Parshas Nitzavim

On Rosh Hashanah, the Torah readings include the story of Chanah, a woman whose tearful plea before Hashem changed Jewish history. From her prayer came the birth of Shmuel HaNavi, one of the greatest leaders of our people. But what made her tefillah so uniquely effective?

Chanah’s prayers were not centered on herself. She wasn’t asking for a child to fulfill her own longing or to gain recognition. Her request was selfless: “Hashem, I ask for a child so that he can be devoted to You.” And she lived by those words. When Shmuel was still a small boy–at the very age most parents cherish–she brought him to Eli HaKohen so that his life could be dedicated to serving Hashem in the Mishkan.

This gives us a model for our own prayers. When we turn to Hashem, we can elevate our tefillos by connecting them to His service. “Grant me peace and prosperity so I can do more mitzvos.”

Such prayers not only reach higher but also transform us. They help us see the world as an opportunity to use our blessings as tools for serving Hashem on a deeper level. May we merit, like Chanah, that our prayers be answered with overflowing abundance.