Why do prayers, before reaching Hashem, pass beneath the Cave of Machpelah?
Thank you.
The sacred sefarim state that the prayers of the Jewish people, on their way upward, pass through the Cave of Machpelah. The reason is explained in Noam Elimelech: through this, the prayers arouse the merit of the holy Patriarchs, so that they may raise the prayers favorably before the Holy One, blessed be He.
Tiferet Shlomo offers another explanation: the Divine abundance that comes down to the Jewish people descends and passes through the holy Patriarchs. Therefore, the prayers pass through the holy Patriarchs, in order to bring down abundance through them to the Jewish people.
Another explanation is cited in Imrei Emet in the name of the Chiddushei HaRim: every Jew possesses a portion of the holy Patriarchs. Since the Patriarchs established the three prayers, we must cleave to them and awaken the portion of the holy Patriarchs that we possess, so that the prayers may be accepted favorably before the Holy One, blessed be He. For the Patriarchs are the gateway through which prayers ascend on high.
With blessings that we merit to cleave to the ways of the holy Patriarchs, and that our prayers be accepted favorably before the Creator of all worlds.
Rabbi David Ochayon
This response was translated automatically from Hebrew and has not yet been reviewed by a person. It may therefore contain inaccuracies and should not be considered a definitive reference.
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