The Miracle Machine? (Unit 3 Unifications Ch. 10, Ch. 10 in DM)

And the point of these Unifications is to bring out a new illumination from the Infinite Light itself incomparably more exalted than the original illumination and for this light to come down until it reveals in the unification of the Emotional Attributes and the Divine Presence or Speech.

The Unifiication of the Sefirot is not just to recombine existing entities but to give birth to a new light from the source. This is the whole essence of what we're discussing. This is a whole new reality much greater than the preexisting one, and illuminates the lower worlds, but it does not always reveal itself immediately in the physical plane. This is due to the many contractions and veils that reduces this new illumination on its way down to our reality.

What do we pray for? We usually pray for some kind of miracle. It doesn't matter if it's a miracle in the financial arena or in bringing the Moshiach. I'm asking for a change for in the world outside of the natural order. The whole point of prayer is not whether I've reached a higher realm, but whether I can bring the higher realm down here.

When I pray for healing, I'm not asking for healing in the higher realms. I want it down here for person X. If it worked like a machine, that would be great, but for several reasons it doesn't work that way.  And it doesn't work immediately. Often, it takes time for the request to come down and to be fulfilled. Sometimes I don't have time to wait...

As has been discussed previously, the intentionality in prayer helps to expedite the revelation of the light down here. Part of this intentionality is the fact that I recognize that G-d is the Master and I'm his servant, and my requests are vehicles for making His Will accomplished down here. Mamonides explains that the promises of material comforts in the Torah are only meant to facilitate our observance of the mitzvot. Similarly, a true servant of the King prays that the outcomes here should make it easier for people to observe His commandments.

(The text in italics are the words of Derech Mitzvosecha by the third Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek. The bolded words are Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz's commentary as heard on his shiurim on hashefa.co.il. The rest is my commentary. All rights reserved to Rabbi Steinsaltz. Pictures courtesy of Moshe Schlass.)