Our story comes from Devarim Rabbah, a compilation of rabbinic teachings on the book of Deuteronomy. It begins with the verse from Psalm 20:2, "May the Lord answer you on a day of trouble." The Rabbis ask, what does this really mean?
They tell a parable: Imagine a king's son who's gone astray. He needs discipline, but how much? The Rabbis describe three tutors, each offering different advice on the severity of the “chains”—the consequences—needed to bring him back on the right path.
The first tutor says, "Let's give him chains weighing one hundred litra" – a significant weight. The second, thinking that's too harsh, suggests twelve litra. Finally, the third tutor proposes a mere one litra.
So, what does this have to do with us? Moses, David, and Jeremiah represent these tutors in a way. Moses, seeing the future, declares, “Let chains of one hundred litra be made for them,” echoing the verse in Deuteronomy 31:17: “Many evils and troubles will find them.” He forsees intense trials.
But David, with a more compassionate eye, suggests a lesser burden. “May the Lord answer you on a day of trouble,” he prays, linking the answer to the day, which has twelve hours – twelve litra, if you will.
Then comes Jeremiah. He pleads with God, recognizing that even David's “chains” are too heavy for the people to bear. "Master of the universe," he cries, "they do not have the strength to withstand what David said!" Instead, he asks for chains of one litra, reflected in the verse, “It is a time of trouble for Jacob, but from it he will be saved” (Jeremiah 30:7). The trouble is there, but so is the promise of salvation.
Isn't that powerful? The tradition understands that what one generation can endure, another might find crushing. And divine mercy adapts accordingly.
The Devarim Rabbah continues with another analogy, this time from Reish Lakish. It's like a woman in labor, struggling to give birth. Those around her call out, "May He who answered your mother answer you!" David, in Psalm 20:2, says something similar to Israel: “May He who answered Jacob answer you.” What prayer did Jacob offer? "I will craft there an altar to God who answers me on the day of my trouble" (Genesis 35:3).
And finally, Moses speaks directly to God. He asks that when God sees His children in distress, with no one to intercede, He should answer them immediately. And God responds, promising that whenever they call out, He will answer. As it says: “As is the Lord our God in all of our calling to Him.”
What a beautiful promise! It's a reminder that even in our darkest moments, when we feel like we're carrying those heavy chains, divine help is always available. The weight may feel immense, but we are not alone, and the burden is tailored to what we can, with help, endure. The Holy One hears our cries, just like a mother hears her child, and answers us in our time of need. The ability to call out, to pray, is a strength in itself.