Kevah and Kavanah - Harvard Hillel Pluralism Intensive

Blessing for Torah study

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶך–הָעולָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָנוּ בְּמִצְותָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לַעֲסק בְּדִבְרֵי-תורָה.

Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu laasok b’divrei Torah.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who hallows us with mitzvot, commanding us to engage with words of Torah.

Kavanah & Keva: Definitions (from a source sheet by Rabbi Michael Howald)
כונה (kavanah) comes from a Hebrew root כון that has many different meanings in the Hebrew Bible. In Rabbinic literature, כונה refers to ‎intention; ‎attention; ‎devotion, purpose, concentration.
קבע ‎(kevah) In Rabbinic literature, ‎קבע refers to "appointment, ‎permanency, ‎institu‎tion; ‎a regular, ‎perfunctory ‎act."

Group Learning: Brachot 29b

ברכות כ״ט ב:ז׳

רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר כׇּל הָעוֹשֶׂה תְּפִלָּתוֹ קֶבַע וְכוּ׳: מַאי ״קֶבַע״? אָמַר רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אִידֵּי אָמַר רַבִּי אוֹשַׁעְיָא: כֹּל שֶׁתְּפִלָּתוֹ דּוֹמָה עָלָיו כְּמַשּׂוֹי. וְרַבָּנַן אָמְרִי: כׇּל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ אוֹמְרָהּ בִּלְשׁוֹן תַּחֲנוּנִים. רַבָּה וְרַב יוֹסֵף דְאָמְרִי תַּרְוַיְיהוּ: כֹּל שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְחַדֵּשׁ בָּהּ דָּבָר.

Berakhot 29b:7

We learned in the mishna that Rabbi Eliezer says: One whose prayer is fixed, his prayer is not supplication. The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of fixed (kevah) in this context? Rabbi Ya’akov bar Idi said that Rabbi Oshaya said: It means anyone for whom his prayer is like a burden upon him, from which he seeks to be quickly unburdened. The Rabbis say: This refers to anyone who does not recite prayer in the language of supplication, but as a standardized recitation without emotion. Rabba and Rav Yosef both said: It refers to anyone unable to introduce a novel element, i.e., something personal reflecting his personal needs, to his prayer, and only recites the standard formula.

Questions for text study:

What does this text literally mean – pshat?

What is the significance of this text – drash?

What does this text mean to me?

Discussion questions:

What is the difference between "fixed prayers" (קבע) and "supplication" (תפלתו תחנונים)? Do you relate to one more than the other?
Rabba and Rav Yosef mentioned a personal element added to prayer. How does this effect prayer? Does it make prayer more significant? If so, how?
If we take this text as instructions on how to pray, what do you understand to be required of a prayer experience?
- How is this consistent with or how does this differ from your own conception of prayer?

Hevruta Learning

שמואל א א׳:י״ב-י״ז

וְהָיָה֙ כִּ֣י הִרְבְּתָ֔ה לְהִתְפַּלֵּ֖ל לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וְעֵלִ֖י שֹׁמֵ֥ר אֶת־פִּֽיהָ׃ וְחַנָּ֗ה הִ֚יא מְדַבֶּ֣רֶת עַל־לִבָּ֔הּ רַ֚ק שְׂפָתֶ֣יהָ נָּע֔וֹת וְקוֹלָ֖הּ לֹ֣א יִשָּׁמֵ֑עַ וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ עֵלִ֖י לְשִׁכֹּרָֽה׃ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ עֵלִ֔י עַד־מָתַ֖י תִּשְׁתַּכָּרִ֑ין הָסִ֥ירִי אֶת־יֵינֵ֖ךְ מֵעָלָֽיִךְ׃ וַתַּ֨עַן חַנָּ֤ה וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֲדֹנִ֔י אִשָּׁ֤ה קְשַׁת־ר֙וּחַ֙ אָנֹ֔כִי וְיַ֥יִן וְשֵׁכָ֖ר לֹ֣א שָׁתִ֑יתִי וָאֶשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ אַל־תִּתֵּן֙ אֶת־אֲמָ֣תְךָ֔ לִפְנֵ֖י בַּת־בְּלִיָּ֑עַל כִּֽי־מֵרֹ֥ב שִׂיחִ֛י וְכַעְסִ֖י דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי עַד־הֵֽנָּה׃ וַיַּ֧עַן עֵלִ֛י וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לְכִ֣י לְשָׁל֑וֹם וֵאלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל יִתֵּן֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣לָתֵ֔ךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁאַ֖לְתְּ מֵעִמּֽוֹ׃

I Samuel 1:12-17

As she kept on praying before the LORD, Eli watched her mouth. Now Hannah was praying in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. Eli said to her, “How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Sober up!” And Hannah replied, “Oh no, my lord! I am a very unhappy woman. I have drunk no wine or other strong drink, but I have been pouring out my heart to the LORD. Do not take your maidservant for a worthless woman; I have only been speaking all this time out of my great anguish and distress.” “Then go in peace,” said Eli, “and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of Him.”

Questions for text study:

What does this text literally mean – pshat?

What is the significance of this text – drash?

What does this text mean to me?

Now, let's read a Rabbinic commentary based on Hannah's story.

ברכות ל״א א:כ״ז

אָמַר רַב הַמְנוּנָא: כַּמָּה הִלְכְתָא גִּבָּרָווֹתָא אִיכָּא לְמִשְׁמַע מֵהָנֵי קְרָאֵי דְחַנָּה. ״וְחַנָּה הִיא מְדַבֶּרֶת עַל לִבָּהּ״ — מִכָּאן לַמִּתְפַּלֵּל צָרִיךְ שֶׁיְּכַוֵּין לִבּוֹ. ״רַק שְׂפָתֶיהָ נָּעוֹת״ — מִכָּאן לַמִּתְפַּלֵּל שֶׁיַּחְתּוֹךְ בִּשְׂפָתָיו. ״וְקוֹלָהּ לֹא יִשָּׁמֵעַ״ — מִכָּאן שֶׁאָסוּר לְהַגְבִּיהַּ קוֹלוֹ בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ. ״וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ עֵלִי לְשִׁכֹּרָה״ — מִכָּאן שֶׁשִּׁכּוֹר אָסוּר לְהִתְפַּלֵּל.

Berakhot 31a:27

Rav Hamnuna said: How many significant halakhot (laws) can be derived from these verses of the prayer of Hannah? As it says: “And Hannah spoke in her heart, only her lips moved and her voice could not be heard, so Eli thought her to be drunk” (I Samuel 1:13). The Gemara elaborates: From that which is stated here: “And Hannah spoke in her heart,” the halakha that one who prays must focus his heart on his prayer is derived. And from that which is stated here: “Only her lips moved,” the halakha that one who prays must enunciate the words with his lips, not only contemplate them in his heart, is derived. From that which is written here: “And her voice could not be heard,” the halakha that one is forbidden to raise his voice in his Amida prayer as it must be recited silently. From the continuation of the verse here: “So Eli thought her to be drunk,” the halakha that a drunk person is forbidden to pray. That is why he rebuked her.

Questions for text study:

What does this text literally mean – pshat?

What is the significance of this text – drash?

What does this text mean to me?

Discussion questions:

How does Hannah's prayer set a model for Jewish prayer?
Where do kevah and kavanah play in this story?
Do you relate to Hannah's prayer and the halakhot the Rabbis derived from it? Why or why not?

ישעיהו נ״ח

(ב) וְאוֹתִ֗י י֥וֹם יוֹם֙ יִדְרֹשׁ֔וּן וְדַ֥עַת דְּרָכַ֖י יֶחְפָּצ֑וּן כְּג֞וֹי אֲשֶׁר־צְדָקָ֣ה עָשָׂ֗ה וּמִשְׁפַּ֤ט אֱלֹהָיו֙ לֹ֣א עָזָ֔ב יִשְׁאָל֙וּנִי֙ מִשְׁפְּטֵי־צֶ֔דֶק קִרְבַ֥ת אֱלֹהִ֖ים יֶחְפָּצֽוּן׃

(ג) לָ֤מָּה צַּ֙מְנוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א רָאִ֔יתָ עִנִּ֥ינוּ נַפְשֵׁ֖נוּ וְלֹ֣א תֵדָ֑ע הֵ֣ן בְּי֤וֹם צֹֽמְכֶם֙ תִּמְצְאוּ־חֵ֔פֶץ וְכָל־עַצְּבֵיכֶ֖ם תִּנְגֹּֽשׂוּ׃

(ד) הֵ֣ן לְרִ֤יב וּמַצָּה֙ תָּצ֔וּמוּ וּלְהַכּ֖וֹת בְּאֶגְרֹ֣ף רֶ֑שַׁע לֹא־תָצ֣וּמוּ כַיּ֔וֹם לְהַשְׁמִ֥יעַ בַּמָּר֖וֹם קוֹלְכֶֽם׃

(ה) הֲכָזֶ֗ה יִֽהְיֶה֙ צ֣וֹם אֶבְחָרֵ֔הוּ י֛וֹם עַנּ֥וֹת אָדָ֖ם נַפְשׁ֑וֹ הֲלָכֹ֨ף כְּאַגְמֹ֜ן רֹאשׁ֗וֹ וְשַׂ֤ק וָאֵ֙פֶר֙ יַצִּ֔יעַ הֲלָזֶה֙ תִּקְרָא־צ֔וֹם וְי֥וֹם רָצ֖וֹן לַיהוָֽה׃

(ו) הֲל֣וֹא זֶה֮ צ֣וֹם אֶבְחָרֵהוּ֒ פַּתֵּ֙חַ֙ חַרְצֻבּ֣וֹת רֶ֔שַׁע הַתֵּ֖ר אֲגֻדּ֣וֹת מוֹטָ֑ה וְשַׁלַּ֤ח רְצוּצִים֙ חָפְשִׁ֔ים וְכָל־מוֹטָ֖ה תְּנַתֵּֽקוּ׃

Isaiah 58

(2) To be sure, they seek Me daily, Eager to learn My ways. Like a nation that does what is right, That has not abandoned the laws of its God, They ask Me for the right way, They are eager for the nearness of God:

(3) “Why, when we fasted, did You not see? When we starved our bodies, did You pay no heed?” Because on your fast day You see to your business And oppress all your laborers!

(4) Because you fast in strife and contention, And you strike with a wicked fist! Your fasting today is not such As to make your voice heard on high.

(5) Is such the fast I desire, A day for men to starve their bodies? Is it bowing the head like a bulrush And lying in sackcloth and ashes? Do you call that a fast, A day when the LORD is favorable?

(6) No, this is the fast I desire: To unlock fetters of wickedness, And untie the cords of the yoke To let the oppressed go free; To break off every yoke.

Questions for text study:

What does this text literally mean – pshat?

What is the significance of this text – drash?

What does this text mean to me?

Discussion questions:

How do kevah and kavanah factor into this text?
How does this text set a model for Jewish prayer?
Do you think there is a relationship between prayer and action?

Group Discussion: Abraham Joshua Heschel

Moral Grandeur and Spiritual Audacity (essays edited by Susannah Heschel), Abraham Joshua Heschel at 111: "There is a specific difficulty with Jewish prayer. There are laws: fixed texts. On the other hand, prayer is worship of the heart, the outpouring of the soul, a matter of devotion. Thus, Jewish prayer is guided by two opposite principles: order and outburst, regularity and sponteneity, uniformity and individuality, law and freedom. These principles are the two poles about which Jewish prayer revolves. Since each of the two moves in the opposite direction, equilibrium can be maintained only if both are of equal force. However, the pole of regularity usually proves to be stronger than the pole of spontaneity, and as a result, there is a perpetual danger of prayer becoming a mere habit, a mechanical performance, an exercise in repetitiousness. The fixed pattern and regularity of our services tends to stifle the spontaneity of devotion. Our great problem, therefore, is how not to let the principle of regularity impair the power of devotion. It is a problem that concerns not only prayer but the whole sphere of Jewish observance. He who is not aware of this central difficulty is a simpleton; he who offers a simple solution is a quack."

Discussion questions:

Based on this text by Abraham Joshua Heschel and the definitions above, how would you describe the concepts of kevah and kavanah?
Heschel said that "the pole of regularity usually proves to be stronger than the pole of spontaneity." Do you agree? Why or why not?
Do you experience tension between these two poles in your experience with prayer?
What parts of this text do you relate to? What parts are unrelatable?

Texts for further study

משנה ברכות ד׳:ג׳

רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר, בְּכָל יוֹם מִתְפַּלֵּל אָדָם שְׁמֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר, מֵעֵין שְׁמֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר, אִם שְׁגוּרָה תְפִלָּתוֹ בְּפִיו, יִתְפַּלֵּל שְׁמֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה. וְאִם לָאו, מֵעֵין שְׁמֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה:

Mishnah Berakhot 4:3

Rabban Gamaliel says: every day a man should pray the eighteen [blessings]. Rabbi Joshua says: an abstract of the eighteen. Rabbi Akiva says: if he knows it fluently he prays the eighteen, and if not an abstract of the eighteen.

Note: The eighteen blessings, or shemona esrei/שמונה עשרה, refers to the eighteen blessings of Amidah, which is recited three times daily during weekdays.

Discussion questions:

What do you think these rabbis mean by an "abstract of the eighteen?"
Why do you think that the rule would be different for someone who knows the shemonah esrei fluently versus someone who does not?

משנה ברכות ב׳:א׳

הָיָה קוֹרֵא בַתּוֹרָה, וְהִגִּיעַ זְמַן הַמִּקְרָא, אִם כִּוֵּן לִבּוֹ, יָצָא. וְאִם לָאו, לֹא יָצָא. בַּפְּרָקִים שׁוֹאֵל מִפְּנֵי הַכָּבוֹד וּמֵשִׁיב, וּבָאֶמְצַע שׁוֹאֵל מִפְּנֵי הַיִּרְאָה וּמֵשִׁיב, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, בָּאֶמְצַע שׁוֹאֵל מִפְּנֵי הַיִּרְאָה, וּמֵשִׁיב מִפְּנֵי הַכָּבוֹד, בַּפְּרָקִים שׁוֹאֵל מִפְּנֵי הַכָּבוֹד, וּמֵשִׁיב שָׁלוֹם לְכָל אָדָם:

Mishnah Berakhot 2:1

If one was reading in the Torah [the section of the Shema] and the time for its recital arrived, if he directed his heart [to fulfill the mitzvah] he has fulfilled his obligation, but if not he has not fulfilled his obligation. In the breaks [between sections] one may give greeting out of respect and return greeting; in the middle [of a section] one may give greeting out of fear and return it, the words of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Judah says: in the middle one may give greeting out of fear and return it out of respect, in the breaks one may give greeting out of respect and return greeting to anyone.

משנה ברכות ה׳:א׳

אֵין עוֹמְדִין לְהִתְפַּלֵּל אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ כֹּבֶד רֹאשׁ. חֲסִידִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים הָיוּ שׁוֹהִים שָׁעָה אַחַת וּמִתְפַּלְּלִים, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּכַוְּנוּ אֶת לִבָּם לַמָּקוֹם. אֲפִלּוּ הַמֶּלֶךְ שׁוֹאֵל בִּשְׁלוֹמוֹ, לֹא יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ. וַאֲפִלּוּ נָחָשׁ כָּרוּךְ עַל עֲקֵבוֹ, לֹא יַפְסִיק:

Mishnah Berakhot 5:1

One should not stand up to say Tefillah except in a reverent state of mind. The pious men of old used to wait an hour before praying in order that they might direct their thoughts to God. Even if a king greets him [while praying] he should not answer him: even if a snake is wound round his heel he should not stop.

ברכות י״ג א:כ״ב-כ״ד

גְּמָ׳ שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ מִצְוֹת צְרִיכוֹת כַּוָּונָה. מַאי ״אִם כִּוֵּון לִבּוֹ״ — לִקְרוֹת. לִקְרוֹת?! וְהָא קָא קָרֵי! בְּקוֹרֵא לְהַגִּיהַּ.

Berakhot 13a:22-24

GEMARA: We learned in the mishna that one must focus his heart while reading the portion of Shema in the Torah in order to fulfill his obligation. From here, the Gemara seeks to conclude: Learn from this that mitzvot require intent, when one performs a mitzva, he must intend to fulfill his obligation. If he lacks that intention, he does not fulfill his obligation. With that statement, this Gemara hopes to resolve an issue that is raised several times throughout the Talmud. The Gemara rejects this conclusion: What is the meaning of: If one focused his heart? It means that one had the intention to read. The Gemara attacks this explanation: How can you say that it means that one must have intention to read? Isn’t he already reading? The case in the mishna refers to a person who is reading from the Torah. Therefore, focused his heart must refer to intention to perform a mitzva. The Gemara rejects this: Perhaps the mishna speaks of one who is reading the Torah not for the purpose of reciting the words, but in order to emend mistakes in the text. Therefore, if he focused his heart and intended to read the words and not merely emend the text, he fulfills his obligation. He need not have the intention to fulfill his obligation.

Questions:
After reading the text by Rabbi Heschel, why do you think Judaism has often relied on prayers with fixed texts and and times?
Is there an argument for fixity when it comes to prayer? Why or why not?
Can we have communal prayer without a common text and time?
After reading the Mishnayot on prayer in the section of fixity in prayer, what precisely does the Mishnah fix? What does it leave up to the community or the individual?
Why aren't perfunctory prayers acceptable?
Why does the Mishnah add the note about saying short prayers in dangerous places? How does this relate to perfunctory prayer?
After reading the story from Midrash Tanchuma, what point do you think it is trying to make?
Is the analogy between Antoninus and the "Sovereign of Sovereigns" a good one? Why or why not?
Is the nature of fixed prayer guided more by what humanity needs from God or what God wants from us?
After reading the discussion of intention in Rabbinic literature, why is intent the measure of acceptable prayer? Why not other measures, such as sponteneity or joy?
Do we need to pray in order to be ready to pray?
Are there different kinds of intent? If so, what kind of intent are we talking about when it comes to praying with intention?
What kind of intent is necessary to offer an acceptable prayer? How does the portion of the sugya from the Talmud (Berakhot 13a) inform your answer?
Is the Mishnah consistent with the Talmud on the issue of intent?
Are some prayers more important than others? If so, what determines their relative importance?
Read the section on Hannah from the Book of Samuel. Why is Hannah considered a good role model for prayer?
Why isn't silently reciting the prayers enough? Is this based on Hannah's example or other considerations?
What's the issue with raising one's voice during the Amidah? Is this just about decorum?
Why is praying while inebriated forbidden?
What's the remedy if we fail to say our prayers without proper kavannah?