In this week's parsha Yaakov blesses his children before his death. He gives the city of Shechem as a present to Yosef, and says that Shechem is the city "which he conquered with his sword and bow". We don't find explicitly anywhere that Yaakov waged any war with the inhabitants of Shechem. We do find that the city was conquered by Shimon and Levi when they conquered the city to avenge the violation of their sister Dina.

The Targum Onkeles, translates the verse in which Yaakov says "which he conquered with his sword and bow" as meaning that "he conquered it with his prayers and supplications".

The Ben Ish Chai explains that Yaakov was telling his children that they think they conquered the city through their own handiwork and power, but it was only through prayer which Hashem interceded on their behalf and helped them.

We may make the same mistake in life thinking that we have accomplished x, y or z through our own strength or wisdom, but we just put in the effort, the success is only because of Hashem. The biggest effort we can put into any endeavor is prayer, that is the first and most important effort to bring about our success.

Shabbat Shalom,

Heath