Chazzal in the Medrashim (Rashi also mentions this in Parshas Va’eschanan) tell us that there are 10 different types of Tefilos that we can be mispallel to Hashem with. Chazzal are talking here about the mode of the supplication itself and not about the actual content of the Tefiloh. This is to say, that there are 10 different approaches in the art of Tefiloh.
This teaches us something very valuable. We find in Shas, many tractates and different sugyos dealing with a whole variety of topics which we must master in order to achieve true shleimus in Torah. Similarly, where it pertains to our Tefilos, there are many different “sugyos” which we must master in order to acquire the true shleimus-perfection in our Prayer.
We can easily understand that a person who has a question regarding the pshat in a specific sugya in shas, needs to look up the Halachic ruling where it specifically deals with this question. Similarly, we must develop and utilize our knowledge of these various modes and expressions of Tefiloh, in order to use the correct one when praying for specific things.
Perhaps it can be said that (even) if a person will sincerely and deeply pray for something which in reality, needs to be addressed through a different mode of Tefiloh, he will not achieve his request until he taps into the appropriate and applicable expression of Tefiloh regarding his request.
<Rav Shimshon Pincus – Sefer Shearim B’Tfiloh>
