[Avodah] praying to tzadikkim

[Aryeh Stein]

RSN had written (on Areivim):
>>>so if i understand correctly , when you all go to kivrei tzaddikim,
you are praying to them--ie petitioning them to ask the RBSO-rather
than praying to Hashem in their zchus.>>>

I responded:

>>>I believe that you understand incorrectly - the point is to daven
to the RBSO and hope that the zchus of the tzadikim helps your
tefilos.

RSN had written:
>>>if so, what was the fuss over Machnisei Rachamim in slichos?>>>

I responded:
>>>Because there, you are asking the malachim to something on your
behalf.  It is forbidden to pray to anyone other than HKBH.

RZS wrote (on Areivim):

>>>I believe that you understand incorrectly.  If all you want to do
is invoke the zechus of a tzadik you could do that anywhere.
======================================
The Mateh Ephraim ("ME") (581:50) explains that the place of kivrei
tzadikim is a "makom kadosh v'tahor" and a person's prayers are
accepted more readily there.  The ME continues and says that a person
should not direct his tefilos to the tzadikim buried there; rather one
should ask HKBH for mercy in the zchus of the tzadikim that are buried
there.  The Eleph HaMagen ("EH") explains that the reason one should
not direct his tefilos to the tzadikim is because it's "karov hadavar
sheyihye b'chlal doreish el hameisim.

The Mishna Berurah (581:4:27) also explains that the reason to daven
at kivrei tzadikim is because a person's prayers are accepted more
readily there but a person should not not direct his tefilos to the
tzadikim buried there; rather one should ask HKBH for mercy in the
zchus of the tzadikim that are buried there.

However, it is also brought down in the ME that one of the purposes of
davening at kivrei tzadikim is to be "m'oreir the holy tzadikim to be
a meilitz yosher for us on the Yom Ha'Din."  And the EH mentions that
there are tefilos which seem to ask the tzadikim to be a meilitz on
our behalf.

And the notes at the bottom of the page bring down from the Zohar
(parshas Acharei Mos, daf 70) the question of how can we ask deceased
tzadikim to seek rachamim on our behalf - isn't there a prohibition of
"doreish el hameisim"?  R' Chizkiya answers the question - ayin sham....

>>>And it wouldn't explain going to the grave of an ancestor or
relative who wasn't particularly righteous, and hasn't got any
outstanding zechus.>>>

If it will bring the person to greater kavanah, it has a purpose.

KT,
Aryeh