אות-צב

Prayer begins with praising G-d which establishes faith in oneself, like the realization of having a first-born who gets two portions.

It is necessary (for a person) to strongly reinforce with complete faith, to believe in himself, that he has the capability to accomplish every matter with his prayer and his conversation between himself and his Maker. For there are all types of (hang-ups, inhibitions, and) lack of resolve in a person's heart regarding this, as each one knows in his soul, and most people are under the impression, that they don't have the strength for this, and subsequently they don't strengthen in prayer, and hence it is necessary to toil with very great exertion and devotion in this matter. And the main exertion is at the beginning, in the aspect of (Rashi on Yisro 19:5 from the Mechilta), “all beginnings are difficult,” that is, when one begins to pray and do hisbodidus, for then he still has not seen any effect brought about through his prayer and his hisbodidus. However, when he merits to rise up with all his strength to pray with kavana (-concentration, intention) and to do hisbodidus, until he merits to accomplish something with his prayer, for example, that he prayed for something and was answered, then he is bolstered by this to believe in himself, that he has the power to accomplish with his prayer, since he sees that his prayer also, Hashem Yisburach heard, and he was answered. And then there is established by him a complete vessel to receive the shefa (-bounty) through the words of the prayer, because the essential materialization of the vessel is – through faith, that is, by that which he has faith in himself, that Hashem Yisburach listens to his prayer as well.

And this is the aspect of what the first-born takes pea-shna'yim (double portion). And it is brought down in the writings of the Arizal (Likutay Torah, Va'yaira, page 28a, paragraph beginning with the word “vinachzor”- and let us return), that in all the (subsequent) offspring there is a component of the birth of the first-born in them, that is, because all the offspring and all the bounty are drawn through prayer, and the birth of the first-born is drawn from the aspect of the first accomplishment, that the Israelite accomplishes through his prayer, through which his faith is fortified to always pray, and a vessel is made by him etc. as mentioned above, and therefore the first-born takes (Deuteronomy 21:17), “pea-shna'yim (double portion) of everything that is to be found of him (the deceased father),” because in everything that is found, and was begotten, and provisioned to him by means of prayer, there is in it a component of the first action that he accomplished with his prayer, which is the aspect of the birth of the first-born, and therefore he has a portion in lieu of each and everyone; and therefore Rabbainu o.b.m. explained that the (role of the) first-born is prayer. And the concept of pea-shna'yim (double portion) that the first-born takes, is the concept of the two aspects that prayer has; praise of Hashem ('mukoam' - “the Place”, as explained above), and the request of one's needs, as mentioned above. For the order of setting out the praise of Hashem first, and the request of one's needs afterwards, is also this concept, because through the recollection of His praises blessed He, that He is the “G-d of our fathers” etc., “Who bestows beneficial kindnesses,” that He did with them kindness, and listened to their prayers always, which through this His name was Unified in the world, through this our belief in ourselves is strengthened by us, that He will have mercy on us as well, and He will hear our prayers when we request our needs.

And this is what is written (Psalms 44:2), “the action which You did in their days, in the days of yore etc. (verse 5) command (for) the salvations of Jacob etc.,” that is, just like You did in the days of our forefathers, and You made great miracles and salvations for them, so too “command (for) the salvations of Jacob”- now as well. However, sometimes the baal duvur (-litigator – Satan) can weaken a person's resolve, that even though our fathers and rabbis accomplished so much with their prayers, (but) an inferior person such as yourself, how is it possible that you will achieve results with your prayer? However the reality is not so, for Hashem Yisburach hears the prayer of every mouth, and every one of Israel has the power to achieve his request mercifully by Him blessed He, if he truly prays to Him. And therefore a person needs to take to heart and remind himself of the many times he called out from the midst of hardship to Hashem, and He answered him and saved him, and through this he will strengthen now as well in prayer, and Hashem will save him, as mentioned above.

(Likutay Halachos, Laws of Inheritance, law 4).