'then hear from heaven your dwelling place their prayer and their pleas, and maintain their cause and forgive your people who have sinned against you — The exiled people's prayer reaches heaven ('hear from heaven your dwelling place,' שְׁמַע־מִן־הַשׁמַיִם מִמְּעוֹן שִׁבְתְּךָ אֶת־תְּפִלָּתָם וְאֶת־תְּחִנּוֹתָם). God will 'maintain their cause' (וַעֲשִׂיתָ מִשְׁפָּטָם) and 'forgive your people who have sinned' (וְסָלַחְתָּ לְעַמְּךָ אֲשֶׁר־חָטְאוּ־לָךְ). The principle: God hears prayers from exile, not merely from the land. Distance (geographical/spatial) does not prevent divine response. This teaching becomes foundational for diaspora Judaism: the scattered people maintain covenant relationship through prayer directed toward Zion.

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

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