Q. (Re- answer 349 and 434) I am not referencing to imaging at all – NO imaging for now, the question is how to built on asking to self-judgment and self-judgment to asking. When mainly Tfila is asking (what I guess 99% doing) so how to base it on self-judgment? Moreover in Shmona Esre we even not asking but commanding to HaShem – we use imperative: send, build…???!!!

A. One of the elucidations of how Tefilah works according to Sefer Haykarim (ma’amar 4) Mabit in Bais Elokim, Rav S. R. Hirsh Zt”l, Toldos Yakov Yosef (p. Toldos) quoting Baal Shem Tov and many others, is that by self examination and judgment a person becomes indeed better and closer to Hashem. There is an element of Teshuvah in every Tefilah that is said with proper intention. Teshuvah changes the individual, he is now different from before and whatever detriments were decreed on him previously, may not apply anymore. He is already someone else, a different persona.

We do not command Hashem in Tefilah, we ask and pray. The wording may look similar to an order but as always in conversation, the tone and voice inflection sets the meaning.

Rabbi A. Bartfeld