Our Gemara on Amud Aleph mentions two forms of prayer, צעקה cries, and תפילה prayer. These terms are difficult to translate and actually Devarim Rabbah (2) mentions ten different forms of prayer, and I’ll do my best to translate them with their etymological roots:

שַׁוְעָה, צְעָקָה, נְאָקָה, רִנָּה, פְּגִיעָה, בִּצּוּר, קְרִיאָה, נִפּוּל, וּפִלּוּל, וְתַחֲנוּנִים

1. Shav’ah which is a Calling out for attention or a response. See Machberes Menachem letter Shin
2. Tzaaka collective and group Crying out of pain, to gather together. (Possibly related to יזעק compare Shoftim 4:1 to Shmuel I:15:11)
3. Na’akah is to groan. I wonder if it is an onomatopoeia, or related to the groans of a nursing baby, as (see Iyov 3:12).
4. Rinah, Prayer of rejoicing. (Ron is to sing)
5. Pegia, prayer of confrontation (Lifgoa means to meet)
6. Betzer, prayer out of pain (root may be tzaar, pain)
7. Keriah, calling out
8. Nipul, falling and bowing
9. Pilul, prayer based on arguments, distinctions and judgements. (See Devarim 32:31 or Tehilim 106:30
10. Tachanun, asking for a gift or kindness without any merit (chon is to give a gift).

The Midrash notes that despite Moshe’s greatness, his prayers were ultimately of the tenth category. When he prayed to God on his own behalf, he acknowledged that he had no justification and no rights, but nevertheless asked God to grant him that he enter the promised land. You can imagine that Moshe had every good reason to feel justified and deserving, after all his efforts on behalf of the Jews, especially to bring them out of slavery to Eretz Yisrael.  Yet, he was able to pray and ask without a feeling of deservedness or entitlement.  

Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation

Do you like what you see? Please subscribe and also forward any articles you enjoy to your friends, (enemies too, why not?)