„...on the one hand, and on the other hand also not the personal relat…”
„...on the one hand, and on the other hand also not the personal relation of the person (to that matter, that he would feel that things are working out for his good, and so forth...). The purpose of prayer is to change a person's relation toward the good, and in this way the person changes, and when the person changes, reality itself already changes, and thus the relation of the Holy One toward that person can change...”
...toward that person, and consequently also the reward and punishment.
Let us try to give an example that will somewhat illustrate the matter - a student who received a punishment from his teacher and wishes to mend his ways. He works on this every day, and in the end the teacher exchanges the punishment for a prize - is it the teacher's mercy that causes the change? The answer is that reality changed, and consequently the teacher's relation changed. On higher planes, in our world the Holy One determines fates for life and for death; when a person improves his ways and betters his place through prayer, it is not the Holy One who changes, and not only the person, but rather through the person's effort the relation of the severe deed he did changes, consequently, for the good.
A good day to all!
From the community archive of Mishpetei HaRav Kook — studying Rav Kook's teachings since 2011.