Lesson on the topic of “The Time of The Giving of The Torah”

454. He Who Prays for His Friend

September 1, 1978

“He who prays for his friend is answered first” (Baba Kama 92b).

This is seemingly a deceit. We should understand “answered first,” as in “Before they call, I will answer.” It means that for a person to be able to ask for his friend, one first needs assistance from above. Otherwise, the body does not agree.

“To You Lord is the righteousness, and to us is the shame.” “And he believed in the Lord and He considered it for him as righteousness.” Concerning shame, it must be felt over the Giver, and then the shame comes by itself, as our sages said, “afraid to look at his face.” However, when he does not feel the Giver, from whom will he be ashamed? Therefore, “To You Lord is the righteousness,” meaning that he gives Him the faith. Then it can be said, “and to us is the shame.”

This is as it is written in The Zohar: “It is known that no quality can rise above its degree before upper illumination is lowered down to it, so that afterward it will be able to grow and rise up” (Song of Songs).