The words of our Rebbe Rav Berland shlit”a are based on the verses (II Melachim 1:13: “[The king] repeated and sent a third captain of fifty [men], along with his fifty men. This third captain of fifty went up, arrived, and fell on his knees in front of Eliyahu and entreated him and spoke to him, ‘Man of G-d, please let my soul and the souls of these fifty servants of yours be worthy in you eyes! Behold, a fire has descended from Heaven and consumed the [first] two captains of fifty, along with their [groups of] fifty; but now, may my soul be worthy in your eyes!'”
The words of Rav Berland shlit”a:
“He already goes with mercy; only with mercy, proceed with entreaties. Don’t say: ‘Ribono Shel Olam, give me…’ We don’t talk like that: ‘Give me a soulmate now. Give me such-and-such now.’
“No, plea. Fall to the ground, go to Rachel’s tomb when no one is there. Go to the tomb with tears, kneel down on your knees. Here, we see how to pray. This is study: ‘He fell down on his knees in front of Eliyahu.’ Shedding tears, ‘entreated.’
“Supplications. Say the prayer with supplications. Not like those who pray the Amidah and make with force with their hands [the Rav demonstrates what he’s talking about, clenching his fists while striking in the air]. It’s impossible to go with the Kadosh Baruch Hu in such a way. People pray in such a way, it’s forbidden to pray the Amidah like that.
“You want to pray with enthusiasm? Fine, but this is something internal, but you don’t make a clenched fist in prayer. This is forbidden. Perhaps with the hand in a more subtle way. Then he falls on his knees and pleads. From here, we see how to do hitbodedut (secluded meditation/prayer).
“This is a lesson in hitbodedut — ‘He fell on his knees in front of Eliyahu and pleaded,’ please have mercy on me, ‘please let my soul and the souls of these fifty servants of yours be worthy in you eyes’…’consumed the [first] two captains of fifty’
“Have mercy on me…
“Very well, I’ll have mercy on you. Fine!
“From now [on], we are proceeding with mercy!”
