83. A Prayer for Life and Nourishments
Our sages asked, “If we need life and nourishments, we should pray for nourishments because nourishments are given to those who are alive” (Taanit 8b). “Life” is called “necessity,” meaning faith. “Nourishments” are the flavors of Torah and Mitzvot [commandments], called “commandment of the upper one.”
When we pray for the commandment of the upper one, we give faith, since it is forbidden to teach Torah to idol-worshippers, as it is written, “He did not do so for any nation and they did not know the judgments” (Hagiga 13a).
In other words, when one should ask for life and for nourishments, one should ask for nourishments, since nourishments can be given only to the living. Faith is called “life.” Nourishments are called “Torah.” One should ask that the Creator will open his heart in the Torah, and then he will have faith anyhow, since the Torah is given only to the quality of Israel, and Israel are those who have faith in the Creator.