The Pedestal a Ba'al Teshuva is Placed On

 I had the privilege of asking Rabbi Moshe Shapira Z"L the following question: "Given that we say that the place of a ba'al teshuva supersedes that of a Jew who had been righteous from birth, why is it that Yitzhak's prayer for a child is answered, whereas Rivka's is not?" 

The answer he gave in his weekly lecture at Pitchei Olam was even more astounding. "You didn't understand what's written," he said. "It says that Rivka prayed that in Yitzhak's merit they have a child. Yitzhak prayed that in Rivka's merit they be blessed with a child. It was not Rivka's prayer that was answered, but rather Yitzhak's, for Rivka's merit was greater than Yitzhak's." 

I remember that answer so clearly, so lucidly. For in fact the verse states, "lenochach ishto," facing his wife, and Rashi expounds that each was in their own respective corner, and that Yitzhak - whose righteous wife not only faced him, but was the presence in whose merit he basked, was the catalyst for the prayers of our righteous father, Yitzhak, being received by Hashem, and answered in kind. 

Shabbat shalom,

Yoav

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