In the chapter commonly called Ashrei, the psalmist describes how God is close to us, hearing our prayers: קָרוֹב ה’ לְכָל קֹרְאָיו, לְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָאֻהוּ בֶאֱמֶת.
"God is near to all who call to Him, to all who call to Him in truth." (Psalms 145:18)
What does it mean, “to call out to God be'emet - in truth"?
Clearly, be'emet describes prayer that is sincere and from the heart. But it refers not only to how we should pray. Even more, it indicates why we pray. For what we pray.
Falsehood is transitory and fleeting. Emet, on the other hand, is eternal and enduring. The World to Come is called OlamHaEmet - the World of Truth - because of its eternal nature.
We call out to God be'emet when we pray, not for that which is fleeting and insignificant, but for goals that are true and eternal.
One of the benefits of praying the Amidah established by the Men of the Great Assembly is that it directs us to focus on what truly matters. Knowledge, forgiveness, health, justice, redemption, peace - eternal values.
When we pray be'emet, we aspire to uncover the inner meaning of our existence, the very essence of our lives. As we ask in the Amidah, “Return us, our Father, to Your Torah. Draw us near, our King, to Your service."
When we pray to discover our purpose in life and our path in serving God, such a prayer is an authentic reflection of the soul's inner desires.
God answers prayers offered be'emet, prayers that express our inner will, our true ratzon. As the psalmist continues, “He fulfills the ratzon of those who revere Him" (145:19).
(Adapted from OlatRe'iyah vol. I, pp. 226-267, sent to Arutz Sheva by Rabbi Chanan Morrison, RavKookTorah. org)
