Jew Curious - Amidah

There is a teaching in agreement with R. Jose b. R. Hannina: Abraham instituted the morning Tefillah; as it is said, "And Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he had stood" (Gen. xix. 27) — "standing" means prayer; as it is said, "Then stood up Pinchas and prayed" (Ps. cvi. 30). Isaac instituted the afternoon Tefillah; as it is said, "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at evening" (Gen. xxiv. 63) — "meditation" [sihah] means prayer; as it is said, "A prayer of the afflicted when he faints, and poures out his complaint [sihah] before the Lord" (Ps, cii. 1). Jacob instituted the evening Tefillah ; as it is said, "And he lighted [paga'] upon the place, and tarried there all night" (Gen. xxviii. 11) — "alighting" means prayer; as it is said, "Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession [paga'] to Me" (Jer. vii. 16).

The Amidah prayer: From where do we know this? — As it has been taught: Shimon Hapakuli organized eighteen blessings in the presence of Rabban Gamaliel in a fixed order in Yavneh. R. Yohanan said (others report, it was stated in a baraita): A hundred and twenty elders, among whom were many prophets, drew up eighteen blessings in a fixed order. Our Rabbis taught: How do we know that the blessing of the Patriarchs (1) should be said? Because it says, “Ascribe unto the Lord the sons of might” (Psalms 29:1). And from where do we know that we say the blessing of mighty deeds (2) ? Because it says, “Ascribe unto the Lord glory and strength” (Psalms 29:1). And from where do we know that we say sanctifications (3)? Because it says, “Ascribe unto the Lord the glory due His name, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” (Psalms 29:2) What reason did they have for saying “understanding” (4) after holiness? Because it says, “They shall sanctify the Holy One of Jacob and shall stand in awe of the God of Israel” (Isaiah 29:23), and next to this, “They also that err in spirit shall come to understanding” (Isaiah 29:24). What reason did they have for saying “repentance” after “understanding” (5) ? Because it is written, “Understanding with their heart, they will repent and be healed” (Isaiah 6:10). If that is the reason, healing should be mentioned next to repentance? Do not think such a thing, since it is written, “And let him return to the Lord and He will have compassion upon him, and to our God, for He will abundantly forgive” (Isaiah 55:7). But what did you see to rely on this verse? Rely rather on the other! There is written another verse, “Who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit”(Psalms 103:3-4). This implies that redemption and healing come after forgiveness. But it is written, “And he will repent and be healed”? That refers not to the healing of sickness but to the healing [power] of forgiveness. What reason did they have for saying redemption in the seventh blessing? Rava said: Because they [Israel] are destined to be redeemed in the seventh year [of the coming of the Messiah], therefore the mention of redemption was placed in the seventh blessing. But a Master has said, In the sixth year will be thunder, in the seventh wars, at the end of the seventh the son of David will come? War is also the beginning of redemption. What was their reason for saying healing in the eighth blessing? R. Aha said: Because circumcision which requires healing is given for the eighth day, therefore it was placed in the eighth blessing. What was their reason for saying the blessing of the years ninth? R. Alexandri said: This was directed against those who raise the market price, as it is written, “Break the arm of the wicked” (Psalms 10:15); and when David said this, he said it in the ninth Psalm. What was their reason for saying the gathering of the exiles after the blessing of the years? Because it is written, “But you, O mountains of Israel, you shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to your people Israel, for they are at hand to come” (Ezekiel 36:8). And when the exiles are gather, judgment will be visited on the wicked, as it says, “And I will turn my hand upon you and purge away your dross as with lye” (Isaiah 1:25) and it is written further, “And I will restore your judges as at the first” (Isiah 1:26). And when judgment is visited on the wicked, apostates will cease, and presumptuous sinners are included with them, as it is written, “But the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed” (Isaiah 1:28). And when the transgressors have disappeared, the horn of the righteous will be exalted, as it is written, “All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off, but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted” (Psalms 95:11). And “righteous converts” are included with the righteous, as it says, “Before the hoary head rise up, and honor the face of the elder”, and the text goes on, “And if a stranger sojourns with you” (Leviticus 19:32). And where is the horn of the righteous exalted? In Jerusalem, as it says, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, may they prosper that love you” (Psalms 122:6). And when Jerusalem is built, David will come, as it says,

(3) Rabban Gamliel says: Every day a person must pray eighteen [blessings of Shemoneh Esrei]. Rabbi Yehoshua says: [One may say] an abbreviated [form of the] eighteen [blessings]. Rabbi Akiva says: If his prayer is fluent in his mouth, he must say eighteen; and if it is not -- an abbreviated eighteen.

To what do the seven Sabbath-benedictions correspond ? R. Halafta b. Saul said: To the seven "voices" which David mentioned concerning the waters (Ps. xxix.). To what do the nine benedictions in the New Year Tefillah correspond ? R. Isaac of Kartignin said : To the nine references to the Divine Name which Hannah made in her prayer (I Sam. ii. 1-10) ; for the teacher said : On the New Year's day Sarah, Rachel and Hannah were "visited." To what do the twenty-four benedictions of the fast day correspond ?...

When the leader recites Modim, What do the people say? Rav said: We thank You Ado-nai Our God...so that we are thankful to You. Shmuel said: God of all flesh, we thank You. Rabbi Simai said: Our Creator, Originator of Creation we thank You. Nehardei says in the name of Rabbi Simai: Blessings and thanksgiving to Your Great Name for You have kept us alive and sustained us, so we thank You. Rav Acha son of Yakov finishes it this way: And so keep us alive and show us kindness, gather and collect our dispersed to Your Holy Courts so that we may keep Your laws and do Your will with a full heart, and we thank You. Rav Pappa said: We will say them all.

(1) In the year that King Uzziah died, I beheld my Lord seated on a high and lofty throne; and the skirts of His robe filled the Temple. (2) Seraphs stood in attendance on Him. Each of them had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his legs, and with two he would fly. (3) And one would call to the other, “Holy, holy, holy! The LORD of Hosts! His presence fills all the earth!” (4) The doorposts would shake at the sound of the one who called, and the House kept filling with smoke. (5) I cried, “Woe is me; I am lost! For I am a man of unclean lips And I live among a people Of unclean lips; Yet my own eyes have beheld The King LORD of Hosts.”

(1) In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, when I was in the community of exiles by the Chebar Canal, the heavens opened and I saw visions of God. (2) On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin— (3) the word of the LORD came to the priest Ezekiel son of Buzi, by the Chebar Canal, in the land of the Chaldeans. And the hand of the LORD came upon him there. (4) I looked, and lo, a stormy wind came sweeping out of the north—a huge cloud and flashing fire, surrounded by a radiance; and in the center of it, in the center of the fire, a gleam as of amber. (5) In the center of it were also the figures of four creatures. And this was their appearance: They had the figures of human beings. (6) However, each had four faces, and each of them had four wings; (7) the legs of each were [fused into] a single rigid leg, and the feet of each were like a single calf’s hoof; and their sparkle was like the luster of burnished bronze. (8) They had human hands below their wings. The four of them had their faces and their wings on their four sides. (9) Each one’s wings touched those of the other. They did not turn when they moved; each could move in the direction of any of its faces... (10) Then He said to me: “Mortal, listen with your ears and receive into your mind all the words that I speak to you. (11) Go to your people, the exile community, and speak to them. Say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD—whether they listen or not.” (12) Then a spirit carried me away, and behind me I heard a great roaring sound: “Blessed is the Presence of the LORD, in His place,” (13) with the sound of the wings of the creatures beating against one another, and the sound of the wheels beside them—a great roaring sound.”

By this injunction we are commanded to serve G!d. This Commandment is repeated several times in Scripture: "And you shall serve the LORD your G!d," "And God shall you serve," and God shall you serve," "and to serve God."

Although thisCommandment is of the class of General Precepts which are excluded from the 613 Commandments under the Fourth Principle [Fear/Awe of G!d], it none the less imposes a specific duty, viz. that of Prayer. The Sifre says 'to serve G!d' means prayer. The Sages also say, 'to serve G!d means study of Law.'

In the Mishnah of Rabbi Eliezer, the son of Rabbi Yosi Ha-Galili, the Sages say, "from where do we learn that Prayer is obligatory? From the verse, 'You shall fear G!d thy G!d and G!d shall you serve." The Sages also say, "Serve G!d through G!d's Torah and Serve G!d in G!d's Sanctuary. which means that we should aspire to pray either in the Temple or towards it as Solomon clearly said.