Q&A: Prayer Leader
Prayer Leader
Question
Hello, honored Rabbi,
I read your books and listen to your lectures. I connect very strongly to the philosophical and intellectual line.
My question is about prayer: can I, as someone who accepts your view and understands that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not intervene in the world, and therefore the requests in prayer remain unanswered (in most cases),
serve as the prayer leader during services? Since most of the worshippers believe otherwise and expect the prayer leader to believe as they do in the power of prayer, is there not a problem here (misleading others) from my perspective?
Thank you
Answer
I do not see a problem with that. If you are genuinely asking, and only do not think you will be answered, that is perfectly fine. They think they will be answered, and the Holy One, blessed be He, will do what seems good in His eyes.
It is true that if you are not really asking, then there is a problem—but not only for them, also for you. You do not fulfill your obligation if you say the words without intention (really, with the opposite intention).
Discussion on Answer
I didn’t understand the difficulty. You yourself wrote, “most cases.” So what’s the problem?
Thank you for the answer
I find it hard to understand how it’s possible to truly ask, even though I understand that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not intervene in the world and therefore by definition also will not answer my request (I’m not one of those special righteous people who live with particular providence)
I’m still trying to find within myself the way to do this….