Talmud zu Schemuel II 15:32

Rav commanded to the family of Rav Aḥa, Rebbi Immi commanded to his own family, if you go out on the fast day¹³Usually, “fast day” is one of the days of penitence called in case of a drought, as described in Tractate Ta`anit. However, since the Babli states (Ta`anit11b) in the name of Rav’s colleague R. Jeremiah bar Abba that this kind of fast day is not practiced in Babylonia, Rav’s instructions to the family of Rav Aḥa can only refer to the Fast Day, the Day of Atonement, where it is customary to prostrate oneself during the recitation of Rav’s composition Alenu at the mention that “we prostrate ourselves” and during the enactment of the Temple ceremony of the day. Cf. Note 18. you should not incline normally¹⁴Face down on the floor. The examples following refer to the daily prayers which morning and afternoon have three parts. The first, the “eighteen benedictions” are said standing, the second, “falling down on one’s face”, is said while bending down, and the third, a recitation of biblical verses, is said sitting up straight. Following the majority opinion here and the unquestioned prescription of the Babli (Megillah22b) one may not put down one’s face to the ground but must bend it sideways. This presumes that the synagogue had a stone floor (as shown by the archeological evidence in Galilee.) There would be no need to turn one’s head on a dirt floor or on carpets.. Rebbi Jonah inclined on his side; Rebbi Aḥa inclined on his side. Rebbi Samuel said, I saw Rebbi Abbahu inclining normally. Rebbi Yose said, I pointed out a difficulty before Rebbi Abbahu, is it not written¹¹Lev. 26:1. The connection to be made between משׂכית and מרקוליס is not clear., a maskit stone you shall not put up in your land to bow down on it. Explain it if he fixed a place for it. But is it not written¹⁵2S. 15:32. A “high place” on the Mount of Olives which however had not to be destroyed since there was neither altar nor stone floor., it was when David arrived at the mountaintop where one bows down before God? Except bowing down which is not on the ground. Does there exist bowing down which is not on the ground? They fell down with their faces to the ground and bowed down¹⁶2Chr.7:3.. Rebbi Abbahu added up to give thanks to the Eternal for He is good; Rebbi Mana added up to for eternal is His kindness to Israel¹⁷The additions of RR. Abahu and Mana are in the verse, except for the addition “on Israel” which are not in this verse nor in any other biblical occurrence of the formula give thanks to the Eternal for He is good, for eternal is His kindness.. Rebbi Joḥanan said to Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba: Babylonian, two things came from you, the stretching out on the Fast Day¹⁸Prostrating oneself with outstretched arms and legs. Since the only day one did this in Babylonia was the day of Atonement, it must refer to that day., and the willow of the Seventh Day¹⁹Hitting the floor with a bunch of willow twigs on the Seventh Day of the Festival of Tabernacles; an ancient custom to induce ample rains in the coming winter.. The rabbis of Caesarea say, also this blood letting²⁰Traditions of good and bad days for blood letting.. It follows what Rebbi Immi said, the Babylonians in the name of the rabbis there: They permitted prostrating only on a public fast, and only on the side²¹To avoid violating Lev.26:1. These now are Babylonian instructions for the Palestinian fast days for rain which were not practiced in Babylonia.. The younger Rebbi Yannai in the name of his fathers: Anybody who is not qualified like Joshua that if he falls on his face the Holy One, praise to Him, would tell him, get up²²Jos.7:10., should not fall down, in the case of an individual [praying] for the community²³An individual praying in public for the relief of a public calamity may not prostrate himself unless he claims for himself a status at least equal to Joshua’s. A private person praying for private needs may prostrate himself as much and as long as he feels necessary. Babli Megillah22b in the name of R. Eleazar..

Rebbi Abba, Rebbi Ḥiyya²¹³R. Ḥiyya bar Abba., in the name of Rebbi Yoḥanan: A person has to pray at a place that is dedicated for prayer. What is the reason? (Ex. 20:24) “At every place where I shall let My name be mentioned²¹⁴The verse ends: “I shall come there and bless you.” One has to pray in the synagogue because only there is God’s blessing guaranteed for one’s prayers..” It does not say “where you will mention” but “at every place where I shall let My name be mentioned.” Rebbi Tanḥum bar Ḥanina²¹⁵Probably identical with Rebbi Tanḥum bar Ḥanilaï, a specialist in Aggadah in the second generation who was in contact both with R. Yoḥanan and with R. Joshua ben Levi, as well as with R. Ḥiyya bar Abba of the following generation. A statement similar to his, but not restricted to a synagogue, is attributed in the Babli (6b) to R. Ḥelbo in the name of Rav Huna. said: A person has to select a fixed place in the synagogue where he prays. What is the reason? (2Sam. 15:32) “David came to the top”, it does not say “where he prostrated himself before God” but “where he was used to prostrate himself before God.”