Q&A: A Futile Prayer
A Futile Prayer
Question
The Rabbi previously explained that the Sages forbade praying that a fetus be female because that is a futile prayer, and yet they permitted praying that a sick person recover. The reason is that they did not know that processes of recovery are deterministic, and therefore praying for them is like praying for a deviation from the laws of nature, which is a futile prayer.
But in the Talmud in Ta'anit 8, it says that one who goes in to measure his grain heap should pray, but after he has measured he should not pray, because that is a futile prayer, since blessing does not rest, etc. And there this would certainly be a deviation from the laws of nature, and nevertheless they permitted praying before the counting?
Answer
Good question. There are contradictions between different Talmudic passages on this issue. There are also other passages in which it seems that one prays for a miracle. It may be that one has to distinguish between different situations. In any case, in this passage about praying regarding a fetus and that "these should not be members of my household," it seems that the correct interpretation is as I explained.
Indeed, I found that Meiri there explains the Talmud as meaning that the blessing is that the produce should do well in commerce, and he explains there what remains after the counting. If so, that also fits well with your explanation.