However, the posuk says: ויעתר לו, HASHEM listened to his prayers. Rashi makes the observation that it was to his prayers that HASHEM listened and not to hers. Rashi explains this is because Yitzchak was the son of a Tzadik, whereas Rivka was the daughter of a Rasha (wicked person). Since there is no comparison between the prayers of a Tzadik, the son of Tzadik to the prayers of a Tzadik, the son of a Rasha, HASHEM listened to his prayers and not to hers.

Wasn’t Rivka greater because she overcame her upbringing?

Yet, we know that a person isn’t judged according to where he is now, but, according to where he came from. The fact that Rivka came from “lowly stock” and yet managed to overcome her upbringing is to her credit -- she is even greater because of it. In fact, just one posuk earlier we are told that Rivka was the daughter of Besuel, the sister of Lavan, from a city of devious people. Rashi there explains that the Torah is repeating her lineage to show to us how great she was: “Even though her father was wicked, even though her brother was wicked, and even though she came from a town of wicked people, she was righteous.” Exactly because she came from the house of wicked people and wasn’t negatively influenced, she was considered greater than had she been born into a house of holy people. Yet here we see that because she came from the house of wicked people, her prayers weren’t accepted.

Two systems of merit - who I am – who is my father

The answer seems to be that there are two systems involved in weighing a person’s merits. The first system is based on the individual: Who am I, and what have I accomplished in this world? Based on where I started, based on the talents and abilities given to me, how far did I go? How much did I change? That is the system that is used to measure me when I leave this earth. Who am I now, compared to who I was when I started?

However, there is a second system that comes into play when a person stands in front of HASHEM during davening.

If a friend of the king petitions the king for mercy for his son, he doesn’t present his case based on the merit of his son – he asks the king to remember who he is. He asks the king to remember all the years of loyal service that he provided, and asks him to ignore the faults of his son and remember the love and devotion that he has proven to the king.

When the son of a Tzadik stands in front of HASHEM

So too, when the son of a Tzadik comes in front of HASHEM, it may well be that his merit alone isn’t sufficient to change the judgment. It may well be that based on his merit alone, he doesn’t deserve whatever it is that he is requesting. It is the merit of his father who stands for him that carries him far beyond his own arguments.

Rivka stood alone

When Rivka stood in front of HASHEM, she was a very holy woman, but as great as she was, her merit alone was not sufficient to bring forth the type of miracle needed. When Yitzchak stood in front of HASHEM, he was effectively twice as tall as Rivka because it was his merit and the merit of his father that was working for him. It may well be that Rivka herself was greater because she had overcome the obstacles of her father’s house, but in terms of asking mercy from HASHEM, she stood alone. Therefore, HASHEM listened to Yitzchak’s prayer and not to Rivka’s.

What right do I have to expect HASHEM to listen to me?

This concept has great relevance to our lives. There may be many times when we think about approaching HASHEM for help and may say to ourselves, “Am I worthy”? Do I have the right to ask, let alone expect HASHEM to grant this request? Am I so great that HASHEM should change the course of events for me?” And the answer may well be no – our merit alone is not sufficient. Based on who we are, based on what we have done, it may very well be that we have no right to expect these things from HASHEM.

However, Chazal were very wise when they crafted our tefilos; they did so by invoking the merits of the Avos. When we make requests from HASHEM, we begin by asking in the merit of Avrohom, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. As children of the Avos, we request that HASHEM remember their righteousness and answer our requests in their merit, not our own. It may well be that we don’t merit, health, well-being, parnassa, but we ask that in zchus of our forefathers that HASHEM have mercy. Understanding this concept can help us relate to the unique power and effect that our tefilos can have, well above what we may be entitled to.

For more on this topic please listen to Shmuz # 62, 63 and 64 on Davening.