Description: Introduction 06
She’arim BiTefillah
Introduction 06
If we take a moment to realize how much time a day we devote to davening, we’ll see that it’s close to two hours-worth. Shachris is about an hour, mincha and maariv together is a little more than a half hour, and then the time saying brachos or bentching. On Shabbosos and Yamim Tovim, it’s a few more hours as well. Think of all that time we are investing, and although we are being mekayaim a mitzvah and doing Ratzon Hashem, but if we aren’t utilizing the time to grow and achieve levels in ruchniyos, it’s a shame! This should help every person justify the amount of time spent learning about davening, how to daven, and how to improve tefillah – it’s simple time management!
Tefillah is likened to a war, when Avraham goes to daven to Hashem, and we understand that a war requires much preparation in every aspect in order to be successful. One doesn’t start working on tactics and weaponry after the war is underway! Likewise, the time to work on davening isn’t in middle of Shemonah Esray, it’s during other times, that we put aside to make our tefillah better.
There’s no question that limud Hatorah has great precedence and importance over tefillah. But at the same time, it’s important to understand the relationship. Chazal say, that Torah is Chayai Olam and tefillah is Chayei Sha’ah. Meaning, that Torah is greater and is the life of the world, but tefillah is the way we survive from day to day. If a person misses learning one day, it’s bad, but he is yotzei with the learning he does during davening. But if he misses tefillos, that’s not ok. Everybody understands that distinction – because tefillah is the lifeblood of a Jew. The same way the Torah commands us ‘vi’nishmartem meod lenafshosaichem,’ we have to take care of our bodies, although eating and drinking and sleeping aren’t more important than Torah, but if don’t take care of our bodies – we can’t learn! So too, without tefillah, we don’t have a life or a guf. Therefore, it comes first in order of what has to minimally be done.
Last two important points of introduction. When we daven, we need time. If there’s not enough time to daven, it’s not possible to have any kind of kavanah. There are so many things that can steal away our time from davening and pressure us to hurry and rush through. If we come late to davening, we have to rush, skip, and try to keep up with the tzibbur. We all know that once that happens its almost impossible to get into davening. Coming on time, a little early, is of paramount importance. But even while davening there are many pressures put upon us. The Shliach Tzibbur sets a pace, the people around us daven a certain length, but tefillah is something highly personal. Every person has to feel that they have the time they need to daven. When you feel pressured it’s very hard to get your heart into it. One reason why on Yamim Noraim it’s easier to get into davening, is simply because we begin with a mindset that, we are davening as long as it takes us to daven! What a difference that makes!
As a Chacham was once asked, “How long should my Shemonah Esray take?” He answered, “Until you finish!”
The second point is one of respect. The most basic respect we can show a person is to make time for them. We all know how humiliating it is when someone says, they have no time for us. Or, if they have given us some time, but they are busy doing something else, looking at their phones, rushing us to get to the next person, or are distracted in any way. We say to ourselves, it would have been better not to meet me at all! If you are meeting me, at least put aside a few minutes to actually talk to me! Can we imagine what a lack of Kavod Shamayim it is not to give the few moments we daven, the time and attention it deserves?
She’arim BiTefillah
Introduction 06
If we take a moment to realize how much time a day we devote to davening, we’ll see that it’s close to two hours-worth. Shachris is about an hour, mincha and maariv together is a little more than a half hour, and then the time saying brachos or bentching. On Shabbosos and Yamim Tovim, it’s a few more hours as well. Think of all that time we are investing, and although we are being mekayaim a mitzvah and doing Ratzon Hashem, but if we aren’t utilizing the time to grow and achieve levels in ruchniyos, it’s a shame! This should help every person justify the amount of time spent learning about davening, how to daven, and how to improve tefillah – it’s simple time management!
Tefillah is likened to a war, when Avraham goes to daven to Hashem, and we understand that a war requires much preparation in every aspect in order to be successful. One doesn’t start working on tactics and weaponry after the war is underway! Likewise, the time to work on davening isn’t in middle of Shemonah Esray, it’s during other times, that we put aside to make our tefillah better.
There’s no question that limud Hatorah has great precedence and importance over tefillah. But at the same time, it’s important to understand the relationship. Chazal say, that Torah is Chayai Olam and tefillah is Chayei Sha’ah. Meaning, that Torah is greater and is the life of the world, but tefillah is the way we survive from day to day. If a person misses learning one day, it’s bad, but he is yotzei with the learning he does during davening. But if he misses tefillos, that’s not ok. Everybody understands that distinction – because tefillah is the lifeblood of a Jew. The same way the Torah commands us ‘vi’nishmartem meod lenafshosaichem,’ we have to take care of our bodies, although eating and drinking and sleeping aren’t more important than Torah, but if don’t take care of our bodies – we can’t learn! So too, without tefillah, we don’t have a life or a guf. Therefore, it comes first in order of what has to minimally be done.
Last two important points of introduction. When we daven, we need time. If there’s not enough time to daven, it’s not possible to have any kind of kavanah. There are so many things that can steal away our time from davening and pressure us to hurry and rush through. If we come late to davening, we have to rush, skip, and try to keep up with the tzibbur. We all know that once that happens its almost impossible to get into davening. Coming on time, a little early, is of paramount importance. But even while davening there are many pressures put upon us. The Shliach Tzibbur sets a pace, the people around us daven a certain length, but tefillah is something highly personal. Every person has to feel that they have the time they need to daven. When you feel pressured it’s very hard to get your heart into it. One reason why on Yamim Noraim it’s easier to get into davening, is simply because we begin with a mindset that, we are davening as long as it takes us to daven! What a difference that makes!
As a Chacham was once asked, “How long should my Shemonah Esray take?” He answered, “Until you finish!”
The second point is one of respect. The most basic respect we can show a person is to make time for them. We all know how humiliating it is when someone says, they have no time for us. Or, if they have given us some time, but they are busy doing something else, looking at their phones, rushing us to get to the next person, or are distracted in any way. We say to ourselves, it would have been better not to meet me at all! If you are meeting me, at least put aside a few minutes to actually talk to me! Can we imagine what a lack of Kavod Shamayim it is not to give the few moments we daven, the time and attention it deserves?