Why did Yitzchak and Rivkah have to wait twenty years to have children?

The Torah tells us that Yitzchak prayed to Hashem because Rivkah was barren. Yet Rabbeinu Bachya raises a striking question: Why does the Torah mention Yitzchak’s prayer before telling us about Rivkah’s barrenness? Would it not be more natural to describe their difficulty first, followed by their prayer?

Rabbeinu Bachya explains that this order reveals the deeper purpose of their experience. Their difficulty was not merely a reason to pray; it was an opportunity to develop the relationship with Hashem that prayer creates.

We often see tefillah as a means of obtaining something we need. But Rabbi Lau emphasizes that its greatest purpose is the connection itself. Hashem desires our prayers because He desires our closeness.

The lesson of Yitzchak and Rivkah is that prayer is not only about what we hope to receive from Hashem. It is about the relationship we build with Him every time we turn to Him.

As Tehillim teaches: “Va’ani kirvat Elokim li tov” — “But as for me, the nearness of God is my good.”

NOTE: The above is a summary based on the original teaching.