Praying for Success!!!

"When Adam & Eve came and realized that 'rain' was necessary for the world, they prayed for rain and it came down, and the trees and different types of vegetation sprouted." Rashi quotes Chullin 60b on Genesis 2:5. The Torah, the Talmud, and our sages throughout the generations have impressed upon us that prayer is a vital ingredient in navigating Hashem's world. Hashem not only wants us to pray for all of our needs and closeness to Him but our success in accomplishing anything is predicated on our praying to be successful!
Twelve tribal leaders were sent by Moses and the Jewish people to tour and bring back reports about the land of Israel. Ten of the leaders end up bringing back a disparaging report while Joshua and Caleb stand their ground and are not pursued by the others. The spies started their tour in the south (the Negev) and one of them went to Hebron. Who is this lone spy and why Hebron? Rashi tells us that this was Caleb who went to Hebron to pray at the Cave of the Patriarchs. He prayed there asking that he should not be influenced by his companions in their nefarious plans.
Caleb knows his companions have nefarious plans. Caleb is a man with conviction and he has the fortitude to withstand the pressure of his companions. One of our sages from the previous generation asks the following question: If this is all so, why does he need to go and pray that he should not be influenced? Rabbi Volbe says that a person could know what challenges lie ahead, and could have the greatest plan of action and all the greatest resources but without prayer . . . there is no guarantee of your success. Caleb went to Hebron to pray for his success!
"The spies ascended in the south and he arrived Hebron . . ." Numbers 13:22
* Based on R' Shlomo Volbe as heard in an audio class from Rabbi Efrem Goldberg of Boca Raton, FL.
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