טוב מעט בכוונה מהרבה בלא כוונה

מתני׳ נאמר בעולת בהמה (ויקרא א, ט) אשה ריח ניחוח ובעולת עוף (ויקרא א, ט) אשה ריח ניחוח ובמנחה (ויקרא ב, ב) אשה ריח ניחוח לומר לך אחד המרבה ואחד הממעיט ובלבד שיכוין לבו לשמים.

Menachot 110a

and swear to the Lord of hosts; one shall be called the city of destruction” (Isaiah 19:18). They went to Alexandria in Egypt and built an altar and sacrificed offerings upon it for the sake of Heaven, as it is stated in the following verse: “In that day shall there be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at its border, to the Lord” (Isaiah 19:19). The verse states: “One shall be called the city of destruction” (Isaiah 19:18). The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of the verse: “One shall be called the city of destruction”? The Gemara answers: As Rav Yosef translates into Aramaic: Concerning the City of the Sun, which will be destroyed in the future, it will be said that it is one of them. And from where is it derived that in the phrase: “The city of destruction [heres],” the term heres is referring to the sun? As it is written: “Who commands the sun [ḥeres], and it does not rise; and seals up the stars” (Job 9:7). § After mentioning the Jewish community in Egypt, the Gemara discusses Jewish communities in other locations. The verse states: “Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your seed from the east and gather you from the west; I will say to the north: Give up, and to the south: Keep not back, bring My sons from far, and My daughters from the end of the earth” (Isaiah 43:5–6). What is the meaning of “bring My sons from far”? Rav Huna says: These are the exiles of Babylonia, whose minds are calm, like sons, and who can therefore focus properly on Torah study and mitzvot. What is the meaning of “and My daughters from the end of the earth”? These are the exiles of other countries, whose minds are unsettled, like daughters. § Rabbi Abba bar Rav Yitzḥak says that Rav Ḥisda says, and some say that Rav Yehuda says that Rav says: The gentiles living from Tyre to Carthage recognize the Jewish people, their religion, and their Father in Heaven. But those living to the west of Tyre and to the east of Carthage recognize neither the Jewish people nor their Father in Heaven. Rav Shimi bar Ḥiyya raised an objection to the statement of Rav from the verse: “From the rising of the sun until it sets, My name is great among the nations; and in every place offerings are presented to My name, and a pure meal offering; for My name is great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 1:11). This indicates that God’s name is known across the entire world, even to the west of Tyre and the east of Carthage. Rav said to him: Shimi, is it you who is raising such an objection? The verse does not mean that they recognize God and worship him. Rather, it means that although they worship idols, they call Him the God of gods. § The verse states: “And in every place offerings are presented to My name, and a pure meal offering; for My name is great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.” Does it enter your mind to say that it is permitted to sacrifice offerings in every place? Rather, Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: These are Torah scholars, who engage in Torah study in every place. God says: I ascribe them credit as though they burn and present offerings to My name. Furthermore, when the verse states: “And a pure meal offering,” this is referring to one who studies Torah in purity, i.e., one who first marries a woman and afterward studies Torah. Since he is married, he is not disturbed by sinful thoughts. The Gemara cites another verse that praises Torah scholars. “A Song of Ascents, Behold, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who stand in the House of the Lord at night” (Psalms 134:1). What is the meaning of “at night,” given that the Temple service is not performed at night and all the offerings must be sacrificed during the daytime? Rabbi Yoḥanan says: These are Torah scholars, who engage in Torah study at night. The verse ascribes them credit as though they engage in the Temple service. § The Gemara cites another verse that is interpreted in a similar vein. King Solomon said to Hiram of Tyre: “Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, to dedicate it to Him, and to burn before Him incense of sweet spices, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Shabbatot, and on the New Moons, and on the Festivals of the Lord our God. This is an ordinance forever for Israel” (II Chronicles 2:3). Since the Temple was eventually destroyed, what did Solomon mean when he said that it is “an ordinance forever”? Rav Giddel says that Rav says: This is referring to the altar that remains built in Heaven even after the earthly Temple was destroyed, and the angel Michael, the great minister, stands and sacrifices an offering upon it. And Rabbi Yoḥanan says that there is an alternative explanation of the verse: These are Torah scholars, who engage in studying the halakhot of the Temple service. The verse ascribes them credit as though the Temple was built in their days and they are serving in it. § The Gemara cites similar interpretations of verses: Reish Lakish said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “This is the law [torah] of the burnt offering, of the meal offering, and of the sin offering, and of the guilt offering, and of the consecration offering, and of the sacrifice of peace offerings” (Leviticus 7:37)? This teaches that anyone who engages in Torah study is considered as though he sacrificed a burnt offering, a meal offering, a sin offering, and a guilt offering. Rava said an objection to this interpretation: This verse states: “Of the burnt offering, of the meal offering.” If the interpretation of Reish Lakish is correct, the verse should have written: “Burnt offering and meal offering.” Rather, Rava says that the correct interpretation of this verse is: Anyone who engages in Torah study need not bring a burnt offering, nor a sin offering, nor a meal offering, nor a guilt offering. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “This is the law of the sin offering” (Leviticus 6:18), and: “This is the law of the guilt offering” (Leviticus 7:1)? These verses teach that anyone who engages in studying the law of the sin offering is ascribed credit as though he sacrificed a sin offering, and anyone who engages in studying the law of a guilt offering is ascribed credit as though he sacrificed a guilt offering. MISHNA: It is stated with regard to an animal burnt offering: “A fire offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord” (Leviticus 1:9), and with regard to a bird burnt offering: “A fire offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord” (Leviticus 1:17), and with regard to a meal offering: “A fire offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord” (Leviticus 2:2). The repetitive language employed concerning all of these different offerings is to say to you that one who brings a substantial offering and one who brings a meager offering have equal merit, provided that he directs his heart toward Heaven. GEMARA: Rabbi Zeira said: What is the verse from which this principle is derived? “Sweet is the sleep of a laboring man, whether he consumes little or much”(Ecclesiastes 5:11).The verse is interpreted as referring to one who brings an offering, and teaches that one who brings a substantial offering and one who brings a meager offering can be equally assured that their offering will be accepted. Rav Adda bar Ahava said that the source is from here: “When goods increase, those who consume them increase; and what advantage is there to the owner, except seeing them with his eyes?” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). One who brings a substantial offering, who thereby increases the number of priests who partake of it, does not have more merit than one who brings a meager offering. Rather, the offering that God desires is one where He recognizes, i.e., “seeing them with His eyes,” that its owner has the proper intent. The Gemara addresses the expression “an aroma pleasing to the Lord” stated in the verses mentioned in the mishna. It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Shimon ben Azzai says: Come and see what is written in the portion of offerings: As in these verses, the divine names El and Elohim are not stated, but only “the Lord.” This is so as not to give a claim to a litigant to argue. Only one name of God is used in conjunction with all the various offerings, to prevent heretics from claiming that different offerings are brought to different gods. And it is stated with regard to a large bull offering: “A fire offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord” (Leviticus 1:9), and with regard to a small bird offering: “A fire offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord” (Leviticus 1:17), and with regard to a meal offering: “A fire offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord” (Leviticus 1:9). The repetitive language employed concerning all of these different offerings is to say to you that one who brings a substantial offering and one who brings a meager offering have equal merit, provided that he directs his heart toward Heaven. And lest you say that God needs these offerings for consumption, in which case a larger offering would be preferable to a smaller one, the verse states: “If I were hungry, I would not tell you; for the world is Mine, and everything within it” (Psalms 50:12). And it is stated: “For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains; and the wild beasts of the field are Mine” (Psalms 50:10–11). Similarly, it is stated in the following verse: “Do I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?” (Psalms 50:13). I did not say to you: Sacrifice offerings to me, so that you will say: I will do His will, i.e., fulfill His needs, and He will do my will. You are not sacrificing to fulfill My will, i.e., My needs, but you are sacrificing to fulfill your will, i.e., your needs, in order to achieve atonement for your sins by observing My mitzvot, as it is stated: “And when you sacrifice an offering of peace offerings to the Lord, you shall sacrifice it so that you may be accepted” (Leviticus 19:5). Alternatively, the verse: “And when you sacrifice an offering of peace offerings to the Lord, you shall sacrifice it so that you may be accepted [lirtzonkhem]” (Leviticus 19:5), can be interpreted differently: Sacrifice willingly [lirtzonkhem]; sacrifice intentionally. This is as Shmuel asked Rav Huna: From where is it derived with regard to one who acts unawares in the case of consecrated items, i.e., if one slaughtered an offering without intending to perform the act of slaughter at all, but rather appeared like one occupied with other matters, that the offering is disqualified? Rav Huna said to Shmuel: It is derived from a verse, as it is stated: “And he shall slaughter the young bull before the Lord” (Leviticus 1:5), teaching that the mitzva is not performed properly unless the slaughter is for the sake of a young bull, i.e., with the knowledge that he is performing an act of slaughter. Shmuel said to Rav Huna: We have this as an established halakha already, that it is a mitzva to slaughter the offering for the sake of a bull, but from where is it derived that this requirement is indispensable? Rav Huna said to him that the verse states: “With your will you shall slaughter it” (Leviticus 19:5), i.e., sacrifice intentionally, in the form of a purposeful action.

פתח עינים על מנחות ק״י א:ו׳

אחד המרבה ואחד הממעיט וכו'. עיין מ"ש בעניותנו לעיל בקונטריס זה פרק קמא דשבועות בס"ד ואמר פ"ק דברכות דף ה' ר' יוחנן לר"א אי משום תורה דלא אפשת שנינו אחד המרבה וכו'. וראיתי בספר חסידים סימן תתקמ"ה שפירש לב' אחרונים שאינם פקחים כלב הראשונים שוה לפני ה' שאם לא תאמר כך יוכל כל דור לומר למה לא נבראתי בימים ראשונים שהיו חכמים גדולים והייתי לומד תורה הרבה אומר לו מה אכפת לך אחד המרבה ואחד הממעיט ובלבד שיכוין לבו לשמים ולא ישב בטל אלא יהגה כל עת שיכול אף על פי שאין לבו חריף כל כך עכ"ד. ואפשר לומר א' המרבה לימוד לעצמו וא' הממעיט שלומד עם ע"ה וצריך לחזור כמה פעמים כמ"ש שם בספר חסידים סימן תתקמ"ו א"נ אחד המרבה גירסא ואחד הממעיט גירסא שמפלפל א"נ א' המרבה לכתוב חידושים וא' הממעיט בכתיבה שלא לבטל מלימודו הכל חשוב לפניו יתברך ובלבד שיכוין לבו לשמים ליחד קבה"ו וזהו יכוין לב"ו מלכות לשמים ז"א לזווגה פב"פ וזהו יכוין כי זה כל פרי התורה והמצוה כידוע מהזהר הקדוש וכתבי האר"י זצ"ל.

Petach Einayim on Menachot 110a:6

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טור, אורח חיים א׳

... ויפיל תחנתו לפני המקום א' המרבה וא' הממעיט ובלבד שיכוין לבו בתחנוניו כי טוב מעט בכוונה מהרבות בהם שלא בכוונה.

Tur, Orach Chaim 1

(1) Judah ben Tema says: "Be as strong as a panther, as light as an eagle, running like a gazelle and mighty as a lion to perform the will of your Father in heaven." He specified four things concerning the service of the Creator, may He be blessed. And he began with ‘strong as a panther’ since it is a great general principle of service to the Creator, may He be blessed, since sometimes a person desires to perform a mitzvah but is prevented from performing it because of people who mock him; therefore he warned that he should have fortitude against the mockers and not refrain from performing the mitzvah. So said Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai to his students: “May it be your will that the fear of heaven be upon you like the fear of flesh and blood.” And so he says concerning the subject of shame, that sometimes a person is ashamed before a person more than he is ashamed before the Creator, may He be blessed. Therefore he warned that you should have fortitude against the mockers and not be ashamed. So too did David, peace be upon him, say “I will speak of your decrees in the presence of kings and not be ashamed,” though he was pursued and he fled among the nations, he had taken strength in his Torah and learned, though they had mocked him. And he said ‘as light as an eagle’ corresponding to the eye’s vision, and compared it to an eagle because just as the eagle soars through the air, so too does the eyes’ vision, meaning that you should shut your eyes from seeing evil, for it is the beginning of transgression, for the eye sees, the heart covets and the person's limbs complete the act. And he said ‘as strong as a lion’ corresponding to the heart, for the might of service of the Creator, may he be blessed, is in the heart, and he stated that you should strengthen your heart for His service. He stated ‘run like a gazelle’ corresponding to the legs, for your legs shall run toward the good. So too would David the king, peace be upon him, pray for the three of them, but he changed the sequence, “Lead me in the path of your commandments” about legs. Following that he said “Turn my heart to your decrees.” And after that he said “Avert my eyes from seeing falsehood.” Concerning the heart he mentioned ‘turn,’ whereas concerning the eye, ‘avert,’ for the heart is in his power to turn toward the good path or the evil one, even after he has seen an evil action. Thus he prayed that he should help him to turn to the good path. But (avoiding) seeing an evil action is not in his power, for it is possible that it will come upon him suddenly, and he will see it. Thus he prayed that he avert his eyes from seeing falsehood, so he would not invite it before him at all. Thus a person needs strengthen himself as a lion to stand in the morning for the service of his Creator, even if his evil impulse taunts him in winter, saying ‘How can you get up in the morning when the cold is so great?’ or taunts him in summer, saying ‘How can you get up from your bed when you have not had enough sleep?’ he should strengthen himself to rise, for you should awaken the dawn, but it should not awaken you, as David, peace be on him, stated “Awake, my soul, awake, harp and lyre; I will awaken the dawn,” ‘I awaken the dawn, but the dawn does not awaken me.’ So much the more so had he awakened prior to the morning light to rise and offer supplications before his Creator, how great His beauty, and how good. And it is good that one who begins early should aim for the hours when the guard shifts change, which are at a third of the night, and at the end of two thirds of the night and at the end of the night, for at these times does the Holy One, blessed be He, recall the destruction of the Temple and the dispersion of Israel among the nations, and the prayer which a person offers at that hour for the destruction and the dispersion is propitious and close to acceptance. His supplication shall fall before God whether drawn out or cut short, it is only that he should orient his heart toward heaven in his supplications, for better a little with intention than increasing them out without intention. It is well to say the section of the Akedah and the section of the manna, and the Ten Commandments and the section of the sacrifices, namely the section of the burnt offering and the meal offering and the offering of well being and the sin offering and the guilt offering. Of course it is preferable to say the section of the sacrifices during the day, for they are in place of the offering of the sacrifice, whose time is during the day. When he concludes the section of the burnt offering, he shall say ‘Master of the universe, may it be your will that this be considered and accepted before you as if I had offered a burnt sacrifice in its time. So too shall he say after the section of the meal offering and the offering of well being and the guilt offering. But after the section of the sin offering, he shall not so say, since it does not come freely. And if he is not able to rise early, prior to morning light, in any case he designates the time of the prayer which he is designates for all of life, and should not tarry. And he should well consider in his heart, if he had been in the service of a flesh and blood king who commanded him to rise early at the morning light to his service, he would have taken care and rushed to arise for the service which he commanded him, so much the more so, all the more and all the more so much the more so before the King of kings of kings, the Holy One blessed be He.

אורח חיים א׳:ד׳

טוב מעט תחנונים בכוונה מהרבות בלא כוונה.

Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 1:4

(4) Better few supplications with concentration than much without concentration.

טורי זהב על שולחן ערוך אורח חיים א׳:ג׳

טוב מעט כו'. ז"ל רבינו אחד המרבה ואחד הממעיט ובלבד שיכוין לבו בתחנוניו כי טוב מעט בכוונ' מהרבות בהם שלא בכוונ'. וקשה ממ"נ אי מיירי תחל' במרב' בכוונ' למה ישוה עם הממעיט ואי בלא כוונה למה אמר אח"כ כי טוב יותר כו' ומתחל' השוה אותם ובגמ' סוף מנחות אמרי' א' המרבה וא' הממעיט ובלבד שיכוין לבו לשמים ונראה ע"פ דמצינו בפ"ק דשבת דף י' רבא חזיה לרב המנונא דקא מאריך בצלותי' אמר מניחין חיי עולם ועוסקין בחיי שעה והוא סבר זמן תורה לחוד כו' ועד"ז שפיר אמרו א' המרבה בתפל' כרב המנונא דס"ל זמן תורה לחוד כו' ואחד הממעיט בתפל' כרבא שכוונתו לעסוק בתורה וע"כ מסיים שפיר ובלבד שיכוין לבו לשמים כלומר באותו ענין שממעט בתפל' הוא לש"ש ועפ"ז אמר רבינו כי לפעמים הוא ריבוי התפל' סיבה לשלא יוכל לכוון וא"כ טוב לקצר ולכוון ע"כ אמר אחד המרב' ואחד הממעיט מטעם שיהי' לו כוונ' וע"כ סיים ובלבד כו' פי' שהמיעוט שהוא ממעט הוא לסיב' שיכוין לבו לשמים כי טוב יותר למעט בכוונ' ממי שמרבה בלא כוונה וזהו סיבה שממעט שיהי' לו כוונה כנ"ל נכון.

Turei Zahav on Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 1:3

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באר היטב אורח חיים א׳:ח׳

בכוונה. ר''ל דמי שיש לו אונס ואינו יכול להאריך וממעט בתחנונים ואומרם בכוונה נחשב לפני הקב''ה כמו אותו שיש לו פנאי ומאריך בתחנונים בכוונה. מ''ב וכ''כ יד אהרן. ועט''ז ובתשובת שבות יעקב ח''ב סי' מ''ד. ועיין תוס' י''ט במסכת אבות פרק ב' משנה ט''ז. כתב בספר מקור חיים דה''ה בלימוד תורה נמי הדין כן וכ''כ בסולת בלולה.

Ba'er Hetev on Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 1:8

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ערוך השולחן, אורח חיים א׳:כ״א

וגם זה שכתב אחר כך בסעיף ד: טוב מעט תחנונים בכוונה מהרבות בלא כוונה. עד כאן לשונו – גם כן אהך עניינא קאי, על חורבן בית המקדש. והוא מדברי הטור שכתב על הך דשלוש משמרות, וזה לשונו: והתפילה שיתפלל באותה שעה על החורבן – רצויה... אחד המרבה ואחד הממעיט, ובלבד שיכוין לבו בתחנוניו. כי טוב מעט בכוונה מהרבות בהם שלא בכוונה. עד כאן לשונו, כלומר: כגון שיש לו שעה לומר תחנונים ולא יותר – לא יאמר הרבה תחנונים בלא כוונה, וטוב יותר מעט ובכוונת הלב. והוא הדין בכל הדברים, כמו בלימוד תורה, באמירת תהלים, וכיוצא בהם: טוב מעט בכוונה מהרבה שלא בכוונה.

שולחן ערוך הרב א׳:א׳:ט׳

טוב מעט תחנונים בכוונה מהרבות שלא בכוונה, וכן בתלמוד תורה. ומי שיש לו לב להבין ללמוד, טוב לו ללמוד מלהרבות בתחנונים, כי תלמוד תורה גדול מעיון תפלה.

כף החיים על שולחן ערוך אורח חיים א׳:כ״ט:א׳

כט) [סעיף ד'] טוב מעט תחנונים בכוונה וכו' וכן בתורה, דשואלין קבעת עתים ואין שואלין כמה תורה למד. וטוב ללמוד ה' פרקים במתון ונעימה יותר מכ' בנחיצה.

משנה ברורה א׳:י״ב

(יב) בלא כונה – אבל אם המרבה כיוון גם כן, המרבה טוב יותר. ואם הממעט יש לו אונס ואינו יכול להאריך, או שהוא משער בעצמו שאם יאריך – לא יהיה יוכל לכוין, וממעט בתחנונים ואומרם בכוונה, נחשב לפני ה' יתברך כמו אותו שיש לו פנאי ומאריך בתחנונים בכוונה. ועל זה שנינו: "אחד המרבה ואחד הממעיט, ובלבד שיכוין ליבו לשמים". וכן לענין תלמוד תורה העניין כן, כי הכל תלוי לפני ה' יתברך אם עושה כל אשר בכוחו לעשות. ומי שהוא בעל תורה ויש לו לב להבין וללמוד, יכול למנוע מלומר הרבה תחינות ובקשות הנדפסות בסידורים, וטוב יותר שילמוד במקומם. וצריך האדם לקבוע לו עת ללמוד ספרי מוסר בכל יום ויום, אם מעט ואם הרבה, כי הגדול מחבירו יצרו גדול הימנו. ותבלין היצר הרע הוא תוכחת מאמרי חז"ל.

Mishnah Berurah 1:12

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