אות-סה

Not to be overly insistent even in prayer A person is forbidden to be obstinate about anything, that is, it is forbidden to be adamant in his prayers that Hashem Yisburach should do for him specifically as his request, whether it be livelihood, or children, or other necessities, it is necessary to just pray before Him blessed He with (-in such a fashion that invokes) mercy and entreatingly; if Hashem Yisburach gives – He gives, and if not – not (Likutay Aitzos, prayer 31). And this is (Ethics of Our Fathers 2:18), “Do not make your prayer routine <keva> (rather invoke mercy),” <keva – routine> is a term for theft, as it is written (Proverbs 22:23), “and He will steal <vikuva> the soul of those who steal from them,” meaning, to take the item with coercion, with theft, “rather, compassionately and entreatingly,” as mentioned above. (Likutay Moharan, torah 196).