תלמוד על ישעיהו 1:15

From where the lifting of hands? So you shall bless the Children of Israel²²Num. 6:22.. So far during the morning prayers²³Since in the Temple the priestly blessing was recited at the time of the morning sacrifice, the inspiration for the morning prayer service.. At musaf? Aaron lifted his hands for the people²⁴Lev. 9:22, description of the special inauguration service of the Tabernacle.. Is not this verse distorted? Should it not read: he descended from making the purification sacrifice, and the elevation sacrifice, and the well-being sacrifice, and after this, Aaron lifted his hands for the people? But it teaches²⁵The verse mentioning blessing before descent. that while descending from the altar he lifted his hands and blessed the people. ²⁶Babli Sotah38a.And he blessed them, standing. I could think, not while standing. The verse says²⁷Deut. 21:5., the Eternal, your God, selected them to serve Him and to bless in His Name. It combines blessing with service. Since service is done standing, also blessing is done standing. And so it says²⁸2Chr. 30:27., the Levitic Cohanim rose and blessed the people. The verse speaks of the generation of Ezechias, when they toiled in the Torah. But in other generations, when they were serving foreign worship, what does it say? When you spread your hands my eyes shall disregard you²⁹Is. 1:15.. ²²Num. 6:22.And he blessed them, any blessing. But we did not hear which it was until the verse came and explained it³⁰Num. 6:24–26.: The Eternal shall bless you and guard you. The Eternal shall enlighten His presence to you and show you favor. The Eternal shall turn His presence to you and give you peace.

³¹From here to the end of the Halakhah the text is from Berakhot 4:1, Notes 64–124 (ב). From where Ne`ilah<sup>2</sup>Ne`ilah, a synagogue service close to sundown.? Rebbi [Levi]³²Corrector’s addition from Berakhot. said: Even if you prolong your prayers I shall not hear²⁹Is. 1:15.. From here that everyone who increases his prayers will be answered³³Since Isaiah presents this as a particular curse, it follows that as a rule people will be heard if they increase their prayers.. The argument of Rebbi Levi is inverted. There says Rebbi Abba the son of Rebbi Pappai, Rebbi Joshua of Sikhnin in the name of Rebbi Levi: In all excitement there is something superfluous; and the word of the lips is but for deficit³⁴Prov. 14:23.. Hannah, because she prayed too long, reduced the years of Samuel because she said, he shall dwell there forever³⁵1Sam. 1:22; not part of Hannah’s prayer but a statement to her husband. but “forever” for a Levite is only 50 years, as it is written: at age fifty he should return from the worshipping hosts³⁶Num. 8:25.. But in fact it was 52³⁷Not a biblical statement but an inference of Seder Olam Chapter 13 (in the author’s edition pp. 134–135.). Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said two years until she weaned him. And here you say so? One for private, the other for public prayers. Rebbi Ḥiyya in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan, Rebbi Simeon bar Ḥalaphta in the name of Rebbi Meïr: when she prayed very long³⁸1 Sam. 1:12.; it follows that everyone who extends his prayers will be answered³⁹Denied in Babli Berakhot 32b..

From where about Neïlah⁶⁴The additional, fifth prayer close to the end of Yom Kippur and the major fasts in a draught.? Rebbi Levi said: (Is. 1:15) “Even if you prolong your prayers.⁶⁵The argument is from the full sentence: “Even if you augment your prayers, I shall not hear.” Since Isaiah presents this as a particular curse, it follows that, otherwise, if the people increase their prayers they will be heard.” From here that everyone who increases his prayers will be answered. The argument of Rebbi Levi is inverted. There says Rebbi Abba, the son of Rebbi Pappai⁶⁶Amora of the fourth generation, student of Rebbi Joshua from Sikhnin (Suknin in Lower Galilee), a student of Rebbi Levi. Only aggadic material is transmitted by these two sages., Rebbi Joshua of Sikhnin in the name of Rebbi Levi (Prov. 14:23) “In all excitement there is something superfluous; and the word of the lips is but for deficit.” Hannah, because she prayed too long, reduced the years of Samuel because she said (1Sam. 1:22) “He shall dwell there forever” but “forever” for a Levite is only 50 years, as it is written (Num. 8:25): “At age fifty he should return from the worshipping hosts⁶⁷In fact, Hannah gave that detailed dedication not in her prayer but only when she explained to her husband that she would not come with him to Shiloh until she had weaned the baby, so that the boy could stay in the Tabernacle for the rest of his life. A Levite could serve (as carrier) only to age 50.”. But in fact it was 52⁶⁸There is no Biblical source that gives Samuel 52 years; this Yerushalmi tradition is the result of a computation detailed in Midrash Seder Olam, Chap.13, and is based on the assertion (1Sam. 13:1) that Saul ruled only for two years, and on certain not obvious principles of interpretation of the Bible. Shiloh was destroyed when Samuel was still relatively young and afterwards he never lived near the Tabernacle again.. Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said two years until she weaned him. And here you say so⁶⁹That additional prayer is always good. The answer is that additional prayers are guaranteed to be heard only if the entire congregation prays together.? If he ever said it, one for private the other for public prayers. Rebbi Ḥiyya⁷⁰R. Ḥiyya bar Abba. In the Babli (32b) he supports the negative opinion of Rebbi Levi in the name of R. Yoḥanan, at least in the case that somebody prays with the certain idea that he must be heard. The Yerushalmi clearly accepts the first statement of R. Levi but not the second one. in the name of Rebbi Yoḥanan, Rebbi Simeon bar Ḥalaphta in the name of Rebbi Meïr (1Sam. 1:12): “When she prayed very long before the Eternal,” it follows that everyone who extends his prayers will be answered.