Tefillas Haderech | Rabbi Motta Frank

I remember that when I traveled once from the house of my grandfather, R’ Shmuel Shapira, may his memory be blessed, to the Breslev Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, so I came to say goodbye, and that I’m going to Bnei Brak. So my grandfather told me the following. There is a question. Our sages instituted a Mitzvah, an obligation, to say Tefillas Haderech. A person goes from place to place, there are dangers on the way, Heaven forbid, car accidents, he says Tefillas Haderech. Asked my grandfather, R’ Shmuel Shapira, may his memory be blessed, Today we know that there are dangers in the city, as well, there are car accidents in the city, too, so why don’t we say Tefillas Haderech every time we leave the house, so that we’re not harmed? My grandfather, R’ Shmuel, told me as follows. It could be that the essence of the prayer of Tefillas Haderech is not only about the physical dangers. It’s about the spiritual dangers that there are on the roads. A person is at home, he already knows, he goes from home to the synagogue, to work, he’s familiar, he knows how to protect his eyes. A person goes to a more distant place, oh, there it’s already more difficult. So on that they instituted a special prayer, a special request, Tefillas Haderech, and there we ask that we be saved from every enemy and ambush, and robbers and wild beasts on the way. Said my grandfather, R’ Shmuel, You think enemy, ambush and robbers are only car accidents? Wild beasts on the way? It’s the evil inclination, who is an enemy, he ambushes, he is a robber, he is a wild beast. This is what you’re praying about, Master of the Universe, save me. Have mercy on me. R’ Levi Yitzchak Bender, may his memory be blessed, was one of the important Rabbis in Breslev. He would say, In the evening prayer, we say in the Hashkivenu, Guard our going out and our coming in for life and peace for now forever. Yes, we pray for all matters, but the main thing we concentrate on, Master of the Universe, guard me when I leave home and when I return home, when I leave the synagogue and I return to the synagogue. I put my hand on the Mezuzah and ask, Protect me. From what? In physicality, too, that I’m not harmed, but in spirituality. Prayer is one of the greatest powers we have to guarding our eyes. We need to approach guarding our eyes with great joy, and feel that we gain from guarding our eyes, and then we pray, Master of the Universe, I know that I can gain a lot by guarding my eyes. Help me. Guard my going out and my coming in, save me from wild beasts and robbers on the way, so that I merit to go with clean eyes and return with clean eyes. And with God’s help, we will guard our eyes as much as possible. We will have the strength to gain a great closeness to God and love of Torah and fear of Heaven, and great joy and great success in all matters. In physical matters, and, of course, in spiritual matters.