Succot Hallel Paragraph Five

Raba lectured, What means, “I love that the Lord should hear [my voice and my supplications]”? The congregation of Israel said: “Sovereign of the Universe! When am I loved by You? When You hear the voice of my supplications.” (Pesachim 118b)

We all love when someone listens to our pleas! What is so special about God listening?

Samuel the Little ordained a fast and rain fell before sunrise. The people thought that it was due to the merit of the community, whereupon he said to them: I will quote you a parable. This can be compared to a servant who asked his master for a gratuity and the master exclaimed, ‘Give it to him, and let me not hear his voice.’
Another time Samuel the Little ordained a fast and rain fell after sunset. The people thought that it was due to the merit of the community. whereupon Samuel exclaimed: “I will quote you a parable. This can be compared to a servant who asked his master for a gratuity and the master exclaimed, ‘Keep him waiting until he is made submissive and is distressed, and then give him his gratuity.’ (Ta’anit 25b)

We do not want God to say, ‘Give it to him, and let me not hear his voice.’ We want to be able to ask and have Him respond. This is not like other relationships when we hesitate to ask and often are embarrassed to request help. We love to be able to ask, to feel comfortable asking, and to receive as a response to our prayers.

We recently celebrated Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur when we asked God to shower our year with blessings. We look back on Succot and celebrate the comfort with which we can approach God and request our needs and desires.