EXOD587 Many cynics may conclude that prayer really has no purpose: If the person deserves what he or she asks for a, he or she will get it without prayer. If the person does not deserve it, prayer will not help anyway. In addition, why should God need our prayers--doesn't He know our thoughts? Does He need to be praised or asked? To answer these questions, one must look at the Hebrew word "to pray," which is lehitpallel. Technically, the word has nothing to do with prayer. The root, based on the text in [this verse], means to judge, as explained by the Talmud. Megillah 15b. The word lethitpallel is the reflexive form of the word. Therefore, the word technically means "to judge oneself." Thus, all Jewish prayer translate as judging oneself and involves just that. God does not need our prayer, but we do. Each time a Jew prays, he or she is supposed to judge himself or herself and make an honest reckoning of good and bad. This allows the person to understand if he or she is worthy of what is being asked for. Through prayer, the person should grow, not God.