The words tfila (prayer) and plilim (judgement) share a common root p-l-l. This is one of the surprising new lessons learnt from Hannah that we can apply when we come to pray before God.
"And she was bitter in spirit, and she prayed to the Lord, and wept." (1:10).
The root of tfila is p-l-l which means judgement (plilim). Therefore, praying is neither a 'plea', nor a request for kindness, nor a list of needs waiting to be fulfilled. Prayer is a legal discussion before the 'Judge of the entire universe'. He demands that people come before Him and to keep His ways: "The way of the Lord to perform righteousness and justice." (Genesis 18:19). Avraham stands before God and demands a judgement that God dare not "destroy the righteous with the wicked" (18:23). Avraham also requests righteousness to save the cities of the wicked people "for the sake of the … righteous men who are in its midst." This was the first recorded prayer.
Hannah wept and prayed for a child whether or not she was worthy to be answered. She vowed to dedicate her son as a Nazirite to God for his entire life, saying that if she did not deserve him, "You will give him to me and I will give him to You." "Lord of Hosts, if You will look upon the affliction of Your bondswoman, and You will remember me, and You will not forget Your bondswoman and You will give Your bondswoman a child, and I shall give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head." (1:11)
In Tractate Brakhot 31b, R' Elazar pointed out that this is the first time this particular name of God - Lord of Hosts – is used in prayer. Additionally, he correctly identified her subtle demand for a child on the basis of justice as opposed to the position she takes when she vows to give up her son and dedicate him to God.
R' Elazar said: "From the day God created the world, no-one had ever called Him Lord of Hosts until Hannah came … Hannah stood before God and said: 'Master of the Universe, [are You not the Lord of the Hosts, and] all of the hosts and hosts [of creations] that you created in Your world, is it difficult in Your eyes to grant me one son?' "
Avraham and Hannah are the two pillars of our prayers. The right to stand before God in righteousness and judgement and the gentle protest of a barren woman who merely hints at her justified demand and her vow to dedicate her son to God fills the entire universe with a prayer that must be listened to.