Description: Introduction 02
She’arim BiTefillah
Introduction 02
This book is based on a medrash which says that there are ten ‘leshonos’, ten different words, or different concepts of tefillah. We see from this an amazing thing. The same way when it comes to Torah, there are many different areas of Torah. There is a masechtah dedicated to the halachos of Shabbos, and there’s a whole section of Shulchan Aruch assigned to them. There is a masechtah dedicated to hilchos Pesach, Maseches Pesachim, and there’s a section of Shulchan Aruch assigned to them as well. If you need to know hilchos Shabbos, it won’t help to learn hilchos Pesach, no matter how much time you invest in it, how hard you work on it. Knowing Hilchos Shabbos requires studying Hilchos Shabbos and Maseches Shabbos!
Likewise, in tefillah, there are many different ‘sugyos’ in davening. Beyond just understanding the words, and focusing on what we are saying, there are ten different approaches to davening.
Ten is a number which signifies completion. The world was created with ten ‘maamaros,’ meaning Hashem said ‘Vayomer’ ten times. There are ten different ‘middos’ or attributes how Hashem relates to this world. There are ‘Aseres Hadibros!’ If there are ten different ways to daven, that means that ultimate davening incorporates all ten ways. This is shelaimus. If we were to compare this to Torah, just as in Torah, one needs to learn the proper Masechtah to understand the halachah he’s looking for, likewise in tefillah, if there is an appropriate form of tefillah for a specific need, if we don’t utilize that form of tefillah, it’s possible we won’t get answered. The keys to heaven for this particular request, are only opened through the correct form of tefillah.
For example, the Gemarah tells us that Shemonah Esray was organized with three brachos dedicated to praising Hashem, then twelve brachos in the middle for our requests, and we end as well with three brachos praising Hashem. If someone, lo alainu, has a sick family member, as they get up to the words ‘virofai cholim’ which is in the second brachah of Shemonah Esray, in Attah Gibor, they might say those words with great kavannah, entreating Hashem in their hearts to heal the sick person in their family. But that form of tefillah, which is ‘ze’akah,’ crying out to Hashem doesn’t belong in the first three brachos. It belongs in the brachah of Refainu. In the second brachah, the correct approach is to focus on the greatness of Hashem who heals all sick people. It’s possible that this kind of tefillah is what is needed in heaven – to recognize the greatness and the kindness of Hashem who heals all sick people, and from that approach, will the doors of Heaven open and the sick person will be healed.
The Shalah says that Chazal say, why do Klal Yisrael pray and are not answered? Because they don’t now how to daven with Hashem’s name, ‘ain yodim lihispallel b’sheim.’ This clearly means things of a secret nature, but nevertheless, the point is, that there is a correct approach to tefillah, where we understand how to daven in certain situations, which method of tefillah should be employed, and how to correctly relate to each method – and this is the secret of davening.
This is what the pasuk in Tehillim means, “Asagvaihu ki yadah shemi, yikra’ainu vi’enaihu’, I will elevate him because he knows my name, he will call out to Me and I will answer him.
We will therefore attempt to clarify what each one of these ten approaches refer to, what kind of davening, and when each one of these approaches to davening are appropriate.
The ten words which Chazal enumerate are:
Sha’avah, Tze’akah, Na’akah, Rinah, Pegiah, Bitzur, Kriah, Nipul, Pilul, and Tachanunim.
She’arim BiTefillah
Introduction 02
This book is based on a medrash which says that there are ten ‘leshonos’, ten different words, or different concepts of tefillah. We see from this an amazing thing. The same way when it comes to Torah, there are many different areas of Torah. There is a masechtah dedicated to the halachos of Shabbos, and there’s a whole section of Shulchan Aruch assigned to them. There is a masechtah dedicated to hilchos Pesach, Maseches Pesachim, and there’s a section of Shulchan Aruch assigned to them as well. If you need to know hilchos Shabbos, it won’t help to learn hilchos Pesach, no matter how much time you invest in it, how hard you work on it. Knowing Hilchos Shabbos requires studying Hilchos Shabbos and Maseches Shabbos!
Likewise, in tefillah, there are many different ‘sugyos’ in davening. Beyond just understanding the words, and focusing on what we are saying, there are ten different approaches to davening.
Ten is a number which signifies completion. The world was created with ten ‘maamaros,’ meaning Hashem said ‘Vayomer’ ten times. There are ten different ‘middos’ or attributes how Hashem relates to this world. There are ‘Aseres Hadibros!’ If there are ten different ways to daven, that means that ultimate davening incorporates all ten ways. This is shelaimus. If we were to compare this to Torah, just as in Torah, one needs to learn the proper Masechtah to understand the halachah he’s looking for, likewise in tefillah, if there is an appropriate form of tefillah for a specific need, if we don’t utilize that form of tefillah, it’s possible we won’t get answered. The keys to heaven for this particular request, are only opened through the correct form of tefillah.
For example, the Gemarah tells us that Shemonah Esray was organized with three brachos dedicated to praising Hashem, then twelve brachos in the middle for our requests, and we end as well with three brachos praising Hashem. If someone, lo alainu, has a sick family member, as they get up to the words ‘virofai cholim’ which is in the second brachah of Shemonah Esray, in Attah Gibor, they might say those words with great kavannah, entreating Hashem in their hearts to heal the sick person in their family. But that form of tefillah, which is ‘ze’akah,’ crying out to Hashem doesn’t belong in the first three brachos. It belongs in the brachah of Refainu. In the second brachah, the correct approach is to focus on the greatness of Hashem who heals all sick people. It’s possible that this kind of tefillah is what is needed in heaven – to recognize the greatness and the kindness of Hashem who heals all sick people, and from that approach, will the doors of Heaven open and the sick person will be healed.
The Shalah says that Chazal say, why do Klal Yisrael pray and are not answered? Because they don’t now how to daven with Hashem’s name, ‘ain yodim lihispallel b’sheim.’ This clearly means things of a secret nature, but nevertheless, the point is, that there is a correct approach to tefillah, where we understand how to daven in certain situations, which method of tefillah should be employed, and how to correctly relate to each method – and this is the secret of davening.
This is what the pasuk in Tehillim means, “Asagvaihu ki yadah shemi, yikra’ainu vi’enaihu’, I will elevate him because he knows my name, he will call out to Me and I will answer him.
We will therefore attempt to clarify what each one of these ten approaches refer to, what kind of davening, and when each one of these approaches to davening are appropriate.
The ten words which Chazal enumerate are:
Sha’avah, Tze’akah, Na’akah, Rinah, Pegiah, Bitzur, Kriah, Nipul, Pilul, and Tachanunim.