Now shouldn't we, if God does indeed answer our prayers, need nothing else other than prayer?
Prayer is about more than asking for things. Jewish prayer involves giving praise and thanks, expressing wishes and hopes, confessing sins and pledging to do better, as well as asking for things. And even when asking for something, Jews understand that God often answers prayers through giving us the strength to go do what needs to be done ourselves rather than simply wishing and waiting.
There's an old joke that illustrates this:
Every day for years and years, Harry begs God, "O God, please let me win the lottery. Just once, please, let me win the lottery. If you let me win the lottery, I'll be charitable, I'll give a lot of it to the shul, I'll give to UJA, I'll give to the poor. Just let me win the lottery just once, please, God."
And this goes on every day, for years and years. And Harry never wins. Finally, he's so upset, he cries out in anguish, "God, why won't you let me win the lottery? I'm a good person, I'm a good Jew, I go to shul, I give to charity, I pray to you, I'm good to my family and community. All I want back is I should win the lottery, just ONCE! And not even for all that much money, I'm not greedy. All I want is to win the lottery, and you NEVER LET ME WIN! WHY, God, WHY? WHY won't you let me win the lottery"?
And from the heavens comes a majestic Voice: "Harry,Harry, you gotta help me out here - BUY A TICKET!"
There is thought in Judaism that this is in fact HOW God answers prayers - by inspiring us to go out and do what needs to be done.
You might then say, who needs God? I won't disagree with you.
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