Tefillah Keva

Tefillah Keva

by Rabbi Yaakov Glasser

Pirkei Avos 2:18 – R’ Shimon says, “One should always be meticulous with the Shema and with tefillah; one should not make his tefillah ‘keva,’ but rather with a sense of mercy and supplications.”

Q. Normally, “keva” means regular or structured. Why, in this case, do we not want our tefillot to be “keva”?

Gemara Brachos 29b – What is “keva” (in terms of tefillah)? R’ Yaakov bar Iddi in the name of R’ Oshaya said, “Anyone whose tefillah is to him like a burden, [that is called a tefillas ‘keva’].”

Rabanan say, “Anyone who does not structure his tefillah in a language of supplication, [that is called tefillas ‘keva’].”

Rabba and Rav Yosef say, “Anyone who does not add something new to his tefillah, [that is called tefillas ‘keva’].”

Abayeh bar Avin and R’ Chanina bar Avin say, “anyone who does not pray with the reddening of the sun, [that is called tefillas ‘keva’].”

Gemara Brachos 26a – A braysa tells us that the mitzvah of tefillah is with sunrise. How, then, can the Mishna tell us that we may daven Shacharis until 4 (or 6) hours? A: When the braysa says that tefillah should be done with sunrise, that is referring to the “vasikin,” those who serve G-d with zeal.

From this idea of the vasikin, we learn an important lesson about how we should view tefillah. Although we aren’t obligated to rise and daven with sunrise, we should still have that same approach. We should get up with the mindset of serving G-d. We don’t lounge and read the paper, have a danish, and get to minyan when we get around to it. When we rise, we first go to daven, then start the day. (Military: up and report for duty.)

Tur Orach Chaim 98:3 – One should pray in a manner which resembles an indigent fellow who must knock on doors in order to receive his needs.

Just like a poor person does not believe that he has within his own powers to produce his needs, so too must we stand before Hashem to ask for our needs with the belief that we are asking for Hashem to give us wisdom, money, health, etc. because we cannot provide them for ourselves.

Medrash Rabbah on V’zos HaBracha 10 – Hashem decreed 10 times that Moshe would not enter Eretz Yisrael. The matter was still not finalized when Hashem “informed” the Beis Din HaGadol (G-d’s heavenly court) that He had decreed against Moshe’s entering the land. Even through all this, Moshe did not treat the matter with concern, since he rationalized, “The Jewish people sinned numerous times, and G-d desired to destroy them, and yet I prayed on their behalf, and G-d forgave them. Therefore, since I have not sinned since the day I was born, G-d will certainly accept my prayers for forgiveness and revoke His decree.” Once G-d saw this attitude of Moshe’s, He immediately grabbed hold of His heavenly throne and swore on His Great Name, that Moshe would never enter Eretz Yisrael. When Moshe heard that Hashem had sworn on His throne and in His name, Moshe drew a circle and stood inside, and promised not to move until Hashem granted him forgiveness. However, Hashem decreed that none of the gates of heaven should allow Moshe’s prayers to pass through them.

This is another element of “keva.” We should not view prayer as Shacharis, Mincha and Ma’ariv. Rather, we must understand that tefillah needs to be heartfelt, but even more than that it must be in the moment of need. We should not wait until the next established tefillah to ask for our needs; we should call out and ask for help right away.

· Rashi to Gemara Brachos, s.v. “like a burden” – The Mishna is telling us not to view tefillah as something we do due to an obligation, that it is something we must do because it is the law.

· Rashi to Gemara Brachos, s.v. “to create something new” – The Mishna is telling us not to view our tefillot as fixed: my tefillah for today is just like my tefillah from yesterday, and my tefillah for today will be the same as my tefillah for tomorrow.

· Imrei Baruch – The Mishnah in Makkos tells us that the mothers of Kohanim used to provide food and clothing for unintentional murderers living in the cities of refuge in the hopes that they would not pray to Hashem that their sons should die. The obvious question is, why should anyone be worried about a bunch of killers praying for the death of the Kohen Gadol, the Gadol Hador?

o The answer is as follows: Since these people living in the cities of refuge have such a clear focus on what they need, that they cannot leave the city until the Kohen Gadol dies, their tefillot take on such a level of passion and urgency that they grow immensely in their intensity and effectiveness.

· This should teach us another lesson about our attitude toward tefillah. We should not view tefillah as “what we do”. Our tefillot should be offered from a sense of urgency, with an understanding that we need Hashem to help us, to give us the means of living from day to day.

Meet Rabbi Yaakov Glasser Rabbi Glasser's weekly lecture on Tefilla continues on Tuesday nights at the Young Israel of Passaic County (YIPC) at 8:30 pm. Join us as he shares insights into the concept of tefillah, as well as elucidations of the tefillot themselves.