The verses that open parashat VaYeitzei constitute a response to the fundamental question—what is prayer? What is its meaning for the person who prays, and even more than that how does it affect the God to whom it is directed? In the way the verses are read by our Sages, they are so bold as to suggest that in fact prayer aspires to “touch” “affect” lifgo’a God; this Hebrew root is rich in meaning and we will spend this dvar Torah exploring it.