Always strive to reach greater heights.

In Parshat Toldot we read how Yitzchak and Rivkah both prayed to Hashem for a child. Rashi explains that Hashem listened to Yitzchak over Rivkah because one cannot compare the prayer of a son of righteous

parents to the prayer of a daughter of evil lineage. Yet Chazal teach that baalei teshuva are ranked greater than tzaddikim. They also teach that Hashem listens to all who call out to him in truth. What made Yitzchak’s prayer greater than Rivkah’s?

Rav Dessler explains that Yitzchak could have easily continued along the path of Avraham. Instead he worked hard to forge his own path in avodat Hashem. He was not content to follow a routine. Instead, he

invested enormous effort to make gevurah, self discipline, his own way of serving G-d. In this way he was greater than Rivkah, who simply moved from outright evil towards righteousness. This is one of our greatest

challenges. A person should not be satisfied with the level he has reached, but should constantly strive to reach greater heights in serving Hashem.

Parshat Toldot: Potent Prayer

Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Mrs. Shira Smiles