HaCohen Kook, zt"l, whose yahrzeit coincides with the day that I write these words, 3 Elul. Rav Kook wonders, "How can we speak of efshar and lo efshar when it comes to prayer?" Is it possible for a person to be in such circumstances that he is unable to pray?