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Why do we pray to God when He already knows our needs? Prayer serves two functions: reminding us that Hashem (ה׳) is the source of all blessing, and activating our role as God's appointed managers of the world. The Rambam (רמב"ם)'s discussion of Torah (תורה) reading customs reveals that later generations can modify Moshe's enactments when he acted as king (not prophet), reflecting Jewish responsibility for national destiny.
This shiur delves into fundamental concepts about prayer, divine providence, and Jewish national responsibility based on teachings from Moreh Nevuchim. Rabbi Zweig begins by examining why we pray to God daily when He already knows our needs, explaining that prayer serves a dual purpose: it reminds us that Hashem (ה׳) is the source of all blessing (chesed (חסד)) and allows us to recognize His love for us. The Hebrew term 'l'hitpalel' uses the reflexive hitpael conjugation because prayer ultimately benefits the person praying, not God. The discussion then analyzes the verse about the copper serpent (nachash v'nachoshet), where God tells the people to 'look down' at it. Rabbi Zweig explains this seeming contradiction - how can one look down at something elevated? - by introducing a revolutionary concept: God created the world but appointed humans, specifically Klal Yisrael, as its managers. Like a business owner who hires a trusted manager and doesn't constantly oversee them, God has entrusted the Jewish people with running the world. The power to heal or harm depends on human choices and actions.
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Moreh Nevuchim
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