Halakhah su Isaia 26:22
Sefer Chasidim
The root of prayer is joyousness of heart in the Holy One, blessed be He,1Berakoth 31a. as it is written, “Glory ye in His holy name; let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord” (I Chron. 16:10). And that is why David, King of Israel, used to play on his lute all of his prayers and songs in order to fill his heart with joy in his love for God.2Shabbath 30b. And when an individual prays he must direct his heart to Him before Whom he stands.3Berakoth 28b. Five things prevent prayer even though its time has arrived. These are they: ritual purity of the hands, covering one’s nakedness, purity of the place of prayer, matters that distract, and the intent of the heart. “Ritual purity of the hands,” how so? He washes his hands with water unto the joint of the wrist, in French jointure, and then let him pray. If he has been walking and the time of prayer has arrived and he has no water, let him walk until (he reaches) a place of water, wash his hands and then pray. If there is between him and the water more than four miles4Hullin 122b. let him cleanse his hands with pebbles, or with sand, or on a post and pray, as it has been said,5Berakoth 15a. “In what case was this said ‛before him,’ but ‛behind him’ we do not oblige him to return, but only up to a mile.” But if he has gone more than a mile he then cleanses his hands with pebbles, sand or on a post. “Covering one’s nakedness,” how so? 6Ibid., 25a. Even though he has covered his nakedness in the manner that he covers himself for the reading of the Shema, let him not pray until he covers his bosom. And if he has not covered his bosom because of circumstance and has nothing with which to cover himself, since he has covered his shame and prayed he has done his duty. But at the outset he should not do so. “Cleanliness of the place of prayer,” how so?7Ibid. Let him not stand in a filthy place and pray, nor in a bathhouse, nor in a privy, nor in a dung heap, nor in a place which has not a presumptive status of ritual cleanliness until investigated. The sum of the matter is that one does not pray in a place where he cannot recite the Shema. And in the same manner that one removes himself from excrement, similarly does one remove himself from urine and from bad odors and from indecent sights for prayer, as he would remove himself for the recitation of the Shema. If during the prayer one finds excrement in his place, since he has sinned by not investigating prior to praying let him repeat his prayers in a clean place. If one has been in the midst of prayer and seen excrement in front of him, if he is able to go forward putting a distance of four cubits between, let him go forth. If he is unable to do so, let him remove it to the side and if he is unable to do this, let him cease praying. “Matters that distract,” how so? If one has had need to evacuate and has prayed, his prayer is an abomination. He repeats his prayers after taking care of his needs.8Ibid., 23a. If he is able to contain himself for the time needed to traverse a parasang, his prayer is acceptable. But even so, let him not pray until he has examined himself thoroughly, let him remove phlegm, mucous, all spittle and filth of the nose, and then let him pray. One who belches, yawns or sneezes deliberately during his prayers, in French, tousser, bâiller, éternuer, is disgraceful. But if he has examined himself before praying and was overcome, it is of no consequence. If during his prayer he has chanced upon spittle, let him remove it with his prayer shawl or clothing, but if he be exceedingly sensitive and troubled thereby, let him cast it behind him, in order that he not be troubled during prayer. If he breaks wind during prayer unwittingly, let him be silent until the odor subsides and then return to his prayer. If he has had need to break wind and suffered greatly being unable to contain himself, let him remove himself a distance of four cubits, wait until the odor subsides, say, “Lord of all the universes, You have created me orifices and orifices, hollows and hollows. Before the throne of Thy glory is revealed and apparent our revilement all the days of our lives and that we are worms in our death.” And he prays once again in his place. If he has been in the midst of prayer and urine has dripped on his knees, he waits until it ceases and returns to the place in his prayers where he has stopped. And if he has paused for an interval of such duration as would have enabled him to conclude the prayer, let him return to the beginning. Similarly if he has urinated, he pauses for the duration of an interval necessary to walk four cubits and then prays.9Megillah 27b. “Directing one’s heart,” how so? A prayer which is devoid of inwardness let him repeat and pray with inwardness. If his mind has been confused and his heart troubled, he is forbidden to pray until his mind becomes settled. In what way is inwardness achieved? He should free his mind of all thoughts as if he were standing before the Lord. Therefore he must rest a bit before prayer10The Zohar, trans. H. Sperling, M. Simon and P. Levertoff (4 Vols.; London: Soncino Press, 1931-1934), II, 28. in order to direct the prayer inwardly, and then let him pray with prayers and supplications. And let him not regard his prayer as if he were carrying some heavy burden which he casts aside and then moves on. Therefore, he should sit down after prayer and then leave. The scholars of former years tarried one hour before prayer and one hour after prayer and prolonged their prayers one hour.11Berakoth 32b. A person who is drunk should not pray,12Erubin 64a. and if he prays his prayer is an abomination, because there is no inwardness. But when he becomes sober let him recite again his prayers with inwardness. While under the influence of drink let him not pray. But if he has prayed, his prayer is acceptable. Who is regarded as being drunk? One who cannot speak before a king. But one under the influence of drink is able to speak before a king and does not blunder, but even if this be the case, if he has drunk a quarter of wine, let him not pray until the wine wears off. And so one does not rise to pray out of laughter,13Berakoth 31a. in French rieur, or out of lightheadedness or scoffing, or out of conversation, or out of strife, or out of anger, only out of the study of the Law, and such law that he does not have to investigate, namely, defined laws.14Ibid. See also, “Decided laws which admit of no discussion,” in Berakoth 31a, Babylonian Talmud in English, ed. Isidore Epstein (36 Vols.; London: Soncino Press, 1935-1953), I, 188. If he has been travelling by ship, or has been in a place of danger, in a place where there are hordes of wild beasts and robbers, and the hour of prayer has arrived,15Ibid., 29b. he recites one prayer and this is it: “The needs of Thy people Israel are great and they are impatient; may it be Thy will God, our God and God of our fathers, that You assign to each and everyone enough for his maintenance and to each individual enough for his requirements, and that which is best in Thy sight do. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, Who hears prayer.” And he recites it as he goes, and if he is able to remain stationary he stands, and when he reaches a settlement and his mind is set at ease he repeats the prayer according to the institution of the Eighteen Benedictions. Of eight things must the person who prays be circumspect16Maimonides, Hilkhoth Tefillah, 1:1.—and do them. And if he has been pressed or overcome or if he has transgressed and has not performed them they do not hinder the matter, and these are they: standing, facing the Holy Temple, preparation of the body, modulating the voice, arranging the attire, preparation of the place, kneeling and prostration. “Standing,” how so?17Berakoth 30a. One does not pray except while standing. If he has been seated in a ship or wagon, if he is able to stand let him stand, if not, let him sit in his place and pray. One who is sick prays even though sitting, and this applies only when he is able to direct his mind. Similarly the thirsty and the hungry are classified as being ill. If it is possible for them to direct their mind, let them pray; if not, they should not pray until they eat and drink. If he has been riding on an animal, even though there is someone to hold his animal until he complete his prayer, let him not descend but rather sit in his place and pray in order that his mind be at ease. “Facing the Holy Temple,” how so?18Ibid. If he has been standing outside the Holy Land, he turns his countenance towards the land of Israel and prays. If he has been standing in the Holy Land he directs his countenance towards the Holy of Holies. A blind person or one who cannot tell directions or one travelling on a ship, let him direct his heart towards the Divine Presence and pray. “Preparation of the body,” how so? If he has been in the midst of prayer he must align his feet one beside the other.19Ibid., 10b. He casts his eyes downward and directs his heart as if looking earthward, and let his heart be turned upward as if he were standing in heaven. And let him place his hands as though bound upon his heart, the right upon the left, and stand as a slave before his master in fear and trembling. Let him not place his hands upon his loins. “Adjusting one’s attire,” how so?20Shabbath 10a. He adjusts his clothing at the outset, straightens himself and adorns himself, as it is written, “Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” (Ps. 29:2). Let him not stand in prayer with his purse, nor with a bare head, nor with exposed feet, if the custom of people of that place is not to stand before a superior except with shoes. While praying it is prohibited to take hold of a Scroll of the Law or phylacteries, because his mind is engaged. Let him not hold money or an object in his hand. But during the Festival he prays with his palm branch in his hand because that is the commandment of the day. The custom of the sages and their students was not to pray except when fully dressed.21Ibid. “Preparation of the place,” how so?22Berakoth 10b. Let him stand in a low place and pray. Let him turn his face to the walls. He should open the windows or the doors towards Jerusalem to pray towards them, for thus do we find in the case of Daniel, “His windows were open in his upper chamber towards Jerusalem” (Dan. 6:11). He establishes a place for prayer. One does not pray in a ruin, neither behind the synagogue, only if he directs his countenance towards the synagogue. It is prohibited to sit beside one who stands in prayer or to pass before him unless he is removed from him four cubits. He should not stand in a place higher than three handbreadths or more and pray, neither on a bed, a bench or on a chair. If he has been standing in an elevated edifice and it is four cubits in length by four cubits in width, which are the dimensions of a house, it is considered a garret and it is permissible to pray. Thus if it is surrounded with a partition on all sides, even though it lacks four cubits, it is permissible to pray there. “Modulating the voice,” how so?23Ibid., 31a.He should not raise his voice in prayer, and should not pray only in his heart but articulate the words with his lips, sounding it to his ear. He should not cause his voice to be heard except if he has been sick or unable to direct his mind until it causes his voice to be heard; then it is permissible, except that he not be in public, so as not to disturb the thought of others hearing his voice. “Bending the knee,” how so?24Ibid., 34a. He who prays should bend the knee five times; with the first blessing at its beginning and end; and at Modim beginning and end; and when he finishes the prayer he bows and prostrates himself taking three steps backwards.25Midrash Rabbah, ed. H. Freedman and M. Simon (10 Vols.; London: Soncino Press, 1939), Esther, IX, 20. When he concludes the prayer, let him bow to the left which is the right of the Holy One, blessed be He, then to the right, and then lift his head from bowing. And when he bends the knee, he bends with “blessed,” and when he assumes his upright position he does so with the “Name.”26Berakoth 12a. In all of these bowings he is required to bend until all the vertebrae of the spine seem to be loosened. Let him make himself as a bow, and if he has bent a bit more and caused himself pain and it appears that he is bending with all his might there is no need to be apprehensive.
“Prostration,” how so?27Berakoth 34b.After he raises himself and his head,28This is the preferred reading. The original read: “He sits on the right and falls on his face” (see Perush). he sits down and falls on his face to the right and prays with all the supplication that he desires. It is prohibited to prostrate oneself on stones except in the Holy Temple, as it is explained in the tractate Abodah Zarah.29This should read “in the laws of idolatry,” referring to Maimonides, Hilkhoth Tefillah, 5:14. And a worthy man is not permitted to fall on his face except if he is convinced that he is as worthy as Joshua;30Taanith 14b. he rather lies down on his face but does not conceal his face in the soil. It is permissible for a person to pray in one place and fall on his face in another. One who prays with the congregation let him not extend his prayer more than necessary, but he may do so privately. And if he desires to recite after his prayers even the Order of the Confessional for the Day of Atonement, let him do so. Also if he has wished to add to each prayer of the “middle benedictions,” supplications of similar content, let him add them.31Abodah Zarah 8a. If he has been ill or in need of sustenance, let him make additions according to his verbal ability,32Berakoth 34a. but he should not supplicate in the first three benedictions or in the last three benedictions. One is prohibited to taste anything or do any work after dawn, until he prays.33Ibid., 14a.
“Mutual greeting of scholars,” how so?34The Perush states that the words are missing and it should read “and so it is prohibited to extend greetings to a friend before a prayer except in a case where he met him in the street and then it is permissable.” The greeter says, “A good morning to you,” and the one greeted replies, “A very good morning to you and may it last forever.” The one who replies doubles the greeting.
The prayers were instituted in place of the “Daily Offerings”35Berakoth 26b. as it is said, “Shall ye observe to offer unto Me in its due season” (Deut. 28:2). From this they instituted the “Stations,” that they should stand watch over them.36Taanith 27a. Therefore a man should stand at the time that he recites the Eighteen Benedictions. One is obligated to answer “Amen” to each blessing, as it is written “Open ye the gates that the righteous nation that keepeth faithfulness may enter in” (Isa. 26:2), i.e., (the faithful) that say “Amen.”37Shabbath 119b.And greater is the merit of the one who answers “Amen” than he who blesses, because he affirms the blessings of the one who recites them. Also the one who blesses mentions only one Name, the one who answers “Amen” invokes two Names because “Amen” (91) totals the numerical value of yod he vav he (26) and aleph daleth nun yod (65).38Tikkune Zohar, ed. Shamaryahu Zuckerman (Wilna: Fin and Rosenkranz Publisher, 1867), Chapter XVIII, p. 67. And one must direct his heart towards heaven when answering “Amen,” which is the abbreviation of El Melekh Nehman.39Shabbath 119b. Talking and behaving light-headedly 40Megillah 28a. is prohibited in the synagogue while standing before our King, Master of all the earth, blessed be His name. And woe unto the wicked who behave light-headedly, upon whom there is no fear of the Almighty; and there is neither fear nor reverence on their countenance and they will not discern or accept an example. “For pass over to the isles of the Kittites, and see, and consider diligently” that in all those lands the kings bend on their knees in their houses of prayer and they stand in awe, reverence and trembling and their hands spread out to their gods made by human hands which neither see nor hear. We who stand before the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, eternal exalted and lifted up, blessed be His name and His fame be exalted, He to whom all praises are due, all the more must we stand before Him with awe and reverence, with fear and trembling. Concerning those who sit in the House of Prayer and appear to be exhausted and are unable to stand, concerning them the verse says, “Yet you did not call upon Me, O Jacob, but you have been weary of me, O Israel” (Isa. 43:22). All day he is not tired but during prayer he is tired.41Midrash Rabbah, ed. Soncino, Lamentations, VIII, 13. The entire day he stands in the market before the officer, or before some scoffer and he is not weary, but during prayer he is unable to stand.
If one is praying and a prayer book has fallen before him to earth, if his mind is distracted from concentrating, and he is unable to pray with devotion, let him pick it up and pray with devotion. But before picking it up let him conclude the benediction which he has already begun. And if he is able to direct his mind let him not pick up the book which is on the ground, for he who prays with devotion shares in the world to come. Let a man always rise to attend the synagogue in order to merit being counted among the first ten, for even if a hundred come after him he is given reward equivalent to all of them.42Berakoth 47b. A man who lives in a village and does not have ten people with whom to recite divine offices,43Such prayers that require the presence of a quorum, or minyan, which consists of a minimum of ten males over the age of thirteen. or lives in a place where there is a congregation and he has come late, after they have recited, “May His great name”;44Eleazar ben Judah of Worms, Sefer Rokeah (Zalkwo: 1806), Chapter CCCLXII, p. 81. let him say, “Let the power of the Lord be great according as Thou hast spoken, saying” (Num. 14:17), “Thus will I magnify Myself, and sanctify Myself and I will make Myself known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord” (Ezek. 38:23), “Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forever” (Ps. 113:2).
Let a man not leave the synagogue until they complete the entire prayer service, except for the privy or to expectorate. In the evening close to prayer let a man not take a child to his bosom lest he soil his garments. Even if he wash them in water, they will not be as clean as before. Moreover, it is possible that while searching after the water the hour for Minha will have passed, or between and betwixt they will have recited the Kaddish with him being unable to respond with the “Amen.” Moreover, perhaps the child will cry when he wishes to set him down and he will take pity on him and would not defer to the honor of his Owner and he will not go at all to the House of Assembly. “Create me a clean heart, O God,” (Ps. 51:12) i.e., a man should not imagine an indecent or repulsive thought during prayer. Let him not touch these (indecent and repulsive) things during prayer. Let him not recite Modim45Daily Prayerbook, trans. Dr. Joseph Hertz (rev. ed.; New York: Bloch Publishing Co., 1948), p. 151, “We give thanks.” if there is saliva in his mouth. Let him not pray until the saliva is eliminated from his mouth. And if he has not recited the benedictions of Ovos46Berakoth 34b. This refers to the section of the “Eighteen Benedictions,” which begins, “Praised be thou, O Lord, God of our fathers, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob.” See Daily Prayer Book, ed. Hertz, p. 130. with devotion until Mogen Abraham, let him repeat it and pray again. And so with the recitation of Shema if he has not recited the first verse with devotion, let him repeat it in a whisper but let him not recite it in a loud voice, for it would appear as though two powers govern the universe.47Berakoth 33b. It would seem that he is addressing two divinities. A person who is unable to pray with devotion without a prayer book in which the prayer is written, or a person sated and unable to concentrate on the Blessings of Grace, let him read it from a book wherein the Blessings of Grace are inscribed. If he has not prayed with devotion, then when they pray quietly let him direct his heart with the reader and let him say each word with him. If you wonder about those who stammer in their speech and pronounce het as heh and shin as samekh and kuf as teth and raish as daleth, as to how they pray or how they read in the Torah and recite matters of holiness; when they reach the verse (Ps. 33:20), Nafshaynu Hikhtha, are they not revilers and blasphemers?48Megillah 24b. Do not wonder about this matter, for our Creator, who searches hearts, does not seek anything but the heart of man that it be whole with Him, and although he cannot speak properly it is nevertheless as if he recites it properly. And so to those who read the “Verses of Praise”49A group of Psalms read at the beginning of the morning service. See Daily Prayer Book, ed. Hertz, p. 50. in a loud voice and with melodious song and do not know the verses and recite them with error, their prayers and songs are accepted as savory odors. And also the Holy One, blessed be He, rejoices over him greatly and says, “How much he sings before Me according to his thinking.” Concerning this it is said, “And His banner over me is love” (Cant. 2:4). His faithlessness to me is love. “His mouth trespasseth not in judgement” (Prov. 16:10); we translate, “He does not deceive with his mouth.” It happened with a priest who with hands outstretched blessing the people said, Yishmadkho “let him destroy you.” There was a scholar present who removed him from before the ark, because he did not know how to pronounce the letters in the Priestly Benediction. It was shown through heaven to this scholar that if he did not restore him he would be punished because of the matter. He who prays should focus his eyes downward and his heart upward50Yebamoth 105b. in order to fulfill those two passages, “And Mine eyes and Mine heart shall be there perpetually” (I Kings 9:3), “Let us lift our heart and our hands unto God in the heavens” (Lam. 3:41). And those who raise their heads and their eyes upward as one would look at the angels we deride and call heads of thorns.51Tosafoth, Berakoth 12b, “Bend like a reed.”
“Prostration,” how so?27Berakoth 34b.After he raises himself and his head,28This is the preferred reading. The original read: “He sits on the right and falls on his face” (see Perush). he sits down and falls on his face to the right and prays with all the supplication that he desires. It is prohibited to prostrate oneself on stones except in the Holy Temple, as it is explained in the tractate Abodah Zarah.29This should read “in the laws of idolatry,” referring to Maimonides, Hilkhoth Tefillah, 5:14. And a worthy man is not permitted to fall on his face except if he is convinced that he is as worthy as Joshua;30Taanith 14b. he rather lies down on his face but does not conceal his face in the soil. It is permissible for a person to pray in one place and fall on his face in another. One who prays with the congregation let him not extend his prayer more than necessary, but he may do so privately. And if he desires to recite after his prayers even the Order of the Confessional for the Day of Atonement, let him do so. Also if he has wished to add to each prayer of the “middle benedictions,” supplications of similar content, let him add them.31Abodah Zarah 8a. If he has been ill or in need of sustenance, let him make additions according to his verbal ability,32Berakoth 34a. but he should not supplicate in the first three benedictions or in the last three benedictions. One is prohibited to taste anything or do any work after dawn, until he prays.33Ibid., 14a.
“Mutual greeting of scholars,” how so?34The Perush states that the words are missing and it should read “and so it is prohibited to extend greetings to a friend before a prayer except in a case where he met him in the street and then it is permissable.” The greeter says, “A good morning to you,” and the one greeted replies, “A very good morning to you and may it last forever.” The one who replies doubles the greeting.
The prayers were instituted in place of the “Daily Offerings”35Berakoth 26b. as it is said, “Shall ye observe to offer unto Me in its due season” (Deut. 28:2). From this they instituted the “Stations,” that they should stand watch over them.36Taanith 27a. Therefore a man should stand at the time that he recites the Eighteen Benedictions. One is obligated to answer “Amen” to each blessing, as it is written “Open ye the gates that the righteous nation that keepeth faithfulness may enter in” (Isa. 26:2), i.e., (the faithful) that say “Amen.”37Shabbath 119b.And greater is the merit of the one who answers “Amen” than he who blesses, because he affirms the blessings of the one who recites them. Also the one who blesses mentions only one Name, the one who answers “Amen” invokes two Names because “Amen” (91) totals the numerical value of yod he vav he (26) and aleph daleth nun yod (65).38Tikkune Zohar, ed. Shamaryahu Zuckerman (Wilna: Fin and Rosenkranz Publisher, 1867), Chapter XVIII, p. 67. And one must direct his heart towards heaven when answering “Amen,” which is the abbreviation of El Melekh Nehman.39Shabbath 119b. Talking and behaving light-headedly 40Megillah 28a. is prohibited in the synagogue while standing before our King, Master of all the earth, blessed be His name. And woe unto the wicked who behave light-headedly, upon whom there is no fear of the Almighty; and there is neither fear nor reverence on their countenance and they will not discern or accept an example. “For pass over to the isles of the Kittites, and see, and consider diligently” that in all those lands the kings bend on their knees in their houses of prayer and they stand in awe, reverence and trembling and their hands spread out to their gods made by human hands which neither see nor hear. We who stand before the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, eternal exalted and lifted up, blessed be His name and His fame be exalted, He to whom all praises are due, all the more must we stand before Him with awe and reverence, with fear and trembling. Concerning those who sit in the House of Prayer and appear to be exhausted and are unable to stand, concerning them the verse says, “Yet you did not call upon Me, O Jacob, but you have been weary of me, O Israel” (Isa. 43:22). All day he is not tired but during prayer he is tired.41Midrash Rabbah, ed. Soncino, Lamentations, VIII, 13. The entire day he stands in the market before the officer, or before some scoffer and he is not weary, but during prayer he is unable to stand.
If one is praying and a prayer book has fallen before him to earth, if his mind is distracted from concentrating, and he is unable to pray with devotion, let him pick it up and pray with devotion. But before picking it up let him conclude the benediction which he has already begun. And if he is able to direct his mind let him not pick up the book which is on the ground, for he who prays with devotion shares in the world to come. Let a man always rise to attend the synagogue in order to merit being counted among the first ten, for even if a hundred come after him he is given reward equivalent to all of them.42Berakoth 47b. A man who lives in a village and does not have ten people with whom to recite divine offices,43Such prayers that require the presence of a quorum, or minyan, which consists of a minimum of ten males over the age of thirteen. or lives in a place where there is a congregation and he has come late, after they have recited, “May His great name”;44Eleazar ben Judah of Worms, Sefer Rokeah (Zalkwo: 1806), Chapter CCCLXII, p. 81. let him say, “Let the power of the Lord be great according as Thou hast spoken, saying” (Num. 14:17), “Thus will I magnify Myself, and sanctify Myself and I will make Myself known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord” (Ezek. 38:23), “Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forever” (Ps. 113:2).
Let a man not leave the synagogue until they complete the entire prayer service, except for the privy or to expectorate. In the evening close to prayer let a man not take a child to his bosom lest he soil his garments. Even if he wash them in water, they will not be as clean as before. Moreover, it is possible that while searching after the water the hour for Minha will have passed, or between and betwixt they will have recited the Kaddish with him being unable to respond with the “Amen.” Moreover, perhaps the child will cry when he wishes to set him down and he will take pity on him and would not defer to the honor of his Owner and he will not go at all to the House of Assembly. “Create me a clean heart, O God,” (Ps. 51:12) i.e., a man should not imagine an indecent or repulsive thought during prayer. Let him not touch these (indecent and repulsive) things during prayer. Let him not recite Modim45Daily Prayerbook, trans. Dr. Joseph Hertz (rev. ed.; New York: Bloch Publishing Co., 1948), p. 151, “We give thanks.” if there is saliva in his mouth. Let him not pray until the saliva is eliminated from his mouth. And if he has not recited the benedictions of Ovos46Berakoth 34b. This refers to the section of the “Eighteen Benedictions,” which begins, “Praised be thou, O Lord, God of our fathers, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob.” See Daily Prayer Book, ed. Hertz, p. 130. with devotion until Mogen Abraham, let him repeat it and pray again. And so with the recitation of Shema if he has not recited the first verse with devotion, let him repeat it in a whisper but let him not recite it in a loud voice, for it would appear as though two powers govern the universe.47Berakoth 33b. It would seem that he is addressing two divinities. A person who is unable to pray with devotion without a prayer book in which the prayer is written, or a person sated and unable to concentrate on the Blessings of Grace, let him read it from a book wherein the Blessings of Grace are inscribed. If he has not prayed with devotion, then when they pray quietly let him direct his heart with the reader and let him say each word with him. If you wonder about those who stammer in their speech and pronounce het as heh and shin as samekh and kuf as teth and raish as daleth, as to how they pray or how they read in the Torah and recite matters of holiness; when they reach the verse (Ps. 33:20), Nafshaynu Hikhtha, are they not revilers and blasphemers?48Megillah 24b. Do not wonder about this matter, for our Creator, who searches hearts, does not seek anything but the heart of man that it be whole with Him, and although he cannot speak properly it is nevertheless as if he recites it properly. And so to those who read the “Verses of Praise”49A group of Psalms read at the beginning of the morning service. See Daily Prayer Book, ed. Hertz, p. 50. in a loud voice and with melodious song and do not know the verses and recite them with error, their prayers and songs are accepted as savory odors. And also the Holy One, blessed be He, rejoices over him greatly and says, “How much he sings before Me according to his thinking.” Concerning this it is said, “And His banner over me is love” (Cant. 2:4). His faithlessness to me is love. “His mouth trespasseth not in judgement” (Prov. 16:10); we translate, “He does not deceive with his mouth.” It happened with a priest who with hands outstretched blessing the people said, Yishmadkho “let him destroy you.” There was a scholar present who removed him from before the ark, because he did not know how to pronounce the letters in the Priestly Benediction. It was shown through heaven to this scholar that if he did not restore him he would be punished because of the matter. He who prays should focus his eyes downward and his heart upward50Yebamoth 105b. in order to fulfill those two passages, “And Mine eyes and Mine heart shall be there perpetually” (I Kings 9:3), “Let us lift our heart and our hands unto God in the heavens” (Lam. 3:41). And those who raise their heads and their eyes upward as one would look at the angels we deride and call heads of thorns.51Tosafoth, Berakoth 12b, “Bend like a reed.”
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(Peh) A man shall give redemption for his soul by doing good to the good – which are the Torah scholars – when he benefits them with his property. As through this, he merits to give life to his soul at the time that ‘corpses will arise.’ It is like the statement of [the Sages], may their memory be blessed [in the] chapter [entitled] HaNoseh (Ketuvot 111b):
Rabbi Elazar said, “The common, uneducated people (amei ha-arets) will not live [in the future to come].” Rabbi Yocḥanan said to him, “Their master, (i.e. God), is not pleased that you say this about them.” He said to him, ‘I expound it from a […] verse […] (Isaiah 26:19), ‘For Your dew is as the dew of light, etc.’” When he saw that [Rabbi Yocḥanan] was grieved, he said to him, “My teacher, I have found a remedy for them from the Torah, ‘But You who cleave to the Lord [your God, are alive every one of you this day]’ (Deut. 4:4). But is it possible to cleave to the Divine Presence? Isn’t it written, ‘For the Lord your God is a devouring fire’ (Deut. 4:24)? Rather, [it teaches] that anyone […] who conducts business on behalf of Torah scholars, and one who benefits Torah scholars with his property, [it is] as though he is cleaving to the Divine Presence, [and it is written, ‘are alive every one of you this day’].” [See there.]
Behold that the revival of the dead is [dependent] only upon the dew of Torah – only one who [utilizes his wealth to] benefit Torah scholars has their dew, like the matter of Zevulun and Yissachar.55See Bamidbar Rabbah 13:17 which speaks about such an arrangement between these two tribes. And this is the intention of their statement, may their memory be blessed, in the chapter [entitled] Chelek (Sanhedrin 90a), “These are the ones that do not have a share in the world to come: One who says that the revival of the dead is not from the Torah.”56The traditional meaning of this – as understood in the Talmud – is that he denies that there is a source in the Torah for the revival of the dead. And they say [further on the same page] in the Talmud, “He denied the revival of the dead; therefore he has no resurrection.” Its explanation is that even though he agrees with the principle of resurrection, he says that it is not caused by Torah and [so] denies its cause – [such a one] has no resurrection. [This is] since there is no cause for it besides Torah – his or that of others who benefit from him. And since he denies this, it will not resurrect him. Indeed, every man should believe that this is the essence of the resurrection; and then he will merit to arise with ‘the sleepers of Chevron,’57This is referring to the patriarchs and matriarchs buried in Chevron. and rejoice in the joy of Zion, may it be built and established speedily in our days!
Rabbi Elazar said, “The common, uneducated people (amei ha-arets) will not live [in the future to come].” Rabbi Yocḥanan said to him, “Their master, (i.e. God), is not pleased that you say this about them.” He said to him, ‘I expound it from a […] verse […] (Isaiah 26:19), ‘For Your dew is as the dew of light, etc.’” When he saw that [Rabbi Yocḥanan] was grieved, he said to him, “My teacher, I have found a remedy for them from the Torah, ‘But You who cleave to the Lord [your God, are alive every one of you this day]’ (Deut. 4:4). But is it possible to cleave to the Divine Presence? Isn’t it written, ‘For the Lord your God is a devouring fire’ (Deut. 4:24)? Rather, [it teaches] that anyone […] who conducts business on behalf of Torah scholars, and one who benefits Torah scholars with his property, [it is] as though he is cleaving to the Divine Presence, [and it is written, ‘are alive every one of you this day’].” [See there.]
Behold that the revival of the dead is [dependent] only upon the dew of Torah – only one who [utilizes his wealth to] benefit Torah scholars has their dew, like the matter of Zevulun and Yissachar.55See Bamidbar Rabbah 13:17 which speaks about such an arrangement between these two tribes. And this is the intention of their statement, may their memory be blessed, in the chapter [entitled] Chelek (Sanhedrin 90a), “These are the ones that do not have a share in the world to come: One who says that the revival of the dead is not from the Torah.”56The traditional meaning of this – as understood in the Talmud – is that he denies that there is a source in the Torah for the revival of the dead. And they say [further on the same page] in the Talmud, “He denied the revival of the dead; therefore he has no resurrection.” Its explanation is that even though he agrees with the principle of resurrection, he says that it is not caused by Torah and [so] denies its cause – [such a one] has no resurrection. [This is] since there is no cause for it besides Torah – his or that of others who benefit from him. And since he denies this, it will not resurrect him. Indeed, every man should believe that this is the essence of the resurrection; and then he will merit to arise with ‘the sleepers of Chevron,’57This is referring to the patriarchs and matriarchs buried in Chevron. and rejoice in the joy of Zion, may it be built and established speedily in our days!
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