Why Aren't My Prayers Answered? 7 Possible Reasons

We all want our prayers to be answered, but sometimes it seems like something is blocking them, as if the gate is locked. What could cause our prayers to go unheard? Are there specific sins known to prevent prayers from being accepted? Here are some reasons that may delay the acceptance of prayer.

1. Prayer without intention, as it is said in Tehillim (Psalms 145:18) "Hashem is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth."

2. As explained by the Sages, from the verse "He who turns away his ear from hearing Torah, even his prayer is an abomination" (Proverbs 28:9), it implies that one who does not want to listen to Torah study or does not value these words, Hashem likewise will not value his prayers.

Rabbi Moshe Ben Machir writes in his book "Seder Hayom" that if a person refrains from listening to words of Torah because he has heard them before and is uninterested in hearing them again, then measure for measure, his prayers will not be heard. Though he prays three times a day—Shacharit, Mincha, and Maariv—Hashem is not tired of his prayers and answers him repeatedly to meet his needs for which he prays. However, if a person rejects hearing Torah teachings he has heard before, Hashem will reject his prayers similarly. As he puts it: ""And our Masters, of blessed memory, have said about the verse (Proverbs 28:9) 'He who removes his ear from hearing the Torah,' that one who says about something he has already learned or heard 'Why should I learn or hear it again? I have learned or heard it several times,' and therefore removes his ear from hearing the Torah—his prayer is an abomination. Since he prays before the Creator of the World three times each day, and He listens and answers and provides him with sustenance every day and does not reject his prayers, he should not reject the Torah either. But if he rejects his Torah, likewise, he will consider his prayers an abomination and will not answer him or accept him, since he rejects his Torah, and all he does is solely for his own gain."

Rabbi Shlomo Baruch of Budapest writes in his book "Conduct of the Righteous - Conduct and Way of Man": ""When he hears a legal matter or a novelty in Torah, he should not say 'I have already heard this,' because about this it is said 'He who removes his ear from hearing the Torah, etc.'"

3. As derived from the verse "Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he will also cry out and not be answered" (Proverbs 21:13), one who ignores the distress of the poor and does not assist with charity, similarly measure for measure, in his time of distress, his prayer before the Exalted will not be heard. Here is the explanation of the 'Metzudat David': "He who stops his ear from hearing the cry of the poor who cries out because of his oppressors, his recompense is that when he calls out in his distress for help, there will be none to answer him."

We can visibly see how helpful and effective our prayers are. But sometimes the help is not immediately visible, and it seems the prayer is not being answered. Why is this happening? Rabbi Zamir Cohen answers:

4. The sin of theft, as learned from the Midrash: "Anyone whose hands are dirty with theft calls out to the Holy One, blessed be He, and He does not answer him" (Shemot Rabbah 22:3).

5. Slander and gossip, as mentioned in the book 'Shmirat HaLashon' (Part 1, Chapter 7) and the holy Zohar: "Behold, see further the greatness of the penalty for this bitter sin, for with words of slander and gossip that he speaks, he destroys the little Torah that he has in his hand... and also his prayer is not accepted above because of this, as it is written in the holy Zohar Parashat Metzorah: "He who has an evil tongue, his prayer does not enter before the Holy One, blessed be He, since an unclean spirit awakens over it, and when he repents and accepts repentance willingly upon himself, what is written? 'On the day of his cleansing, he shall be brought to the Kohen' (in translation)".

6. One who has many sins, and does not repent, according to the book of Rabbi Saadia Ben Yosef Fayuumi, "Emunot V'Deot" (Fifth Essay, Chapter 6): "I have already explained this matter, I will connect to it other things with which prayer is not accepted... one whose transgressions are many and he prays without repentance, as it is said: 'And it was when they called, and I did not hear, so will they call, and I will not hear.'"

7. Wearing a garment that has the prohibition of shaatnez, as brought in the name of Kabbalist Rabbi Alexander Ziskind in his book "Yesod v'Shoresh HaAvodah" (Gate 5, Chapter 1): "I also found in books in the name of the Kabbalists, one of the hindrances of prayer that a person's prayer is not accepted even if he prays correctly... if a person is not careful with a garment of shaatnez at the time of prayer, his prayer is not heard, because the letters of 'shaatnez' are 'satan azara.'"
What is the prohibition of shaatnez? Read the following article to find out everything you need to know about it:
The salvation came after 12 years of waiting: 8 facts about shaatnez

What blocks our prayers from being accepted? Rabbi Baruch Rosenblum in his uplifting lesson:

Are all prayers accepted or are there conditions? What is the most powerful prayer in the world? Rabbi Hertzel Choderin a fascinating lesson. Watch: