Thanking God
Question
Please accept this question in the humble state in which it’s being asked; no insult is intended. In prayer we are always telling G-d how wonderful he is; we’re thanking him for everything; not once a week but every day. Not every day but multiple times a day. Why? He wants us to do that. To me this appears to be narcissistic. How is it not? Thank you!
Answers
The Rabbis teach that the essence of prayer is not for God – God does not need our prayers. Rather, it is for us. We are taught that one of the most effective methods of building a relationship with God is through prayer. Part of the function of prayer is to teach us how beholden we are to God and to acknowledge what it is that God has given us. Only then can we truly understand why we turn to Him with all our requests.
Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team