יְלַמְּדֵנוּ רַבֵּנוּ כַּמָּה בְּרָכוֹת מִתְפַּלֵּל אָדָם בְּכָל יוֹם? כָּךְ שָׁנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ: בְּכָל יוֹם מִתְפַּלֵּל אָדָם שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה. וְלָמָּה שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן, כְּנֶגֶד שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה פְעָמִים שֶׁהָאָבוֹת כְּתוּבִין בַּתּוֹרָה. הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁבָּהֶם, וֵאלֹהִים פָּקֹד יִפְקֹד אֶתְכֶם וְהֶעֱלָה אֶתְכֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב (בראשית נ, כד), וְהָאַחֲרוֹן, וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֵלַי זֹאת הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב (דברים לד, ד). וְאִם יֹאמַר לְךָ אָדָם הֲרֵי הֵן תְּשַׁע עֶשְׂרֵה, שֶׁכָּךְ כְּתִיב: אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אָבִיךָ וֵאלֹהֵי יִצְחָק הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה שֹׁכֵב עָלֶיהָ וְגוֹ' (בראשית כח, יד), אֱמוֹר לוֹ, אֵין זֶה מִן הַמִּנְיָן, שֶׁאֵין יַעֲקֹב נִמְנָה עִמָּהֶן. וְרַבִּי And the Lord appeared unto him by the terebinths of Mamre (Gen. 18:1) May it please our master to teach us: How many benedictions must a man pray each day? Thus do our masters teach us: A man must pray the eighteen benedictions (of the Amidah) each day. Why eighteen? R. Samuel the son of Nahman stated: This number corresponds to the eighteen instances in which the names of the patriarchs are mentioned simultaneously in the Torah.1Cf. Y. Berakhot 84c, Y. Taanit 82b. The first being: And God will surely remember you, and bring you out of this land to the land which he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob (Gen. 50:24), and the last: The Lord said to me: This is the land which I swore unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob (Deut. 34:4). However, if someone should insist that the patriarchs are actually mentioned nineteen times, since it is written: God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac; the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it (Gen. 28:13), inform him that this verse is not counted, since Jacob’s name is not included (in the verse).
יוֹחָנָן אָמַר, כְּנֶגֶד שְׁמוֹנָה עָשָׂר צִוּוּיִים שֶׁבַּמִּשְׁכָּן שֶׁהֵן בְּסוֹף סֵפֶר וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת וְהֵן כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה' אֶת מֹשֶׁה, שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה פְעָמִים. וְרַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר, כְּנֶגֶד שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה חֻלְיוֹת שֶׁבַּשִּׁדְרָה, שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָדָם מִתְפַּלֵּל וְכוֹרֵעַ, צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּכְרַע עַד שֶׁיִּתְפַּקְּקוּ כָּל חֻלְיוֹת שֶׁבַּשִּׁדְרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כָּל עַצְמֹתַי תֹּאמַרְנָה, ה' מִי כָמוֹךָ (תהלים לה, י). R. Yohanan maintained: The eighteen benedictions correspond to the eighteen injunctions concerning the erection of the Sanctuary that are contained at the conclusion of the Book of Exodus.2Exod. 38:40. As God commanded is repeated fourteen times, All that the Lord commanded Moses is repeated twice, As the Lord commanded so they did is mentioned once, And according to all that the Lord commanded so he did is also stated once. The words As the Lord commanded Moses are repeated eighteen times in this section of the Torah. R. Simeon held: The eighteen benedictions correspond to the eighteen vertebrae in a man’s spinal column. When a man prays and genuflects, he is required to bow down until all the vertebrae in his spinal column are loosened, as it is said: All my bones shall say, O Lord, who is like unto Thee (Ps. 35:10).
וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר, כְּנֶגֶד שְׁמוֹנָה עָשָׂר מִזְמוֹרִים שֶׁמֵּרֹאשׁ סֵפֶר תְּהִלִּים עַד יַעַנְךָ ה' בְּיוֹם צָרָה, לוֹמַר תֵּעָנֶה בִתְפִלָּתְךָ, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר יַעַנְךָ ה' בְּיוֹם צָרָה, וּלְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר בְּסוֹף שְׁמוֹנָה עָשָׂר מִזְמוֹרִים יַעַנְךָ ה'. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר, כְּנֶגֶד שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה אַזְכָּרוֹת שֶׁאָמַר דָּוִד בְּהָבוּ לַה' בְּנֵי אֵלִים (תהלים לה, כט). R. Simeon was of the opinion that this number corresponds to the eighteen psalms from the beginning of the Book of Psalms until the verse The Lord will answer thee in a day of trouble (ibid. 20:2); that is to say, you will be answered through your prayers. And thus it is said: The Lord will answer you in a day of trouble, as it is said at the end of Psalm eighteen: The Lord will answer thee, etc. R. Joshua the son of Levi maintained that the eighteen benedictions correspond to the eighteen times the Divine Name is mentioned in the psalm Ascribe unto the Lord, O ye sons of might (Ps. 29:1).
וְלָמָּה מִתְפַּלְּלִין עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבַּע בְּתַעֲנִיּוֹת? כְּנֶגֶד עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבַּע רְנָנוֹת שֶׁאָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהִכְנִיס אֶת הָאָרוֹן לְבֵית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים בְּתַעֲנִיתוֹ. וְלָמָּה מִתְפַּלְּלִין בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה תֵּשַׁע בְּרָכוֹת? אָמַר רָבָא בַּר חֲנִינָא, כְּנֶגֶד תֵּשַׁע אַזְכָּרוֹת שֶׁאָמְרָה חַנָּה בִּתְפִלָּתָהּ מִן וַתִּתְפַּלֵּל חַנָּה וָאֵילַךְ (ש״א א, ב). Why do we recite twenty-four blessings on fast-days? Because that number corresponds to the twenty-four supplications uttered by Solomon as he brought the ark, while fasting, into the innermost part of the Sanctuary (the Holy of Holies). Why do we say nine benedictions on Rosh Hashanah? Rava the son of Hanina stated: To correspond to the nine times that Hannah mentioned the Divine Name in her prayer, commencing with the words and Hannah prayed (I Sam. 2:11).
אַתָּה מוֹצֵא שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה מִתְפַּלְּלִין בְּכָל יוֹם וְאֵינָן כֻּלָּן לְשִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אֶלָּא שָׁלֹש רִאשׁוֹנוֹת וְשָׁלֹשׁ אַחֲרוֹנוֹת. וּשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה בְרָכוֹת, כֻּלָּן לְצָרְכּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם. וּלְפִיכָךְ אֵין מִתְפַּלְּלִין בַּשַּׁבָּת שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה, שֶׁאִם יִהְיֶה לוֹ חוֹלֶה בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ, נִזְכָּר בְּרוֹפֵא חוֹלֵי עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהוּא מֵצֵר, וְהַשַּׁבָּת נִתְּנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לִקְדֻשָּׁה לְעֹנֶג וְלִמְנוּחָה וְלֹא לְצַעַר, לְכָךְ מִתְפַּלֵּל שָׁלֹש בְּרָכוֹת רִאשׁוֹנוֹת וְשָׁלֹש אַחֲרוֹנוֹת וְהַמְּנוּחָה בָּאֶמְצַע. וּלְפִיכָךְ אָמַר דָּוִד שֶׁבַע בַּיּוֹם הִלַּלְתִּיךָ (תהלים קיט, קסד), אֵלּוּ שֶׁבַע בְּרָכוֹת שֶׁמִּתְפַּלְּלִין בַּשַּׁבָּת. וְאֵיזֶה? זֶה יוֹם אֶחָד הַמְיֻחָד וְהַמְּנוּחָה שֶׁאֵין כַּיּוֹצֵא בּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: זָכוֹר אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת לְקַדְּשׁוֹ (שמות כ, ח), לְקַדְּשׁוֹ בְּכָל דָּבָר, אֲפִלּוּ מִמְּצוֹא חֶפְצְךָ וְדַבֵּר דָּבָר. You find that not all the eighteen benedictions (of the Amidah) recited each day are in praise of the Holy One, blessed be He. In fact, only the first three and the final three are in praise of Him, while the twelve intervening prayers allude to human needs. It is for this reason that we do not say the eighteen benedictions on the Sabbath.3On Sabbaths and holy dayss the thirteen intervening blessings are omitted lest the holiness of the day be marred by references to mundane affairs; a single benediction describing the characteristic feature of the day is inserted, in their place. For, if it should happen that a loved one was ill at home at the time of praying, the worshipper would be reminded of it while reciting the prayer “Who healeth the ills of His people” and would become depressed. Inasmuch as the Sabbath was given to Israel for sanctification, for joy and rest and not for sorrow, one must recite the first three blessings and the final three blessings (of the Amidah) and replace the intervening ones with the prayer of Rest. Hence, David proclaimed: Seven times a day do I praise Thee, because of Thy righteous ordinances (Ps. 119:164). The word seven in this verse refers to the seven benedictions recited on the Sabbath. What other day could this verse refer to, if not the day of rest, which is unlike any other? For it is said: Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy (Exod. 20:8)—in every respect, even from in the pursuit of thy business and speaking thereof (Isa. 58:13).
אָמַר לָהֶן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, הֱווּ זְהִירִין בִּתְפִלָּה, שֶׁאֵין מִדָּה אַחֶרֶת יָפָה הֵימֶנָּה וְהִיא גְדוֹלָה מִכָּל הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: לָמָּה לִּי רֹב זִבְחֵיכֶם וְגוֹ', כִּי תָבֹאוּ לֵרָאוֹת פָּנָי, לֹא תוֹסִיפוּ הָבִיא מִנְחַת שָׁוְא קְטֹרֶת וְגוֹ', חָדְשֵׁיכֶם וּמוֹעֲדֵיכֶם שָׂנְאָה נַפְשִׁי וְגוֹ', וּבְפָרִשְׂכֶם כַּפֵּיכֶם וְגוֹ' גַּם כִּי תַרְבּוּ תְפִלָּה וְגוֹ' (ישעיה א, יא-טו), מִכְּלָל שֶׁהִיא גְדוֹלָה מִן הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת. וַאֲפִלּו אֵין אָדָם כְּדַאי לַעֲנוֹת בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ וְלַעֲשׂוֹת חֶסֶד עִמּוֹ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁמִּתְפַּלֵּל וּמַרְבֶּה בְּתַחֲנוּנִים, אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה חֶסֶד עִמּוֹ, שֶׁכָּךְ כְּתִיב בּוֹ כָּל אָרְחוֹת ה' חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת (תהלים כה, י), הִקְדַּמְתִּי חֶסֶד לֶאֱמֶת וְצֶדֶק לְמִשְׁפָּט, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: צֶדֶק וּמִשְׁפָּט מְכוֹן כִּסְאֶךָ וְגוֹ' (תהלים פט, טו). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: Be meticulous in the matter of prayer, for no virtue is more meritorious. In fact, prayer is more important than all the sacrifices, as it is stated: To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto Me? … bring not more vain oblations…. Your new moons and your appointed seasons My soul hateth…. And when you spread forth your hands … even when you make ever so many prayers (ibid. 1:11–15). From these verses we can logically conclude that prayer is more important than all the sacrifices. Even though man may not deserve to have his prayers answered or to be treated mercifully, yet if he should pray and plead for mercy, I will be merciful toward him, as it is written: All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth (Ps. 25:10). I have set mercy before truth, righteousness before justice, as it is said: Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Thy throne, mercy and truth before Thee (ibid. 89:15).
אָמַר רַבִּי שַׂמְלַאי: תֵּדַע שֶׁכָּל דְּרָכָיו חֶסֶד, שֶׁהֲרֵי בִּתְחִלַּת הַתּוֹרָה קִשֵּׁט אֶת הַכַּלָּה, דִּכְתִיב וַיִּבֶן ה' אֱלֹהִים אֶת הַצֵּלָע וְגוֹ' (בראשית ב, כב), שֶׁכֵּן בִּכְרַכֵּי הַיָּם קוֹרִין לַכַּלָּה בּוֹנָה. וּבְסוֹפָהּ, קָבַר אֶת הַמֵּת, וַיִּקְבֹּר אֹתוֹ בַגַּי (דברים לד, ו). וּבְאֶמְצָעִיתָהּ, בִּקֵּר אֶת הַחוֹלֶה. כֵּיוָן שֶׁמָּל אַבְרָהָם, בָּא הוּא וּפָמַלְיָא שֶׁלּוֹ וּבִקְּרוֹ, מִמַּה שֶּׁקָּרְאוּ בְּעִנְיַן וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו ה'. R. Simlai declared: You know that all His ways are merciful from the fact that at the very beginning of the Torah He adorned (kishet) the bride, as it is said: And the Lord God formed (vayiben) the rib, etc. (Gen. 2:22). In towns situated on the seacoast, a bride is called buneh (“well-adorned”). And at the conclusion of the Torah, He buried the dead, as is written: And He buried him in the valley (Deut. 34:6). In the middle of the Torah, He visited the sick, for after Abraham was circumcised, He and His angels visited him, as we read in the chapter: And the Lord appeared unto him (Gen. 18:1).