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God designed the world such that when we down below are enthused to draw closer to Him and ask for His blessing, He is then inspired up above to rain down goodness upon us, in accordance with what we need and what the world needs. This means even if we are deserving of goodness, it may be delayed until we pray for it.
There are two types of prayers. The first are global in nature, addressing the world's ongoing needs. The Sages instituted set prayers that address these needs.. These prayers express the relationship we created beings have with our Creator, and the world’s continued existence is thanks to them. The second are personal prayers addressing the specific needs of the individual or the community.
Every prayer has an impact, as the Sages tell us: “When anyone prays at length, his prayers do not go unanswered” (Berakhot 32b). However, sometimes the impact is immediate, while other times it is delayed. Sometimes a prayer is answered in full, other times only partially. God knows how to help a person. Sometimes, for whatever reason, it is necessary and beneficial for the person to suffer, in which case God does not accept the prayer. Nevertheless, the prayer is effective; its positive power will manifest itself in some other way.
The prayers of the most righteous people are generally accepted, but even they are sometimes rejected. Who is greater than our teacher Moses? When the Israelites sinned with the golden calf and the spies, and God was prepared to wipe them out, Moses prayed until God forgave them. Nevertheless, when Moses prayed for himself, begging to be allowed to enter the Land of Israel, his prayers were not answered. Therefore, while a person should pray hard, one should not assume there is a guarantee God will fulfill the request, even if the prayer is genuine. Rather, one should keep praying, with the understanding God listens to those prayers, and they certainly have a positive impact. We just don’t know how or when.
