The Gemara says that one of the things that constantly needs chizuk is tefillah. We know in the back of our minds how great tefillah is, but when it is not at the forefront, we may unwittingly fail to take full advantage of it. In Pressburg, where the Ketav Sofer served as the rabbi, a non-Jewish worker once stole the wallet of the head of the city in broad daylight. The official was so outraged that he ordered the entire police force to focus on finding the thief. The worker hid the wallet in the home of the Jew he worked for. When the police searched the house, they found the wallet and immediately jailed the Jew. The head of the city ordered the death penalty. When the Ketav Sofer heard that this innocent Jewish family man was suddenly on death row, he did everything in his power to save him. He spoke to leaders and dignitaries, but nothing helped. The evening before the execution, he made one last desperate attempt — again without success. He returned home exhausted and distraught and eventually fell asleep. In his dream, his father, The Chatam Sofer, appeared with an angry expression and asked how he could sleep while an innocent Jew was about to be killed. The Ketav Sofer replied that he had tried everything in his power but could not free him. The Chatam Sofer answered, "What do you mean you tried everything? Why didn't you pray?" At that moment the Ketav Sofer awoke. He immediately gathered the people of the city to the shul, and they spent the entire night crying out in tefillah. The next morning, the authorities decided to re-examine the case. When they questioned the gentile worker again, he confessed — and the Jew was saved. Sometimes we forget the most important hishtadlut we can make: tefillah. A woman told me she had begun saying a special Yehi Ratzon in the berachah of Hashivenu Avinu LeToratecha , praying that her son should grow closer to Hashem. The progress, she said, has been unbelievable. Her son improved in ways she never could have imagined. A man related to me that he was facing severe financial hardship. One of his most urgent problems was an unpaid electric bill of over $15,000. He had already received multiple shut-off notices, and it seemed only a matter of time before the electricity would be cut. Every time he came home, the first thing he did was check whether the power was still on. He tried hinting to relatives for help, but nothing materialized. He applied for a city assistance program and received only $50 a month. Realizing how desperate the situation was, he decided to focus intensely on heartfelt tefillah. He prayed like never before, believing that Hashem could create a salvation he could not foresee. With no real plan, he called the electric company once again — something he had already done many times. The representative repeated what all the others had said: the best she could offer was a 12-month payment plan with a large down payment. He asked if there was anything else possible, explaining how much he was struggling. This time, she did something no other representative had done. She asked a series of detailed questions about his finances and placed him on hold. During those moments, he again poured out his heart to Hashem. When she returned, she told him she could offer a payment plan of $10 a month for the next 125 years — something completely unheard of. His next bill reflected the change, adding only $10 to his regular monthly charge. He had been told repeatedly that they never offer more than a 12-month plan, and suddenly he received a 125-year plan. Tefillah can accomplish wonders. But it is up to us to give it the importance it truly deserves.