משנה: רִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר הָעוֹשֶׂה תְפִילָּתוֹ קֶבַע אֵין תְּפִילָּתוֹ תַחֲנוּנִים. רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר הַמְּהַלֵּךְ בְּמָקוֹם הַסַּכָּנָה מִתְפַּלֵּל תְּפִילָּה קְצָרָה מֵעֵין שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה וְאוֹמֵר הוֹשִׁיעָה יי֨ אֶת עַמְּךָ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל־פָּרַשָׁת הָעִיבּוּר יִהְיוּ צָרְכֵיהֶם לְפָנֶיךָ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי֨ שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִילָּה וְתַחֲנוּנִים. MISHNAH: Rebbi Eliezer says: If one makes his prayers fixed, his prayer is not a supplication193The Gemara to this statement is found in the preceding Halakha.. Rebbi Joshua says: He who passes through a place of danger recites a short prayer (similar to eighteen prayers)194This phrase is only found in Mishnah codices of the Israeli tradition, never in the Babylonian Mishnah. It seems that for R. Joshua in the Yerushalmi the short prayer is a replacement for Samuel’s text of the middle part of the short Amidah as explained here later by (the Babylonian!) Rav Ḥisda, but in Babylon it is interpreted as an independent prayer that must be complemented by a full Amidah once the danger has passed. and says: Help, o Eternal, your people Israel; in all passing situations may their needs be before You. Praised are You, o Eternal, Who hears prayer (and entreaties)195This is only in the Mishnah text in the Yerushalmi Halakhah (not in the Mishnah preceding the Chapter) and in a few Mishnah manuscripts..
הלכה: רִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר הָעוֹשֶׂה תְפִילָּתוֹ קֶבַע אֵין תְּפִילָּתוֹ תַחֲנוּנִים. רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ בְשֵׁם רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא כְקוֹרֵא בְּאִיגֶּרֶת. רִבִּי אָחָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹסֵי צָרִיךְ לְחַדֵּשׁ בָּהּ דָּבָר בְּכָל־יוֹם. אֲחִיתוֹפֶל הָיָה מִתְפַּלֵּל שָׁלֹשׁ תְּפִילּוֹת חֲדָשׁוֹת בְּכָל־יוֹם. אֲמַר רִבִּי זְעוֹרָא כָּל זְמָן דַּהֲוֵינָא עֲבִיד כֵּן הֲוֵינָא טְעִי. וְלֵית לָךְ אֶלָּא כַּיי דָּמַר רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ בְשֵׁם רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא כְקוֹרֵא בְּאִגֶּרֶת. רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הָיָה מִתְפַּלֵּל תְּפִילָּה חֲדָשָׁה בְּכָל־יוֹם. רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ הָיָה מְבָרֵךְ בְּרָכָה חֲדָשָׁה בְּכָל־יוֹם. HALAKHAH: “Rebbi Eliezer says: If one makes his prayer fixed, his prayer is not supplication182This belongs to the next Mishnah; the paragraph explains this statement. Most newer editions of the Yerushalmi move the section from here to the end of Halakhah 3 or to Halakhah 4. However, it seems that the error is not with the copyists of the Yerushalmi but with the copyists of the Mishnah and that the statement of Rebbi Eliezer belongs to Mishnah 3 where Rabban Gamliel says that everybody always prays 18 fixed benedictions. R. Joshua says everybody prays a shortened but fixed version, and R. Aqiba notes that one should follow either course depending on one’s knowledge. But Rebbi Eliezer insists that the appropriate form of prayer depends only on intent. In the first prints of the Babli, Soncino and Venice 5280, the statement of R. Eliezer belongs to Mishnah 3..” Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Eleazar: Only that one should not be like one who reads a letter183In the Babli (29b), it is the opinion of the anonymous rabbis that one should pronounce the prayers in form and intent of supplication.. Rebbi Aḥa in the name of Rebbi Yose: One has to say something new every day184While this explanation seems to fit best the standard Hebrew אין קבע, it appears in the Babli only as an opinion of the third generation Amoraïm Rabba and Rav Joseph, and here as an opinion of the fourth generation R. Yose; hence, it is not acceptable as original intention of R. Eliezer. R. Zera (= R. Zeïra) is also the one in the Babylonian Talmud who points out the practical impossibility of finding a new formulation in a fixed framework of 18 benedictions every day. One may also note that the statement of R. Simeon ben Nethanael (Abot 2:13) “do not make your prayer קבע” appears in Abot deR. Nathan A 17:8 as “do not make your prayer (idle) talk”; this agrees with the interpretation of Rebbi Eleazar.. Aḥitophel185In Agadah, he is the paradigm of a person who knows everything. used to say three new prayers every day. Rebbi Zeïra said: Any time that I was trying to do that, I was committing errors. Therefore, one has only what Rebbi Abbahu said in the name of Rebbi Eleazar: Only that one should not be like one who reads a letter. Rebbi Eleazar used to say a new prayer every day. Rebbi Abbahu used to recite a new benediction every day186While Rebbis Eleazar and Aḥa are the authors of the lenient interpretation, that the use of a formulaic text is accepted by all sages, they did not want to use this leniency for themselves, R. Eleazar for the Amidah prayer and R. Aḥa for any of the permanent benedictions, possibly those to be recited in the morning before prayer..
רִבִּי יוֹסֵי צַיְידַנָיָא בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן לִפְנֵי תְפִילָּתוֹ הוּא אוֹמֵר יי֨ שְׂפָתַי תִּפְתָּח וּפִי יַגִּיד תְּהִילָּתֶךָ. לְאַחַר תְּפִילָּתוֹ הוּא אוֹמֵר יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ יי֨ צוּרִי וְגוֹאֲלִי. רִבִּי יוּדָן אֲמַר תְּרַוֵּיהוֹן קוֹמֵי צְלוּתֵיהּ. Rebbi Yose from Sidon187A student of Rebbi Jeremiah, from the city of Sidon. The statements of R. Yoḥanan are in Babli 9b. There the requirement of recitation of these verses is noted as “institutions of the Rabbis”; the Babli would not tolerate the action of Rebbi Yudan. in the name of Rebbi Yoḥanan: Before one’s prayer one says (Ps. 51:17) “Master, open my lips that my mouth may proclaim Your praise.” After one’s prayer, one says (Ps. 19:15): “May the sayings of my mouth be agreeable and the thoughts of my heart, before You, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Rebbi Yudan used to say both of them before his prayer.
הָיָה עוֹמֵד וְנִזְכַּר שֶׁהִתְפַּלֵּל רַב אָמַר חוֹתֵךְ. וּשְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר אֵינוֹ חוֹתֵךְ. שִׁמְעוֹן בַּר ווָא בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן וּולְוַאי שֶׁיִּתְפַּלֵּל אָדָם כָּל־הַיּוֹם. לָמָּה שֶׁאֵין תְּפִילָּה מַפְסֶדֶת. רִבִּי זְעִירָא בְּעָא קוֹמֵי רִבִּי יוֹסֵי לֵית מִילְתֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָֽמְרָה סָפֵק נִתְפַּלֵּל סָפֵק לֹא נִתְפַּלֵּל אַל יִתְפַּלֵּל. וְלֹא אֲגִיבֵהּ. אָתָא רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן סָפֵק נִתְפַּלֵּל סָפֵק לֹא נִתְפַּלֵּל אַל יִתְפַּלֵּל. רִבִּי חֲנִינָא לֹא אָמַר כֵּן אֵלָּא בְּעַייָן קוֹמֵי רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן סָפֵק נִתְפַּלֵּל סָפֵק לֹא נִתְפַּלֵּל אֲמַר לוֹן וּולְוַאי שֶׁמִּתְפַּלְּלִין כָּל־הַיּוֹם. לָמָּה שֶׁאֵין תְּפִילָּה מַפְסֶדֶת. If one was praying and remembered that he already had prayed, Rav says, he cuts short, and Samuel says, he does not cut short. Simeon bar Abba in the name of Rebbi Yoḥanan188The statement of Rebbi Yoḥanan and his problem have been explained in Chapter One, Notes 16 ff. The shortened parallel to this and the following paragraph appear in Babli 21a.: If only one would pray the whole day long, why, because prayer is never in vain. Rebbi Zeïra asked before Rebbi Yose189He is Rebbi Yasa (Assi).: Did not Rebbi Yoḥanan say that if one is in doubt whether he did pray or not, that he should not pray? He did not give him an answer. Rebbi Abbahu came in the name of Rebbi Yoḥanan: If one is in doubt whether he did pray or not, he should not pray. Rebbi Ḥanina did not say so but: They asked before Rebbi Yoḥanan, if one is in doubt whether he did pray or not? He told them, if only one would pray the whole day long, why, because prayer is never in vain.
הָיָה עוֹמֵד וּמִתְפַּלֵּל בְּשַׁבָּת וְשָׁכַח שֶׁל שַׁבָּת וְהִזְכִּיר שֶׁל חוֹל. רִבִּי חוּנָא אֲמַר אִיתְפַּלְּגוּן רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יַעֲקֹב וְרַב שֵׁשֶׁת. חַד אָמַר חוֹתֵךְ אֶת הַבְּרָכָה. וְחָרָנָה אָמַר גוֹמֵר אֵֶת הַבְּרָכָה. הַכֹּל מוֹדִים בְּחוֹנֵן הַדַּעַת שֶׁהוּא גוֹמְרָהּ. וָתָא כְּרִבִּי דְּרִבִּי אָמַר תְּמִיָּה אֲנִי הֵיאַךְ בִּטְּלוּ חוֹנֵן הַדַּעַת בְּשַׁבָּת. אִם אֵין דֵּיעָה מְנַיִין תְּפִילָּה. אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק גְּדוֹלָה הִיא הַדֵּיעָה שֶׁהִיא מְמוּצַּעַת בֵּין שְׁתֵּי הַזְכָּרוֹת שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כִּי אֵל דֵּיעוֹת יי֨. אִית דִּבְעֵי מַשְׁמְעִינָהּ מִן הַדָּא אָז תָּבִין יִרְאַת יי֨ וְדַעַת [אֱלֹהִים] תִּמְצָא. If one was standing praying on the Sabbath; he forgot about the Sabbath and prayed for weekday. Rebbi Ḥuna said, Rav Naḥman bar Jacob190He appears as Rav Naḥman in the Babli, a student of Samuel and of the Resh Galuta Rabba bar Abuh, who became his father-in-law and appointed Rav Naḥman as chief judge of the Jews in Babylonia. Hence, the opinions of Rav Naḥman have the weight of Supreme Court decisions in all money matters. He is reported in the Babli (21a) to require that the benediction that was started must be finished. The contrary opinion, which therefore must be attributed to Rav Sheshet, is not mentioned in the Babli. and Rav Sheshet191Rav Sheshet was a contemporary of Rav Naḥman, a student of Rav. He was blind and the greatest expert in Tannaïtic literature in his time. In the Babli, it is a Gaonic tradition that in disagreements between Rav Sheshet and Rav Naḥman, practice follows Rav Sheshet in all matters that do not involve money. Hence, it is clear that the Babli, which wants to establish the rule that one must finish the benediction, cannot mention Rav Sheshet. disagree, one says he cuts the benediction short and the other says, he finishes the benediction. All agree that he finishes “Gracious Giver of knowledge”192The first of the weekday benedictions, a prayer for knowledge and insight.. This follows Rebbi, since Rebbi said: I wonder why they eliminated “Gracious Giver of knowledge” on Sabbath; if there is no knowledge, from where comes prayer? Rebbi Isaac said: Knowledge is great because it is in the middle between two mentions of divine names as it is said (1Samuel 2:3): “Certainly, a God of knowledge is the Eternal”. Some want to understand from here (Prov.2:5): “Then you will understand the fear of the Eternal and the knowledge of God you will find.”
רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בַּר אַבָּא בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי חֲנִינָא כָּל־הַדֶּרֶךְ בְּחֶזְקַת סַכָּנָה. רִבִּי יַַנַּיי כַּד הֲוָה נְפִיק לָאַכְּסֵנִיָּא הֲוָה מְפַקֵּד גֵּו בֵּיתֵיהּ. רִבִּי מָנָא כַּד הֲוָה אָזִיל מַסְחֵי בְּמֶרְחָץ שֶׁהִיא נִיסּוֹקֶת הֲוָה מְפַקֵּד גֵּו בֵּיתֵיהּ. רִבִּי חֲנִינָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי אַבָּהוּ רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בַּר אַבָּא בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יְהוֹשֶׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי כָּל־הַחוֹלִי בְּחֶזְקַת הַסַּכָּנָה. Rebbi Simeon bar Abba in the name of Rebbi Ḥanina: Any travel is presumed to be dangerous196And an occasion for the prayer of Rebbi Joshua.. Rebbi Yannai, when he went abroad197Greek ξενία “hospitality; guest chamber”., commanded his household198Made his will and settled his affairs as if he expected to die.. Rebbi Mana commanded his household when he went to a bathhouse that was heated199In Roman thermal baths, the water was heated in a room directly below the sauna room. If the floor was falling down, the people in the sauna would be in danger of being burned to death. This does not apply to geothermal bathhouses as in Tiberias; he made his will only when he went to thermal baths that were artificially heated.. Rebbi Ḥanina the son of Rebbi Abbahu200Son of Rebbi Abbahu of Caesarea; studied in Tiberias and became his father’s successor in Caesarea., Rebbi Simeon bar Abba in the name of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi: Every sickness is presumed to be dangerous.
רִבִּי אָחָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי אַסָּא כָּל־מַה שֶׁשָּׁלִיחַ צִיבּוּר עוֹבֵר לִפְנֵי הַתֵּיבָה וְתוֹבֵעַ צָרְכֵי עַמְּךָ לְפָנֶיךָ. רִבִּי פִינְחָס רִבִּי לֵוִי רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן בְּשֵׁם מְנַחֵם דְּגַלִּייָא זֶה שֶׁעוֹבֵר לִפְנֵי הַתֵּיבָה אֵין אוֹמֵר לוֹ בּוֹא וְהִתְפַּלֵּל אֶלָּא בּוֹא וְקָרֵב עֲשֵׂה קְרָבֵינוּ עֲשֵׂה צָרְכֵינוּ עֲשֵׂה מִלְחֲמוֹתֵינוּ. פַּיֵּיס בַּעֲדֵינוּ. 201Here starts the discussion of R. Joshua’s text, in particular the meaning of בכל שעת העיבור. The explanations of the Babli (29b) of this cryptic expression are varied and totally different. In Galilee, the reader passes (עובר) before the ark, in Babylonia he descends (יורד) before the ark. Hence, only in Galilee can the prayer of R. Joshua refer to the prayer of the cantor in the synagogue. Rebbi Aḥa in the name of Rebbi Assi: Everything that the representative of the congregation passes by before the Ark and requests the needs of Your people before You. Rebbi Phineas, Rebbi Levi, Rebbi Yoḥanan, in the name of Menaḥem from Gallia202A Tanna of the last generation. His sayings are usually transmitted by R. Yoḥanan.: He203The person in charge of organizing services. does not say to the one who steps before the Ark “come and pray for us” but “come and present our presentation204קרב may mean “battle” (explained here by “wars”) or “to come near” (explained by “pacify for us”) but in the liturgie sense, used here as main sense, it means a poem either inserted in the regular Amidah or replacing the Amidah prayer, as recognized by L. Ginzberg. Religious poetry was very important in Israel in these times; in Babylonia it was banned from synagogues except in the Yeshivah of Rav who was trained in Galilee. Hence, the Babylonian Talmud could not accept the interpretation given here., work our needs, wage our wars, pacify for us.”
אֲחֵרִים אָֽמְרוּ צוֹרְכֵי עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל מְרוּבִּין וְדַעְתָּן קְצָרָה אֶלָּא יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יי֨ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁתִּתֵּן לְכָל־בִּרְיָה וּבִרְיָה צְרָכֶיהָ וּלְכָל־גְּוִיָּה וּגְוִיָּה דֵּי מַחְסוֹרָהּ. בָּרוּךְ יי֨ כִּי שָׁמַעְתָּ קוֹל תַּחֲנוּנָיי. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי֨ שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִילָּה. רַב חִסְדָּא אָמַר הֲלָכָה כַּאֲחֵרִים. רַב חִסְדָּא אָמַר שָׁלֹשׁ בְּרָכוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת וְשָׁלֹשׁ הָאַחֲרוֹנוֹת. Others say206This prayer is reported in Babylonian style (without the Biblical verse preceding the doxology) together with the prayers formulated by other rabbis in Babli 29b and Tosephta Berakhot 3:7. The statement that practice follows this text is Rav Huna’s in the Babli.: “The needs of Your people are many and their minds are dull. May it be pleasure before You, o Eternal, our God and God of our fathers, that You may give every single creature its needs and to every single body according to his want. (Ps. 28:6) Praised be the Eternal, certainly He heard the sound of my supplications. Praised are You, o Eternal, Who hears prayer.” Rav Ḥisda said: Practice follows “others”. Rav Ḥisda said, the first and last three benedictions207The “short prayer” is the middle one between the first and the last three of the Amidah; see the commentary to the Mishnah..
אִית תַּנָּיֵי תַּנִּי מִתְפַּלֵּל וְאַחַר כַּךְ תּוֹבֵעַ צְרָכָיו. וְאִית תַּנָּיֵי תַּנִּי תּוֹבֵעַ צְרָכָיו וְאַחַר כַּךְ מִתְפַּלֵּל. מַאן דָּמַר מִתְפַּלֵּל וְאַחַר כַּךְ תּוֹבֵעַ צְרָכָיו תְּפִילָּה לְעָנִי כִּי יַעֲטוֹף וְאַחַר כַּךְ וְלִפְנֵי יי֨ יִשְׁפּוֹךְ שִׂיחוֹ. וּמַאן דָּמַר תּוֹבֵעַ צְרָכָיו וְאַחַר כַּךְ מִתְפַּלֵּל לִשְׁמוֹעַ אֶל הָרִינָּה וְאַחַר כַּךְ אֶל הַתְּפִילָּה. דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים. רִבִּי זְעִירָא בְּשֵׁם רַב חוּנָה יָחִיד תּוֹבֵעַ צְרָכָיו בְּשׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִילָּה. Some Tannaïm have stated: One should first pray and then ask for one’s personal needs. Some Tannaïm have stated: One should first ask for one’s personal needs and then pray.208In Babli Avodah zarah 7b, the first opinion is R. Joshua’s, the second one R. Eliezer’s. [If the Yerushalmi had mentioned the names, the order of the baraitot would have been inverted.] R. Joshua, whose opinion always prevails against R. Eliezer, requires that private prayers be said following completion of the prescribed 18 benedictions. This is accepted as a possible practice in Babli Avodah zarah 8a. He who says, one should first pray and then ask for one’s personal needs (Ps. 102:1) “Prayer of the deprived one who wraps himself up209Usually translated: “who faints”, but used here in the sense of “who wraps himself in his prayer coat or shawl.” The Babli uses the verse for the opposite argument since “prayer” is mentioned first.” and afterwards “and before the Eternal he pours out his speech.” But he who says, one should first ask for one’s personal needs and then pray, (1Kings 8:28) “To listen to lamentation210The Babli (Berakhot 31a) is forced to re-interpret רנה as “prayer”.” and after that “and to prayer.” The opinion of the sages211The consensus of the Amoraïm.: Rebbi Zeïra in the name of Rav Ḥuna, the private person asks for his personal needs in “He Who hears prayer”212But public entreaties are said either in the form of extra benedictions for rain fasts, or as penitential prayers in the sixth benediction “Merciful, Who forgives much.”.
רִבִּי אַבָּא רִבִּי חִייָא בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן צָרִיךְ אָדָם לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא מְיוּחָד לִתְפִילָּה. וּמַה טַעַם בְּכָל־הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַזְכִּיר אֶת שְׁמִי. אֲשֶׁר תַּזְכִּיר אֶת שְׁמִי אֵין כָּתוּב כַּאן אֶלָּא בְּכָל מָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַזְכִּיר. אָמַר רִבִּי תַנְחוּם בַּר חֲנִינָא צָרִיךְ אָדָם לְיַיחֵד לוֹ מָקוֹם בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת לְהִתְפַּלֵּל. וּמַה טַעַם וַיְהִי דָּוִד בָּא עַד הָרֹאשׁ אֲשֶׁר הִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה שָׁם לֵאלֹהִים אֵין כָּתוּב כָּאן אֶלָּא אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה שָׁם לֵאלֹהִים. Rebbi Abba, Rebbi Ḥiyya213R. Ḥiyya bar Abba., in the name of Rebbi Yoḥanan: A person has to pray at a place that is dedicated for prayer. What is the reason? (Ex. 20:24) “At every place where I shall let My name be mentioned214The verse ends: “I shall come there and bless you.” One has to pray in the synagogue because only there is God’s blessing guaranteed for one’s prayers..” It does not say “where you will mention” but “at every place where I shall let My name be mentioned.” Rebbi Tanḥum bar Ḥanina215Probably identical with Rebbi Tanḥum bar Ḥanilaï, a specialist in Aggadah in the second generation who was in contact both with R. Yoḥanan and with R. Joshua ben Levi, as well as with R. Ḥiyya bar Abba of the following generation. A statement similar to his, but not restricted to a synagogue, is attributed in the Babli (6b) to R. Ḥelbo in the name of Rav Huna. said: A person has to select a fixed place in the synagogue where he prays. What is the reason? (2Sam. 15:32) “David came to the top”, it does not say “where he prostrated himself before God” but “where he was used to prostrate himself before God.”
רִבִּי יָסָא רִבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ. רִבִּי בְּרֶכְיָה רִבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ מָטִי בָּהּ בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי אֶבְדּוּמָא דְּמִן חֵיְפָא צָרִיךְ אָדָם לְהַסֵּב פָּנָיו לַכּוֹתֶל לְהִתְפַּלֵּל. מַה טַעַם וַיַּסֵּב חִזְקִיָּהוּ פָּנָיו אֶל הַקִּיר. בְּאֵי זֶה קִיר נָשָׂא עֵינָיו. רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר בְּקִירָהּ שֶׁל רָחָב נָשָׂא עֵינָיו כִּי בֵּיתָהּ בְּקִיר הַחוֹמָה. אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם רָחָב הַזּוֹנָה שְׁתֵּי נְפָשׁוֹת הִצִּילָה לָךְ רְאֵה כַּמָּה נְפָשׁוֹת הִצַּלְתָּ לָהּ. הֲדָא הִיא דִכְתִיב וַיָּבֹאוּ הַנְּעָרִים וְגוֹמֵר. תַּנִּי רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָי אֲפִילוּ הָיְתָה בְמִשְׁפַּחְתָּהּ מָאתַיִם אֲנָשִׁים וְהָֽלְכוּ וְדָֽבְקוּ בְּמָאתַיִם מִשְׁפָּחוֹת כּוּלְּהָם נִיצּוֹלוּ בִזְכוּתָהּ. אֲבוֹתַי שֶׁקִּירְבוּ לָךְ כָּל־הַגֵּרִים הָאֵילּוּ עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. רִבִּי חִינְנָא בַּר פַּפָּא אָמַר בְּקִירוֹת בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ נָשָׂא עֵינָיו. בְּתִתָּם סִפָּם אֶת סִיפִּי וּמְזוּזוֹתָם אֵצֶל מְזוּזוֹתָי וְהַקִּיר בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיהֶם. בְּנֵי אָדָם גְּדוֹלִים הָיוּ וְלֹא הָיוּ יְכוֹלִין לַעֲלוֹת וּלְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ בְּכָל־שָׁעָה וְהָיוּ מִתְפַּלְלִין בְּתוֹךְ בָּתֵּיהֶם. וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַעֲלֶה עֲלֵיהֶם כְּאִילּוּ מִתְפַּלְלִין בְּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ. אֲבוֹתַיי שֶׁעָשׂוּ לְךָ אֶת כָּל־הַשֶּׁבַח הַזֶּה עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר בְּקִירָהּ שֶׁל שׁוּנָמִית נָשָׂא עֵינָיו שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר נַעֲשֵׂה נָא עֲלִיַּית קִיר קְטַנָּה. אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם הַשּׁוּנָמִית קִיר אַחַת עָֽשְׂתָה לֶאֱלִישָׁע וְהֶחֱיֵיתָ אֶת בְּנָהּ. אֲבוֹתַי שֶׁעָשׂוּ לְךָ אֶת כָּל־הַשֶּׁבַח הַזֶּה עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה תִתֵּן לִי נַפְשִׁי. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי בְּקִירוֹת לִבּוֹ נָשָׂא עֵינָיו. מֵעַיי מֵעַיי אוֹחִילָה קִירוֹת לִבִּי הוֹמָה לִי. אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם חִיזַּרְתִּי עַל ר̇מ̇ח̇ אֵיבָרִים שֶׁנָּתַתָּ בִּי וְלֹא מָצָאתִי שֶׁהִכְעַסְתִּיךָ בְּאַחַת מֵהֶן עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה תִּינָּתֶן לִי נַפְשִׁי. Rebbi Yasa, Rebbi Ḥelbo. Rebbi Berekhiah, Rebbi Ḥelbo comes to it in the name of Rebbi Eudaimon from Ḥaifa: A person has to turn his face to the wall in order to pray. What is the reason? (Is. 38:2) “Hezekiah turned his face to the wall.” Which wall did he lift his eyes to? Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, he lifted his eyes to Raḥab’s wall, (Jos. 2:15) “For her house was on the wall of the fortification.” He said before Him: Master of the world, Raḥab the inn-keeper saved two souls for You, and see how many souls You saved for her. [That is what is written (Jos.6:23): “The youths came, etc.” Rebbi Simeon bar Yoḥai said, even if her family was 200 persons strong and they furthermore were related to another 200 families, all of these were saved by her merit216The argument, as usual, refers to the part of the verse not quoted in the text: “The youths, the spies, came and removed Raḥab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and all her belongings; and they removed all her families and deposited them outside of the camp of Israel.” One would have expected “all her family” but it says “all her families”..] My forefathers who brought to You all these proselytes, so much more217This expression is elliptic, see the last two paragraphs.. Rebbi Ḥananiah bar Pappus218In the Babli, he is called Rebbi Ḥanina bar Pappus. He belongs to the circle of the students of R. Yoḥanan, but it is not known whether he was himself one of the latter’s students. His authority was accepted by Abbaie and Rava, the undisputed leaders of the fourth generation of Amoraïm in Babylonia. said, he lifted his eyes to the wall of the Temple. (Ez. 43:8) “When they put their lintel next to My lintel, their doorposts next to My doorpost, with the wall between Me and them219This verse ends with a curse upon the people addressed, the bad kings of Judea. But since the royal palace and the Temple were designed by David and built by Solomon, one must assume that the layout and use were done by praiseworthy kings..” They were important people, they could not go and pray in the Temple every time, so they prayed in their house and the Holy One, praise to Him, considers it as if they had prayed in the Temple. My fathers who built for You all this glory, so much more. Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman220In the Babli (10b), this sermon is by Rebbi Levi and the following one by R. Simeon ben Laqish. said, he lifted his eyes to the wall of the woman from Sunem, as it was said (2Kings 4:10): “Let us make a small upper storey on the wall”. He said before Him: Master of the world, the woman from Sunem made one wall for Elisha and You revived her son. My forefathers who built for You all this glory, so much more that You should give me my life. The rabbis say, he lifted his eyes to the walls of his heart. (Jer. 4:19) “My innards, my innards I make tremble, the walls of my heart are in uproar.” He said before Him: Master of the world, I checked all my 248 limbs221This number is given in Mishnah Ahilut 1:8 where they are all enumerated in anatomic detail. that You gave me and I did not find one of them I offended You with; so much more that You should give me my life.