[Something to think about when we say Hallel tomorrow morning]
“When the Imrei Emes succeeded his father (the Sfas Emes) as Gerrer Rebbe, a group of older Chasidim asked him, ‘Your father promised us that if we would recite the verse Ana Hashem (Please Hashem) in the Hallel service with great devotion and intent, all our wishes would be granted from Heaven. Rebbe, we tried. Why didn’t it work?’ The new Rebbe replied: ‘Which Ana Hashem do you think my father meant: Ana Hashem Hoshiya Na (Please Hashem, save now?!) No. He meant Ana Hashem Ki Ani Avdicha, (Please Hashem, for I am Your servant (Psalms 116:16)). Just as a mortal master must provide all the needs of his servants, so God provides for His true servants. But first, we must commit ourselves to His service.” ~ The Pirkei Avos Treasury.
By the way, you can click on the following link for a special prayer that was composed by the Shloh Hakodosh to express the prayers of parents on behalf of their children. The Shloh Hakodosh said that the optimal time for parents to recite this prayer is Erev Rosh Chodesh Sivan (today, Thursday, May 9), but it may be recited anytime.
Emuna Daily 