This week, Rabbi David Woznica explores the theme of prayer. Today, he considers the Hebrew verb for prayer.

In Greek, the infinitive to “to pray” comes from the root “to wish.” In German, it comes from the root “to beg.”

The Hebrew verb for prayer, lehitpalel, comes from the root “to judge” or “to examine.” It is also a reflexive verb, which means that the action reflects back on the subject.

Lehitpalel, then, should be understood as meaning “to judge oneself,” or “to examine oneself.” In other words, prayer serves as both a vehicle to God, as well a vehicle to our inner self.

There is certainly room in Jewish prayer to ask God to fulfill our wishes. Yet, if our prayer leads us to reflect on how we have acted or will act, the purpose of prayer can be both reaching out to God, while at the same time reaching inward, examining ourselves.

— Rabbi David Woznica