The Cast Stone That Brings the Sheep Back Home

Sometimes Hashem brings difficulties to awaken us to prayer, a tool that brings a person closer to Him.

This is similar to a shepherd who walks with his sheep, and suddenly he sees one sheep wander away. What will he do? He throws a stone near it so that it gets startled and returns. He doesn't intend to harm it, only to awaken it to return. In the same way, Hashem wants us to return to Him.

Dubna Maggid tells a parable about a king who longed for his daughter to need him and call for his help. He sent dogs towards her, and then she cried out from the depths of her heart, "Father, save me!"

Since prayer is a means to connect us and bring us back to closeness with Hashem, we see that Hashem saves only after the prayer. Hashem has engrained in creation that salvation only comes through prayer.

For the children of Israel in Egypt, we saw that, "Their cry went up to Hashem," and only then, "Hashem heard." Hashem waited for Israel’s prayers and only then did He listen to them and save them.

Later, we saw at the splitting of the Red Sea that once again, Hashem brings the children of Israel before the sea with the Egyptians behind them, the sea in front, and wild animals from the sides, and the Israelites cry out to Hashem and He saves them.

The Midrash brings a parable about a prince who went out to the field for a walk and heard cries. He rushed over and noticed a princess who had gone out with her servants and was attacked by robbers. The prince jumped in and saved her. The princess was grateful to the prince and promised to do whatever he asked. The prince asked her to marry him, and she agreed but requested to return to her father's house to prepare for the marriage. As they returned to their residence, the prince waited for a sign from the princess, but she completely ignored him. What does the prince do? He waits for an opportunity when the princess will go out, and then sends people disguised as robbers to attack her, so she cries out for help. And indeed, she cries for help, and he says to her, 'I am here to save you, but promise me you will truly marry me.'

The children of Israel were in great trouble in Egypt, and Hashem saved them. They promised to do Hashem’s will, but after they were saved, they forgot their promise. Then Hashem brought them again to distress at the splitting of the Red Sea and said to them, "I am ready to save you, but promise me that you and I are one," and the children of Israel were awakened to return to Him and cry out to Him in prayer, and afterward, they merited the splitting of the Red Sea and receiving the Torah.

We saw that trouble came to the children of Israel to awaken them to prayer. The difficulty was intended to strengthen the connection and closeness with Hashem, and this wonderful connection fills us and gives us the strength of joy and coping, and comes to us through prayer.

If not, Hashem can shake us to remind us of His existence, ranging from a 'gentle' shake (such as bumping into a table) to greater disturbances, God forbid.

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