Note 5 — THE THIRTEEN PRINCIPLES OF OUR CREED. (continued 2)

Our Rabbis teach, “Prayer is good for man both before his fate has been decreed and after it has been decreed” (Babyl. Talm. Rosh-hashshanah, p. 16a). But at the same time we are warned against impatiently expecting and demanding an immediate effect from the words uttered by our lips, however devoutly they may have been spoken. Such expectation—denounced in the Talmud as ‏עיון תפלה‎5—would indicate our confidence in the wisdom of our petition, whilst confidence in the wisdom and goodness of God would suggest that “the Lord will do what is good in his eyes.”