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The Israel Koschitzky Virtual Beit
Midrash
The Laws of Prayer
Shiur #21: Preparations
for Tefilla Rav David
Brofsky Introduction:
Last week, we discussed the obligation to pray three times daily. We traced its origins, according to
some, to the 'avot,' and to others, to the korbanot. We also investigated the establishment
of the shemone esre, and explored the history and ramifications of the
different variant nusachim
Before we begin our study of the laws of the shemone esre itself,
i.e. the proper times, intention, insertions, tashlumin, etc. we will
dedicate this shiur to the preparations before prayer, including what a
person should wear during prayer, where a person should preferably pray, and
what activities the rabbis deemed inappropriate before tefilla. Proper
Attire:
The gemara (Shabbat 10a) relates that certain Amoraim interpreted
the verse "hikon likrat elokecha - prepare to meet your God" (Amos 4:12)
as instructive, teaching us to first prepare ourselves before encountering
God. "Rabba son of R. Huna
put on stockings and prayed, quoting, 'prepare to meet etc.' (Amos
4:12). Rabba removed his cloak,
clasped his hands and prayed, saying, '[I pray] like a slave before his
master.'" The Rambam (Hilkhot
Tefilla 5:5) subsequently writes that: "How should one prepare
his clothes? First, one should adjust one's clothes, distinguish and beautify
one's self, as it says 'you should prostrate yourselves to His holiness in
beauty.' One shouldn't stand for
tefilla in an undergarment, with a bare head, or with bare feet, if the
local custom is to appear before important people with shoes… the ways of the
wise and their students is to pray while they are wrapped (atufin) in a
tallit…" The Kitzur Shulchan
Arukh adds that even one who prays alone in one's house should dress
properly.
The Rishonim and Acharonim discuss whether "prepare to meet" requires one
to dress BEYOND that which one would wear when meeting an important person, such
as wearing a special belt, or 'gartel.' On the one hand, the
gemara (Berakhot 24b) teaches: "R. Huna said: If a
man's garment is girded round his waist he may recite the Shema. It has been taught similarly: If his
garment, whether of cloth or of leather or of sacking, is girded round his
waist, he may recite the Shema,' but he may not say the tefilla
until he covers his chest…" Apparently, the gemara
perceives standing before God in prayer without a demarcation between one's
chest and lower body as inappropriate. Interestingly, another
gemara (Shabbat 10a) relates: "R. Shesheth demurred:
Is it any trouble to remove the girdle (before prayer)! Moreover, let him stand
thus [ungirdled] and pray!? — Because it is said, 'prepare to meet thy
God'…" According to this
source, a wearing a belt is an expression of one's preparation for encountering
God in prayer.
Interestingly, R. Simcha of Vitry, a student of Rashi, records that Rashi
would pray without a belt. When
asked regarding his practice, he responded that the Amoraim's clothing was
similar to our robes, without any demarcation between the upper and lower
body. Nowadays, he explained, that
it is customary to wear pants no further separation is required.
Apparently, he did not feel that one need wear a belt to fulfill
"hikon"- either because the mere separation between the upper and lower
body fulfills "prepare to greet," or one fulfils this through other
preparations, such as netilat yadayim.
While the Shulchan Arukh (91:1-2) cites both reasons for wearing a belt
during tefilla, and rules that "even if one pants which separate between
the upper and lower body" should wear a belt because of
"hikon."
The Mishna Berura (s"k 4) writes that only one who normally wears a belt
needs to wear one for tefilla, but one who ordinarily doesn't wear a
belt, does NOT need one for tefilla. He does, however, add that there may
still be a "midat chissidut" to wear a belt. Furthermore, the Mishna Berura (s"k 5)
cites the Zohar, who seems it appropriate to cover one's head with a
tallit during tefilla.
In modern times, some authorities have revisited this issue, questioning
the propriety of wearing short sleeves, at least, or even shorts, during prayer
(see Rav Ovadya Yosef in Yechave Da'at 4:8). The Shulchan Arukh (90:5), for example,
writes "one should not stand up for prayer… with exposed feet, if the accepted
practice is to greet important people with shoes…" The Mishna Berura (91:11-13),
points out, that is hot countries where it is customary to stand before
important people barefooted, one need not be concerned even if one is wearing
"short clothing through which the legs are visible." Furthermore, he writes that
one should not pray in sleepwear (pajamas), or other clothes that one would not
wear to great "important people."
The
In a previous shiur we discussed those places in which one should
NOT pray, due to the presence of foul odors or substances, or the presence of
'erva.' However, the gemara
also enumerates places in which it may be preferable to pray, at times because
of the holiness of the place, or due to the positive or negative effect of the
environs on one's 'kavana.'
I'd like to bring a few of them to our attention. Chazal strongly suggest
praying in a Beit Kenesset.
To begin with, one can usually join a minyan in a Beit
Kenesset, and participate in 'tefilla be-tzibbur.' While we will devote a different
shiur to tefilla be-tzibbur, suffice it to say that not only does
a minyan afford one the opportunity to hear "devarim she-bikedusha"
(kaddish, kedusha, etc), but the pray offered by a community is
qualitatively different, and maybe even more 'affective,' than an individual
pray. However, the Rabbis also
teach (Berakhot 6a): "A person's prayer is
heard [by God] only in the Synagogue… Rabin b. R. Adda says in the name of R.
Yitzchak: How do you know that the Holy One, blessed be He, is to be found in
the Synagogue? For it is said: God standeth in the congregation of
God…" The Shulchan Arukh
(90:9) even rules that if one must pray without a minyan, preferably one
should still daven in a Beit Kenesset! In addition, the gemara
(Berakhot 6b) teaches: "R. Helbo, in the name
of R. Huna, says: Whosoever has a fixed place for his prayer has the God of
Abraham as his helper. And when he
dies, people will say of him: Where is the pious man, where is the humble man,
one of the disciples of our father Abraham! — How do we know that our father
Abraham had a fixed place [for his prayer]? For it is written: And Abraham got
up early in the morning to the place where he had stood. And 'standing' means nothing else but
prayer. For it is said: Then stood
up Phinehas and prayed…" The Shulchan Arukh
implies (90:19), as the Mishna Berura confirms (59), that ideally even when one
prays in one's house, he/she should preferably designate a place for
prayer. Finally, the gemara
(Berakhot 34b) also teaches: Rabbi Chiya bar Abba
said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: "A person should only pray in a house with
windows, as it says: 'And the windows of his upper chamber were open toward
Regarding a room with
windows, the commentators disagree as to why one should pray in a room with
window.
Rashi, on the other hand, explains that "the (windows) cause him to
direct his prayers, to focus one's thoughts to the heavens, and his heart is
humbled…" The Talmidei Rabbenu Yona (Ri"f 24b), in their first interpretation,
also explain the outside light while "settle his thoughts," allowing him to pray
with greater kavana.
However, he offers another interpretation, suggesting that the windows
should be open towards the east, towards Yerushalayim, and "through gazing in
this direction he will direct his prayers more accurately towards God and his
prayer will be desirable and accepted."
As for prayer in an open valley, Rashi explains that an enclosed, more
modest place is more conducive to feeling fear of the King.
Interestingly, Tosafot (d"h Chatzif) asks why Yitzchak went out to the
field to converse with God (Bereishit 24). At first, he suggests that he prayed on
Har Ha-moria, implying that at times the sanctity of a place may override the
desire to pray in an enclosed area.
This is certainly relevant to those who pray at the kotel
ha-maaravi. Secondly, he adds
that gemara is referring to a "valley" through with many people traverse. Seemingly, according to Tosafot, it is
simply difficult to concentrate in a "valley" due to the traffic of people.
I recommend reading Rav Eating and Drinking
Before Tefilla:
The gemara (Berakhot 10b) teaches that one should not eat and
drink before prayer: "R. Yose son of R.
Chanina also said in the name of R. Eliezer b. Jacob: What is the meaning of the
verse, You shall not eat with the blood? Do not eat before you have prayed for
your blood. R. Yitzchak said in the
name of R. Yochanan… if one eats and drinks and then says his prayers, of him
the Scripture says, 'And hast cast Me behind thy back' Read not gavekha
[thy back], but gekha [thy pride].
Says the Holy One, blessed be He: After this one has exalted himself, he
comes and accepts the kingdom of heaven!…" The gemara views those
who tend to their own physical needs before prayer, i.e. those who eat and drink
before tefilla, as haughty and overconfident.
The Rishonim enumerate a umber of situations in which one wuld be
permitted to eat or drink, as in their situation eating or drinking would not be
considered "ga'avah."
The Rosh (Berakhot 1:10), for example, permits one to drink water in the
morning before praying, as "water doesn't not indicate haughtiness…" Similarly,
the Beit Yosef (89) cites the Semag who permits one who is thirsty to drink
before tefilla, as "it is better to drink water than to be uncomfortable
during one's prayer…" Furthermore, the Beit Yosef also cites the Mahari Abuhav
who permits eating and drinking before shacharit for "refua," as
it does not indicate self-importance or pride. In fact, the Rambam (Hilkhot
Tefilla 5:2) writes that one who is hungry or thirsty is considered sick,
and if they are unable to concentrate during their prayers, they should eat and
drink. The Shulchan Arukh (89)
rules that: "It is prohibited to
tend to one's needs, or to travel, until one recites the shemone esreh…
(similarly) one should not eat or drink, however water is permitted to drink
before tefilla, on a weekday and on Shabbat and Yom Tov, as is eating or
drinking for medicinal purposes… " Furthermore, he cites
the Rambam: "One who is hungry or
thirsty s considered sick, and if he is able to pray with proper intention he
should, and if not, he may eat and drink before praying…" The Mishna Berura
comments on this passage, and adds a number of practical points. Firstly, while he permits drinking tea
or coffee in order to enable one to pray with the proper intention, he strongly
opposes those who add milk or sugar to their drinks, as well as those who eat
"mini targima" (probably cake or cookies) while drinking. He suggests that those who permit sugar
with tea must be referring to sugar which is placed in one's mouth while
drinking, and not which is added to one's drink. Secondly, in his "Bi'ur Halakha,"
the Chafetz Chayim rules that it may be preferable to pray alone and then eat,
and join the minyan later, than to eat before tefilla! On the
other hand, he does (s"k 26) rules that if one truly cannot concentrate on one's
prayers, one may eat or drink before tefilla.
The Arukh Ha-shulchan (89:23) notes that the custom is to add milk to tea
and coffee before shacharit,
Regarding children, the Mishna Berura (106:5) writes that a child may eat
or drink before tefilla, as one is enjoined to prevent a child from
eating only when the food itself is inherently prohibited.
On Shabbat, in addition to the prohibition to eat before tefilla,
it is also forbidden to eat or drink before reciting kiddush. Before shacharit, one may drink
water, or as mentioned above, coffee or tea, as the obligation to recite kiddush
begins only upon completion of shacharit.
However, the authorities disagree whether a person who must, for medical
reasons, or in order to ensure the proper intention during tefilla, eat
before shacharit, must recite kiddush.
The Mishna Berura (Bi'ut Halakha 289 and Rav Moshe Feinstein,
Iggrot Moshe O"Ch 2:28) rule that one SHOULD recite kiddush, even before
tefilla, if one intends to eat.
Others disagree, and the minhag seems to be in accordance with the
second view.
Interestingly, our previous discussion regarding a women's obligation to
pray becomes extremely relevant.
Women who are accustomed to recite the shemone esreh every morning
would be obligated to recite the kiddush only AFTER praying shacharit,
similar to a man. Those, however,
who are accustomed to merely reciting a daily supplication (Magen Avraham's
interpretation of the Ramba) would become obligated in kiddush almost
immediately, and would therefore be prohibited to eat or drink, even before
shacharit, until reciting the kiddush! Conclusion- Spiritual
Preparation:
Just as one should prepare 'PHYSICALLY' for prayer, our sages also insist
that one should prepare 'SPIRITUALLY.' For example, the mishna
(Berakhot 30b) teaches: "One should not stand up
to say tefilla unless one is in a reverent state of mind. The pious men of old used to wait an
hour before praying in order that they might concentrate their thoughts upon
their Father in the heavens…" Furthermore, the gemara
(Berakhot 31a) relates: "Our Rabbis taught: One
should not stand up to say Tefilla while immersed in sorrow, or idleness,
or laughter, or chatter, or frivolity, or idle talk, but only while still
rejoicing in the performance of some religious act…." In fact, as we noted in
a previous shiur, some explain that we recite ashrei before
mincha, in order to create the proper mindset for prayer.
Rabba's insightful remark, that he "clasped his hands and prayed, saying,
'[I pray] like a slave before his master.'" Should serve as a model for all
aspects of our prayer experience, not just while praying, but even while
preparing fro prayer.
Next week we will study the laws of "zmenai tefilla," and when are
the proper times to pray.
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