102. Berachot 32A-32B | Lessons in Prayer | Don’t Stop Praying: What to Do When the Answer Is “No”

102. Berachot 32A-32B | Lessons in Prayer | Beginning with Praise | Proper Mindset for Tefilah In this shiur on Berachot 32a–32b, we unpack one of the most practical foundations of tefillah: Don’t rush into requests. Start with praise. Using Moshe Rabbeinu’s prayer as the model, we explore why Chazal structured the Amidah the way they did, and how that structure shapes the mindset we’re supposed to bring when we stand before Hashem. We also dive into a powerful Rashba that reframes “praise” as answering three core questions every request raises: • Does the One I’m asking owe me anything? • Is He capable of doing this? • Is there anyone else to turn to? From there, the Gemara takes us on a sequence of big ideas: prayer vs. good deeds, fasting vs. tzedakah, tears that pierce gates, and the delicate balance between never giving up and never feeling entitled. If you’ve ever struggled with: • “Why do I have to ask if Hashem already knows?” • “What do I do when the answer keeps being ‘no’?” • “How do I pray with sincerity without spiraling into expectation?” This one is for you. Key takeaways you’ll walk away with: ✅ How to enter tefillah with humility and clarity ✅ Why “longer” prayers don’t mean “guaranteed” answers ✅ Why tears are described as never being blocked ✅ A life-changing lesson on selective forgetting for shalom bayit Chapters 00:00 Opening + the flow of “tangents” 01:50 Begin with praise: the structure of the Amidah 06:35 The Rashba’s 3 questions that reshape prayer 15:20 Prayer is greater than good deeds (Moshe as the proof) 20:40 Fasting is greater than tzedakah (body vs. money) 23:45 Prayer is greater than korbanot + kohen discussion 28:50 Gates of prayer vs. gates of tears 46:50 Long tefillah: expectation vs. humility 57:20 Keep praying when unanswered 1:03:40 “Hashem forgot us?” + selective forgetting for shalom If this strengthened your tefillah, leave a comment: What’s one line in the Amidah you want to start saying more slowly and intentionally? 👍 Like • 💬 Comment • 🔔 Subscribe to keep learning together.