Abridged Prayer

(1) In Rabban Gamliel's days, the number of heretics in Israel increased. They were wont to vex the Israelites and seduce them to turn away from God. When R. Gamliel realized that the most urgent need was to remove this evil, he composed a Benediction which contains a petition to God to destroy the heretics, and incorporated it in the Eighteen Blessings so that it should be in a fixed form for all. Hence the total number of Blessings in the Daily Service is Nineteen.

(2) In each of the three daily services, a person recites these nineteen blessings in their appointed order. But only if he finds that his mind is in a fit state for prayer and he is fluent in speech.^*He knows the blessing correctly. But if one is distracted and harassed, or is not fluent in speech, he should recite the first three blessings, a blessing embodying the gist of all the intermediate blessings, and the last three blessings, and then he has fulfilled his duty.

(3) The Blessing that they ordained as a summary of the intermediate blessings is as follows: Give us understanding, O Lord, our God, to know Thy ways, and circumcise our hearts to fear Thee. Be forgiving unto us, so that we may be redeemed. Keep us far from sorrow. Make us prosperous. Cause us to dwell in the pastures of Thy land. Gather the scattered from the four [corners of the earth]. Let them that go astray in the knowledge of Thee be judged;^*According to another reading, “Let them that go astray [learn to] judge according to the [true] knowledge of Thee.” (Rashi quoting Halachoth Gedoloth) Rabbenu Jonah renders, “Let them that go astray be judged according to Thy knowledge.” and over the wicked wave Thy hand. Let the righteous rejoice in the rebuilding of Thy city and in the reestablishment of Thy temple, and in the flourishing of the horn of David, Thy servant, and in the rekindling of the light of Jesse's son, Thine anointed. Before we call, do Thou answer; before we speak, do Thou hearken; as it is said, "And it shall come to pass, before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear" (Isaiah 65:24); for Thou art He who answereth in all times of trouble, who delivereth and rescueth from all distress, Blessed art Thou O Lord who hearkenest unto prayer.

(4) The foregoing rule only applies to the summer season. But in the winter the summary of the intermediate blessings is not recited; because, in the blessing for a prosperous year, the petition for dew and rain has to be recited. So also, this summary is not recited in the Evening Prayer at the close of Sabbath or Festival, because in the Blessing for Granting Understanding, the paragraph relating to the distinction between sacred and profane has to be added.

(5) On Sabbaths and Festivals, seven blessings are recited in each of the four Services for the day; namely, the usual first three blessings, and last three blessings, and an intermediate blessing appropriate to the particular day. On Sabbaths, the intermediate blessing concludes with the formula, "Who hallowest the Sabbath." On the Festivals it concludes, "Who hallowest Israel and the Seasons." And on a Sabbath which is at the same time a festival, the concluding formula is, "Who hallowest the Sabbath, Israel and the Seasons." On New Year, the conclusion is, "King over all the earth, who hallowest Israel and the Day of Memorial." When the New Year falls on a Sabbath, the concluding formula is, "King over all the earth, who hallowest the Sabbath, Israel and the Day of Memorial."

(6) The foregoing statement applies to the evening, morning and afternoon services of the New Year. But the additional service on the New Year consists of nine blessings; the first three and the last three recited daily, and three Intermediate. Of these intermediate benedictions, the theme of the first is God's Sovereignty; of the second His remembrance; while the third has references to the Shofar. Each of these blessings concludes with a formula appropriate to its theme.

(3) The mishna cites a dispute with regard to the obligation to recite the Amida prayer, also known as Shemoneh Esreh, the prayer of eighteen blessings, or simply as tefilla, prayer. Rabban Gamliel says: Each and every day a person recites the prayer of eighteen blessings (Shemoneh-Esrei).

Rabbi Yehoshua says: A short prayer is sufficient, and one only recites an abridged version of the prayer of eighteen blessings.

Rabbi Akiva says an intermediate opinion: If he is fluent in his prayer, he recites the prayer of eighteen blessings, and if not, he need only recite an abridged version of the prayer of eighteen blessings.

(4) Rabbi Eliezer says: One whose prayer is fixed, his prayer is not supplication.

Rabbi Yehoshua says: One who is walking in a place of danger, recites a brief prayer and says: Redeem, Lord, Your people, the remnant of Israel, at every transition [parashat ha’ibur]. May their needs be before You. Blessed are You, Lord, Who listens to prayer.

We learned in the mishna that Rabbi Yehoshua says that each day one recites an abridged version of the prayer of eighteen blessings.

What is the abridged version of the prayer of eighteen blessings?

Rav said: One recites an abridged version of each and every blessing.

Shmuel said: An abridged version of the prayer of eighteen blessings refers to a blessing composed specifically to be recited in place of the thirteen middle blessings: Grant us understanding, Lord our God, to know Your ways, and sensitize our hearts so that we may revere You, and forgive us so that we may be redeemed, and keep us far from our suffering, and satisfy us with the pastures of Your land, and gather our scattered people from the four corners of the earth, and those who go astray shall be judged according to Your will, and raise Your hand against the wicked, and may the righteous rejoice in the rebuilding of Your city, and the restoration of Your Sanctuary, and in the flourishing of Your servant David, and in establishing a light for Your Messiah, son of Yishai. Before we call, may You answer. Blessed are You, Lord, Who listens to prayer.”

Abaye would curse anyone who recited the prayer: Grant us understanding.

Rav Naḥman said that Shmuel said: One may recite: Grant us understanding throughout the entire year, except for in the evening prayer at the conclusion of Shabbat and at the conclusion of Festivals, because he must recite the prayer of distinction [havdala] in the blessing: Who graciously grants knowledge. Rabba bar

Shmuel strongly objects to this: let us say havdala as an independent fourth blessing, and afterwards Grant us understanding. As didn’t we learn in a mishna that Rabbi Akiva says: He says havdala as an independent fourth blessing? Rabbi Eliezer says: He says havdala in the blessing of thanksgiving.

Do we practice in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Akiva throughout the entire year regarding this issue, that we will also practice this way now? Throughout the entire year, what is the reason that we do not practice in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Akiva? Because they instituted eighteen blessings, they did not institute nineteen.

Here too, they instituted seven blessings, they did not institute eight.

Mar Zutra strongly objects to this: Let us include havdala in the framework of the abridged blessing: Grant us understanding, Lord our God, Who distinguishes between sacred and profane. It remains difficult.

Rav Beivai bar Abaye said: There is an additional restriction that applies to the abridged prayer. One may recite Grant us understanding throughout the entire year, except during the rainy season, because he must recite the request for rain in the blessing of the years.

Mar Zutra strongly objects to this: Let us include the request for rain in the framework of the abridged blessing: And satisfy us with the pastures of Your land, and grant dew and rain.

He will become confused by introducing a new element to the standard formula of the blessing.

If so, by introducing havdala in the framework of the abridged blessing in the section alluding to the blessing, Who graciously grants knowledge, he will also become confused.

They say that there, regarding havdala, since the introduction of the new element comes at the beginning of the prayer, he will not become confused. Here, since the request for rain comes in the middle of the prayer, he will become confused.

Grant us understanding and the brief prayer recited in times of danger? The Gemara answers: One who recites: Grant us understanding is required to recite the first three blessings and the last three blessings of the Amida prayer, and when he reaches his home, he need not pray again.