The relationship between a person and God relies heavily on mutual communication. When an individual expects God to fulfill their requests but actively ignores the guidance God provides, it creates a deep disconnect that ultimately invalidates their pleas.
The primary approach among commentators is that this dynamic represents a direct, reciprocal consequence. A person who dismisses God's teachings cannot reasonably expect God to listen in return. Because the individual turns away from the voice of God found in the Torah, God responds by rejecting and despising their prayer [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The prayer itself is viewed as something hateful [ביאור שטיינזלץ], and this divine rejection remains firm even if the person cries out in the midst of severe distress and trouble [אבן עזרא, אלשיך].
Beyond the reciprocal punishment, there is a fundamental flaw in the prayer itself. Distancing oneself from Torah study means losing the very guidance needed to improve one's character and behavior, making it impossible for the prayer to stem from proper intentions [רלב״ג]. Without this foundation, a person lacks a genuine fear of sin. They no longer know what they should truly ask for or from Whom they are asking. As a result, the prayer becomes empty lip service, and the individual might even continue harboring thoughts of improper deeds while praying [עמנואל הרומי].
Another layer to this reciprocal relationship focuses on the excuse of repetition. If a person refuses to study by claiming they have already heard the teachings before, God responds in the exact same manner. God grows tired of their requests, considering that the person repeats the very same prayers day after day [אלשיך].
In contrast to viewing this as a complete abandonment of study, a completely different approach frames the issue around spiritual priorities. This perspective suggests the situation involves someone who specifically interrupts their Torah study to pray, arguing that the scheduled time for prayer has arrived. Because studying the Torah is considered an engagement with eternal life, while prayer focuses on temporary, worldly needs, the very act of prioritizing prayer over study turns the prayer into something despised [מלבי״ם].